Sunday, December 5, 2010

How To Shoot A Handgun Accurately

By Bryce Jackson


Owning a gun won't help you when you get into trouble if you don't know how to use it. With little or no practice, you can easily shoot yourself instead of your opponent. To eliminate this possibility, here are easy tips on how to use a handgun:

Select a weapon that you can easily handle so you won't have a hard time practicing. Before purchasing something, try various handguns at gun ranges in your area that rent out firearms. You can purchase ammunition there too. Use a small caliber weapon at the beginning. Never assume that you're ready for a bigger weapon. Large calibers like the .45 and .357 Magnum can be heavy and more difficult to handle. Safety should be your priority, especially when you have a gun. Know the basic gun safety rules to prevent accidents. Keep in mind that the moment a bullet leaves the gun, it can go anywhere. Don't be a danger to the people around you. Know your weapon and how it works. If you understand what your gun is capable of doing, you'll respect it and handle it carefully.

When shooting, hold the gun firmly. Be sure to keep your fingers and hand out of the path of the slide or you could hurt yourself when you fire and the slide pinches your skin. Keep your feet about shoulder width apart. Try leading off with your trigger finger hand in a sort of baseball stance with your arms extended. As you become familiar with your weapon, you can choose the firing position that is best for you.

Pay attention to sight picture. Place the sights on a part of the target you're aiming at. Focus on center mass by aiming at the largest section of your target and the center of it. Don't imitate what you see in the movies where the good guy shoots through the villain's hand. If you do that, you can kill a bystander. When aiming the weapon, check that the front end sight post is aligned to the rear post. If not, you'll shoot high if the front post protrudes over the rear sight or shoot low if the front post is lower than the rear aperture. Either way, you won't hit your target.

To fire, squeeze - not jerk or pull - the trigger. Gradually increase direct pressure using your finger to reach the breaking point that releases the hammer and hits the firing pin. Following these simple tips will help you shoot better.

The information found within this article are recommended uses and tips for firearms. If you have any questions about gun safety or for complete, accurate information regarding weapon safety, please visit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at http://www.atf.gov.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment