Pistol Range Tips
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  1. #1

    Pistol Range Tips

    I got orders to the Pistol Range and to be honest I've shot about 3-4 different kinds of pistols, but nothing like an M9/92FS, and never in any official position like Weaver or Iso (which I'm sure they teach since it was in the MCI). Now like rifle marksmanship I'm damn sure the fundamentals of breathing and trigger control and a good platform all apply, but is there anything important only encountered on the M9 I may run into?

    I figured I'd ask and cull multiple sources, I also have a few friends who were LA County Sheriffs and both were competition shooters in SASS (I know its Cowboy guns, but those fundamentals transition seamlessly) that are subject matter experts when it comes to shooting positions with pistols. And luckily we have a Marine thats "sort of TAD" to the range as a coach, but I have to be lucky enough to catch him to get pointers, or I'll luck out and actually be able to ask him "on location."

    I culled in the search but couldn't turn up much information so I "may" be the first to ask but if I ain't, then I didn't look hard enough. Thanks in advance!


  2. #2
    I would say hit the target. If you get all your rounds on the target you will qual. Otherwise follow the fundamentals you have been taught and what you learned in the MCI. Also you can go to Iron Sights and get some practice with the M9. See if your unit has a coach or someone who has qualled expert a few times on the pistol range and take them with you. If you shoot on Wilcox you get two days of about 100 rounds each day to practice, then you qual on day 3. Also one last tip.. take your time. You have plenty of time to get all your rounds off, so take your time and relax.

    Hope I helped a bit.


  3. #3
    yeah... the way they have everyone on-line... don't be that LT who shot the man to his left.....

    just follow the range safety rules and everything will be fine.


  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by GIrene View Post
    I got orders to the Pistol Range and to be honest I've shot about 3-4 different kinds of pistols, but nothing like an M9/92FS, and never in any official position like Weaver or Iso (which I'm sure they teach since it was in the MCI). Now like rifle marksmanship I'm damn sure the fundamentals of breathing and trigger control and a good platform all apply, but is there anything important only encountered on the M9 I may run into?

    I figured I'd ask and cull multiple sources, I also have a few friends who were LA County Sheriffs and both were competition shooters in SASS (I know its Cowboy guns, but those fundamentals transition seamlessly) that are subject matter experts when it comes to shooting positions with pistols. And luckily we have a Marine thats "sort of TAD" to the range as a coach, but I have to be lucky enough to catch him to get pointers, or I'll luck out and actually be able to ask him "on location."

    I culled in the search but couldn't turn up much information so I "may" be the first to ask but if I ain't, then I didn't look hard enough. Thanks in advance!
    Contact member 'thewookie' he was a shooting instructor.

    I swear to god, I will go there and beat you if I find out you use the Weaver stance.

    He is a quick tip, a good portion of your stability comes from the strength of you forearms. If you get them strong it will also help with controlling recoil.


  5. #5
    I use the weaver from the 25 yd line. Learn the difference between Single Action and Double Action. Listen to the tower. Listen to your coach. Don't be afraid of the weapon.


  6. #6
    that first shot from a double sucks balls... but as long as the rest are good you'll ace it.


  7. #7
    All shots from the 25 yd line are single action. From the 7 and 15 yd line, the first shot of each drill will be double action. I was the tower for rifle and pistol range about 6 months ago.


  8. #8
    Thanks everyone.

    Shooting Single and Double should be interesting. IIRC Double will be a harder trigger pull since its working the hammer instead of just releasing it.


  9. #9
    Double action with the m-9 is really pretty easy. Be fast out of the holster and getting your pistol up in position. Quickly get your sights set and then slowly squeeze the trigger for the first round. Not to slow but still slow. I always start my trigger pull while getting my sight alignment and sight picture. Saves a little time but you have to know your pistol trigger pull good before attempting this. If you have a good stance and grip, your sights will settle quickly and you can squeeze off the next round quickly and still make the time. Works for me and I used to teach that method to the the ASF (Auxilary Security Force) when I ran the ASF Academy for the Navy in the Mid-Atlantic Region.


  10. #10
    "Listen to your coach". Is some terrible advice. The coaches I've ran across have known less about pistol/rifle shooting than your average girl scout.


  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by BR34 View Post
    "Listen to your coach". Is some terrible advice. The coaches I've ran across have known less about pistol/rifle shooting than your average girl scout.

    Come on now. Be nice. They are taught the basics and thats it. Some don't have the experience that some of their shooters have and that doesn't help. However, they are trained to help with the basics. It's up to you to make any mods that might work better for you.


  12. #12
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    Take your time. New shooters tend to rush through so fast they have fired all their shots, benched or holstered the weapon and are just standing there waiting for the rest of the relay to finish. Walk down range and it looks like someone shot their target with a shotgun. Take your time. It might take a practice day or two to get a feel for what the right tempo to use is. If you have a 10 round course of fire and shoot 9 bullseyes and have a saved round it is still better than a bunch of 7, 6, 5, miss.


  13. #13

    My best words of advice from afar.....

    Listen to your coach -- he'll have the best advice based on what he or she can see. But that's to take nothing from the the advice already given here.

    Trigger pull is the name of the game, especially the first DA shot with the M9. The twenty five yard-line you can overcome that by cocking the hammer. From the 7 and 15 yard line when you start the drill from what's was called the "hunt" or having the pistol pointed downrange at a 45 degree angle. For those drills I start pressing or prepping the trigger as soon as I hear the words "targets" from the tower or I can see the targets turn -- at the same time I'm raising the pistol to acquire my sights. By prepping the trigger while you're bringing the sights up to your eyes, you're taking some of the slack out of the trigger, and that will help to eliminate some of the anticipation and trigger slap problems that happen to some shooters.

    Another thing I'll add for the rapid and speed reload drills is related to your grip. I'm fond of a hard and heavy pistol grip, opposed to a loose or "relaxed" pistol grip. This comes from doing a lot of failure type drills over the years where fast and accurate follow-up is key. When I first started shooting pistol in the Marine Corps I was taught a loose and relaxed grip, but most of the best pistol teachers/shooters out there promote a strong and heavy pistol grip. The reason for this is because it helps to control the recoil of the pistol and keep your sights on target for follow-up purposes. And transitioning that type of pistol grip to a static line and for pistol qualification purposes also plays a critical role in shooting the 7 and 15 yard line well. IMHO

    The rest your coach will say, over, and over again,,, the key is to listen to them. If you tune them out and think you know it all before you do you will have a pizza box to show for it. Be humble and listen. For a coach it's very easy to see what their pistol shooters are doing wrong, much more so then with a rifle.

    Good luck, have fun, and another thing don't count - or you'll lose. You know how many shots you're dropping, don't be so worried about your score; once you know and can apply the fundamentals it's all mental.


  14. #14
    What works for me not everybody was a nice lose grip on with my lower fingers and tight death grip up high on the pistol grip with my thumbs and pointer fingers. But than again I carried this weapon as my secondary weapon for 4 years in the Marines and got a lot of practice to develop my skills. I was taught a heavy tight grip at first which works great but I eventually figured out what worked for me. I also had to learn speed drills and shooting with both eyes open and not taking time to aim perfectly. Since my pistol was my back up and used for tight spaces in CQB. Never shot less than a 360 on the range out of 400 for the M9. Just be comfortable with it. Anticipating the shot is 10x worse with a pistol than a rifle and that will throw your shot off hard core with a rifle too. Since you can see the hammer coming back in double action and feel it heading forward in single action you tend to anticipate. Best way I solved that was to hold my pistol out and have someone balance a quarter on top of it and pulling the trigger and dry fire. Objective is to keep the quarter from falling off while using site picture and all that jazz. Other than that listen to your coach. KILL!!


  15. #15
    I've got a funny story but it worked to fix the guys problem in the end. We were doing some pratice shoots and the instructor was keeping an eye on everybody pointing out things he say wrong and stuff. Well he was working to help a friend of mine, having him try differant things but nothing seem to be helping. After we shoot a round the instructor told him I don't know what you did that round but all your shots were right in there. Mike turned and didn't want to say what had changed but then told us he forgot to put his right ear plug back in before that round so he was trying to hold his ear down on his shoulder to cover it. Made everybody laugh but it showed him he needed to get a better look down his sights.
    My only advise would be you need to listen to the coach and most of all you need to be comfortable when you are squeezing the trigger.


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