Does the sight on my pistol need to be adjusted?

[bignateyk]

So I got a new pistol (ruger p95) recently, and just had a chance to go out and shoot it for the first time, and here are the results:

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/bignateyk/target.jpg

Out of 150 rounds fired, ~130 hit the cardboard, but as you can see, almost every one of them hit about a foot to the left. The few off to the right came when I decided to try and aim to the right of the cardboard to see if they would hit.

The distance to the target was ~100 feet, maybe slightly less.

Normally I would just assume that I was just aiming poorly, but there were two of us shooting. There wasn't any wind or anything like that.

Should I have the sights checked, or am I just a really bad shot?

edit: normally the game commission has paper targets, but they were out, so I just grabbed some fliers.

 

[olds]

You have sights
When my Ruger was new it didn't shoot for shit. It slipped out of the shoulder holster when I was hanging it up in the garage and landed on the slide. It shot great after that.

 

[jadinolf]

You've gotta take it easy on the booze.

 

[xXped0thugXx]

100 feet is hard to tell. Next time shoot closer to the target. 20 yards or so would do. Shoot in 3 shot groups so you can tell if its user error or the sights. If you are aiming and being consistent doing the same things everytime, 3 shots should be close to each other. If they arent anywhere near the target it could be your sights. Although if you shoot 3 shots and they are sporadic all over the map, then its user error as well.

 

[UpGrD]

You may be aiming with your NON dominant eye.

TEST

 

[squirrel dog]

Hey,I got a laugh out of that . At 100' who knows.Try it at 10' then 25'.Your target looks like a shot gun hit it.

 

[FallenHero]

There doesnt seem to be any decent grouping to say one way or another. Your sights might be off, but you aren't a crack shot either. Try adjusting it if you want, but after that try to get a decent grouping down.

 

[Nebor]

Looks about right for a Ruger.

 

[getbush]

100 feet seems pretty far for a handgun. Your front sight is probably more than covering that white piece of paper at that distance isn't it? If it's for home defense, just get it zeroed in at about 7 yards or so.

 

[MrBond]

To really know if it's the sights, you need to be shooting from a rest of some sort. Eliminate the user (you) as much as possible.

You probably don't want to go out and buy a Ransom rest since they're fairly expensive, but you can get a couple sandbags for fairly cheap and shoot off of those. Get your pistol as steady as possible and see what your results look like.

Also, download some real targets for Pete's sake. A GIS for "pistol target" brings up a bunch of them.

Edit: Here's a link with some pdf's of correction targets for right/left handed shooters.

http://www.bghi.us/index.php?x=targets

Originally posted by: Nebor
Looks about right for a Ruger.

I shot a 97/100 with a Ruger Mark II in my winter Bullseye league. It's stock except for the red-dot sight on it (no magnification).

It was a rapid fire target (5 shots in 10 seconds, reload, 5 shots in 10 seconds), which made things easier (the rapid fire target has a bigger 10 ring). I haven't duplicated that feat and it was the best I shot all season.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Looks about right for a Ruger.

lol....I had to laugh at that even though I shoot best with my P89

OP: move the targets in closer to see whats really going on. It is possible the rear sights need a little nudge but at that distance it is hard to tell what the problem is.

 

[BabaBooey]

I would say either ....wind....bad sights....bad aim or you are twisting your wrist / the gun whe you pull the trigger,you are right handed,correct ?

How do you hold the gun when shooting ?

 

[antillean]

Maybe you should stop holding the gun sideways and shouting, "GANGSTA GANGSTA!" when you fire.

 

[bignateyk]

Originally posted by: bababooey
I would say either ....wind....bad sights....bad aim or you are twisting your wrist / the gun whe you pull the trigger,you are right handed,correct ?

How do you hold the gun when shooting ?

I'm right handed. I stand with my front close to 90 degrees away from the target.

Originally posted by: antillean
Maybe you should stop holding the gun sideways and shouting, "GANGSTA GANGSTA!" when you fire.

damn.. i knew i was doing something wrong.. i just couldnt put my finger on it.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: antillean
Maybe you should stop holding the gun sideways and shouting, "GANGSTA GANGSTA!" when you fire.

LOL.... NOW that's the smart ass comment I was waiting for. ATOT never disappoints.

Looks like a shotgun blast.

100' is too far away. (I'm sure someone has already pointed that out) You should sight your gun at about 30'. Fire 2-3 rounds at a time and check the group. If the group is tight (and later the groups) then you know what you have to do. If yer still spraying everywhere then you need to get comfortable with the gun first. Adjusting your sights wont help if you can't shoot straight anyway.

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: UpGrD
You may be aiming with your NON dominant eye.

TEST

Apprently I'm right-handed and left-eyed. Weirdness.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: antillean
Maybe you should stop holding the gun sideways and shouting, "GANGSTA GANGSTA!" when you fire.

What?!!
You mean...?!!!!

:laugh:

The gun is probably fine, like every one has said 100ft is too far to really tell.

Looks like a good shotgun blast though.

 

[FP]

Here is a random newb gun question.

My right eye is my dominant eye but I am left handed and holding a rifle feels more natural on my left side.

Does this mean I should just learn to shoot right handed?

 

[pontifex]

i'm right handed and according to that test, right eye dominant, but i shoot better with my left eye??????? or maybe its just some kind of fluke.

 

[GRIFFIN1]

Most of the time a gun shoots off center, it's the person shooting it that has the problem. Practice dry firing the gun about 1000 times. Concentrate on keeping the sights perfectly still while you pull the trigger. You can also shoot the gun off a sandbag to remove even more shooter error.

 

[alkemyst]

probably just a bad box of bullets...

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
probably just a bad box of bullets...

i know some brands work better with certain guns than others, but its not that bad is it?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: alkemyst
probably just a bad box of bullets...

i know some brands work better with certain guns than others, but its not that bad is it?

I was joking.

 

[mobobuff]

Either your sights are off or you're pulling the gun slightly to the left when you pull the trigger.