Indians For Guns

Trigger Control and Accuracy
(http://www.guns.com/.../concentrate-on- ... -and-what-)

Hi Guys,
Fellow IFGian 'Basu' called this morning & we had a long chat about him getting the trigger in one of his ARs reworked & how smooth it had become - He was hitting targets at 40 yards accurately & consistently.

This took me back to a few months when I had comes across an article on "Trigger Control and Accuracy", which I thought would be useful to all, so here goes an 'excerpt' .....

Some people like the term “press”, others prefer “pull” and still others use the term “squeeze.” Whatever word you use doesn’t matter, what matters are accurate shots on target, when it comes to marksmanship fundamentals, trigger control your trigger pull is smooth and straight to the rear while your sights are aligned, you’ll hit your target every time.

The techniques required for accurate shot placement are really simple, but the process includes many variables such as:

POSITIONING YOUR FINGER
The position of your finger on the trigger is vitally important to shooting accurately & consistently. Ideally, you want to place the trigger comfortably between the tip of your index finger and the first knuckle, using the middle, cushioned area of the fingerprint. This provides the best, most even surface from which to apply force straight back and limits the chances your pull will adversely affect the trajectory of your shots.


TRIGGER POSITIONS TO AVOID
Whatever you do, do not use the tip of your finger (i.e. the part closest to your fingernail) to depress the trigger. Doing so is more likely to cause you to push on the trigger from a different angle than straight back and to the rear and this will cause your rounds to go off mark.

One thing to avoid when considering your grip is squeezing your palm to tightly or convulsively around the pistol grip, which shooting instructors call milking. This added pressure come strange angles can cause your shots to go low and left (for a right handed shooter). This is especially noticeable when using a pistol, but important also when using a rifle or shotgun.

TRIGGER CONCENTRATION
Yes, concentrating on your trigger. Usually the term is “concentrating on your sights,” but you need to control and think about your trigger squeeze as well.

Jumping off the trigger (by that I mean releasing the trigger rapidly and erratically) is one of the most common and one of the most unrecognized detriments to accurate shooting. Any jerky movements during the trigger pull will affect the entire gun, the barrel will wobble and the shot will most often miss its intended target. Practicing trigger concentration is really the only way I know of to recognize and combat this.

IN CLOSING, TAKE AWAY THIS GOLDEN RULE
To shoot a gun accurately, trigger press or pull or squeeze – must be smooth and consistent. Treat your gun’s trigger with TLC (Tender, Loving Care) and you’ll make that gun – whatever gun it might be – SING.

HAPPY SHOOTING
Briha

Dear Briha,
With pull of only 800 gms...for SN45... 700 fps at muzzle.....I am following your 2nd finger style of the pic.
Result is more then satisfactory...
It goes to prove again for ARs , trigger plays a vital role for better accuracy.

Basu

Basu wrote:Dear Briha,
With pull of only 800 gms...for SN45... 700 fps at muzzle.....I am following your 2nd finger style of the pic.
Result is more than satisfactory...
It goes to prove again for ARs , trigger plays a vital role for better accuracy.
Basu

Yes!
You have proved & experienced it
I too have been following this (2nd Style) and getting better groups
Briha

Hi
I will disagree with the pros, I prefer the 3rd pic for finger position while shooting. May be it started with IHP having high trigger pressure, but i put the thumb of the trigger hand right behind the stock & with slight poi either left/ right i alter the thumb position. But at any point of time i dont tightly grasp the the pistol grip & always try to put continuous pressure on the trigger. Now with a better gun & trigger its giving better results than ever before. I found that using the 2nd pic the point of contact is not consistent for trigger & finger. But that may be personel choice to everybody. i guess i am old school after all
regards Moulindu

moulindu wrote:Hi
I will disagree with the pros, I prefer the 3rd pic for finger position while shooting. May be it started with IHP having high trigger pressure, but i put the thumb of the trigger hand right behind the stock & with slight poi either left/ right i alter the thumb position. But at any point of time i dont tightly grasp the the pistol grip & always try to put continuous pressure on the trigger. Now with a better gun & trigger its giving better results than ever before. I found that using the 2nd pic the point of contact is not consistent for trigger & finger. But that may be personel choice to everybody. i guess i am old school after all
regards Moulindu

Its possible, but the picture shows the standard position refined by n number of pros at match level over decades and serves as better example for beginners.
Possibly your mechanical advantage at position 3 is similar to that of standard position 2 or else your are extremely well adapted to that position to achieve similar control, after all practice should count for something.

Interesting post Briha ji,
I think if it works for an AR it should very well work on a Rifle also. Though to test it out a lot of rounds would have to be fired, which would be too expensive for a big bore rifle and in the hands of a green horn like me. Therefore it would be better to take advise and then practice with that style.

Regards

Atul