Whether you’re training for self-defense, competing at a match, on the silhouette range or plinking with a .22 pistol, seven fundamentals of handgun training apply.

Trigger finger placement is very important no matter what shooting discipline you are engaged in. This finger position will likely cause the pressure on the trigger to be applied to the left side, and not straight to the rear as it should be.

These are the seven fundamentals of basic pistol marksmanship:

1. Stance: The stance as it applies to the handgun is nothing more than the position of feet and body relative to the target. It sounds simple, but it’s actually one of the most critical and also one of the most often overlooked aspects of pistol shooting.
2. Position: This is nothing more than taking the stance and make sure that we are positioned naturally toward the target, or, put another way, we are trying to find our natural point of aim.
3. Grip: Simply pick the pistol up, and you are gripping it, right? Not so fast. There are several do’s and don’ts when establishing the proper firing grip. Two of the main aspects of establishing a proper grip are consistency and tension. Read more.
4. Sight alignment: In order to shoot a handgun with any accuracy, the pistol’s sights need to be in alignment. Sight alignment is nothing more than the front sight post centered within the rear sight notch, with equal daylight on both sides of the front sight post, and the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight.
5. Trigger control: The smooth release of the trigger mechanism of any firearm is a critical factor is the delivery of an accurate shot. On the face of it, it’s a very simple act but within that simple act is a complex series of events that have to take place.
6. Breathing: Good breathing techniques are extremely important in all types of shooting, from the slow fire match in bullseye, to speed shooting steel targets, which typically is over in less than two or three seconds.
7. Mental discipline: Shooting is both a physical and a mental game. The ratio of physical versus mental depends on the level of expertise of the individual shooter.

Read the full article at GunDigest.com.

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