need advice!

[JustMe]

I may have to see about finding another revolver to use for the CHL instructor course until I get this worked out! I don't want to spend a lot on one since I really like my glocks. I got a really good price on this one, so that is why I snatched it up! It is listed as $349 and I found it at Cabelas for $179. Either they marked it wrong or they were clearing them out-didn't matter to me!

[DocV]

More practice with your revolver can't hurt. You might try sticking with single action at 15 yards until you have acceptable groups. Your groups will tighten up once you get used to the trigger and sights. Stick with a single brand of ammunition. But if recoil is bothering you see if you can locate a lighter load such as a commercially available cowboy action load. I see Cabela's has Winchester Cowboy 38 special on their website. Cowboy action ammo can be quite dirty but I think that is part of the point of shooting it.

[JustMe]

I probably expect too much of myself too quickly--can't help it-just the way I am! I'm at the range at least once a week--sometimes more--so more practice, here I come!

[cnovel]

Well I have to go with the Aggie on this one,,start short,good ammo,,it will come..just like shooting a new bow,,now matter how much it cost,,but I hope you are not trying to get good consistent shots out of a mediocre gun.

our friend from the Brazos Valley is right,,practice,practice,practice

that is how I taught myself,,with the bow also,,and now a paper plate at 100 yards is very reasonable with the bow.

good luck,,take your time,,see what works for you

and I hate to say it,,but my eyes are not what they used to be ! it happens

[JustMe]

and I hate to say it,,but my eyes are not what they used to be ! it happens

You mean these "grandma eyes" might have something to do with it!?!?!?!?! I know they do!!!!!

[DocV]

It is not your vision. All the firearm manufacturers are making fuzzy sights these days.

[JustMe]

It is not your vision. All the firearm manufacturers are making fuzzy sights these days.

I KNEW it wasn't me!!! I did put hot pink neon nail polish on my front sight on the revolver---helped immensly!

[srothstein]

Mary,

If you want to meet up (and are close enough to), I can lend you a revolver that might be better. It is an old police revolver with a 4 inch barrel. It is a Smith so it is easier to learn to stage the trigger like I was mentioning. You can try it out and if it works, use it when you take the instructor's class.

[JustMe]

I'm in Sherman-so that would be quite a trip, but thanks for the offer! I haven't gotten notification of the class yet--I'm still hoping I can slide into the April class, but not holding my breath for it---maybe the next one. DPS has all my stuff, so just waiting now. I know that at times I have a tendency to try to be a perfectionist--the old adage "practice doesn't make perfect--practice makes permanent". That's why it bugs me--I want to be perfect RIGHT NOW!!!

[drjoker]

BTW, if you're shooting it single action style and it seems slow, it's probably because you're cocking the hammer with the same hand that your trigger finger is on. Don't do this. Cock with your non-shooting hand's thumb in a two handed gun hold. You can shoot almost as fast as a semi auto shooting in this manner. With practice, you can shoot faster than semi auto in this manner. Wear leather gloves to cock the hammer when you practice so you don't bloody your thumb from too much practice like I did.

If you want to perfect your skill faster, you might want to take up Rothstein's offer to use his 4 inch barrel revolver as it is much easier to shoot with the longer sight radius. However, it is possible to shoot well with your snubbie. I can shoot the heck out of a snubbie, but it took a lot of practice. Dry fire with it everyday. Practice with a coin balanced on the front sight and do this while you watch TV for hours on end. If you can cock it and pull the trigger rapid fire without losing the coin, then you'll have perfected your trigger control.

Go to the coin shop and find a very big coin. It is easier with a larger coin. Gradually move on to smaller coins. Instead of coins you may use a laser, but the batteries for crimson trace lasers is ridiculously expensive so the coin method is cheaper.

The laser will help you practice point shooting with dry fire, though, so you don't have to waste ammo. I love snubbies because you can pull it out of your pocket, fan the hammer with your non-shooting hand and shoot from the hip much faster than an auto. With an auto, you have to waste time getting into a good firing stance or it will jam. If trouble is brewing, you can have your hand already on the gun's grip inside your pocket ready to go if you're carrying a snubbie. However, if you have an auto strapped IWB or OWB, reaching for your gun too early will escalate the situation because it will be too obvious that you're reaching for you gun if you have to brush aside cover garments and expose the gun (owb) or gun holster clips (iwb). practice with your snubbie because that will be your BUG and you may have to rely on it someday.

P.S. in response to Excaliber's statements, it is indeed easier to shoot double action than single action, BUT, the OP is trying to shoot 45 feet! This is extremely hard to do with a snubbie due to the short sight radius. Throw in a typical 18 lb trigger pull and it's gonna be real hard to do. However, if you shoot it single action style, then the trigger pull is much lighter and shorter, which increases accuracy. At 20 ft, you may shoot quickly double action and it will be fine, but at 45 feet this becomes 10 times more difficult to do.

It is still possible to shoot quickly and accurately double action style but you'll need even more practice. You'll need to stage the trigger like Rothstein suggested. Pull the trigger up to the point where it almost shoots, steady the gun while focusing on the sight picture, then shoot. At first, you may want to pause a bit at the point just before the trigger goes bang. Increase your speed gradually until you could do it accurately and quickly.

[Excaliber]

BTW, if you're shooting it single action style and it seems slow, it's probably because you're cocking the hammer with the same hand that your trigger finger is on. Don't do this. Cock with your non-shooting hand's thumb in a two handed gun hold. You can shoot almost as fast as a semi auto shooting in this manner. With practice, you can shoot faster than semi auto in this manner. Wear leather gloves to cock the hammer when you practice so you don't bloody your thumb from too much practice like I did.

If you want to perfect your skill faster, you might want to take up Rothstein's offer to use his 4 inch barrel revolver as it is much easier to shoot with the longer sight radius. However, it is possible to shoot well with your snubbie. I can shoot the heck out of a snubbie, but it took a lot of practice. Dry fire with it everyday. Practice with a coin balanced on the front sight and do this while you watch TV for hours on end. If you can cock it and pull the trigger rapid fire without losing the coin, then you'll have perfected your trigger control.

Go to the coin shop and find a very big coin. It is easier with a larger coin. Gradually move on to smaller coins. Instead of coins you may use a laser, but the batteries for crimson trace lasers is ridiculously expensive so the coin method is cheaper.

The laser will help you practice point shooting with dry fire, though, so you don't have to waste ammo. I love snubbies because you can pull it out of your pocket, fan the hammer with your non-shooting hand and shoot from the hip much faster than an auto. With an auto, you have to waste time getting into a good firing stance or it will jam. If trouble is brewing, you can have your hand already on the gun's grip inside your pocket ready to go if you're carrying a snubbie. However, if you have an auto strapped IWB or OWB, reaching for your gun too early will escalate the situation because it will be too obvious that you're reaching for you gun if you have to brush aside cover garments and expose the gun (owb) or gun holster clips (iwb). practice with your snubbie because that will be your BUG and you may have to rely on it someday.

There is a reason the double action revolver replaced the single action revolver - the DA mode is easier, more reliable, faster in all but the most skilled hands, and has fewer potential points of failure. Training yourself to need two hands to shoot a gun designed to fire with one hand violates the KISS principle that is so important in successfully managing high stress encounters and strikes me as counterproductive. The fact that no armed professional who routinely goes into harm's way in this country uses the "fanning" technique on a DA revolver might also suggest that it might not be a good idea

Drawing from a pocket is also less reliable and more snag prone than drawing from a holster. It is only potentially faster if your hand is already in the pocket and on the gun, and everything goes well, which it doesn't always. A hand in the pocket is hardly a subtle position to the streetwise bad guy and isn't going to fool anyone who needs fooling.

Practicing trigger control in the DA mode with the coin method is indeed an excellent way to develop skill. I don't recommend pointing at the TV though - I believe dry fire should only be practiced while pointing at something that will stop a round without unacceptable damage. Doing otherwise violates Rule #2 and can lead to trouble in a moment of diminished concentration.