as soon as i am up after clearing leather and on target i begin staging the trigger and break the shot as soon as i am at full "press out"/extension. i 've had an experience with some fairly seasoned instructors indicating this is a dangerous activity that could potentiate a ND. what say you......(i imagine i know the responses)
That's what I was taught to do with striker fired and any kind of DA shot, in the same breath was "Don't try and prep a 1911, it doesnt' do that it just fires." I think some instructors may caution against staging the trigger when dealing with the "lowest common denominator" type student, but I can't imagine making quick and accurate shots with my glock without doing so.
Check out this thread and the Todd Green articles on the press out. His technique enables you to start your trigger pull pretty much at the beginning of your press out, maintaining a sight picture all the way out (or most of one), thus adding a lot more safety and speed.
JP Visual Design
I teach "staging" the trigger, but I don't use the words staging since it might imply to some that you need to stop movement of that DA shot then stop and insure you have a good sight picture before continuing the trigger press (which I would never teach). I also teach a bi-monthly course to DOD (so we use the M9). With a 12-15 lbs trigger pull on our M9s. I teach new shooters to get on the trigger at step 3 (a high center chest step in my draw) and as they press out slowly apply pressure to the trigger so that your shot breaks at extension when in 2 car lengths distance or closer. We practice this dry fire then go to live fire. My students are not shooters and it is a mandatory pre deployment course. I am just saying this because most of the times they are what some would consider beginners, but most of them would not consider themselves beginners.
I want to note that they must still ensure they have a decent sight picture when that shot breaks. I always tell them to have a soft focus on the front sight, and drive the sight on your threat in the high center chest area. I also tell them that this press out can be done badly if you shoot early or throw the gun out there then try to take the DA shot at all once (we have shooters that will shoot the ground 7 yards away) Your sights will dictate if you should deliver the shot, and a smoother press out will give you time to actuate that trigger and also pick up your sights during the press out. My biggest hurdle is always the trigger pull and most of my students have a very hard time hitting the vital area at 7 yards when we 1st begin the training course. At the end of our pistol cycle they improve greatly and are able to deliver 2 shots in 2 seconds at 3 yards and at other distances with different time constraints. (part of the qual, easy for most on this forum, but not for a bunch of DOD desk flyers that only shoot when they take their annual training with me).
There is a difference between staging and prepping. As Noel points out, one is bad and one is good.
Staging involves a halt to the trigger pull process, a purposeful pause while sight alignment is verified. The idea is to have the trigger just an ounce from the break point when you haven't got a final acceptable sight picture yet. Do not like.
Prepping involves beginning the trigger press while the gun is doing other things, like pressing toward the target or coming down in recoil. Ideally, you never stop adding pressure to the trigger until it breaks. Though that can be easier said than done with very short, very light triggers... which, btw, is why many 1911 aficionados aren't fond of the press-out to begin with.
The difference between the two might seem subtle, but it's there. Staging involves a planned pause in the trigger press. Prepping just means I'm saving time getting some (most?) of the trigger press done when I safely can but I won't pause unless my sights aren't where I expect them.
FWIW, I was taught that staging was a revolver technique. You press the trigger until the cylinder rotates and locks, pause, get your sights settled and then break the shot. It was a way to get a thumb cocked shot without actually cocking the revolver. Useful on qualifications with generous time limits but not much else.
sorry guysOriginally Posted by irishshooter
as soon as i am up after clearing leather and on target i begin staging the trigger and break the shot as soon as i am at full "press out"/extension. i 've had an experience with some fairly seasoned instructors indicating this is a dangerous activity that could potentiate a ND. what say you......(i imagine i know the responses)should read "PREPPING" the trigger. thanks for the clarification in terms.
I had not heard the distinction before, that makes perfect sense - once again, vocabulary is important but is not always uniform which can lead to misconceptions and errors not to mention, all out internet flame wars with two people who actually agree
Much to my chagrin I actually had an overprep with a 1911 trigger at a major match. If you watch the match video from the 2011 VA State Championship with a careful eye, you can actually see on the stage where I cook a round through the wall before I get to the target. It's on the stage that starts with the carbine. That actually rattled me so bad I forgot to shoot a make-up shot into the target. With a 3.5 lb trigger that has almost no take up, it's almost impossible to prep the trigger on that particular gun.
Compared to my Glock 34 or Sig P250 or any of the revos I have where trigger prep is an essential part of my practice. I also firmly believe that's why I'm able to get consistently faster first shots with non-1911 patter pistols, because I can actually prep the trigger during the press out toward the target instead of waiting until the gun is there before beginning my trigger pull.
I was wondering about the exact terminology myself. True to PF.com form, question answered, vocabulary difference cleared up, advise given all in less than 10 posts with no name calling. It's so nice.
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