Shooting left with my AR. Need advice!!

[saturnx]

This is my first AR-15 and I am a novice when it comes to firing it. It's a DPMS with a YHM upper receiver. I just installed MI front and rear sights and a red dot from Truglo. Which is a perfect co witness. My problem is I am shooting to the left so much so that my rear sight will be maxed out if I go any further with it. This group is from 25 yards, no bench rest. I am shooting reloaded 55gr. ammo. I used the rear peep sight only and I tried canting the gun to the right to see if that helped and it didn't. There is approximately 1000 rounds down the barrel since new. I have zero experience shooting from a bench. I actually shoot worse because I never shot from a bench.


Also, If you know anybody that would be willing to teach me to be a better shooter with this gun I would appreciate it. (Even paid lessons) I live in Berks County (Mt.Penn) I could use help sighting this gun in.

Thanks

[mythaeus]

You can let someone who is an experienced shooter try out the rifle to make sure that it's not you. You can try steadying the gun by putting it on some sort of rest (sand bag, bipod, etc.) to make sure that you don't sway the gun when you shoot. If all is steady, shooting left usually means too little trigger finger (assuming you're shooting right handed).

If it's the gun, try using the red dot and sight in the gun with the red dot only. If you start to hit center consistently, it's possible that your gas block and/or you front sight is canted. Make sure the gas block is perfectly perpendicular to your upper receiver rail (not your quad rail, unless your quad rail is perfectly perpendicular to your upper receiver).

Search youtube for "rifle shooting techniques", you will get plenty of helpful videos to help you with your skills.

Al

[Hawk]

Find a small level. Remove both front and rear sights. Place the gun on a table and hold it so its in it's normal shooting position (you can support it with some pillows if that helps). Put the level across the rear rail (built into the upper) where the sight would normally go. Adjust the rifle tilt left or right until the level tells you the gun is perpendicular to the ground (level). Then holding it perfectly still place the level on top of the gas block (where the front sight used to be mounted). If the level says it's also level you can pretty much rule out a canted gas block, if the level shows a cant, seek a gun smith.

Or (if you are comfortable doing this) loosen the Allen screws holding the gas block to the barrel and rotate it until it's level and re-tighten. You can confirm that the gas ports still are aligned by removing the upper from the lower, plugging the chamber end with something like a couple of lightly oiled patches and blowing on the muzzle end to verify air still comes out the end of the gas tube (located in the upper). Remount the sights and re-sight the rifle.

If the level trick shows that the gas block is already level, you'll need to look elsewhere for your issue.

This test works much easier with 2 levels, if you have them. One for the rear rail and one for the gas block rail.

[Toxicodendron11]

Also, If you know anybody that would be willing to teach me to be a better shooter with this gun I would appreciate it. (Even paid lessons) I live in Berks County (Mt.Penn) I could use help sighting this gun in.

Thanks

Bob Bajor has helped me in the past, maybe he can help you.

http://www.gunskills.com/ar-15basictraining

[saturnx]

Thank you for all of your replies!

I don't have a level here at the moment so I figured that I would remove my front sight and just visually look at the rail to gauge alignment. Seemed okay for a quick eyeball check. So I reinstalled my front sight in the exact spot and turned my red dot on to check co-witness and my red dot is an 1/8 inch to the right of the front post. It was dead on top of the post before I removed the sight. Is it possible my front sight wasn't attached properly? I won't be able to get to the range until Wednesday to check to see if that was the problem.

[YBNORMAL]

Thank you for all of your replies!

I don't have a level here at the moment so I figured that I would remove my front sight and just visually look at the rail to gauge alignment. Seemed okay for a quick eyeball check. So I reinstalled my front sight in the exact spot and turned my red dot on to check co-witness and my red dot is an 1/8 inch to the right of the front post. It was dead on top of the post before I removed the sight. Is it possible my front sight wasn't attached properly? I won't be able to get to the range until Wednesday to check to see if that was the problem.

That is certainly possible. When I assembled my free float rail on my AR I had a similar issue, since the rail was full lenth and lined up with the flat top reciever I used an old scope ring, mounted half of it on the reciever with the other half on the 4 rail handguard and tightened the mount of the ring. That put both rails in perfect alignment and then I tightened the handguard down. Doing that put my rear sight back in the center.

My front sight was on top of the rail so I didn't have to deal with a canted gas block like you may have. Is your gas block pinned like a standard post style sight, or is it a pinch block type, or a setscrew type?

YB

[saturnx]

I am very new to the ar platform so gas blocks are new to me. There are two small allen head screws on the bottom of my gas block. I can't get my handguard off though because I can't move the large collar back far enough to release them.

[mythaeus]

I am very new to the ar platform so gas blocks are new to me. There are two small allen head screws on the bottom of my gas block. I can't get my handguard off though because I can't move the large collar back far enough to release them.

The collar, or technically the delta ring assembly, can be pretty tough to push back. From the look of it, you probably have a 2-piece snap-on handguard so you may have to push the assembly back at an angle, pop the bottom piece out, then do the top.

HOWEVER, there is absolutely no need to remove/adjust the handguard to address your problem. Your front sight is on the gas block, not on your handguard like YBNORMAL's. You will simply need to loosen the 2 hex screws of the gas block and rotate until the gas block is level. Furthermore, have some patience and take the gun to the range again now that you have removed, reinstall the front sight and saw the 1/8" offset. That may be just the reason why you are consistently to the left. You may not have to play with the gas block at all.

Al

[Franchi20/28]

I'm pretty close to you.
If you're still having problems let me know.
What shift do you work?
I was a small arms marksmanship instructor, part time, among other things, while on active duty.

[Draxton Smitz]

There is always the non-gunsmithing answer of, aim to the right.