Finally got to the range today.

[OldFatGuy]

I took my CM40 to the range, that was all I took today. My main point was to see if all my practice with my laser ammo paid off. Nope. That thing was a waste or money and time. Live ammo is, well, just not the same! So, ammo. I've shot WWB JHP and FMJ with no issue at all. I got a box of Gold Dot Sd ammo, and shot two mags, the 5 rnd factory mag, and a 6 rnd, not a problem. Then I loaded up with Perfecta. Failure to feed, every round from the 5 rnd mag hung going into battery. The 6 rnd mag did fine. What's up with that 5 rnd mag? Or what's up with Perfecta?

I only shot at 7 yards. Accuracy was terrible. My laser ammo, I cam hit a dime at 30 ft, so I thought if I just use the same technique, I should get close with live ammo. Not close. And my recurring problem. After about two mags, my wrist gets Parkinsons. I can hold the gun steady, but as soon as I pull the trigger, I get to shaking like an earthquake. I've been able to switch hands and shoot with my left hand, and though not as confident, I did ok, and my left hand held together. But today, even my left wrist gave up. What's the deal? Is it my grip strength, my wrist strength? What's my problem? I can dry fire all day. Am I holding too tight? I don't know, it's really disheartening. I can't shoot a box without just tossing them down range and not hitting anything. I thought maybe going back to a smaller caliber, but I did the same thing with the 380 I had. Guess I wouldn't do very well in a shootout

[Bawanna]

The CM40 is a little hand cannon. I have a K40, much much heavier, I had it magna ported too. Too much muzzle flip for me to use as a carry gun. I can shoot it all day but it rocks something fierce. The CM has to be even worse.

I get along much better with my PM45, lighter and you still know when it goes off but not that big flip and jolt of the 40.

I'm not a big advocate of the 9 but if your hands and wrist are giving you fits, it might be a good choice. I don't care for the obnoxious crack of the 9 but the recoil is easy on old hands and wrist.

My hands are rapidly deteriorating but shooting so far at least don't seem to make them worse. That'll be a sad day for sure.

Welcome to the spray and pray hope for the best shooting club. Jocko Esquire III President.

[berettabone]

All you can do, is do your best. I happen to like .40 cal. but in a Kahr, it's a recoil heavy round. I shoot .40 from different firearms. You may want to reassess your firearm/caliber, or get a different firearm...........

[OldFatGuy]

All you can do, is do your best. I happen to like .40 cal. but in a Kahr, it's a recoil heavy round. I shoot .40 from different firearms. You may want to reassess your firearm/caliber, or get a different firearm...........

I guess my wrists just can't handle it. Even a .380 beat me up. Getting old sucks.

[b4uqzme]

^^^ IMHO .40 is pretty snappy. .380 is too but mostly because the guns are so small. Either a larger gun or a different caliber are probably in order. As for the failures: I'd blame Perfecta for now.

[b4uqzme]

Here's a video that pretty well describes the grip I use. By aggressively locking your support hand wrist, you alleviate some of the strain while controlling muzzle flip = quicker follow ups. The recoil transfers right down your arms into your shoulders. The gun doesn't flip, it just rises. Check out the pictures and video. I hope they help. Might help your accuracy too.

http://www.guns.com/2011/11/16/thumbs-forward-grip-gives-awesome-recoil-management/

[kwh]

I agree that I can also shoot better dry fire or using a laser at home rather than live fire. Another thought. It seems you were firing for accuracy trying to "hit a dime" at 7 yards. While the Kahrs are certainly capable of accuracy the CM series is made for up close self protection. When firing for target accuracy I tend to shake more and notice the recoil more. I would suggest go to the range again in a few days move and the targets to 3-5 yards. Take a combat stance facing a silhouette target, eyes on the target ,not the sights (or front sight only), and fire one round, place the pistol down and look at the result. You are looking for "combat accuracy". Personally I have found if I semi-crouch, two hand hold and lean forward I do not notice the recoil on my CW45. As long as I use good trigger form, smooth and straight back pull, my combat accuracy results are acceptable. I am of the opinion the first shot is the most important and only practice double taps towards the end of the session. I also find after about 30 rounds I get "tired" and have diminishing results, so I tend to keep my sessions short. My CW 45 will "sting" my wrist ,arthritis I guess, which my CM9 does not. I added a Pachymar rubber grip to my CW 45 which stopped the wrist sting. The grip can easily be removed for carry. Post again if any of this helps, or not, and see if we all can't figure this out together.

[OldFatGuy]

Yea, you're right. I might have been expecting way too much as far as accuracy. It does shoot low. With the laser, it shoots low left, with live ammo it shoots low right. At 7 yards it's like 7 inches low. In a point n shoot scenario (combat shoot) I expect I'd do ok. It's not a target gun, it's not a range gun, it's a self defense gun. I have to remember that.

[Bawanna]

Think minute of pie plate. That's what I do.

Like kwh said, keep the sessions short. If you find yourself mistreating the trigger, call it a day and try again another time.

I don't get to shoot often enough and generally bring way too much hardware and bullets. As time goes on, things usually deteriorate, sometimes not on really good days but usually you cross a line and you just wasting powder.

[OldFatGuy]

I don't get there much, I don't have the money. So when I do get there, I want to make the most of it. But, I started taking 3 guns, then 2, and today it was 1. But I'm still buying a couple boxes of ammo and thinking more is better. I'm getting off that train too. But the $16 for the range to go for 10 minutes and 1/2 a box of ammo doesn't make sense. I know I can hit the broad side of a barn and I know what ammo feeds well, so I guess I have a self defense gun that works. I am going to try some wrist curls and grip strengthening and see if that helps. And for the Perfecta I have, I know my Hi Point JCP will gobble it up.

[Bawanna]

I always toss in a 22 to play with.

I get the rest too, I have to drive for close to an hour, only pay about 10 bucks but even at that with gas and time I like to make the most of it.

Ranges here been ticking me off lately. I had last monday off and decided to go with my son to a range he joined, don't cost me as a guest. Still close to an hour away. Load up a bunch of toys and bullets and get over there and a couple weeks earlier they decided they would no longer be open on Mondays. Go home dejected and unload.

Should have headed straight to the other range another hour away in a different direction but my mood was in the dumps at that point and playing with guns around range officers and others wasn't a sound plan.
The second range, the one I usually go to rarely has range officers in the bays, never bother you unless you do something really dumb.

[OldFatGuy]

As far as ranges, I have one 5 miles north, and one 5 miles east. There is a new one going up a mile away. It's a huge concrete mammoth. 100 yard ranges, pistol ranges, training rooms, all kinds of stuff. 2 story. I went by it the other day and I figured it had to be something else, it is HUGE. Here is a link to a local news story. Can't wait.
http://www.wfla.com/story/25258111/gun-range-approved-for-tarpon-springs

[b4uqzme]

^^^ thanks for the link. I hope to be spending some time near there soon so I'll have to check it out.

[Alfonse]

While we're talking about ranges, we have a wonderful outdoor range! It has targets out to 1000 yards or so, and pistol targets too. It also has nice skeet and trap ranges.

Usually there is hardly anybody out there. But, with the fire danger where it is now, it is only open Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday and last week they weren't shooting out past 200 yards. It actually did catch fire a couple years ago.

Bawanna just needs to drop by...

[OvalNut]

I agree about minute of pie plate, and I can certainly do that with my PM9.

I am posting relevant to the impact on somewhat aging wrists and can certainly relate. I shoot 124gr 9mm very well and comfortably with a Beretta PX4 compact for PAS and IDPA competitions. For my PM9 though I go with 147gr 9mm and couldn't be happier. It is a noticeable stout push without the 'crack' on every shot. I practice with 147gr Speer Lawman, and carry 147gr Federal HST. (Expensive freakin' round! But, I'm glad I found a few boxes of it.)

By way of comparison, I also have a Beretta PX4 .45 and shoot flat nose Speer Lawman 200gr through that very accurately for bowling pin matches with spectacular results. ;) That recoil impulse is notable and gets your attention without being sharply rude. For .45 home defense with that gun I load 200gr Fiocchi XTP HP.


My $0.02


Tim

[Bawanna]

While we're talking about ranges, we have a wonderful outdoor range! It has targets out to 1000 yards or so, and pistol targets too. It also has nice skeet and trap ranges.

Usually there is hardly anybody out there. But, with the fire danger where it is now, it is only open Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday and last week they weren't shooting out past 200 yards. It actually did catch fire a couple years ago.

Bawanna just needs to drop by...

An ex coworker who is now a Chelan County Sheriff's wife works at the range sometimes. I didn't realize she was even into shooting.
They migrated over 4 or 5 years ago I guess and just love it over there.

Didn't realize it had shotgun too. Heard is had a real nice club house or common area. Really nice.

One of these days.

[wyntrout]

If you can find some, Prvi Partizan 180-gr FMJ is the lightest recoiling ammo I've run across in .40 S&W. It's it's like shooting .38 Special, and regular .40 then feels like going to .357 Magnum. It's probably about the lightest recoiling factory ammo you'll find. They make defense ammo, too, but I've never shot any HP by them.

I looked around until I found a picture of the box. And, I found some boxes of the JHP that I had bought for resale. I haven't shot any of those and I don't have any of the TMJ left. It seemed like cheating... shooting powderpuff .40 S&W. :D

Wynn

[Alfonse]

An ex coworker who is now a Chelan County Sheriff's wife works at the range sometimes. I didn't realize she was even into shooting.
They migrated over 4 or 5 years ago I guess and just love it over there.

Didn't realize it had shotgun too. Heard is had a real nice club house or common area. Really nice.

One of these days.

Wenatchee has several ranges. One is shotgun only. One is up near the race track, and I haven't been to the others. They have lots of folks compared to up in our little neck of the desert.

[Bawanna]

Wenatchee has several ranges. One is shotgun only. One is up near the race track, and I haven't been to the others. They have lots of folks compared to up in our little neck of the desert.

I'm sure she works or volunteers at your range right there close to town. They live in Chelan.
If Deputy Moody ever pulls you over mention me and Monroe, you'll for sure get the ticket but he's a good guy and good friend.

Actually he probably won't write you with or without mention, he's not a big ticket writer. Saves himself for the big stuff.

[berettabone]

Yea, you're right. I might have been expecting way too much as far as accuracy. It does shoot low. With the laser, it shoots low left, with live ammo it shoots low right. At 7 yards it's like 7 inches low. In a point n shoot scenario (combat shoot) I expect I'd do ok. It's not a target gun, it's not a range gun, it's a self defense gun. I have to remember that.

I have found that if you raise up that front sight, and leave some space between the front and rear sights, whether they are two dot or one, your shots will come up. I have also found that concentrating on isolating your trigger finger from the rest of your body will also help in the accuracy dept.

[OldFatGuy]

I have found that if you raise up that front sight, and leave some space between the front and rear sights, whether they are two dot or one, your shots will come up. I have also found that concentrating on isolating your trigger finger from the rest of your body will also help in the accuracy dept.

With my laser ammo, I could see how trigger control effected the shot. So I learned how I need to pull the trigger on this gun. And the sights I learned if I cut the front dot in half with the top of the rear sight, I can fix that low shot. At the range with live ammo, all hell broke loose. But in the end I could see I was shooting low and to the right. the "to the right" part I blame on trigger control. The "low" part I tried to compensate with what I learned, but with my wrists giving out so quickly, I spent my time just trying to hold the gun steady, which I couldn't do. So all my education concerning trigger control and sight adjustment was for naught. I do believe the gun shoots how I think it shoots, low. But with Parkinsons in both hands, hitting the target was a big challenge by itself, sad to say.