If you want to improve your handgun shooting accuracy, you need to practice shooting every day. In this guide, we will be sharing with you some of the secrets to mastering the art of hitting your target everytime you handle your handgun. Don’t get discouraged by the frustrations you may have experienced in the past. The exercises provided here are divided into simple sections. So you can easily practice at home and improve your overall shooting accuracy.

1. Learn Trigger Control

The trigger control drills in this section are supposed to help you handle your weapon properly. Your handgun is an accurate weapon, but if don’t handle it carefully, you may find it difficult to hit your target. Here are two drills that can help you to hold your pistol properly.

Smooth Continuous Trigger Press: To avoid missing your target, you need to learn to press the trigger in a smooth, steady and continuous way. This drill requires a piece of brass and the help of another person. Simply unload the gun and take out the magazine if you can. Reset the pistol and let your friend balance an old piece of brass on the gun’s front sight. Then try to do a smooth press of the trigger. If you do it properly, the front sight will not move and the brass will remain in its position. If the piece of brass falls off, it means that you are causing the gun to move by jerking the gun. Repeat this drill until you can press the trigger smoothly and the brass no longer falls off.

Pressing the Trigger to the Rear: One problem you may encounter with the trigger is not pressing it directly to the back. This happens when the hand you use to fire your gun over-grips the gun and makes the finger to form an arc while the trigger is being pressed. This situation is known as smearing the trigger. When this happens, your shot will break toward the support side. Instead you should press the trigger with careful and direct motion. To practice this drill, you can put a pencil on the web of the thumb of your trigger hand and let the eraser be on the trigger finger. Then press your pencil smoothly and steadily toward yourself while keeping it on the web of your thumb. This drill will help you to visualize and develop a strong press.

2. Master Your Follow Through

Follow through is keeping a steady platform in order to make accurate follow-up shots. The challenge comes either as a flinch response to your gun or because you are anticipating the next shot. This will lead to muzzle dip and reduce your accuracy. To master effective follow through, use these drills:

Ball and Dummy: This is a famous handgun drill that is designed to stop flinch. You will need a friend to help with this drill. While you are turned away, your friend will prepare the weapon for shooting. It may be set with a round or reset without one. Then you turn around and receive the weapon. Point and press as if you are shooting a fixed target. The trigger should click without a dip in the muzzle. If the muzzle dips, it means you are still anticipating the shot. You should continue this drill with an occasional live round until you no longer experience muzzle dip.

Single Shot Drill: You can practice this drill, without the help of a friend, to eliminate anticipation. Simply load a round into the handgun and then remove the magazine. Point at your target and fire the round. Settle down for another shot and then press the trigger. Look closely at the front sight for any sign of dipping. This is a good way to do self diagnosis. You may also use a shot timer to train your mind to avoid anticipation and still shoot accurately. The best shot timer will help you to take both individual shots and fire several rounds at fixed time intervals.

3. Perfect Your Sight Picture and Alignment

The most important skill with regards to sights is to align them on target while you are focusing on your front sight. The rear sight should be a bit blurry while the front should be crystal clear. These two drills will help you to build confidence.

Bench Shooting: To learn how to master certain aspects of shooting, you need to learn to focus less on other aspects. For instance, shooting in a benched position will help you to cut out the need to stabilize yourself and allow you to focus on building good sight alignment. So sit at a good bench and rest your hands on a shooting bag. You can also use a laser shot sighter to get an accurate sight picture and alignment. Then with an intention of managing perfect sights, fire each shot at your target.

Figure Eight Drill: This drill will help you to keep your sights in focus and improve trigger control. At six yards, point at the target and then take the slack and slop off the trigger. Move the front sight 8 inches in a figure 8 over the bullseye. As you move across the bullseye, break the shot and reset the trigger to shoot once more. Repeat this for 5 or 6 shots. You will quickly improve your accuracy in hitting your target and handling the trigger.

4. Combine Your Shooting Skills

The next drill will help you to mix different components of shooting and practice various aspects of gun control in a single session.

Ragged Hole Drill: From about 6 yards, fire 5 rounds slowly into one point on your target. Concentrate on a small part of your target or use a target that has 2 inch dots at the main focus points. Then use the same point to aim every time. Avoid chasing your shots and don’t even attempt to make any corrections. If you manage the trigger and sights very well, you should have just one ragged hole. If the shots are spread out, you need to go back and do one of the previous drills.

Shooting a handgun does not have to be frustrating. You can maintain accuracy in your shooting by deliberately practicing these drills until you have mastered the fundamentals. Then you can improve your individual skills and practice them all at once.

Author Bio:

Mitchell Wood is an outdoor, ranch and hunting guru. He is the lead guide and liaison at the MusketHunting. He is an expert in both native and exotic hunting species as well as conservation.