Diagnose Your Shot
Problem:
Pushing - If your finger is not properly centered on the trigger, you will slightly push the pistol left and up.
Anticipating recoil - This occurs when you recoil the pistol yourself before you even fire.
No follow through - occurs when you relax at the moment of firing and lose your technique.
How to Fix:
Pushing - Keep the pad of your finger centered on the trigger and pull evenly straight back.
Anticipating recoil - Relax and let the bullet recoil the pistol.
No follow through - maintain your technique and targeting for a full second after firing.
Problem:
Breaking Wrist Up - this occurs when you anticipate the recoil, when you squeeze with the whole hand, or when you hold the pistol too tightly. This causes the middle finger to push the top of the pistol back and the heel of the hand to push the bottom of the pistol forward.
Conversely, this can happen if you grip the pistol too loosely, allowing recoil to shift the shot upward.
How to Fix:
Breaking Wrist Up - Maintain an even and consistent grip. Your grip should be firm but should not be a squeeze. Practice good trigger control by pulling the trigger evenly straight back.
Problem:
Heeling - Both heeling and thumbing fall into the category of ‘Anticipating recoil’. In heeling, the flexing of the hand causes the heel of the hand to push the bottom of the pistol group which elevates the barrel.
Thumbing - When anticipating the recoil, you may overly squeeze the pistol grip, driving the tip of the dominant thumb into the side of the pistol and pushing it sideways.
How to Fix:
Heeling & Thumbing - Since both of these are types of ‘Anticipating recoil’ errors, both can be addressed by maintaining an even and consistent grip. You want to be firm but not a hard squeeze. The hard squeeze causes the hand muscles to flex which changes the bullet trajectory.
Problem:
Pushing - Too little finger on the trigger causes you to push the side of the trigger, rotating the pistol, when attempting to fire.
How to Fix:
Pushing - Keep the pad of your finger centered on the trigger and pull evenly straight back.
Problem:
Thumbing - In a proper grip (assuming right-hand dominant), both thumbs should be placed on the left side of the pistol, with the right thumb resting on the left. If either thumb grips too tightly, the tips may press the side of the pistol, rotating the pistol to the right.
How to Fix:
Thumbing - Maintain an even and consistent grip on both sides of the pistol. Thumbing is also an ‘Anticipating recoil’ error so be sure not to flinch as you fire, which may thumb the pistol.
Problem:
Jerking - This occurs when you fire prematurely. This typically happens as you move the sights across the target and fire the moment you line up without taking a beat to stabilize. Firing too quickly like this causes a pushing and breaking error.
How to Fix:
Jerking - When you line up the sights take a moment to stabilize your wrist. Concentrate on a smooth trigger pull.
Problem:
Hand Squeeze - This happens when you squeeze the whole hand. The flexing from the middle, ring, and pinkie fingers push the pistol down and to the right. This is also commonly due to anticipating the recoil where you prematurely lower the pistol to counteract the raising of the pistol from the shot. This also happens as your arm gets tired.
How to Fix:
Hand Squeeze - In a proper grip, your hand holds the pistol firmly but does not squeeze excessively. The only part of the hand that moves is the smooth pull from the trigger finger. Relax, none of your muscles should be overly engaged.
Problem:
Breaking the Wrist - This is the most common shooting error. It is caused when a shooter drops the pistol before firing in order to counter the rising of the pistol from the recoil.
No Follow through - This happens when you attempt to relax immediately after you fire, but end up dropping the pistol just prior or during the shot.
How to Fix:
Breaking the Wrist & No Follow through - In both of these cases, taking a moment to aim and taking a moment to follow through will correct these errors. By focusing on lining up the shot and staying on target, you will also end up following through with the shot.