Originally Posted by xd 9mm guy

I just bought my first hand gun, a Springfield XD9S. I seem to be hitting my targets center but low. My aim is good but I seem to have to aim high to hit my target center mass... any help in this? My fiance things I'm pulling the gun down when I pull the trigger?

Thanks

Bingo!

You just need practice and lots of it. Also, lots of dry-fire practice will help tremendously.

One thing that has helped many people I know (including myself) is the following:

If possible, have someone else at the range load your magazines with snap caps randomly placed throughout. Once you pull the trigger and it's a snap cap, you will see exactly what the problem is. My guess? You're flinching/anticipating recoil.

The target below may help as well.

the above pic is good....

also you can get some laser grips to see where the laser goes when you squeeze the trigger

Thanks so far! Practice Practice Practice

If I had to guess being a new shooter you are jerking the trigger. As you already mentioned practice is the key. Your skills will improve if you eliminate your bad habits and practice.

I am a new shooter myself and I can tell you that the chart shown above is a definite help. When I first fired my 2/7 Taurus, all of my hits were on target but left and down. Once I realized how I was jerking the trigger, I have managed to get more hits in and around the center. However I am still occasionally off to the left slightly.
The best advise you can receive has already been given, practice, practice, practice.

If your lady has been watching you shoot, and she says that you've been pulling the pistol down, believe her.
It's something almost all new pistol shooters do.
As someone else wrote here, all you need is lots of dry- and live-fire practice. Do dry-fire for 10 to 15 minutes a day, every day from now on, and do at least 50 rounds of live-fire every week, and you'll soon be a good shot.
Let your lady watch you practice. Her observations about your technique will be very useful to you. (When I was learning to shoot a pistol, my "assistant" was my daughter. Even at age five, she could tell me what she saw, what I was doing wrong according to what I had told her was right, and even how to correct my errors. There's nothing makes you more humble than a wise-ass child!)

welcome to the forum.

best advice I received is to slowly pull the trigger while keeping the sights lined up. let the trigger break surprise ya.

see ya around.

Originally Posted by Brent05Redfire

best advice I received is to slowly pull the trigger while keeping the sights lined up. let the trigger break surprise ya. .

+1 Steve, and, the above....

I like seeing the muzzle flash and, the hole after it opens up in the target. I can tell if it's been a while since shooting full power stuff when I jerk or flinch a little and miss the 'flash'. Once things loosen up some it's back on track...see the flash, see the hole after it opens up.

Maintain master grip each shot. (some folks fire, lower the gun or look around it at the target, fidgit between shots, I see this a lot....stay on target until your string is finished)
A slow hit's better than a fast miss.
Shooting is about Tactics, Mindset and Marksmanship.
The gun is a tool.

Also- bench rest your pistol onna sandbag or have a partner/range agent try it in order to elimintate variables before making adjustements to sights etc.

Not sure about others but I avoid caffine and sodas etc before a slow fire/practice session. My hands are shakey enough and I'm pretty hyper for an old guy so...avoid things that can augment the shakes!


And......... enjoy!

You can dry fire the XD's for practice also with no damage to the firing mechanism. I try to dry fire my EDC approx. 10 min. a day. Don't always get it done but that's my goal. Good luck and has been mentioned, practice, practice, and more practice.