How do you fix consistent shooting errors

I'm assuming your shooting a pistol. You're probably moving your whole hand when pulling the trigger. Trigger finger isolation is what you're looking for - holding the pistol steady while moving your trigger finger independently.


Dry fire practice
MAKE SURE THE PISTOL IS UNLOADED!
When you can consistently pull the trigger without the penny falling off, you'll be a much better shooter.


You can do the same with an empty shell. Start out by balancing it on top of the slide, then move to balancing it on top of the sight like this picture:

You are probably jerking the trigger anticipating the recoil. Try some snap caps. Load them randomly into the mag with live rounds and when you get to a snap cap, if you are jerking, the barrel will dive low and left.

When you are building your fundamentals, you should always focus on the front sight. It is your lie detector and will tell you everything you are doing wrong. This is also what is shown in those pictures balancing the penny or casing or the front sight.

Your sights do not have emotion or reason. They take your input (sight picture, trigger press) and produce an output (hole in paper, mark on steel). If you are giving a bad sight picture and trigger press, you will have the same result every time. You need to slow down and focus on that front sight. When you isolate it, you will see what it's doing when the trigger breaks. Dry firing with a casing or penny is a good method of building that muscle memory and trigger control.

Another good experiment is to have a friend come shooting with you and load your magazines. Have him/her randomly insert a snap cap or dummy round somewhere in the magazine. If you have a bad flinch, it will make itself obvious mid-magazine.

You will always be fighting your flinch as a shooter. There may be days where it gets the best of you and there may be days where you can't seem to miss. Learning to slow down and control your flinch is the best way to lessen its effects on your shooting.

My guess just like everyone elses' is that you're anticipating the shot and pulling your sights off target. Lots of dry fire practice, patience, and focusing on the front sight will help.

Stance
Grip
Sight alignment
Trigger control

Work on these in that order and you will improve.

good info...

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Thanks everyone! I'll make sure to get some snap rounds and start practicing.

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You've received some well-intentioned advice. Some of it may be helpful (such as the part about focusing on your front sight, and having a smooth trigger press/squeeze). You'll get a lot more advice, most of which (like mine) is worth what you paid for it.

Call me tomorrow (225-766-4422) and I'll explain to you (a) what's going on and (b) what to do about it. It would be even better if I could actually see you shoot -- but I can probably fix 90% of your problem over the phone.



edited to fix errors caused by my inability to read and comprehend the English language.

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Shots going high-right do not result from flinching

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He is aiming high right....so he is shooting low and left.

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He is aiming high right....so he is shooting low and left.

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You're right -- can I withdraw my bet ??? (I misread his "to hit where I want to hit" verbiage).

My offer to the OP is still open -- call me tomorrow. I can fix your flinch. If you meet me in BR, I guarantee we can fix it. Over the phone, I can tell you what to do, but can't observe to see if you're doing all three of my "three little steps."

If you follow my three steps, it is impossible to flinch.

Just my $.02 worth.

As always -- ignore all advice given on internet forums. (My earlier post is a perfect example of why you should do so.)