... I,m hitting to the left with my revolver ., . Consistantly hitting to the left , adjusting the rear sight doesn,t help much so far ..??????. Slightly low but 4-6" left @ 25 yrds ..

could it be my glasses ??

I don't know what you are shooting, but most of the guys I know that shoot off to the left, and low are anticipating recoil and trying to push the gun forward and to the left when they pull the trigger.

Are you right handed? If so, that may be one of your problems.

.... I bet thats it ... I actually made about a 4" group but it was all to the left ... That was with the Casull . and the 335 gr factory loads........... I,ve got a bunch of 255 gr plated bullets . , Now that I,ve done a little load development I think I will load a bunch of blasting / practice loads @ around 1100 fps and get to know how to shoot it well ..

Next time you take the 454 out to shoot take a lighter kicking han dgun and some lighter loads for the 454.

Then you can narrow it down, ie is it you [maybe the glasses], the 454, or just those loads in the 454.

If you're using the standard double fisted grip, Redhawk is correct. The gun hand tends to push the gun while the off hand tends to be weak allowing you to cast your shots to the left. Try putting more pressure on your off hand thumb to bring the shots back to center.

Also do not put your whole finger into the trigger guard. The pad of your finger should be on the center of the trigger. If the side of your finger is against the gun you will push the gun left instead of your finger pulling straight back.
My friend has this problem because he has short, stubby fingers.

EXCELLENT post, bfrshooter.

This is a target similar to what Smith & Wesson uses in their instruction. It may help you understand some of the things you're doing.

http://www.is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf

At some point, I'm going to take some photos of how I hold a handgun, but I'll say my two thumbs are held against the left side of the handgun in order to reduce the tendency of pulling to the left when pulling the trigger.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
At some point, I'm going to take some photos of how I hold a handgun, but I'll say my two thumbs are held against the left side of the handgun in order to reduce the tendency of pulling to the left when pulling the trigger.

I do the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
If you're using the standard double fisted grip, Redhawk is correct. The gun hand tends to push the gun while the off hand tends to be weak allowing you to cast your shots to the left. Try putting more pressure on your off hand thumb to bring the shots back to center.

..

Will do .

Well I tried it and it is working , but here,s an odd thing . I was useing a rest and experienced bigger groups than I thot I should be getting , I switched to standing off hand and to hanging on pretty tight and pushing with my left thumb and my shots centered up .. Consistantly centered ... I had some vertical stringing.. But I was shooting 3 different loads ...

255 plated fp@ 1100 fps 335 WLN @ 1300 and 335 gr WLN@ 1500 fps ....

I can comfortably hold the pistol and rest the pad of my finger on the trigger , but I can,t cock the gun with that grip unless I use my left hand to do so ..........

I was thinking I may need to have Premier grips put on this gun but I really don,t want to ... I like how grippy these are ... ..

.... Wow thanks guys ... George thanks for posting the link . I,m going to print that off and post it at the range .... There is actually a range here ,,..

bfr . I have short fingers also and with the grip size of the Field Grade Pacmeyer grip I may also be doing that ... I will work on slightly pushing with my left thumb as I do have a pretty relaxed grip ...

More range time indicated YIPPY

Gumboot, here's another thing to think about.
Grip the gun normally, hold it out in front of you. Does the centerline of the gripframe line up with the centerline of your arm bones?
If it does not, and is offcenter, the gun will recoil back, up, and to the left sending your point of impact to the left.

You said you have short fingers, do you have trouble reaching the trigger without shifting your grip on the gun around to the right?

I have short hands and have this problem. If the reach to the trigger is too long, I have to shift my grip around to reach it, and my POI is to the left.
For me, any grip that covers the backstrap makes it too long of a reach.
N Frame Smith's are especially long for me, even with open back grips. All my handguns with long trigger reach have the rear sight adjusted way to the right to compensate for this POI shift due to not being able to line up the grip with my arm bones.
What the others have told you about grip pressure is all true, I just wanted to toss out another possible contributing factor.
Mark

Very true and a good post. Most with small hands have the most trouble with shooting left and will blame the gun itself for the problem.
A grip change is in order if smaller ones will fit the gun.

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
If you're using the standard double fisted grip, Redhawk is correct. The gun hand tends to push the gun while the off hand tends to be weak allowing you to cast your shots to the left. Try putting more pressure on your off hand thumb to bring the shots back to center.

..

Will do .

Well I tried it and it is working , but here,s an odd thing . I was useing a rest and experienced bigger groups than I thot I should be getting , I switched to standing off hand and to hanging on pretty tight and pushing with my left thumb and my shots centered up .. Consistantly centered ... I had some vertical stringing.. But I was shooting 3 different loads ...

255 plated fp@ 1100 fps 335 WLN @ 1300 and 335 gr WLN@ 1500 fps ....

I can comfortably hold the pistol and rest the pad of my finger on the trigger , but I can,t cock the gun with that grip unless I use my left hand to do so ..........

I was thinking I may need to have Premier grips put on this gun but I really don,t want to ... I like how grippy these are ... ..

..

gumboot458, when I am shooting my open sighted handgun from a rest, my groups are not very good to me. My groups are better when I shoot off hand with open sights. George and I were shooting, and I was shooting my 510 GNR revolver, I first started shooting at a target at 25 yards off hand, my groups were very good, I then sat on the bench and my groups went to pot, I was all over the target. I then went back to shooting off hand and my groups returned to being good.

I think it is the way the gun is held when shooting from a rest or the way I hold my head. But whatever it is, iron sights and I are better of shooting off hand.

But shooting with a red-dot or scope on the handgun, I don't have that problem on the bench.

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
gumboot458, when I am shooting my open sighted handgun from a rest, my groups are not very good to me. My groups are better when I shoot off hand with open sights. George and I were shooting, and I was shooting my 510 GNR revolver, I first started shooting at a target at 25 yards off hand, my groups were very good, I then sat on the bench and my groups went to pot, I was all over the target. I then went back to shooting off hand and my groups returned to being good.

I think it is the way the gun is held when shooting from a rest or the way I hold my head. But whatever it is, iron sights and I are better of shooting off hand.

But shooting with a red-dot or scope on the handgun, I don't have that problem on the bench.

.....

Over the years this has happened to me with different revolvers and I couldn,t figure out why ,,,,I guess I still don,t know why but its nice to know I,m not the only one ... Thanks ..

Redhawk, I have the same problem and it is how you have to hold your head with open sights when on bags. Normally the gun is too low and you will tilt your head to get in line. Sights tend to be closer to your eye too.
What helps a little is a lower seat or get the gun higher.
When I need to sight for deer or test loads with open sights, I use the Creedmore position with a blast shield. Doing this will give the same POI as off hand.

quote:

Originally posted by bfrshooter:
Redhawk, I have the same problem and it is how you have to hold your head with open sights when on bags. Normally the gun is too low and you will tilt your head to get in line. Sights tend to be closer to your eye too.
What helps a little is a lower seat or get the gun higher.
When I need to sight for deer or test loads with open sights, I use the Creedmore position with a blast shield. Doing this will give the same POI as off hand.

I will keep that in mind and give it a try. I think the lower seat on the bench is a good idea.

I was just frustrated when I was shooting that day. I could not figure out right away what the problem was, but as soon a George told me to go back and shoot off hand, we figured it was how I was holding my head to shoot. But like I told George, I was going to shoot my bear off hand anyway's, and that was how I practiced before my bear hunt.

When I made my shot on the bear, I did it off hand, and the bullet went where it was suppose to.

I have been shooting open sighted handguns for many years, but I never tried shooting off a bench with open sight's. I always did if off hand. It has been since I started butting scope's on handguns, that I started using a bunch for longer distances. I don't have that problem with a scope or red-dot on the bench.

dont know if your doing it or not but low left usually indicates a guy is anticipating the gun going off and pushes then gun into the shot. Loads some heavy recoiling loads and shoot a couple cylinders full then load a cylinder or two with an empty chamber in one and have someone observe you shoot and see if your pushing your gun into the shot.

....... I was , but what has helped since was putting more pressure on the frame with my left thumb ... and shooting off hand ...... A new pair of spectacles will no doubt help also ...