Position of finger on trigger

travistheone · Sep 29, 2016

Common wisdom is pad of finger on trigger.

Some schools of thought are now saying put as much finger on the trigger as you can.

What say ye?

Personally I have not even thought about it. I get my grip dialed and let my finger go where it will. That being said, I am not an ace.

ken792 · Sep 29, 2016

For Glocks, I more or less center the finger joint on the trigger. If I don't put so much finger on the trigger, I have a tendency to pull left. With my 1911s and rifles, I do pad of the finger right at the joint.

lx1x · Sep 29, 2016

Pad (center to center of trigger).

Watched enough new shooters.. let them shoot the way they want to shoot.. but better outcomes will be per basic fundamentals.. grip.. sight.. and trigger. When I correct them on their trigger finger.. the shots goes where I expect without me looking at the target (inside the 8" plate).

Mike OTDP · Sep 29, 2016

Adjust trigger finger position to produce no sideforce. This is where dry-fire comes in...if the sights moved, adjust your trigger finger position until they don't. This is why the Olympic-grade target pistols come with triggers that can be adjusted fore-and-aft (and often other directions).

lx1x · Sep 29, 2016

Mike OTDP said:
Adjust trigger finger position to produce no sideforce. This is where dry-fire comes in...if the sights moved, adjust your trigger finger position until they don't. This is why the Olympic-grade target pistols come with triggers that can be adjusted fore-and-aft (and often other directions).

Not all can afford them fancy Olympic guns..

jimbobborg · Sep 29, 2016

Pad on trigger is for rifles. First joint on finger is for pistols. When I use the pad on my trigger finger, shots go left of target. When I use the first joint on my trigger finger, shots go center of target. This is an even bigger issue with double-action triggers.

mopar92 · Sep 29, 2016

Where it is and what finger you use doesn't matter. You can train to shoot with your pinkie finger if you want to. So long as you are pulling the trigger straight to the rear and your sights don't move you will get a hit.

lx1x · Sep 29, 2016

mopar92 said:
Where it is and what finger you use doesn't matter. You can train to shoot with your pinkie finger if you want to. So long as you are pulling the trigger straight to the rear and your sights don't move you will get a hit.

True

Seen handicap shooter having a "stub" shoot great also..

outrider58 · Sep 29, 2016

I would think it depends on physical mechanics and mechanics of a given trigger. Dry firing should bare that out.

smokey · Sep 29, 2016

Trigger aside, also consider recoil. If you put a ton of finger in the trigger, it'll likely cant the gun to recoil over your thumb rather than back into your radius. This is where general fit of the gun to the shooter comes in to match hand size.

good guy 176 · Sep 29, 2016

When I began competitive small bore rifle shooting in the 1950s, the instructor who was a competitive pistol shooter, taught us to use the tip of the trigger finger because he felt that it was more sensitive.

So, that is how I have controlled triggers for over 64 years.

I don't teach trigger control per se while instructing because I think finger placement is overrated and is not a major contributor to accuracy, poor groups or a stray round. There are way too many other factors involved in getting them into the X ring!

Lew--Ranger63
Korea, Vietnam (2), Germany

Blaster229 · Sep 29, 2016

Pat Mac is great.

Front sight on the target and hope for the best. Which in self defense shooting, is good enough.

Slow aimed fire, I never understood why finger placement is so important. Where your finger is placed does not determine if the trigger is being "jerked". Jacking that finger inside that trigger guard like it's in a prom date is what jerks the whole PISTOL. Front sight and sneak up on that trigger is what's important. Any part of that finger can press the trigger back if your keeping the sight where it needs to be.

Seagrave1963 · Sep 29, 2016

Blaster229 said:
Pat Mac is great.

Front sight on the target and hope for the best. Which in self defense shooting, is good enough.

Slow aimed fire, I never understood why finger placement is so important. Where your finger is placed does not determine if the trigger is being "jerked". Jacking that finger inside that trigger guard like it's in a prom date is what jerks the whole PISTOL. Front sight and sneak up on that trigger is what's important. Any part of that finger can press the trigger back if your keeping the sight where it needs to be.

just spit soda through my nose :lol2:

BTW - the thread is helpful too.

Blaster229 · Sep 29, 2016

Seagrave1963 said:
just spit soda through my nose

BTW - the thread is helpful too.

I help when I can

Biggfoot44 · Sep 29, 2016

The default textbook answer is pad of finger.

The substantial minority answer is joint for DA shooting. There is no inherent advantage to farther than first joint ( for pistols, not prom dates).

In actuality , sometimes it depends. Large pistols in small hands, or reverse require adapting to what sort of works. As I mentioned in another thread, specific grip shapes, or specific trigger surfaces can require changing finger placement to maintain even trigger pressure.

crudmucosa · Sep 29, 2016

I took a carbine training class taught by Pat Mac this year (highly recommended by the way) and he advocated that trigger technique. I gave it and shot (literally) and it made a difference. Took some getting used to and still feels weird, but worked for most of the shooting we were doing.

photoracer · Sep 29, 2016

Mike OTDP is correct. And results vary sometimes by individual. While you can correct issues you need to start out with the finger position that produces no side or vertical force on the squeeze. Any thing else is basically full of you know what.
And Bigfoot44 is also correct that guns vary on what works. 1911s are different that anything with a pivoting or hinged trigger. Trigger width, travel, pull weight, etc. all figure in the equation. Is there a recommended position? Yes, but even that is effected by hand size and LOP.

StickShaker · Sep 29, 2016

I'm experimenting with this dilemma at the moment because I recently bought a DA/SA Beretta. My most natural grip is with the joint of the finger on the trigger. During dry firing I noticed that I was pulling sideways in DA mode. I got my revolver out and noticed the same thing although I hardly ever shoot DA with it. I tried using my pad but it felt awkward because my finger is angled out and away from the guns and most importantly I barely have the strength to pull the trigger in DA on both guns using my pad. But the pulling off target did stop using the pad of my finger. Now that I'm conscious of the problem, and as I continue to practice dry firing, the pulling while using the finger joint has almost vanished by adjusting my right/left hand holding pressures.

clandestine · Sep 29, 2016

I shoot faster using the method Pat demonstrates. I bet patmac could smoke any "professional" shooter after dragging a truck, running, climbing a rope, and swing dead weights around.

Pat is a guy who does not need a gun. He uses one to kill people more humanely.

Nosce Hostem · Sep 29, 2016

clandestine said:
Pat is a guy who does not need a gun. He uses one to kill people more humanely.

Not to hijack the thread, but speaking of Pat, has anyone tried his Combat Strength Training program? Know it was being launched this year but haven't heard much about its quality. Knowing how intense he is, thinking it'll be awesome.

Position of finger on trigger

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