Can't hit w/single action

[WVfishguy]

I used to love my Walther P99 AS, but last time I shot with it, I couldn't hit the side of a barn with it.

Nor could I hit with my Bersa Thunder .40. You can laugh if you want, but that Bersa has as good a trigger as any Sig I've shot (and I've shot more than one).

I switched to my S&W Sigma (!) and did quite well. the Sigma is double action, and since I smoothed the trigger, it feels almost exactly like a Glock.

I believe I can only shoot double action because I shoot so many revolvers (the wife and I have around 24 revolvers, and shoot many hundreds of rounds).

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

 

[44 AMP]

no

At least, not for me.

I suppose its all in your shooting style and what you train yourself to do. I have many different single and double action guns, and don't have the difficulty you are having, possibly because I don't shoot much double action. I seldom shoot my DA guns double action, and have no DA only guns (or GLocks).

I prefer single action shooting, because I prefer to hit what I aim at. I do just enough DA shooting to ensure my comfort level that I can reliably hit (group) COM at across the room range. Other than that, I don't have a use for DA shooting. You might, but I don't.

One tends to do what one trains to do, if one doesn't think about what you are doing. The majority of my shooting is recreational, and I have plenty of time to think about how the particular gun I'm shooting works. I don't fumble looking for safeties, I know where the mag release buttons are, etc. I know my guns. And I don't use an unfamiliar gun for defense.

I may be the odd guy here, but that's the way I am.

It may well be that the reason you are having trouble with your SA pistols is that you are unconciously doing what you do for your DA guns, and thats just not the right way to shoot an SA pistol. What part of the finger is on the trigger? Are you pulling long through the release point (subconciously expecting a long trigger pull)? It could be these, or a number of other things.

If you're shooting for fun, take the time, and think about what you're doing. If your shooting for defensive skill practice (or for real) stick with one simple system, and do it by "feel". For you, it appears to be a DA gun, shot DA.

IF you want/need to be equally good with both styles, that will take a lot more practice, especially in the area of subconciously knowing what actions go with which gun. I had this taught to me in the hunting fields, when I missed an instinct shot, because the gun I was using that day was not my usual one, and the safety was in the "wrong" place for my "muscle memory".

Thats why I say, for a defense gun, where you might have to make a shot on instinct, muscle memory, or what ever you want to call it, you should pick one system (simple is better) and use it exclusively. For sport or play, use what you like.

 

[animal]

no, but might have seen it….

Were you "all over the place" or "grouped in the wrong spot" with the single action ?

 

[orionengnr]

Nope

I shoot DA revolvers pretty well, but only if I take my time. I believe that if I were in a life-or-death situation, my ability with a DA revolver might degrade significantly.

I shoot a SA 1911 just as well as a DA revolver, and my confidence level in being able to do so under stress is much higher.

I no longer own any Glocks, XDs, etc. I do own and carry a Kahr P45, and I shoot it pretty well too...probably somewhere between the DA revo and the SA 1911, but although the trigger resembles the DA more than the 1911, I shoot it more like the 1911. Not sure why...

 

[James K]

I don't know what the medical term would be, but I think that DA shooting can be more accurate because it gives the muscles something to grip tightly. For someone my age, there is a tendency to not have too steady a hold, and SA shooting (especially off hand) can result in shakiness. But in double action, the tighter grip allows a steady hold and is more accurate.

Jim

 

[Onward Allusion]

No, but I am more consistent with DAO. I shoot so much with DA revolver and DAO pistol that when I switch to a traditional SA/DA pistol I'm finding myself doing double-taps every now & then. Usually the DT's end up giving me an extremely tight group, but sometimes they end up as flyers. I think I'd rather have consistent 2 to 3 inch groups @ 10 yards off hand versus 1" groups with flyers.

WVfishguy
Can't hit w/single action
I used to love my Walther P99 AS, but last time I shot with it, I couldn't hit the side of a barn with it.

Nor could I hit with my Bersa Thunder .40. You can laugh if you want, but that Bersa has as good a trigger as any Sig I've shot (and I've shot more than one).

I switched to my S&W Sigma (!) and did quite well. the Sigma is double action, and since I smoothed the trigger, it feels almost exactly like a Glock.

I believe I can only shoot double action because I shoot so many revolvers (the wife and I have around 24 revolvers, and shoot many hundreds of rounds).

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

 

[WVfishguy]

Part of my problem/query is: Should I go through a lot of ammo trying to get good with single action, or just say "forget about it" and keep practicing with my XDm, Walther PSP and Sigma, and sell my Walther P99 and Bersa?

 

[SW40F]

Practice until you can confidently shoot any of your guns, at any time. If you simply can't get comfortable and reasonably accurate with a particular gun, but do well with other guns, it might be time to sell that gun.

Oh, and glad to hear you have, shoot and enjoy your Sigma.

 

[(BH)]

Im good with DA and SA but I'm best with DA. I'm with you on this one.

I like shooting both, but I'm best with striker fired DA and DA revolvers. The only form of DA that I wouldn't consider myself better off than SA with is on hammer fired autos. Give me a Walther PPS, M&P, or SP101 and I'll tear some jagged holes at SD ranges. With my Sig 226 or PX4 shooting DA, you'd see some less than desirable groups.

I guess it's probably because all of the guns I've ever carried are DA because I'm really not big on safeties. Naturally I shoot my carry guns more, so I've become very accustomed to long heavy triggers.

 

[stevieboy]

Yes, I've experienced the problem. I'm a long-time revolver shooter and only recently have I owned and fired semi autos. My two semis are a 1911 (single action, obviously) and a CZ 75B SA (single action only). I've fired 10s of thousands of rounds double action with a revolver and I've become extremely comfortable with a da trigger. When I first began shooting single action, with my 1911, I found myself pulling my shots off line.

It took a while for me to get the feel of the single action trigger. Part of the problem was that people assured me that I should place my finger differently on the SA trigger than on my revolvers' DA triggers. With my revolvers, I put my trigger finger quite deeply into the trigger guard, resting the trigger on the crease behind the first joint of my trigger finger. That gives me sufficient leverage to pull the trigger straight back without pulling the gun off line. But, experienced semiauto shooters told me that I must use only the pad of my trigger finger on the SA trigger. And, so I did, and my accuracy sucked. Then, one day, I just said "to hell with it" and put my finger on my 1911's trigger at exactly the same spot as I use for DA revolver shooting. Instantly, muscle memory took over and my accuracy improved dramatically to the point where I began shooting the 1911 as or more accurately than I shoot my revolvers. I continue to put my finger "too deeply" on my semiauto triggers, and my accuracy continues to be as good with these guns as it is with my revolvers.

 

[44 AMP]

No matter what different "experts" may say...

If you get hits, there's NO WRONG WAY to shoot.

You might get better following someone's advice, or you might not. Style only counts in dancing (ok, a few other things too) but not in shooting. Only hits count. And if what you do is "wrong" but you get hits, then its not wrong.

 

[chris in va]

I do better with my Kahr than my Sig in SA. The trigger lets me take up the slack and somehow prevents me from jerking it. I can't shoot a revolver to save my life though.