Trigger Control

[Paul Blackburn]

The biggest factor in trigger control is ones ability to work the trigger while maintaining an acceptable sight picture. What does it take to accomplish that? Probably 90% mental effort and 10% technique. The 10% part boils down to learning to isolate/separate the trigger finger movement from within the grip by applying the proper amount of grip friction with the least amount of tension possible and let your kinesthetic stance or position absorb recoil vs a crush grip that creates too much tension that connects/transfers the trigger finger movement into your entire grip package (hands, wrists, forearms, muzzle).

[LSP552]

Leading to shoot a DA/SA gun ( I mean really learning to shoot it) was the single biggest investment I have ever made with regards to trigger control. The dividends are numerous and long lasting.

I intend to go back to DA/SA after this shooting season for a refresher on trigger control.

I agree with this^. I don’t think it’s necessarily harder, but I believe you have to pay more attention to the learning process with DA/SA guns.

The concepts of trigger control are easy, it’s the execution that gets in the way.

[JHC]

As a wee lad I learned a SA press and DA stroke on a K38 and K22 (in the late '60's, both guns I still have). Two completely different presses. One a crisp "staged" glass rod break and one rolled straight through.

When I got some 1911s in the '80's it was SA love at first press just like a cocked K38 but more weight but no real surprise there.
For many years all my triggers were one or the other. P7, BHP, wheelies. Somewhere around '90 I very briefly owned a G17 but since it seemed neither fish nor fowl and it was up against a BHP so that foray didn't last long.

But late '90's when I got serious about Glock shooting I took to them in a big way and since I perceived this wall after the take up I generally tried to run them like a long rougher SA.

This approach actually carried me a long time and I wasn't disappointed. Every "pretty'' slowfire group I've ever posted here was shot like that.


It's been more recently shooting the Gen 5 G19X and G45 with their firm consistent "rolling" break trigger that my "staging" approach ran off the rails.
Problems didn't manifest at speed but slowing down to make a tight shot at some distance was a roll of the dice. I noticed as long as I had some time pressure that kept me from trying to stage and finesse the shot I'd be ok.


Most recently I really saw this in the stark contrast of 25 yard results on two consecutive days. Day 1 I was just back to the 19X after a few weeks of G48 focus and the 25 yard warm up was pushed left awful as was follow on remedial work at 25 to get this shit fixed. So I doubled down on staging and finessing a perfect "SA" press from late in the Gen 5 trigger pull. Nothing but bad.


It was driving home and rolling this around re WTF just happened that I realized I'd brain cramped completely about this keep the trigger moving lesson.


Luckily I had the chance to go right back out there the next day and get serious about this continuous press approach.


This target was the warm up at 25 yards holding mid to high of the 4x6 card. It was shot as individual singles from high ready and I only gave each shot about a second and a half (no timer used) so that I'd keep the trigger moving. The sun peaked through some branches over my right shoulder for shots marked #6 and #7 blooming hell out of the yellow/green HD front sight. Twice I've seen that phenomena from the sun rising over my right rear. But that's a different topic.

The key lesson was I was back to hitting true straight. The day prior trying to stage the perfect break had those hits scatters SIX inches left with stragglers high or low.


Attachment 35480


That made me happy. Then I got out the timer for a timed fire pace exercise to shoot 5 from ready at a "prompt" pace stroking the trigger without stopping holding center on the headbox also from 25 yards.
The first 5 took 13 seconds and had 4 great hits and one mike.


Attachment 35481

I followed that up with 9 more - R5 again in 11 seconds, then R4 in 7.5 seconds.

Attachment 35482

14 shots, fired this way, 2 mikes and one bad hit low left as marked. But I was sold sold sold on this approach to shooting these triggers. At the end of the day for the reason I own these guns, hits under time pressure is what matters most.

[JHC]

Those lessons learned out of the way . . .

I get that the ultra simple advice - press the trigger without disturbing the sights is true and Plato simple. But what building blocks best help a shooter do that?

Isolate the trigger finger pressing from any other tension in the shooting hand. OK.

Doesn't Leatham promote a crush grip so less than perfect straight back trigger pressing can't create too much deviation from straight and true?

When I get lazy and cheat my firm dominant and support hand grip things go awry. Left deviation for Glocks and right deviation with a 1911 it seems.

I'm figuring grip is still pretty important to the trigger press.

[Alpha Sierra]

I think it's counterproductive to limit oneself to mastering only one type of trigger.

First of all, humans are much more capable than that

Second, what are you going to do if you come across, want to use, or are forced to use a different pistol?

Third, every man should be a competent rifleman. Those triggers are usually very different than anything in a pistol

Fourth, sometimes we enjoy shooting for pleasure using firearms that have zero or very limited practical use. Clay shooting is an example, and trigger "manipulation" of a shotgun is done significantly differently than anything with a set of sights on the barrel.

Is it more work, yes, yes it is. It also makes one more capable.

[David S.]

Semantic tangent: Does gripping hard actually improve trigger control? Or does gripping hard cover up and mask bad trigger control?

(I know that there are other reasons to grip hard, like recoil management)

[Larry Sellers]

I have noticed that on my glock 45 with the beavertail cut down to prevent slide bite that if I use the middle joint of my trigger finger to pull the trigger I get a MUCH more consistent and straight press to the rear. It's helped to visualize that joint moving in the proper way and direction, which has translated into better scores and targets across the board.

[David S.]

A couple weeks with a dot has revealed that my trigger control isn’t as good as my iron sights had led me to believe.

[feudist]

Finish at the same speed you start.

Interesting.

[Robinson]

Those lessons learned out of the way . . .

I get that the ultra simple advice - press the trigger without disturbing the sights is true and Plato simple. But what building blocks best help a shooter do that?

Isolate the trigger finger pressing from any other tension in the shooting hand. OK.

Doesn't Leatham promote a crush grip so less than perfect straight back trigger pressing can't create too much deviation from straight and true?

When I get lazy and cheat my firm dominant and support hand grip things go awry. Left deviation for Glocks and right deviation with a 1911 it seems.

I'm figuring grip is still pretty important to the trigger press.

This is pretty much where I stand on it.

I'm not qualified to tell anyone else how to practice trigger control, but the above very well describes where I focus my attention. I always have to remind myself, at every range session, to isolate my trigger finger from my grip while maintaining a very firm grip especially with my support hand. It never really comes easy for me and I always have to work at it.

I also have to focus on reestablishing a good sight picture between shots when I start speeding up. I don't ever practice "double taps", I just try to increase speed a little while still seeing the target as I press the trigger.

Also, I don't agree with those who say trigger control doesn't matter when you are shooting a 1911 or other single action pistol. The 1911 trigger is nice and all, but it doesn't solve all your problems for you.

@GJM Great idea for a thread by the way.