When did finger off trigger/outside trigger guard become commonplace?

[HopetonBrown]

When did instruction about keeping finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard become common place in the LE/MIL world?

[tanner]

I went through the police academy in the Metro Detroit area in 1993 and it was stressed then.

If I had to guess, it would have been right about when departments transitioned from revolvers to semi-autos...

[Chuck Haggard]

In the late 1980s, and carrying revolvers, we were still taught "outside the trigger guard".

[Surf]

Chuck has me beat by a couple / few years, but I was revolvers and tail end of the 80's and it was same for us.

[Chuck Haggard]

I really think Jeff Cooper and his "Four Rules" is what got that ball rolling, so that would have been in the 1970s I assume.

[Dagga Boy]

Depends where. In the academy in 88 we were being taught finger on the trigger and point shooting to 7 yards. In 89 I went to LAPD SWAT to train with them on the firearms stuff.......needless to say, all Modern Technique and they were totally intolerant of fingers on triggers.

[okie john]

I think it was a mix. Cooper got it started, and his disciples spread the word. In the mid 80's the ODAs in 7th SFG(A) were taught Rule Three, but a lot of our instructors had been to Orange Gunsite.


Okie John

[John Hearne]

Cooper originally only had 3 rules. The position of the trigger finger was added to make it four rules. I am friends who are Gunsite historians and nobody has been able to pinpoint the year of the change.

[Cookie Monster]

Per Clint Smith (who painted the sign for Gunsite), Cooper started with one rule - "All guns are always loaded" They continued to add rules as folks kittened stuff up. I believe it only took weeks or shorter to add more rules.

Clint has mentioned this a few times in different classes I have been in.

Cookie Monster

[Don Gwinn]

If that's true, it's impressive that they were able to keep it to four rules. Rules have a tendency to multiply like Tribbles if you turn your back on 'em for a minute.

I feel like I read a commentary by Cooper once upon a time where he expressed a belief that only Rule One should really be necessary if the world worked as it ought to. Not sure if I'm remembering that or confabulating it, though.