Trigger Finger Positioning

Target shooting and range information. Competitive shooting, ranges, competitions, clubs and events. Free shooting targets.

Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Member-Deleted » 12 Jan 2021, 9:50 am

Hey guys,

Just wanting some ideas about trigger finger position for target shooting.

Do you use the pad of your index finger, or the tip, or the join behind your first knuckle?

Or even a different finger all together?

Does anyone use a ‘trigger shoe’ ?

Is there any science behind using a certain method for more accuracy?

Cheers
Member-Deleted
 

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by duddley75 » 12 Jan 2021, 10:28 am

I use the pad of my finger (index).
duddley75
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 171
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Bugman » 12 Jan 2021, 10:40 am

Yep. Pad of the index finger. If you use the join between the knuckle ,you tend to "curve" the pull resulting in a non aligned trigger pull, resulting in the shot going left or right of the target impact point your aiming at. This especially happens when pistol shooting. Once the shot is taken using the pad of the index finger, you finger should follow the line of the trigger reset, in other words don't take your finger off the trigger until the trigger has reset.
User avatar
Bugman
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1071
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by SCJ429 » 12 Jan 2021, 10:50 am

I use a trigger shoe on some older thin triggers, I do not use one on any competition actions.

Try watching this vid from Ms Weiss who will walk you through the professional use of your finger.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwokYOdpag

Depending on how I am going, I sometimes switch to pinching the trigger between my finger and thumb, the thumb resting behind the trigger guard.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Ziege » 12 Jan 2021, 11:41 am

almost the tip of the finger, just onto the pad, grip confidently and squeeze whole hand to avoid flinches with higher recoil rifles. using anything more than the pad of your finger puts you in torque territory, and you will miss more than you hit.
Ziege
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 964
Western Australia

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by rc42 » 12 Jan 2021, 2:42 pm

Use dry fire practice and concentrate on follow through to keep the sights on target as you execute the shot.
This will let you check your trigger pull with no recoil from the firearm so you will see if you have too much or too little trigger finger which is causing the firearm to shift as you pull.

The pad of the finger on the trigger pulling straight back, parallel to the bore, is the best way to achieve this but whatever works for you and doesn't move anything other than the trigger when firing will be good.
rc42
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 794
Queensland

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by SCJ429 » 12 Jan 2021, 2:45 pm

Ziege wrote:almost the tip of the finger, just onto the pad, grip confidently and squeeze whole hand to avoid flinches with higher recoil rifles. using anything more than the pad of your finger puts you in torque territory, and you will miss more than you hit.


When target shooting, I do not have my thumb around the stock. This would contribute to the squeezing of your hand which makes me shoot to the left. I try to put as little input into the stock and trigger as possible as it is more difficult to do exactly the same thing for every shot. Even when shoot some big horsepower cases, like the 338 Magnums off the bench, you will do better with your thumb on the right hand side of the stock.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Ziege » 12 Jan 2021, 2:54 pm

SCJ429 wrote:
Ziege wrote:almost the tip of the finger, just onto the pad, grip confidently and squeeze whole hand to avoid flinches with higher recoil rifles. using anything more than the pad of your finger puts you in torque territory, and you will miss more than you hit.


When target shooting, I do not have my thumb around the stock. This would contribute to the squeezing of your hand which makes me shoot to the left. I try to put as little input into the stock and trigger as possible as it is more difficult to do exactly the same thing for every shot. Even when shoot some big horsepower cases, like the 338 Magnums off the bench, you will do better with your thumb on the right hand side of the stock.



sounds like you don't have a stock that fits you properly. I can say there is only one rifle of mine that gives me any grief and its the only one still in its original plastic fantastic stock. whether I am shooting shotgun, rifle, or my compound bows I squeeze my entire hand, everyone has more fluid movement when doing so compared to moving just one finger.
Ziege
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 964
Western Australia

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by SCJ429 » 12 Jan 2021, 3:44 pm

You find a lot of the top shooters in Benchrest use the pinch trigger technique. Personally I only use it when I am struggling. I find I can use the extra finesse when the conditions are difficult and it helps me settle and relax.

My stocks on my competition rifles are handmade for me.

If you are getting good results with your technique then no need to change. What type of competition are you using your rifles for?
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Ziege » 12 Jan 2021, 5:59 pm

SCJ429 wrote:You find a lot of the top shooters in Benchrest use the pinch trigger technique. Personally I only use it when I am struggling. I find I can use the extra finesse when the conditions are difficult and it helps me settle and relax.

My stocks on my competition rifles are handmade for me.

If you are getting good results with your technique then no need to change. What type of competition are you using your rifles for?



Nothing anymore, just personal bests on taking varmints nowadays, a lot of clubs near me have dropped back to rimfire/pistol/shotgun only, and I have moved away from the city (thank god) so wont be looking to get back into it...
Ziege
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 964
Western Australia

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Aliqua » 16 Jan 2021, 6:28 am

I know this is a handgun but here is a visual aide for finger position.
Attachments
images (7).jpeg
images (7).jpeg (30.58 KiB) Viewed 3375 times
Aliqua
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 215
Victoria

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by Member-Deleted » 16 Jan 2021, 8:18 am

Thanks guys

Some good ideas there.
That video was good. Found a few other ones too that gave me some ideas.

I shot 10m air rifle when I was young. And now I'm only shooting 22lr.... For now anyway.
I love the precision of shooting.

I disagree with squeezing the stock, at least for small bore and air rifles.
I was told long ago to keep my thumb to the left side with my trigger finger (I'm a lefty) so as to not squeeze the whole hand.
"The trigger hand should be pulling not squeezing", "Precision is parallel to the bore" and many other lines that my granddad drilled into me :lol:
I'm slowly remembering what I was taught :wtf:

A mate gave me a trigger shoe that I'm yet to try. Too bloody busy to get to the range....
and that's what got me thinking about trigger position. I have fitted lighter springs to my Lithgow and they're sooo much better than the stockies. I've fitted the trigger shoe and it does feel nice. Had a few dry fire sessions since...and I'm still finding snap caps in the shed :lol:

It's probably just me but the trigger pull feels lighter with the shoe on. Maybe because it's spread over more area of the finger.

I'll definately try the pinch technique next time I get there

Thanks all
Member-Deleted
 

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by in2anity » 17 Jan 2021, 9:35 am

SCJ429 wrote:You find a lot of the top shooters in Benchrest use the pinch trigger technique. Personally I only use it when I am struggling. I find I can use the extra finesse when the conditions are difficult and it helps me settle and relax.

My stocks on my competition rifles are handmade for me.

If you are getting good results with your technique then no need to change. What type of competition are you using your rifles for?


What are the benchrest distances? Is that the SSAA rules? 50-300yards?
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
User avatar
in2anity
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3048
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by SCJ429 » 17 Jan 2021, 3:38 pm

The SSAA have Benchrest competition from 50 to 500 metres but there are score and group competitions at longer distances if you are keen.

https://ssaa.org.au/disciplines/benchrest
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by in2anity » 17 Jan 2021, 6:02 pm

Nobody is hosting benchrest at my local (Anzac Range, Malabar) - only TR/F/Service Rifle, otherwise I'd definately give it a crack. Who knows, maybe someone will start it up; clubs do come and go there. They do run a rimfire fly shoot at Silverdale, West of Sydney, that's an absolute hoot.
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
User avatar
in2anity
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3048
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by pomemax » 17 Jan 2021, 11:14 pm

This is one of them posts that Is not easy to answer some school of thought say the pad of the finger some say the first distal joint
I have no choice I must use the distal joint as i have shortened first 2 fingers on right hand .
Plus it will vary for pistol shooting as against rifle and as some have said different styles of shooting different position and style of pull ..
I think its one of the thing you must find for yourself
pomemax
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1165
New South Wales

Re: Trigger Finger Positioning

Post by in2anity » 18 Jan 2021, 12:16 pm

pomemax wrote:This is one of them posts that Is not easy to answer some school of thought say the pad of the finger some say the first distal joint
I have no choice I must use the distal joint as i have shortened first 2 fingers on right hand .
Plus it will vary for pistol shooting as against rifle and as some have said different styles of shooting different position and style of pull ..
I think its one of the thing you must find for yourself

Yup. Whilst the pad is the most taught method, I know some insanely good A graders who break on the join. Whatever works.
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
User avatar
in2anity
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3048
New South Wales


Back to top
 
Return to Target shooting - Competitive shooting - Shooting ranges