Trigger Operation..Simple as???

[P.E. Kelley]

Thank you for this platform where we can discuss techniques without too much fear of being berated (but if have
earned it, so be it)

Trigger operation
My 2 cents.

Some of you know that I have a video series where I shoot a wide variety of handguns "as received" and in most cases, right out of the box, without ever having fired them before.

Some notables:

KelTec P11 (light compact gun with a heavy ass DA)
Mark IV 455 Webley (15#DA)
Custom Glock 17L's
HK P30 with LEM
2011's
Sig DA's
Custom CZ DA’s
Striker guns of all kinds
1911’s with 3# to 7# trigger weights
Guns under 250 bucks to over 4K


I hope you will bear with me as I (not so) humble brag here. >Somehow I manage every trigger type with fairly good outcomes.< Keep in mind I am not generally shooting against the equivalent of BJ Norris or Max, but I have kept a several Masters off the podium.

So what is it that lets me do this?

Despite what you may think...it AIN'T the volumes of ammunition of have tossed downrange. I have yet to shoot more than 15K TOTAL for all caliber combined in any one year in my life.

I hate to practice. I LOVE to shoot...with others! RARE to find me on the range by myself except for Train-up zeroing!

When I started this video series it was “a lark”, something no one else has done, so I hoped it would catch on, it kinda has. People use them as a knowledge gathering element before they buy a ballistic tool, but one guy who frequents this forum reached out to me to tell me the real take away was…mastery of the fundamentals transcends platforms. My simple mind says…”if ya know how to shoot, you can shoot anything well”

Repeatable trigger operation starts with grip! I have said it in a video, “you can hold the gun upside down and trip the trigger with your pinky…for ONE accurate shot” but to repeat that shot at speed…ya got to have good grip mechanics!

I have learned a bunch from doing this Out of the Box stuff. Over the years I have come to the current thinking (current, as I am still learning)

ALL handguns have different grips, yet get that same good grip technique.
ALL guns have different triggers yet I try to run them all the same way.

I work to pull the trigger straight through, in one motion. No concern for walls, weight, stacking, creep, hitches, over-travel what have you. The speed needed for the shot determines how fast the motion is, but I try to make that speed linear.

I don’t "stage" a trigger unless the shot it so precise that is it required (and that is mostly required because I have not yet learned to trust what I see at the final break, so I will slow down at the break so I can “see”, but I do not stop the motion)

Call it constant motion if you like, but that is how I approach every trigger, in every application.

Not sure if this furthers the on going “how-to” pull a trigger discussions, but maybe this will help a few of you. Or maybe I am full of shit.

Thanks for the space
Patrick.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

Well said, I think a great many people tend to overthink simple operations. Pulling a trigger at your intended target is pretty simple, even children do it instinctively (extremely sad, but truth). I think the big point to be underscored here is mainly grip, IMO. If you have an excellent grip, the trigger pulling makes less of a difference overall to my thinking.

[ASH556]

Gold.

Thank you for this platform where we can discuss techniques without too much fear of being berated (but if have
earned it, so be it)

Trigger operation
My 2 cents.

Some of you know that I have a video series where I shoot a wide variety of handguns "as received" and in most cases, right out of the box, without ever having fired them before.

Some notables:

KelTec P11 (light compact gun with a heavy ass DA)
Mark IV 455 Webley (15#DA)
Custom Glock 17L's
HK P30 with LEM
2011's
Sig DA's
Custom CZ DA’s
Striker guns of all kinds
1911’s with 3# to 7# trigger weights
Guns under 250 bucks to over 4K


I hope you will bear with me as I (not so) humble brag here. >Somehow I manage every trigger type with fairly good outcomes.< Keep in mind I am not generally shooting against the equivalent of BJ Norris or Max, but I have kept a several Masters off the podium.

So what is it that lets me do this?

Despite what you may think...it AIN'T the volumes of ammunition of have tossed downrange. I have yet to shoot more than 15K TOTAL for all caliber combined in any one year in my life.

I hate to practice. I LOVE to shoot...with others! RARE to find me on the range by myself except for Train-up zeroing!

When I started this video series it was “a lark”, something no one else has done, so I hoped it would catch on, it kinda has. People use them as a knowledge gathering element before they buy a ballistic tool, but one guy who frequents this forum reached out to me to tell me the real take away was…mastery of the fundamentals transcends platforms. My simple mind says…”if ya know how to shoot, you can shoot anything well”

Repeatable trigger operation starts with grip! I have said it in a video, “you can hold the gun upside down and trip the trigger with your pinky…for ONE accurate shot” but to repeat that shot at speed…ya got to have good grip mechanics!

I have learned a bunch from doing this Out of the Box stuff. Over the years I have come to the current thinking (current, as I am still learning)

ALL handguns have different grips, yet get that same good grip technique.
ALL guns have different triggers yet I try to run them all the same way.

I work to pull the trigger straight through, in one motion. No concern for walls, weight, stacking, creep, hitches, over-travel what have you. The speed needed for the shot determines how fast the motion is, but I try to make that speed linear.

I don’t "stage" a trigger unless the shot it so precise that is it required (and that is mostly required because I have not yet learned to trust what I see at the final break, so I will slow down at the break so I can “see”, but I do not stop the motion)

Call it constant motion if you like, but that is how I approach every trigger, in every application.

Not sure if this furthers the on going “how-to” pull a trigger discussions, but maybe this will help a few of you. Or maybe I am full of shit.

Thanks for the space
Patrick.

[P.E. Kelley]

And...IMO

Where you put your finger on the trigger, only matters, if you can better operate it, in that manner.

Trigger finger contact can be quite different between platforms and applications.

From the finger tip, to the first knuckle and even the second knuckle I have used them. I have
even had to use a support hand finger to break a shot!

[Alpha Sierra]

It's amazing what you learn about trigger operation when you get good with a double action revolver......

[Sauer Koch]

It's amazing what you learn about trigger operation when you get good with a double action revolver......

Agree...or in my case, a Sig 226 & 229. These two made my transition to LEM a smooth one.

[StraitR]

And...IMO

Where you put your finger on the trigger, only matters, if you can better operate it, in that manner.

Trigger finger contact can be quite different between platforms and applications.

From the finger tip, to the first knuckle and even the second knuckle I have used them. I have
even had to use a support hand finger to break a shot!

Agreed, Patrick. And I might add, different from person to person due to hand size and/or dexterity.

[M2CattleCo]

It's amazing what you learn about trigger operation when you get good with a double action revolver......

That's overdone. The DA triggers on most wheelies are delicious. The extra-terrestrial grip shape of a wheel gun is the hurdle.

I've always been laser beam with a decent DA, still struggle with striker and anything with a wall.

I have to shoot a couple rounds to get the feel of the trigger when I'm doing it right. I can't see anything wrong in dry fire, but my first few rounds will be off.

[Leroy]

That's overdone. The DA triggers on most wheelies are delicious. The extra-terrestrial grip shape of a wheel gun is the hurdle.

I've always been laser beam with a decent DA, still struggle with striker and anything with a wall.

I have to shoot a couple rounds to get the feel of the trigger when I'm doing it right. I can't see anything wrong in dry fire, but my first few rounds will be off.

Agree, very few autos have DA as good as a decent revolver DA. The ergos on revolvers have always driven me a little nuts. I always end up with revolver grips on a belt sander at some point.

[JHC]

Thank you for this platform where we can discuss techniques without too much fear of being berated (but if have
earned it, so be it)

Trigger operation
My 2 cents.

Some of you know that I have a video series where I shoot a wide variety of handguns "as received" and in most cases, right out of the box, without ever having fired them before.

Some notables:

KelTec P11 (light compact gun with a heavy ass DA)
Mark IV 455 Webley (15#DA)
Custom Glock 17L's
HK P30 with LEM
2011's
Sig DA's
Custom CZ DA’s
Striker guns of all kinds
1911’s with 3# to 7# trigger weights
Guns under 250 bucks to over 4K


I hope you will bear with me as I (not so) humble brag here. >Somehow I manage every trigger type with fairly good outcomes.< Keep in mind I am not generally shooting against the equivalent of BJ Norris or Max, but I have kept a several Masters off the podium.

So what is it that lets me do this?

Despite what you may think...it AIN'T the volumes of ammunition of have tossed downrange. I have yet to shoot more than 15K TOTAL for all caliber combined in any one year in my life.

I hate to practice. I LOVE to shoot...with others! RARE to find me on the range by myself except for Train-up zeroing!

When I started this video series it was “a lark”, something no one else has done, so I hoped it would catch on, it kinda has. People use them as a knowledge gathering element before they buy a ballistic tool, but one guy who frequents this forum reached out to me to tell me the real take away was…mastery of the fundamentals transcends platforms. My simple mind says…”if ya know how to shoot, you can shoot anything well”

Repeatable trigger operation starts with grip! I have said it in a video, “you can hold the gun upside down and trip the trigger with your pinky…for ONE accurate shot” but to repeat that shot at speed…ya got to have good grip mechanics!

I have learned a bunch from doing this Out of the Box stuff. Over the years I have come to the current thinking (current, as I am still learning)

ALL handguns have different grips, yet get that same good grip technique.
ALL guns have different triggers yet I try to run them all the same way.

I work to pull the trigger straight through, in one motion. No concern for walls, weight, stacking, creep, hitches, over-travel what have you. The speed needed for the shot determines how fast the motion is, but I try to make that speed linear.

I don’t "stage" a trigger unless the shot it so precise that is it required (and that is mostly required because I have not yet learned to trust what I see at the final break, so I will slow down at the break so I can “see”, but I do not stop the motion)

Call it constant motion if you like, but that is how I approach every trigger, in every application.

Not sure if this furthers the on going “how-to” pull a trigger discussions, but maybe this will help a few of you. Or maybe I am full of shit.

Thanks for the space
Patrick.

It's very valuable to me to read your learnings. I'm working at staying my level of good with two different platforms (because i want to) so it's heartening.