No matter if you’re a professional shooter or simply trying to improve your accuracy, the way you hold a handgun makes all the difference.
One technique to increase accuracy is a push-pull grip. This involves having your dominant hand grip the gun tightly while your non-dominant hand simultaneously pushes forward. This helps control recoil and keep the gun pointed accurately for more accurate shots.
Sight Alignment
No matter your shooting skill level or defensive handgun use, knowing how to hold your gun correctly for maximum accuracy can help keep you safe. While the grip of a pistol may differ depending on whether you’re right- or left-handed, there are several fundamentals of shooting a pistol that every shooter should understand.
One of the most critical elements to holding a handgun accurately is sight alignment. Accurate sight alignment can make all the difference when hitting your target – whether that be paper at the range or an actual danger out in the field.
Sight alignment can be challenging to get just right at first, but it is achievable. With practice and precision, shooting will become much smoother and your results will improve.
When shooting a handgun, the sight picture will shift between guns and distances. These changes in sight picture are known as “holds,” with three major types: Combat Hold (or Frame Hold), Center Hold, and Bullseye Hold.
Although each hold type has a slightly different sight picture on a standard bullseye target, they all share similar principles of operation and can be quickly recognized by shooters.
Handgun sights differ from rifle sights in that they are much closer together, unlike rifle sights which typically have a greater distance between the front sight and rear sight. As such, sight alignment is much more critical in handgun shooting than with rifles.
Sight alignment is the process of aiming your pistol so that both front and rear sights align with the center of your eye. To do this, position the front sight post within the notch in the rear sight aperture with equal space on either side and its top touching the’shoulders’ of the rear sight aperture.
In addition to giving you a clear sight picture, sight alignment can also reduce eye strain and maintain depth perception when shooting. Focusing on the bull’s-eye while aiming helps create an accurate image before pressing the trigger.
Trigger Control
Shooting a handgun, whether for sport or self-preservation, requires correct grip and trigger control to achieve maximum accuracy. But it’s not just about holding the gun correctly; you must also control the trigger to fire at precisely the correct point in the chamber.
When honing your trigger control, be sure to practice with a gun that is well-balanced and stable. Make sure the grip doesn’t twist in your hands or feel too large or small for comfort.
Test your trigger control by placing your index finger along the frame of your pistol above and parallel to the trigger, and placing its pad against the end of your thumb. Slowly increase pressure towards the rear until your thumbnail turns white – this indicates even pressure buildup until the trigger fires.
Before firing your gun, it is wise to practice this exercise several times. This will teach you proper trigger discipline and give you a feel for how well-controlled your trigger is.
To achieve proper trigger control, your trigger finger should only move backward when you press it. Avoid moving it sideways, up or down as these movements will jerk the trigger and result in missing your shot.
Another essential trigger control tip is to breathe deeply and hold for a couple of seconds, then exhale. If you’re just starting out, this might be difficult but it will help keep your gun steady and provide an accurate sight picture before shooting.
Additionally, always keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Doing this prevents accidental breakage of a shot or taking too long firing your weapon. This is an essential element of handgun safety that ensures you don’t accidentally shoot yourself or someone else in the target.
Stance
When shooting handguns, the stance you hold your gun in can make all the difference in accuracy. There are various stances to choose from and each has its own advantages and drawbacks; however, what matters most is finding one that works for you and makes shooting comfortable.
Isosceles (Frontal) Stance: In this stance, the body faces directly toward the target while leaning slightly forward with both hands on the gun. This stance can be effective for rapid reloads and helps you keep your balance.
Weaver Stance – The shooter stands with both hands on the gun, facing straight out in front of them with the upper body leaning slightly forward. This stance is one of the most commonly used stances and it can be used for any situation.
Chapman Stance: This stance is one of the most reliable handgun shooting stances. It produces a fast sight picture and works well at all distances.
This stance is ideal for close range shooting and it’s effortless to assume. Additionally, it helps keep your handgun steady and accurate during stressful situations.
Modified Weaver Stance – This popular stance can be extremely effective for pistol shooting. It provides a fast sight picture and is also easy to adjust when the gun becomes loose.
This stance is ideal for individuals with small hands who may struggle to hold a gun securely. It also works well when practicing shooting skills in an enclosed environment, making it suitable for injured individuals who require to use a handgun to defend themselves.
Breathing
One of the most essential ways to hold a handgun accurately is by controlling your breathing. This will guarantee your shot is smooth and jerk-free, as well as making sure the gun is aligned correctly.
Breathing is often neglected when shooting, yet it’s essential for accuracy. When you breathe correctly, your heart rate will slow down and you can focus on your shot more clearly.
Breathing incorrectly can lead to muscle fatigue and not having enough oxygen for effective shooting movements. Without adequate oxygen levels, vision and reflexes may also be impaired.
Shooting for personal defense can be a serious issue if your breath control techniques aren’t practiced beforehand. To overcome this, practice your breath control techniques before actually firing your firearm.
The first breathing technique is known as “exhale and pause.” This involves inhaling a breath, exhaling about half of it, then pausing (known as your natural respiratory pause). This gives you a second to make sure your sights are aligned with the target before pulling the trigger.
Alternatively, you can try a breathing technique called “inhale and pause.” This involves inhaling until your lungs are about halfway full, then taking a moment to pause before pulling the trigger. It’s the opposite of exhale and pause, helping eliminate breathing-related movement when in firing position.
To achieve this, you’ll need to pay attention to your breathing patterns and identify your natural pause. The length of this pause varies according to how relaxed you are during it, but generally speaking it should last around one minute.
If your natural pause is too short or absent altogether, the shallow decreasing breaths method can help compensate. As you lower the handgun, begin to decrease your breath until just before reaching that natural pause point before pulling the trigger.
