Trigger pull

[Mini me]

The shot should break without your brain knowing exactly when. Not that you're unaware, you're intentionally not predicting the moment so your body doesn't pre-compensate. A surprising break means a clean break. The anticipation is where flinching, jerking and pushing all come from. Once I really understood that, everything about my trigger work changed. Does the way you're pulling the trigger right now actually reflect that principle?

 

[CTom]

A lot will depend on the weight of trigger pull. My Ruger American and Savage Axis both had so-so triggers from the factory. Not bad really but not the best certainly. I put spring kits in both guns: 1.8 pounds in the American and 1.5 pounds in the Axis. They both passed the drop test to check for accidental discharge, and both make shooting a dream as far as a clean break.

 

[Alan]

The shot should break without your brain knowing exactly when. Not that you're unaware, you're intentionally not predicting the moment so your body doesn't pre-compensate. A surprising break means a clean break. The anticipation is where flinching, jerking and pushing all come from. Once I really understood that, everything about my trigger work changed. Does the way you're pulling the trigger right now actually reflect that principle?

The moment you stop trying to time it, your finger suddenly becomes a lot less opinionated.

 

[Jimmy]

That’s a good way to frame it...smooth pressure to the wall then surprise break without anticipation is usually where consistency really improves.

 

[d2wing]

I disagree. The moment I get the sight picture I want I pull the trigger. I do it smoothly and quickly without a jerk or flinch. I am a certified instructor and win or place most competition I have shot in. I practice with a sniper who is in a couple books. Nothing good comes from a slow or unpredictable trigger. I know that people talk about a slow pull and surprise when the gun goes off. Why do you think that target rifles have a fast lock time. If you flinch you need training and weren't taught trigger control correctly.

 

[d2wing]

I should mention that I have had alot of training and am certified instructor. We start our students with an air pistol to teach, sight alignment, trigger control, not to flinch, stance and more. After mastering that we move on to air rifles then .22s. The goal is to see the proper sight picture and pull the trigger immediately. If trained properly, there is no wobble time, no jerking or flinching and no need to trick triggers. Many popular ideas were developed to correct bad habits and poor technique. Proper training in the first place is best. Unlearning bad habits is hard. Women make better students because they trust the instructor more. Men tend to ignore instructions.

 

[Mini me]

I think we're describing the same outcome from different angles. A skilled shooter can break the shot immediately on sight picture but newer shooters often benefit from avoiding conscious anticipation.

 

[d2wing]

Maybe so. Most people don't get any training at all, much less expert level training. It pains me to watch shooters wobble around trying to get a shot off. Wobbles don't get better with time. For a while people were trying to avoid human interaction with the rifle. Heavy rigid set-ups with remote triggers, different strokes I guess.