fix for too little trigger finger

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  • CruncherBlock

    Active Member
    Mar 29, 2016
    594
    According to the pistol correction chart for lefties, I have too little trigger finger. But I grip the trigger with the middle of my first finger pad. What is the fix? I think it would be wrong to pull at the knuckle joint.
     

    mopar92

    Official MDS Court Jester
    May 5, 2011
    9,513
    Taneytown
    What kind of gun? I use the first joint meself for Glock, revolver and most doublestacks. I use the pad of my finger for 1911s anr singlestacks.

    Also those charts suck. Spend some money with aexperienced instructor or time with an experienced shooter.
     

    CruncherBlock

    Active Member
    Mar 29, 2016
    594
    What kind of gun? I use the first joint meself for Glock, revolver and most doublestacks. I use the pad of my finger for 1911s anr singlestacks.

    Also those charts suck. Spend some money with aexperienced instructor or time with an experienced shooter.

    1911. Does it matter what gun?
     

    mopar92

    Official MDS Court Jester
    May 5, 2011
    9,513
    Taneytown
    Nope. Your hands matter. There's no one size fix all. There's only three components of marksmanship that can't be compromised.
    Consistency, smooth trigger pull, and sight package.

    Consistency means you do things the same way each time. Smooth trigger pull means pulling the trigger without moving the gun.
    Sight package is a bunch of things, alignment, placement, and focus.

    Work on those three things and you'll be golden. They're universal between rifle, shotgun and pistol.
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,172
    Outside the Gates
    Yes, a possible grip correction is more weak hand support (pulling back) so you can push more with your strong hand palm and squeeze less with you strong hand fingers. This stops your strong hand fingers below your trigger finger from twisting the gun as you pull the trigger.

    Better grip is superior to running your finger in as far as the joint, but everyone's hands muscles, tendons, ligaments etc are different. When you find what works for you, stick with it.
     

    MosheDayan

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 9, 2017
    29
    ERoC (East of Rock Creek)
    I'm lefty and have a tendency to push to the right as well. What's helped me diagnose the problem is a lot of dry fire practice where I'm not looking straight down the sights, but have the front of the gun a bit higher. That way I'm not concerned about sight picture but can focus on really looking to see if my trigger finger is pushing/twisting the gun or if I'm pressing straight back.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Ignore "the chart" , do what works for your gun, in your hand, for a smooth trigger pull with minimal to no disturbing the alignment of the gun.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,407
    Glen Burnie
    Ignore "the chart" , do what works for your gun, in your hand, for a smooth trigger pull with minimal to no disturbing the alignment of the gun.

    This.
    Get that trigger finger inside through that trigger guard like a prom date if you want to. Learn to shoot that way if it's comfortable. Don't get caught up in all the chart crap.
    Smooth trigger (regardless of how and what you are pressing it with) and front sight on the target.
    Stand sideways on one foot if you want. All that matters is smooth trigger and front sight.

    Unless you are doing competition marksmanship shooting, then that's a whole different thing.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Trigger control is simply pulling the trigger in a way that it doesn't move the pistol, or push the sights off target. As long as that is the case doesn't matter where your finger is, or how fast you pull or slap the trigger. As others have said the grip plays a big part in stabilizing the pistol, and countering the pressure your trigger finger puts on the pistol. A firm high and balanced grip with your finger in a place to pull the trigger straight back should put you on target. You can check it by dry-firing, and then ramping up pressure on the trigger, see if it's pushing the sights left-right or pulling the muzzle down, shift the grip around, and tighten it up till it doesn't, then the problem should be solved.
     

    bbrown

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 10, 2009
    3,032
    MD
    What I find helpful, using an unloaded pistol, is to use a laser bore sighter projected onto a wall to watch what the POI does when I pull the trigger in different ways.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    The old school method is to balance a coin on your pistol, and not disturb the coin during your trigger pull.
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    According to the pistol correction chart for lefties, I have too little trigger finger. But I grip the trigger with the middle of my first finger pad. What is the fix? I think it would be wrong to pull at the knuckle joint.

    Using the first knuckle joint is what 11 time national pistol champion Brian Zins recommends.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    At the risk of redundency; I depending on which gun' wearing which grips at a given moment, I will variously use tip, pad, or joint. Use what fits YOU .
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,728
    Socialist State of Maryland
    According to the pistol correction chart for lefties, I have too little trigger finger. But I grip the trigger with the middle of my first finger pad. What is the fix? I think it would be wrong to pull at the knuckle joint.

    Do you have a flat or curved mainspring housing? Sometimes changing to the alternate type will make a difference in where you group. I found this especially true when shooting IDPA.vs shooting Bullseye matches.
     

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