It is very easy and many people fall into it. Common shooting mistakes that have a great affect on your accuracy or should I say lack thereof. Shooting an air pistol like the Springfield Armory TRP 1911 Co2 BB Pistol is much different, in some ways, than shooting the Air Venturi Avenger G2 PCP. In other ways the same mistakes can be made with either of them.
Identifying the Problem
- Poor stance and grip
- Improper sight alignment
- Improper trigger control and execution
- Anticipating or rushing the shot
- Poor follow through
- Inconsistency
What will happen when any of these are lacking? It’s not likely when shooting airguns but, if your stance isn’t correct you could be knocked off balance easily, sending the projectile on a detour. A poor grip can lead to inconsistent shot groups, and possibly injury.
Proper stance is extremely important, a firm and stable foundation is going to assist in consistency and accuracy. What about your grip? The key to a proper grip is to keep control of the handgun while allowing it to respond to the action performed when the trigger is squeezed.
Improper sight alignment leads to, most commonly, the point of impact being too high or low but sometimes left or right as well. Not all sights are created equally, learn the appropriate aim point on them and practice being consistent.
Some sights can be changed to assist with better alignment and better sight acquisition. Maybe you’d be a better shooter using fiber optic sights like these, Umarex Notos Fiber Optic Sights rather than the front blade and rear fixed sight that’s included.
Trigger control and execution, one of the most common mistakes, especially if you’re anticipating the shot. If you’re a right-handed shooter and you jerk the trigger, the point of impact will most likely be to the right, if you’re a lefty, to the left.
To improve your performance practice slowly squeezing the trigger until it breaks, get a good feel for it. Knowing what to expect from the trigger is going to help you execute the engagement in a more efficient manner.
Poor follow through and inconsistency are two things that a shooter must learn to continue in. Follow through is the action of shooting the gun from start to finish. Some people lose focus and when they do and their stance, grip, sight alignment, or trigger squeeze is largely affected by it. Staying focused is essential.
If your point of impact is off, begin sifting through the list of common mistakes and begin seeking to correct them. You’ll know when you have because your accuracy will greatly improve. Whether you prefer handguns or rifles, if you want to get good at it you will stay diligent and do what it takes to accomplish just that!
The best way to diagnose shooting mistakes is to get in front of an instructor or a seasoned shooter and have a willingness to receive constructive criticism. If that’s not an option, pay close attention to your execution of every step and be consistent.
