I want to hunt with a handgun this year, and I am having my doubts. My shooting ability is what concerns me. As of now, I can keep all of my shots on a paper plate at 25yds standing, shooting with both hands. I would like to increase my range to at least 50yds by the start of the season. Right now I am using a 6" .357 security six. It has a great trigger and trigger stop so the potential is there. Any tips on improving my shooting? I dry fire my gun every morning and evening too keep my practice up. I also go to the range every weekend, shooting 50 rounds on saturday and again on sunday. I would like to shoot with iron sights, but will go optical if I absolutly have to. Any hints on improving my shooting in quick order?

Definitely get yourself a pair of shooting sticks (I have the Stoney Point variety that are like collapsible tent poles and they work quite well.) They will allow you to extend your range via a more stable rest, and at worst you can limit yourself to shots under 50 yds. off-hand. (I would add optics of some kind as either a red dot or a 2x scope will help build your confidence at first, then you can always take it off and go with the iron sites, or use it as an excuse to buy another pistol!!!)

I would like to avoid optics if possible, I do have some shooting sticks, how should I position the gun on them? I will be hunting out of a blind most of the time, so I should have something to rest my hands on. Thanks for the help, I will put the sticks in my range bag and try them out next time at the range.

i'll give ya sumthin to try an experiment with. try shooting two handed with your left elbow pulled in and resting on your chest/ribcage/gut....or whatever the case may be....lol. try this instead of arms fully extended n see how ya do n report back. it may or may not help, but is my preference for shooting a revolver.

That sounds like a good idea kyode, it should work well while shooting from a seated position. Thanks.

I felt the same way with my Ruger SBH Hunter .41 even though it has built in scope mounts. I installed Buck's "One Ragged Hole" rear ghost ring sight and never looked back. I also added a fiber optic front bead form Marble's, although I dunno if you can get that for the security six, the rear peep will fit any Ruger adjustable rear sight base. If you add a dab of white paint to the top of the factory front you will get a similar result, if your front in not removeable.

As you can see the sight picture is incredible, and groups improved right off. Here is their link.
One Ragged Hole
For $25 it might be worth a try. Rod.

Before I give you any suggestions I would need you to tell me exactly what you are concentrating on when you dry-fire? I don't mean for this to seem like a "loaded" or abstract question, but I am just curious.

Are you consistantly on the pie plate at 25 yards? Do you have any kind of group? Are you doing any light weight lifting techniques to strengthen your shoulders or wrists?

I could ask alot more, but I will wait till I get answers on the above.

I am dry firing at a dot I have on my reloading wall about 10yds away on a dry erase board. I focus on the front sight when taking the shot, after I have made sure the sights are lined correctly. I did a 20 shot group off hand this weekend and hit the paper plate ever time at 25yds; covered most of the plate. I lift a 5lb weight on a stick by twisting the stick to pull the weight up with a string (if that makes sence). I will see if I can post pics of my 25yd plate from this weekend.

I really like hunting with a bag if anyway possibe. I have mentioned in other posts that I use a bag from Dog-Gone-Good.com that is sold only online or phone. Their bags are filled with plastic pellets which make it unbelievably light and great for field use. I have harvested several animals laying flat on the ground with the bag. When hunting from a ladder stand with a shooting rail I use a saddle bag which can be purchased from the likes of Cabelas, etc.

For stablizing my hands I sometimes use a Knight and Hale product made for bow hunting--the Steady Ready-- which really helps to steady my trigger hand when in a stand or on the ground using the Shooting Stix.

I hunt with a .460 so I'm always fiddling around with gadgets to improve my accuracy. I hope some these ideas will help.

Forgot to mention a shooting technique that helped my accuracy more than anything--correct trigger squeeze. I used to squeeze the trigger with the bend, or joint of the finger. When I changed to using the very end of the finger and feather-lighting the trigger it made a world of difference.

Lance, Get some hunting magazines and cut out the pages with deer in their natural settings. Tape them to the wall, go back 10 feet or so and dry fire using the kill zone as your aim point.
Get as many pictures with different angles as you can find and squezzing the trigger when your sight picture has the imaginary bullet going through the heart/lung area.
Best of luck and good hunting, JFJ

Many of my training ideas come from being on a USAF pistol team several years ago. Some things I have found very helpful:

Standing, hold that 5 pound weight (or better yet 10 pound) out in front of you like you like you are shooting off hand at a target. Hold it at a 90 degree angle to your body for as long as you can, then alternate arms. Do this 3 times per arm per night.

Use one of those gripper tools religiously, as many reps as you can until burnout. Alternate arms. 3 times per arm per night. Do it in your car on the way to work!

Even though we all prefer single action shots for hunting, 75% of my dry firing is done double action, 8-10 ft from a wall, WITHOUT a target on the wall. Front sight, front sight, front sight, all the way through the arc of trigger on double action.
As hunting season approaches I work more with target images.

Your grip is critical, and must be consistant. To difficult to explain here. Must be firm, but not a death grip. Must avoid torque. This may very well be the root of your problem.

I could go on and on, but some of these guys on here would start thinking that I am a know-it-all blow hard. That I am not, I am just telling you some basics for me that have paid big dividends.

I have a GP-100 6 inch 357. I can unload six shots DA in a 4-5 inch circle consistent and in good time at 25 yards.

Go to the range sometime to shoot at 25-50 yards WITHOUT AMMO!
Front sight, front sight, front sight.

Have to second everything Joe said. One of the techniques we used with new handgun shooters at the range was to set up a plain white (no aiming mark) target about 2 x 2 foot. The shooter was told to concentrate on the front sight and aim in the general direction of the center of the target. With no aiming mark to distract them they concentrated on the front sight. Invariably they would get very tight groups and learnt the lesson.

If you are right handed and shooting from a sitting position try crossing your legs,left over right, then hold the gun with 2 hands up against the left knee.I have found this provides a steady rest if practiced.Good luck.

For hunting rests, I use the Stoney Point Steady Stix II. They're light and compact. I seen that they came out with a beefier set called Magnum Steady Stix II. If you are going to possibly standing, there's Safari Stix, and monodods type rests.
Hope was able to help.