Range Report!: My first time shooting with my new Sig + questions + news stories

I bought a Sig Sauer P238 last week, and Monday I took it out to the range for the first time.

It's still a lot of fun to shoot. The grip is not the most comfortable, but I don't really care about that. :smile: It looks badass so it's all good. :wink: And it's still comfortable to shoot anyway. So that's cool.

But I am not very good!

Attachment 63593

This is my second target - went through about 70 rounds on the first and 50 on this guy. (Note: I was going for the face on some of those, haha, those weren't intended for the bullseye)

I seem to have been shooting low. I tried to shoot higher but the sights look all wigged out to me when I did that. The middle one would be way higher than the ones on the side. I couldn't really tell if that even helped, though. I'm kind of mad at myself that I wasn't better at it. But I guess it will come with practice. Hopefully my instructor will be able to give me some tips when I take it to the CC class.

But here's a problem: I'm realizing how expensive this .380 ammo is. So I think....I probably need to get another gun. Ha. Like, a .22. That ammo is cheap, right? I'll still run rounds through the Sig to keep it from getting "rusty" but I want to practice with something else.

Will practicing with a different gun help my accuracy with the Sig, or do I really need to be practicing with the gun I use to become more accurate with it?

What's your favorite plinking .22 handgun? Should it be similar to the Sig's setup (1911 style SA)?

On another note, these two local news stories popped up today:

Man found shot in south St. Louis parking lot | KMOV.com St. Louis

Woman robbed, shot in face in south St. Louis | KMOV.com St. Louis

The second one was interesting because the guy got what he wanted and still shot her. I'm sending these links to my friend that asked me if I would automatically shoot someone that pointed a gun at me (I said yes) and said that they probably wouldn't shoot if you just gave them your stuff. I disagreed. These articles prove that.

Reading this stuff makes me feel more and more intensely excited and anxious to finally get my permit. Armed robberies happen here on a daily basis, and that's not an exaggeration. Come on, November 3rd (carry class)!

That targets not horrible. I dont see anything in the white, which means you hit him everytime, any hit is better than a miss!

The only way to get better is to shoot more, maybe see if you can pay a range master/instructor for 30 minutes and watch you shoot/give you some pointers?

As for practicing with the .22, its a great way to learn fundamentals. But you really need to put the time and effort into training with the gun you will be carrying. Practice your draw in front of the mirror (unload it first!!!!!).

Sig 238 do shoot low if you line all three sights up. Next time try just palcing the front sight in the middle of your target and disregrading your rear sights.

Yes a .22 would be much cheaper to practice with, but is the psitols sight differently, then you will automaticlly acquire the sight picture that you practice the most.

That second story makes me even more glad I moved out of that area and out to High Ridge.

I don't have the Sig 238 so can't help with that. I would say that most any practice/more experience in general will help. So adding a .22 will help and will save on some ammo costs. The Sig 1911/22 would be a good choice. It is made by GSG, German Sport Guns, which is also imported by American Tactical Imports as the GSG 1911/22. I have one and it's a lot fun! And saves a bunch on ammo!

As for articles that you are sending to your friend to support your position, include this one that I posted earlier today.
Exclusive: Wife of carjacking victim shot in own driveway speaks

Here's a target I like to use. It helps with knowing what I'm doing wrong sometimes, especially with a new gun:

Attachment 63594

You can download this at this link.

They also have many others that can be downloaded and printed at this link.

If you're comfortable shooting .380 from a Sig 238, you shouldn't have trouble with the recoil of a mid/full size 9mm, especially one with a metal frame. I shoot .380, .40, .45, but mostly 9mm simply because of the price. It's not hard to find deals on 9mm to get the price down to about $0.20 per round.

I like to target practice with my Ruger .22, thought I also get a lot of practice out of a BB gun and a BB trap that just lets me reload the BB's.

Any practice is better than no practice, just learning trigger control is helpful regardless of what gun you use. It would also be helpful to pick up some Snap Caps to practice pulling/squeezing/pressing the trigger on your Sig. I dry fire with Snap Caps a couple of times a week.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigmacque

Here's a target I like to use. It helps with knowing what I'm doing wrong sometimes, especially with a new gun:

Attachment 63594

You can download this at this link.

They also have many others that can be downloaded and printed at this link.

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This is awesome! According to this diagram, I was tightening my grip when I pull the trigger...and in retrospect, I really do think that's exactly what I was doing. I didn't realize it affected the accuracy. Thank you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LaraCroft10

This is awesome! According to this diagram, I was tightening my grip when I pull the trigger...and in retrospect, I really do think that's exactly what I was doing. I didn't realize it affected the accuracy. Thank you!

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Glad to help.

You can download those, and print them and take them to the range with you. I usually print them on cheap card stock, and even if I'm shooting at some other target, lay that down in front of me for reference.

I'm with bigmacque. Practice is practice, and it all helps. I bought a .22 conversion for my Glock 30 and often will run 100 rounds of that before I jump up to the .45s. It shoots very much the same with the same trigger, etc. The more you shoot anything, the better you get.

BTW, "Explosive Space Modulator" is a great reference. :smile:

Lara...Grip, trigger control, stance, sight picture are four items that folks learning to shoot should concentrate on..As an afterthought, make sure you know which is your DOMINANT EYE for sighting...and Draw...

Peruse these videos and apply the principles in the privacy of your living room (weapon unloaded obviously)..Hope these help you...

Grip: Proper Grip for Auto-Pistols - YouTube

Drawing a pistol: Drawing a Pistol - YouTube

Malfunction Clearance: Malfunction Clearing for a Pistol - YouTube

Stance: Shooting Techniques Part 1 [ Stance] - YouTube

Grip: Shooting Techniques Part 2 [ Grip ] - YouTube

Trigger Control: Shooting Techniques Part 3 [ Trigger Control ] - YouTube

Trigger Control/Reset: How to Shoot - Trigger Control - YouTube

Sight Picture: Proper Sight Picture - Sidearm. - YouTube

Sight Picture/Alignment: GUNS (SIGHT ALIGNMENT VS SIGHT PICTURE) - YouTube

Quote:

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Originally Posted by First Sgt

Lara...Grip, trigger control, stance, sight picture are four items that folks learning to shoot should concentrate on..As an afterthought, make sure you know which is your DOMINANT EYE for sighting...and Draw...

Peruse these videos and apply the principles in the privacy of your living room (weapon unloaded obviously)..Hope these help you...

Grip: Proper Grip for Auto-Pistols - YouTube

Drawing a pistol: Drawing a Pistol - YouTube

Malfunction Clearance: Malfunction Clearing for a Pistol - YouTube

Stance: Shooting Techniques Part 1 [ Stance] - YouTube

Grip: Shooting Techniques Part 2 [ Grip ] - YouTube

Trigger Control: Shooting Techniques Part 3 [ Trigger Control ] - YouTube

Trigger Control/Reset: How to Shoot - Trigger Control - YouTube

Sight Picture: Proper Sight Picture - Sidearm. - YouTube

Sight Picture/Alignment: GUNS (SIGHT ALIGNMENT VS SIGHT PICTURE) - YouTube

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I know for sure I am left-eye dominant; my trainer at my handgun class noticed, too. I can close my right eye and keep my left eye open, but if I try to close my left eye, my right eye closes, too. :smile: It's a weird and annoying quirk. So the left-eye is the one I use to focus with.

I will definitely check these vids out. Thanks.

What about a compact 9mm, like a glock 19. You'll have a bigger gun for home defense and you might be able to conceal it during the winter months.