Pistol technique advice please.

[BDS]

Right then... you are on it now 

[Cowray]

Pop is bad for shooting. Caffeinated pop is very bad. I coach a youth pistol team. Controlled relaxed grip, relaxed body position, smooth and steady trigger pull, and practice, practice, practice. And NO POP!!!! I can tell if my son has had pop by how tight his groups are. He generally doesn't drink any pop for a week before a match. It's his choice, but he knows what it does to his shooting.   

[uk2240]

i've also smoking before doing some shooting really doesn't help

[BDS]

So... what you guys are telling me is, and I just want to be sure about this, because you weren't very clear  those rum & cokes and Marlboros during my target shooting aren't good for my scores?     

[uk2240]

they may not be good for your scores, but hey you probably wouldn't care afterwards lol

[Brutuz]

Other than what's already been mentioned

close your eyes
lift arms toward target
open eyes
most probably notice you are off target 
correct by moving feet
lower pistol
close eyes
lift pistol
check if you are on target
if so, take the shot 

[Fronzdan]

So... what you guys are telling me is, and I just want to be sure about this, because you weren't very clear  those rum & cokes and Marlboros during my target shooting aren't good for my scores?     

Well just skip the coke and double up on the rum...you should be fine.

[BDS]

Other than what's already been mentioned

close your eyes
lift arms toward target
open eyes
most probably notice you are off target 
correct by moving feet
lower pistol
close eyes
lift pistol
check if you are on target
if so, take the shot 

"correct by moving feet" is probably one of the most important tips prior to squeezing off that shot. How many times have I corrected my sight picture on target by moving my arm instead of maintaing my grip and arm position and simply move my feet an inch? Too many times! 

[BDS]

Well just skip the coke and double up on the rum...you should be fine.

   

[Brutuz]

"correct by moving feet" is probably one of the most important tips prior to squeezing off that shot. How many times have I corrected my sight picture on target by moving my arm instead of maintaing my grip and arm position and simply move my feet an inch? Too many times! 

Last weekend I attended an HFT weekend in the UK, not that I'm a top shot, entered 5 rifle classes, bronze in one class.
A few guys brought their pistols for fun and we did some plinking and shot at a few targets.
Was allowed to shoot at a pole with several pistols and was rewarded with a plinggggg with every pistol and oohs and aahs from the owners.
Moral: practice and shoot as often as you can and... relax  

[seagullplayer]

I am no expert by far, but I have always made it a point to make my shots quickly, longer I hold the pistol in the sighting position the less control I seem to have.

Also on open sights (pistol and long arm) I paint the front sight white.  I think the new fiber optic sights would be a great addition, I just don't have them.

[breakfastchef]

I am no expert by far, but I have always made it a point to make my shots quickly, longer I hold the pistol in the sighting position the less control I seem to have.

This is a good point. You have two options if you do not squeeze off a shot within six seconds; keep holding or stop and do it again. I try to stop myself after six seconds.

Here is an interesting read on the 'One-Two' method of target shooting (about halfway down on the page). It is something I have been toying with recently.

http://www.best9mm.com/shootingtip.html

[Rualert]

  And to add one more chunk of reading to the mix, here's the Encyclopedia of Bullseye Shooting..

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/index.htm

Casey