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Posted: 9/30/2007 3:05:07 PM EDT
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Where do you place your finger once you are ready to pull it? This stems for a discussion I had last night with a good friend of mine. I just finished building a RRA rifle for him and handed to him last night while at work. As I watched him look it over and test the trigger and notced that he did not place the tip of his finger on the trigger. Rather he placed his finger on it using the secind knuckle from the tip. So being the curious type I asked him about this. He was a sniper for Marine Force Recon spending much time in the sandbox, man this dude has some stories. Anyhow, he told me that that is how they were trianed in trigger control. He also told me that the whole thing about being surprsied when the shot goes off is "A load of BULLSHIT!" He said that you should ALWAYS know when the shot is going to go. He had me try his way of pulling the trigger and, while I found it very different, I like that way too. I found it to be much better for slack take up, even with the little that exists with stock triggers. It was also much easier to control the break of the trigger and I found it very easy to know exactly when th trigger was going to break. Anyhow, just thought I'd see what the gurus around here had to say as I know there are also a lot of guys with "real" trigger time and "very very real" experices in the field. What do you all say? |
+1 People in the army are always telling me to use the tip of the finger. I have big hands and long fingers so for me to use the tip it is very uncomfortable and puts strain on my foreamr muscles making it hard as hell to squeeze. I grip the handle and where ever my finger lands is where it stays. For me that is between the las and second joint. |
I think this depends on your hand size. Because with me if I use the pad it cause me to pull it back sideways, rather than, straight back. Just practice and you will figure out what works. Start off with what it most comfortable and see how it shoots. As long as you are hitting where you are aiming it does not matter it you are using you pinky to shoot. |
+1 However...for precision shooting, we we taught to use the first finger pad in order to consistently pull the trigger directly back on the rifle leaving preventing lateral motion. |
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It all depends. I generally setup the rifle so that I use the pad of my finger, but that is a holdover from precision rifle and pistol. Shooting a combat revolver fast will require a different technique. The BEST method to use is whatever will allow you to hit the target. 
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Yup. This is also what is said in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Training Manual. People have different size hands. There is no "one size fits all" trigger grip. You can train yourself to squeeze straight back on the trigger regardless of exactly where you need to place your index finger. |
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I have found that getting a comfortable grip and doing the same with the finger makes a difference in a good way. so where you would put it would be different for everyone. this also works when I TIG weld. I get set in a position that I am very comfortable with my arms and hands and I do much better, so I do the same when shooting and it also makes the hits better. |
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Think of an imaginary line right through the "meat" of the pad. The trigger sits halfway between that and the crease of my first knuckle. I'v heard a number of different "right" ways. Different strokes for different folks. I find "knuckle" doesn't give me as fine motor control and "pad" feels unnatural and slows me down for fast shooting. Then again, on a bolt action where I'll line up a shot for a while, I'll use the pad. Whatever works, really  |
| I've been a heavy shooter for 48 years, 24 of which were in the military. It depends on the rifle, shotgun or handgun as to where I hit the trigger. Surprise breaks do not work for me. Using just the tip of the finger does good for me with light single stage triggers varmint hunting. I slap the trigger on my pump riot shotgun. I squeeze the trigger on my carry gun(probably because of the first round double action). Never really "think" about finger position. It just happens. I always qualified expert except one time with a Inglis Browning High Power that NATO issued me. That had nothing to do with finger position just junk gun and junk ammo. Just hit trigger the way that works for you as many above have said...........Good Shooting.................Mike |
OMFG!?!?!??!? Is this true!?!? Why, oh why is the Army so fucked up when it comes to marksmanship instruction?!?!?!? If I had a dollar for every NCO that ever told me that I had to use the pad of the first joint of my trigger finger, I'd be a wealthy man. They'd usually tell me that right after I shot a 39/40 with the M4 or a 296/300 with the M9. |
My hand and fingers are so long that if I use the pad, my finger is hooked back so far, the first segment is pointed straight back. This sucks on handguns. On most handguns, I'd be more comfortable it the trigger was forward of the trigger guard! On an AR, you can at least get replacement grips. And this: 
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