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vertical stringing- just my eyes or the ammo too?

2K views 29 replies 17 participants last post by  Capt. Methane 
#1 ·
I am trying to learn to shoot groups so that I can better compare the ammo I'm loading. The other day I had a crazy strung "group" (embarrassed to post it but a pic is worth lots of words) that was really tight horizontally but vertically strung over 3".

Is this just my inability to hold a consistent sight picture & attention, or should I check my scale? :confused:

Some days (depending on how the sun illuminates things) I really struggle with a clear sight picture and other days I struggle with seeing the target well. I think I remember this one being at the end of my trip as the sun was low. (shooting towards it) I shot several good groups earlier that day.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 

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#26 ·
^^This^^
 
#6 ·
I knew a young moron that thought it would be a favor to his poor, always compressed magazine springs to stretch them out. After that the gun would always string the groups.
I'll never do that again...

My point is you could have a magazine with issues.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Huh!



I've only been doing this stuff since the 1960's! Never heard this before! I double checked and your post wasn't April 1st!

To the OP, before assuming a gun issue have someone with an Expert card shoot the thing.

Velocity spread would have to be extreme to cause this as mentioned above.

And yes sun angle can affect POA/POI.

If it turns out to look like a mechanical issue Google: "1911, Barrel springing and vertical stringing"

Smiles,
 
#7 ·
Consider that you are unintentionally not lowering your aim quite enough after each shot.
Next time try lowering then raise and aim at the middle of the bulls eye each time. Do not try making slight adjustment after each shot.
Goal is to shoot group so start from a new independent combination. Important aim the same way at the bulls eye. Do not chase your shots.
Since you were consistent horizontally, I guess you just did not align the sight the same way each subsequent shot.
 
#10 ·
I'm thinking it was the sun... I shot a couple sub 1" groups earlier that afternoon. Between glare on the gun and the paper "glowing" with the sun behind the orange dot, I don't think I was able to align the tops of the blades.

No changes, same mag and I have trouble seeing the holes so I'm certainly not focusing on a compensating hold.
 
#11 ·
If you have a metal front sight, use a match or lighter to smoke the sight. Gets rid of the glare.

OR you could do what i did and get a red dot.

I got out of bullseye because the sights were getting harder to see. Then I got a red dot sight. Now I am back in the game. I even have ONE carry gun with a dot sight and all have CT laser.

That is OK for defensive group. He would drop from every shot.

I really doubt its the ammo.

David
 
#14 ·
"I struggle with seeing the target well."

Don't look at the target. Stay focused on the front sight. Some people try to see where the bullet hit as soon as the gun fires. Bad habit. Leads to looking away from the front sight to soon.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk
 
#15 ·
good point, but I should have said it like this: While focused on the front sight, I don't see the target well enough to keep tight sight alignment on a small bullseye- not that I'm trying to "focus" on the target. I can hit A-zones and plates but when trying to pinpoint small exact target dots for the purpose of finding small differences in ammo, it's difficult and seems to vary based on light vs bright.
 
#20 ·
Just out of curiosity was the bottom shot your first? I ask because my shooting buddy and I have noticed that often our first shots strike low, I have no idea why and I don't mean on a clean barrel just first out of a magazine. I don't know if it has to do with they way it was chambered or what.

As for your choice of targets I'd have to see what that looked like at that range but I do know it makes a difference. I mostly shoot at 25yds and used to use 25yd targets (B-16) and a while back I switched to 50ft targets (B-3) and my groups got almost half the size. Maybe it's true if you aim small you miss small :)
I've also noticed that a 6 o'clock hold is better for me than a center hold as far as vertically.
 
#28 ·
I couldn't rule out a mechanical issue with the gun. However, that is pretty classic vertical stringing caused by subconsciously dipping the muzzle to look at your hit. It's basically improper follow-through.
 
#30 ·
I think you're right about the sun and sight alignment, especially if you had shot some one inch groups earlier in the day with that same ammo...

didn't your mom tell you not to stare into the sun?

:biglaugh:

Yeah, getting older and having the vision degrade really sucks!
 
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