How To Stop Shooting Low And Left For Righties OR Low and Right for Lefties
Are you a right-handed shooter who shoots low and to the left, or a left-handed shooter who shoots low and to the right? If so, this video is for you.
Myles, the Founder of Tactical Hyve, shares an exercise that can help you get your shots on target.
The exercise allows you to focus on the principles of moving only your trigger finger and squeezing it straight to the rear.
Most people shoot low and to the left (for righties) or low and to the right (for lefties) because they are moving their bottom three fingers when they grip, i.e. the 'three amigos.'
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I feel like I can't hold it correctly. (yes, it's completely empty when I tried it in my apartment) I can't wait to try this at the range. Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely be working on it. 😎👍
Make sure to dry fire a lot before trying this live. Do not go live until you are comfortable and confident. Also, it helps to load only one round at a time for safety. In other words, insert a mag, rack one round, remove the mag, then execute the drill. But again, only go live when you are very comfortable with holding the pistol as demonstrated.
@@TacticalHyve Copy that. I recently bought a lasermax system to help improve my aim. I'm going to use it in tandem with your advice. 😁👍
Good luck man. I have this same issue.
Dude I hope it was unloaded
@@TacticalHyve Indeed. I completely missed this. Curious, maybe one hot round followed by a snap cap? In case the slide locking open has an impact. I am probably over thinking this. Great video!!!
I had a friend who was always a little high and to the left, but he was from California .....
Outstanding! 😀
🤣🤣🤣🤣
HA
Bro that was a great underestimated comment!
🤣
In my experience as a former instructor this was generally the major problem with many shooters. This is an excellent exercise in learning to overcome it. You did a great job in explaining and presenting this training technique thank you.
So, don't secure the tool but hold it in some fashion as so that under recoil , you cannot control the tool ? I am sorry for those persons That think that this is of anything of use in any contact scenario ! Do not support improper handling of possible tools !
@@leonardjones9753 Agree with you 100% re don’t do this drill live fire.
Hi, can you please tell me which fingers have to make pressure in each hand? I read thumb and ring finger on left hand, right? And only thumb for right hand? Thanks
@@leonardjones9753 He’s decreasing grip variables to isolate the technique of the trigger pull itself. No one is telling anyone to grip a firearm this way in normal circumstances. This is an exercise, not a combat grip.
So I'm a new shooter---This exercise seem to play fast and loose with the safety principal of keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot? Would this be something that range masters might take exception to if doing this with live ammo at the range?
If someone had taught me this most basic step 50 years ago... Well, let's just say I would have been miles ahead. Thanks!
AMEN, Robert. I was about to say the same thing, except for me, 45 years. I just started shooting again after a 4 year hiatus, with a brand new CZ75 D PCR, shooting low and to the left. I drifted the sights all over Creation until I ended up where I started again, hitting along the center axis of the target. In my defense, I would periodically bring out my old Hi Power clone, hit the ten ring every time, and still blame the poor CZ. Sigh...
Shoot with Both eyes open .
Myles ahead
Beginners, intermediate, even pro's. This is a great way to practice without a range and ammo. I have struggled with low left shots my entire career and this method helped improve my pistol marksmanship.
Yes I have a problem with this. Always had some dexterity issues with my fingers. This is a great drill. Another thing that helped me was one dude said to not grip so tightly with my right hand and grip more with the left, that also helps stop this problem.
Just about every range session I start with a “one hole drill” - 5 shots in a one inch square starting at five yards. It’s not always pretty. Sympathetic movement is a given, natural occurrence and it takes patience and practice to overcome it and it doesn’t matter if you’ve been shooting for five minutes or fifty years. It can be very humbling at times and at 8 or 10 yards sometimes downright embarrassing. You’ve given me a different approach to the drill and I’ll work on that tomorrow. Thanks.
Interesting. I’m going to start doing that from now on.
Just a suggestion. If self defense is your primary reason for carrying, your first drill of the day should be some type of scorable(to track progress) combat related drill. Done cold for obvious reasons. Then get into your lesson plan for the day.
@@odinzraider591 you mean like a “Bill Drill”, or something similar, correct? If so, I agree.
I share your frustrations. Been shooting my whole life and have yet to overcome this damnable low and left. This drill, however, has me pumped. I hope we are both successful!
Yeah, I have had to retrain myself due to strokes from the coof. Non jabber but my lady is… jussayin.
Very good technique brother. Such a clean and professional instruction and demo. Just enough detail without sounding like a lecture. ❤️
very true
You’re a life saver or at least a gun saver. Got a new CZ and had this problem. Went through your drill and exercises and saw vast improvement at the range. Thank you!
Did you have the issue with any previous guns? I ask because I have never had this issue until I had a new PDP out at the range yesterday and was low left.
Wow! I was wondering why my pistol tends to shoot low and left and I was adjusting to that by aiming higher and to the right! And I stumbled upon this video! Thanks for the explanation and tips.
And in a panic situation you will probably still have a low and left POI (like me) so I still aim hi right and hope for EITHER of the two POI’s.
Me too! I was aiming right and higher
That's known as Kentucky windage.
I hadn't shot a handgun in years. Maybe 20 rounds in 10 years. Got a nice backstop and began shooting again. Besides weak forearms (I'm gettin' up there in years) I noticed I developed the low left problem. Didn't matter what handgun .22, 9 or 45. I'm going to try this and see if I can get rid of the problem. I used to be good now I'm eh. Thanks for the tips.
agreed
This is the EXACT problem I’ve been having!! Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try this drill soon
I've known about the phenomenon, but hadn't seen a way to train for it until now. Thank you very much for this.
Great analysis of low/left shooting! Thanks for this exercise! Can't wait to try this out.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. Great advice
Thanks for the educational support. I feel like this video was made for me. Lesson learned and shared with others with similar challenges.
This is one of THE best training drills I have seen on the internet. I use this frequently w/ folks that shoot low left. Also, when I'm checking the accuracy of sights. Thank you for the great content!
Excellent job explaining this. I have been shooting for 3 months and have this low and to the left problem. I will definitely practice this trigger pull drill more often to become a better shooter. Thank you for the advice.
I was thinking about dry firing today and your video posted at the right time. Thanks
This video is spot on to all of my issues shooting pistols, for some reason I don't have that issue shooting shotguns or rifles. Thanks for the advice and for the explanation
I get the feeling that this is similar in concept to the 'washer on the barrel' drill taught during M-16 Basic Rifle Marksman classes in US Army basic training. It teaches you to isolates the finger and trigger and eliminate unwanted muscle input from other parts of your body.
That's funny you say that. I've been trying to take that drill and apply it to pistols so when I saw this video, I said to myself "This is it!"
What is funny, is people saying the Army actually teaches solders to shoot 🤣. One shot, one kill is a Marine thing.
2019 USASOC International Sniper Competition, first and second place positions were held by U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) teams while third place was claimed by a Marine Scout Sniper team
@@letaz77 One crayon one meal.
My local range suggested a coin on the barrel end for dry firing practice does make a difference but i will still try this method
I have shot low left most times when I start at the range then move my aiming point to adjust. Now I understand the cause! Many of my friends have the same issue but I’ll share this video with them and would bet it works for all of us! Thanks for the explanation and how to correct the problem.
Thank you young man . This was the best advice I have seen thus far.
Thank you for this extremely well taught lesson that I didn’t think I needed but was happily wrong. I can fairly easily with time patience and practice correct my thankfully minor mistakes.
Big thanks. Appreciate breaking down that sympathetic 3 amigos tendency and then isolating the trigger finger. This is really going to help my clients. I cannot help but mention your explanations are simple and to the point. Peace Be The Journey!
Great video. I always knew the physiology of why it was happening, but couldn’t find any reliable exercises to help correct it. Wonderful demonstration and explanation. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the info.
This is some excellent instruction. I am excited to start using this technique. I hope it allows me to produce similar results. Thanks.
I've been having this exact issue! Looking forward to practicing many dry runs, and seeing how live goes. Thank you!!
Well said and demonstrated! Very helpful and really describes why I sometimes shoot left no matter how many adjustments I make to the rear sight.
This is a great drill that I too have been teaching for years. This takes practice and discipline and I have noticed that depending on the handgun and the hand of the shooter, this helps more with some gun "fit" issues more than others. For example, some shooters can shoot fine with certain guns in certain hands but do the low-left with others. For those who simply don't have the time to constantly train, I will also see which handguns shoots best for each person naturally and recommend them as well. It is not perfect but I have found most casual shooters simply don't practice enough to make this training work when they need it to.
Quickest way I found to solve this problem was the crush grip. Squeeze the shit out of the gun line you're trying to break it, then back off just enough that your muscles aren't trembling. That's your sweet spot. Any more, involuntary muscle tremors throw the shot wide. Any less, sympathetic muscle movement throws the shot instead. It's worked for decades, still works today. Take it for what you will.
Man I needed this. I was at the range on Veterans Day, and it’s almost like I forgot all my military training and couldn’t hit crap. This got me back on track, thanks bro.
This addresses the #1 accuracy problem I have. It all makes sense. I'm looking forward to applying this at the range! Thanks!
Served for 26 yrs as LEO & Sergeant & this video is probably the best Tutorial practice , I've ever seen ! I've always been exceptional with about any rifles or long gun ,,, But just average with a hand gun ! I'd always score 100 on the range or maybe throw 1 ,,, but never grouped, like I should have been or rather could have been !
Great video as always...please keep up the great work.
We will!
Man this is the best I've seen on KZhead on how to fix this issue
I’m a one year pistol rookie and this has been a major issue for me and my instructor. Hadn’t been introduced to this so is definitely helpful. Thank you
Fantastic - finally someone explains it and a retraining drill - thank you!
This exercise is amazingly effective. I just tried it for ½hr with a softair, and it improved my accuracy in no time 😃 Thx for sharing
I have seen videos on this but this is the best so far. I have this low and left problem so much appreciate the insight.
I've consistently grouped left and tried this drill today with great results. Thank you for posting!
As a former instructor, I found this to typically be anticipation of recoil. 30 years ago everyone was shooting revolvers and it was easy to only partially and randomly load the cylinder so that the student could see what they were doing when the hammer fell on an empty chamber. We would then shoot on partial cylinders for a while until they learned to overcome it. It didn't normally take long. Since a magazine fed pistol doesn't have the same ability for partial/random loads, that solution doesn't work. Happy to see someone come up with another method. Nice work.
Some people will just have a friend load dummy rounds in randomly with live rounds to give that same effect
I do something like this by scattering ammo and snap caps on a table, and loading mags with my eyes closed. Not perfect, but I'm not able to tell them apart by feel so it works.
It's hard to do on some pistols even with proper motion because of the geometry of pulling the trigger. Your finger often can't simply move backward but has to close as if gripping, and that torques it to the side. Depends on the LOP vs your hand size.
I've got a big hand and longer fingers.
@@IHWKR unlike popular belief, the little finger on the trigger isn’t the best. I wrap my entire finger around it, so my middle phalange is on it. It helps me keep it consistent- and doesn’t rack the tip of my finger against the frame after shooting.
Great presentation. Made a lot of sense because of a slow detailed approach. Been practicing at home. Will be going to the range next week now that my buddy is back for the winter here in FL. Sent him this so he could practice it dry this summer. I look forward to seeing some more of your videos.
Thank you, Tactical Hyve!
Going to try this out with my S&W shield, I've been having a Low and to the Left issue with it. Thank you for the insight!!
The shields are tricky also because of the skinny frame. Ask me how i know lol. Spend some time with it and focus how youre shooting youll learn it eventually!
So went to my indoor range and spent quality time with this drill.. incredible how well it works. You really get to concentrate on separating the trigger finger from the hand. Crazy how much better I got. Thank you!
I needed this video! Thank you keep up the great work!
Low and left has been my issue for a long time, never seen this approach. I can't wait to try at home and the range. Thank You!
This is a fantastic drill. One of the ranges I got to has targets that are divided like a pie chart. Each section has feedback for what's happening when you hit that section. It's a great tool, but your video displaying what's actually happening puts a concrete aspect to it rather than just an abstract phrase. I can't wait to try it. Thanks!!
I've watched a couple of your videos and you do a great job w your presentations. Thanks a lot. Keep up the good work. Purchased a SW Plus a couple of months ago and had very little range time w it. Went yesterday and shot 65 frustrating rounds low and left. Right handed, so I'm gripping really tight, attempting to fight that w my left support hand almost like a battle, which is counterintuitive. I mean it shouldn't be this difficult. I click on this video and you are shooting w two fingers. I mean I know it should be easier than what I'm doing and bam, there you are with hopefully my answer. Going again Monday, so I check back in after some practice over the weekend. Again, thanks.
How did the return trip yo the firing range turn out for you?
I like this! I'm always trying to find new ways to explain how the finger moves to the rear of the gun without the gun moving and this looks like it would be a valuable tool to use for that purpose. Nice work, Keep up the good work!
Clear, complete, and organized verbal instructions is so rare these days. Most appreciated. EXCELLENT VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS.
Hey, this vid really helped me a lot. I've owned a Sig P365XL for a couple of months and I've got a bad tendency to shoot low and to the left. I think the video is right as to why I was doing this. My last trip to the range went A LOT better!
Right on!
I was at a training class this past April and this drill was introduced and it was insanely helpful. You can truly feel every aspect of grittiness within the trigger. Great drill
Great to hear!
Thank you for making this video. I can't wait to try this technique. I have shot for years,but cannot seem to break the low left problem. This video makes perfect sense to me. Very well done and clearly delivered.
That was excellent! Thank you! I appreciate everyone that takes the time to inform others and help with problems they may be having!
Great drill and explanation of why I as a right-hander, always shot low and to the left in the beginning. Drove me nuts. I thought my sights were off. So I adjusted my point of aim, high and to the right. Bingo! I’m on target. (Damn iron sights) Then I installed a red dot on my pistol. Zeroed it at the range at 25 yards. I was right back to shooting low/left again so I slowed down and focused. With the red dot, I could easily see it move low/left as my “sympathetic fingers” moved it on the trigger squeeze. (Damn sympathetic fingers). The red dot helped me see the slightest movement so I made sure it didn’t move at all as I pulled the trigger. Somehow, my shots were dead on now. With the iron sights, I would never have seen that slight movement and just blame the sights. I’ve been shooting pistols for decades (never professionally), and considered myself a good shot. So did my friends. Mostly shooting at friend’s properties, home-made plinking ranges, I could easily nail a quarter at 10 yards. Why? Relaxed atmosphere. I didn’t know that then, but I definitely do now. The reason being, I moved out of State, hadn’t shot a pistol in a few years, now I’m in a different state where I don’t know anyone. I bought a pistol at a local gun store and then googled shooting ranges in my area. (See the stress level rising?) I found a very nice indoor range with cameras everywhere, nobody has ever seen me shoot before, I’m a stranger who has to prove I’m safe. The cameras are pegged on this stranger and I shot like crap. (I was safe though) Maybe a little rusty is all. Nope, that wasn’t it. I wasn’t relaxed. I know about human physiology and sympathetic movement. Especially in the hands. Our most intricate of tools. When you squeeze something, all fingers naturally want to be involved. Squeezing a trigger on a pistol is unnatural and you have to leave the other jealous fingers out of it. Not hard to do when you’re relaxed and focused. Now add to the equation that you’re new to this city, this range, cameras on you, and the range masters fully expect you’re going shoot out the ceiling lights. Or, screw up muzzle awareness at any second. Now there’s an atmosphere conducive to shooting very poorly and I did. I realized that my hand was pulling left and low after the red dot proved I was. I should have known this but it’s something my fingers forgot under stress. My second visit, they new my name. Not because I was good but because I was safe. By my third visit to the range, I didn’t give a crap about the cameras, it’s time to shoot as accurately as I’m used to. Bam! Bullseye after bullseye. I didn’t get better than I once was, I relaxed and got as good as I once was. The range master ordered over the intercom, a cease fire. Came to talk to me. “Wow Sean, you’re nailing it! Way better than you were at first. You’re a friggin marksman!” (This is a kid more than half my age so I was gentle) “Here’s how this works, Bob. This is your father’s range. You grew up here. It’s your backyard. This is a second home to you, right?” (Bob nodded) I continued, “When I first walked in this door, never been in this State, didn’t know anyone, I knew I’d be under extreme scrutiny. I had to fill out and agree to all the safety protocols of this range and I KNOW, since I picked an off day of the week, and I was a stranger, all your cameras were locked on me, looking for the slightest screw up. I knew I wouldn’t screw up but you didn’t know that, so I spent most my first visit performing for the cameras. Shooting accurately was a distant second. I’m wanting YOU to relax with ME so that I can relax. You did that and I appreciate it. Then I could focus. Now you’re here commending my marksmanship. I understand and appreciate why you scrutinize strangers to your range, it’s imperative to safety. I needed to prove I was safe in every move I make and you coming out here to personally welcome me to the range is appreciated my friend.” So, I’m back to not allowing sympathetic finger movements on my pistol. During stress, your body and mind take over, clouding focus. Your drill of leaving all the other fingers off the grip is a great way to exercise denying sympathetic movement of the other fingers involved in the grip. I apologize this story is so long, but I wanted to impress on all the other stressful barriers that would definitely lead a shooter to shoot badly in a brand new and stressful environment. Prove yourself safe on a brand new range and then you can relax enough to remember those other fingers on your grip conspire against you. Peace and aloha to all of you. Be safe, shoot well, have fun.
That's a lot to think about. Thanks. Beyond the range, I'm beginning to understand the importance of tactical training. I've never spent time thinking deeply about a defensive situation. Now that crime is skyrocketing, the Supreme Court restored my 2A rights, and I have entered the "slow gazelle" stage, I must get serious about defensive scenarios. Since a defensive use of a firearm will necessarily be the most stressful situation I encounter, does proximity (usually
Excellent!! That is my, exact problem. I, still qualify, for my CCW and guard, but, it always made me nervous, because I had to aim to the right of the bullseye. Thanks
Great video can't wait to put this into practice.
Tried this drill using my single stack 1911 and I'm quite sure it'll improve my groupings. Dry fire became challenging and exciting now considering the weight of the pistol also.
In youth Olympic pistol shooting camps there are also holding regiments, to get the arm used to hold steady and not fatigue early on. So base one handed shooting benefits there as well. Try your non dominant hand as well.
As a member of a marginalized group who doesn't even get acknowledged by those supporting all other marginalized groups, I want to thank you from the bottom of my shallow heart for being inclusive towards us persons of left-handed abilities. Can you also do a video on the proper way to use non-inclusive scissors so we can stay on target while cutting paper? Thanks for another great video 😊
Haha.
Excellent demonstration and training. Thank you!
Great info, thank you, Myles...
Very useful information and I’m going to give this a try next time at the range. I always like practicing my fundamentals and this is yet another tool to hone my skills.
This is very good. I have been doing a similar drill for a few weeks and I saw improvements already. This will improve further, I am sure. Thank you so much for sharing! Also, which sights are you using on the Glock? Very interested to know.
Those sights he had I believe are Dawson Precision fiber optic sights. I use those on every Glock I shoot in GSSF competition, they are great sights!
@@rickp.1522 Either that or the Ameriglos. I buy those for all my non-optic Glocks. Fiber optic front & blacked out rear.
This simple and effective training tip is the best one I have come across on KZhead to improve my groupings. Thank you.
Thanks a lot Myles!!!!
It is also known as mashing. The best cure I found is to put a laser on the weapon and practice dry firing for hours until you can do it without moving the laser dot on the wall. It is difficult to master, but will train your hand and body without having to think. That is the only use for a weapon mounted laser in my opinion.
I used to play tournament level paintball. As quickly as someone turned on a laser, I hit it. May as well have a big neon arrow pointing at yourself.
I use my red dot handguns for the same thing. Do my draw to first shot practice while trying to not move the dot
Significant improvement yesterday at the range shooting 2 of my 1911's chambered 45 ACP at 5, 10, 15 and 20 yards. Changing my left hand grip (making it higher) was the major change that did it. Sweet! TY!
Thank You. I have been Shooting for over 40 years now. But still working with the trigger practice.
I'm a pretty fair shot with my revolvers, but have always had this mental thing against semi auto pistols. Trying to get past it, and finally found someone who spelled it out as plain as day. Thank you.
Good advise! That was one of Jeff Cooper 's tricks back in the 70's and 80's get your thumb involved in the hold he would say. Thanks ! great video.
Thanks for much can't wait to try this live!
this is great! I have added this to my dry fire regiment and will steal this mercilessly to use in my basic pistol class curiculum.
Awesome video. Thanks man
Amazing, thanks for the tip. Always wondered why some of my shots were going low left. Thanks again!
Thank you! I needed this.
Thank you!! Great advice I'll use this the next time I go to the range
Just back from the range after using your Technique. Finally solved my low left shooting. I can't thank you enough. My targets are no longer embarrassing.
Hartelijk dank voor deze les. Dit is precies wat ik nodig heb. TOP!
Gonna give this a try tomorrow. Thanks!
great explanation and demo. looking forward to practicing this
Great video- I’ve seen lots of Tactical Hyve videos and this one that got me to subscribe.
I just found this Instructor addressing a common problem! As a firearms Instructor for over 12 years... this was amazing and your delivery is top notch!
that’s my issue at the moment made some adjustments on holding it more firm and totally help but now having this information I will put it into practice. Can’t wait to take it out and try it. Thank you for this video
Makes sense. Very good instruction. You articulated the mechanics very well. Thank you
of all the instructor I've watched in videos you are the only one that actually know what you are talking about in this specific problem shooting process. you nailed it like a boss, thanks you kind sir!!!!
Thanks for making the video. I now understand why my shots are low and left now. Time to practice practice practice! Also will help save $ on ammo when I been trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. Awesome video thank you!
Thank you very much. I’m a new right hand shooter, and I always pull down and to the left. You are the only video I’ve found that addresses this problem.
Well explained! Looking forward to adding this exercise. Thanks!
Thanks for the shooting instructions. It helps.
Thank you. Great information. I'm going to try this when I go to the range
Awesome instruction. Thanks much.
Awesome content my man. It so much easier to understand when shown. I've been trying to tell my wife and this totally broke it down for her. Thank you.
as a new shooter this is game changer for me, can't wait to practice with live rounds, appreciate the content brother!
This is great, thank you. You are a 100% correct. I didn’t realize what I was doing wrong until I watched this video. Appreciate you!
Thank you for the great tip as it works 100% with a variety of weapons I have
I found when I relaxed a little bit on my grip instead of intensely presenting forward to fight the recoil, my shots were both where I aimed and recoil was absorbed through my elbows into my shoulders rather than violently flipping at the muzzle. Consistency is the hard part
This is the video I was looking for!!! Definitely using this lesson next range session ,thanks