Light vs Heavy Pistol - Help Plse

[bsadrew]

Hi all.

Got back into 10M shooting for about a year & am making steady but slow progress with the rifle,

Just been getting nowhere with the pistol though.

I cant blame the kit (Steyr LP10).

I'm not overly fit at present (due to series of chest problems meaning its a struggle to get out running as I used to) and I'm having to get used to having what some people may call "a low centre of gravity".

I still class myself as reasonably strong, however.

The problem I'm having is once I've fired half a dozen shots (usually reasonably proficiently) I'm shaking like mad & into the 6, 5 & 4 rings.

I've tried numerous changes to the grip & angle, stance, relaxed grip, exercising (even!) etc - but nothing seems to have helped.

I've been close to giving up, but almost in a fit of desperation tonight, I tried a couple of the club guns, an LP2 & an an LP2 compact.

The LP2 was better - but the compact was like a breath of fresh air - I can hold it relatively still!

I obviously want to make sure this isn't a fluke but am wondering if anyone else has had any similar experiences, or if I'm alone in being a 14 stone weakling & needing a lighter gun?

Cheers,

Drew

[peteswright]

I would suggest that if you're holding steadier with the lighter gun then thats got to be a help. I always go in close to the target if having problems at distance. Try consistency at 10ft to sort out holding, and hits on target, then move back a yard at a time. I find this gives confidence. Shooting at distances magnifies slight hold and aim problems. You can waste a lot of lead, and not identify weaknesses if you insist on shooting from 10mt. Back to basics and fundamentals is always the answer. This is from personal experience. Its a hard discipline, especially one handed, so don't get despondent. ATB. Pete PS. Its nearly always, concentrating on not letting the sights move, and good trigger press, rather than other things that matters.

[hwtyger]

Pistolweight and balance is só personal. Its very well possible that the LP2 Compact suits you better. If it dóes, take it.
I suppose you dont have any weights on yr LP10 and the cilinder is alu not steel?
Do note you dont squeeze the grip like hell. If yr squeezng too hard, yr fingers will turn white. This will also cause early fatique and trembling.
That said, when yr just starting out, its also a matter of muscle training in arms, wrist and shoulder.

[JiriK]

I have thought about weights of my pistols lately too.
Put them on a scale one at the time. Lp10e was the lightest, just under 1kg with the weights that came with it. Steyr FP- free pistol is heaviest, close to 1,3kg. Others were 1,15kg. Also my old air pistol, morini cm162e weighted approx. 1,15kg (had some extra weights on it)

I don't plan to shoot much with that steyr fp this year so I thought lets make the rest equally heavy. So I made a model of additional weight "tank" for my lp10e. Then my friend 3d printed it. Filled the part with lead. Now my air pistol weighs 1,13kg.

I can hold the pistol more steady from the beginning of match. We had 40- shot competition today. Started with 99 point series
Not sure if the not so good series that followed (91,87,89) were due to good old "hey I'm doing great" thought or getting tired. After all, that was the second time I used that weight..
Before this I started a competition with low scores and usually got better results in later series.

What do you guys think, is it better to have different pistols weigh approx. the same, or each on optimal weight for that pistol & event & shooter?

[adiepie]

I use an LP2, but find it a bit light, and want to swap to a LP10..

Interested in swapping?

Adrian

[tufty]

Drew,before you change you're pistol it may be worth doing some strengthening exercises specific to pistol shooting,there is an excellent article with illustrations on this in this quarters Rifleman,the NSRA magazine.

If you can't get a copy,let me know and I'll photocopy it and post it to you

Neale

[clarky]

Relax, if you have only just started you will train stamina into the muscles you are using as your shooting continues. Going to a lighter gun can bring its own set of problems.
A little bit of fitness training might help. I found light dumbbells of say the typical plastic ladies trainer sets of 4.5kg Perfect. Go for curls but with the hand over the top of the grip to build stamina and strength into shoulder and Tricep. You wont build bulk (which will be very detrimental) with such light weights. Even so, this weight build up still 3 times heavier than most pistols.
Light pistols bring greater problems in my experience.

[hwtyger]

Its not just weight, its balance. A heavy pistol can have a terrible balance, a light one may have a great balance. All depending on design of the pistol.
I have 2 very light AR, my AlfaCO2 rifle, and Tau mk200. The Alfa weighs originally even únder 3kg, the Tau a tad above, but still wáy lighter thn Walther, Anschutz etc with 4-4.5k. Stíll they both have very good balance for such lightweights.
Itsnot weird to prefer same brand of several pistols like yr self with fp and AP both steyr.
Thats what I have with Walther . Both AR and Smallbore. Obviously, they have been designed wth similar built in mind

[thewhitegoth]

Drew,before you change you're pistol it may be worth doing some strengthening exercises specific to pistol shooting,there is an excellent article with illustrations on this in this quarters Rifleman,the NSRA magazine.

If you can't get a copy,let me know and I'll photocopy it and post it to you

Neale

This.

As people say, pistols are personal, but there's no reason you can't try to get along with the one you've got until you identify specific problems. Out of all the people I've taught, I can't think of two who had the exact same pistol setup.

Personally, I like a heavier pistol with a strong bias towards the muzzle. What works for me in all likelihood won't work for you. Train yourself on what you've got, and then when you can identify exactly what you need from the pistol, you have something to go shopping with.

Constantine

[bsadrew]

All,

This is really appreciated guys. I coincidentally received the NSRA mag with the exercises, the day after I posted this & am giving them a go (specifically the ones where you roll a weight up a piece of broomstick & the resistance band. (you can really feel that, after a few reps!). Carrying on with the dumbells, although I already have fairly string forearms. A bit more cant hurt I suppose!

When something just isn't working its always the temptation to seek "the magic bullet" (pardon the pun!) to fix it, I suppose.