Trigger Control

Training Training and Tactics
1

I’ve looked at various resources for this subject, as well as used the search function here, but can’t seem to find an answer that’s really helped me, so hopefully someone can answer this question.

I keep hearing about trigger control, isolating the trigger from the rest of the body, etc. The question is, how exactly is this accomplished? I’m a decent shot, but often seem to push (being left handed) my shots slightly to the right. Not up or down, so I’m not anticipating or shooting too early on the return, but simply right. And whenever I ask someone, all I here is, “It’s your trigger control.” Well, that’s great and all, but it doesn’t really help to tell me about some concept without telling me HOW to fix it.

If anyone has any advice on how to fix this problem, I would REALLY appreciate it. And I do realize the limitations of an online answer, but at this point, I’m desparate.

2

What distance, what group size, how far from center of target?
Is it the same when shooting one handed/support side?
What pistol?

When I get off the road and the answers to these questions I’ll give you my thoughts on the matter.

Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

3

It’s usually about 2 inches or so off at around 7 yards.

At least when I went shooting tonight, at the same range my shots were a little more centered when shooting one handed, but not by much, maybe 1/2 inch.

I’m using a Springfield Armory TRP Operator with adjustable BoMar style sights. And even when I adjust the sights to shoot further left, I still get the same shots to the right. In fact, I shot a string of five shots, adjusted the sights to shoot left by two clicks, and shot right on top of the first pattern for another string of five.

My groupings are fine, it’s just mostly always to the right. I can hit the bullseye at 7 yards and greater, just not with any consistency, which is what I’m really looking for.

4

Nothing replaces a quality instructor watching the shooter and evaluating what the shooter is doing combined with the results on target. Having said that, this is a long video, but watch it from start to finish. You might just find what you are looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlAmKLDT0E

5

Thanks. I’ll understand that a quality instructor is the best way to go. Unfortunately, in the People’s Republic of California, they are hard to come by. I could travel, but with family life it’s kinda hard right now.

I’ll take a look at the video. At this point, I’ll take any and all good info that I can take. Like I said, it’s not that I’m a bad shot, but at this point it’s time to up my game.

6

It’s anticipation, unless your sights are waaay off. 2" off at 7 yards is significant, and would probably require a lot more than 2 clicks of adjustment to bring to center anyway.

I don’t necessarily think that it is trigger control on its own that is the issue, as one can molest the trigger of most guns pretty badly (especially a 1911) and still shoot fairly well… as long as grip is good and the shooter does not move anything other than the trigger finger as the weapon fires. Working trigger control helps the shooter avoid anticipation, which is why the skills tend to develop in unison.

Focusing on smooth, gradual increase of pressure on the trigger so that the trigger is moving directly to the rear with pressure on the face of the trigger alone as the shot is fired will reduce the occurence of pre-ignition push on the gun with the firing hand, or the other plethora of anticipation manifestation. To be frank, it really doesn’t matter what type of anticipation is affecting your shooting, working through anticipation is the most important path to go down.

I like to work out anticipation on the initial shot/precision shots first and then move onto multiple shot anticipation issues.

There are a lot of ways to do it, so what I recommend is simply my recommendation to someone that I am not working directly with:

Dedicated trigger control dry-fire work. Most benefit comes from one-handed dry-fire. Start of slow, taking about 5 seconds to break the shot. Those 5 seconds are dedicated to pressing the trigger with smooth, gradually increasing pressure. Pay attention to front sight movement as the hammer falls. Optimally, there should be no movement of the front sight. Gradually reduce the time that you are permitting for trigger travel, but ensuring that there is no front sight movement as the hammer falls. Once confident, balance a dime on the front sight and work on breaking the dry shot without the dime falling off the front sight.

Ball and dummy drill. Randomly insert dummy rounds into each magazine of live rounds. Do this with as many magazines as you can, trying to keep each one random (not predictable). Throw the magazines into a bag. At the range, pull a random mag out of the bag, and without looking at the magazine (to avoid knowing where the dummy rounds are in the stack) insert into mag well and make ready. Proceed to shoot slow-fire, precision shots. Pay attention to the front sight to see what happens when you hit a dummy. If you see/feel the gun/sights do anything other than stay perfectly on target when the hammer falls there is something wrong (anticipation).

Dry/Live drill. Requires a partner.
Have a partner take your gun and randomly hand you back a loaded/unloaded gun. For each shot, focus on precision shooting. Just like the Ball and Dummy, pay attention to what happens when the shot is dry. On any occasion that the sights/gun move during the unexpected dry shot, immediately remediate with 5 dryfire shots. If the shot is live, immediately attempt to fire another shot. Again, if the sights/gun move on the dry second shot remediate with 5 dry shots.

2 shot dry/live.
Either do a 50/50 mix of live and dummy rounds or chamber a round and then remove the magazine.
Fire a live shot and then immediately follow with a dry shot.
Same as before, watch for sight movement on the dry shot.

Self Paced live/dry
Dryfire 5x for every live shot. Focus on maintaining the exact same trigger press for both the live and dry shots. It is very common for shooters to press the trigger more smoothly and gradually when they know it is a dry shot then when they know it is a live shot. Rushing the trigger just before the shot breaks instead of maintaining gradual pressure (regardless of speed) leads to anticipation since the shooter is trying to fire the shot “NOW!!”.
I like to do this for at least 15 shots when I am getting back into the groove of precision pistol shooting.

Berm Shooting
Aim into a nondescript portion of the berm, looking over the sights, focusing on the berm. Starting out slow (about 1 second between shots) work on a smoothly pressed 5 shot string. We are ignoring the sights in order to work out the desire to make the shot happen “NOW!!” in relation to sight alignment/picture. Gradually increase pace until you are working at the “trigger finger cyclic” rate. Revisit the other drills to ensure that you are not just mashing the trigger.

These are a decent starting point.

ETA: just saw that Surf posted before I got this off. If it’s the video I think it is, it is a very good technical discussion on trigger control and how it pertains to different pistols.

7

You’ve received some good advice here about dealing with trigger control issues. The bottom line is, you need a COMPETENT and skilled instructor to help you. Video and written resources are great, but it’s like trying to diagnose a disease via WebMD: you may get some clues and indications, but you have to have a physician to properly evaluate and treat the problem.

To make it worse, lots of so-called instructors don’t know proper trigger control themselves. It’s the hardest fundamental to learn, the hardest to teach and the first one to decline with disuse.

8

Quick way to see the problem.
We do a drill called a “Bill Drill” in competition.
The DHS folks call it a “Rythm Drill”.
Either way you draw and fire 6 shots quickly at different distances.
You’re left handed. If you are shooting right, that strong hand (being the left) has too much control and is driving the gun across the target and not down.
I’m right handed. When I practice the Bill Drill gives me several things.
I see the front sight and track it during and between shots so I can fire again when it’s in the rear notch. My target also tells me what my hands are doing. At 15 yards I get shots stringing just a hair left because my right hand is pushing too hard behind the gun and it has more control than the left (the reverse of you).
That drill is used by some of the best with three strings.
15, 10, and 7 yards. On an IPSC target you’ll have 18 shots for 90 points possible. If you want to check yourself, score the target.
You’ll have three times (one from each distance). Add the total time.
Divide the score by the time for a “hit factor”. Watch yourself improve by making notes over some practice time.
Try for a Hit Factor of 10. The guys you have seen on Top Shot and some of the other shows who shoot professionally do this drill to improve their multiple shot strings.
The key is gripping the gun with the strong hand from front to rear and let the support/weak hand grip from side to side. Don’t let that strong hand push against the support hand to push shots across the target. Sounds easy? Try to get that strong hand to let you use a fine motor skill on the trigger and NOT push the gun under recoil.
Don’t go fast at first. My start pupil (my son) regularly shoots a 7 yard Bill Drill in under 2 seconds from the holster but he pushed right real hard at first.
Me? I’m 57 this month but I can still get a 2.25 with all As. It’s a good way to learn trigger prep at speed AND watch the front sight during the firing of multiple shots.

What you describe is relatively common. I do DHS classes on Monday and Wednesday with my own on Fridays. I see what you describe allot especailly with heavier calibers. Not so much with lighter recoiling 9mms.
Most of the guys I work with are shooting a gun considered a “Major Caliber” and the recoil has it’s effects. When I shot Glocks with the PD in 9mm it wasn’t as a much a problem except with newer shooters.
More shooting with allot of target evaluation will help. I’m not sure I’d pay for help though…

9

Just want to thank everyone for their reply.