To define, trigger prep is taking up the slack on a trigger before breaking the shot. It’s often explained as a two stage process. For those accustomed to that, where on your draw stroke do you start to prep the trigger? Or, do you not prep the trigger on the first shot from the draw, but do prep the trigger on follow up shots? One obvious potential drawback to prepping the trigger on the draw is the increased potential for ND, so practicing it a must. Many never learn it nor are taught it. Maybe not such a bad thing…How was it taught to you during training/courses and if an instructor, how do you teach it to others? When/where do you incorporate it? It’s considered a more advanced method of trigger control, but where in the learning chain did you incorporate it?
The best way I have seen it taught is called the “Red Coat Drill” - learned this in a Sayoc Tactical Group class.
All students line up, everyone preps to whatever percent the instructor calls, then when he says “break” everyone should fire at the same time, in a line - red coat firing line style. You will ND a lot, especially if you are not familiar with your trigger system. Glocks have different triggers - if SA/DA always use it in the single action mode.
Personally, I prep the trigger up until there is no more slack. The more you shoot your pistol the more familiar you will become - this is a must for EDC guns.
When you prep the trigger that there is no more slack, there is still a little bit of wiggle room there. The way you get this little bit of wiggle room out is by shooting accuracy at 25 yards, reference my posts on the “200 drill” - also something I learned from the Sayoc Tactical Group classes.
This is where dry-fire is extremely important. For every one shot you take at the range you should dry-fire a minimum of three times. You have to work your flinch out - which is not an absolute process because it can come back instantly and leave just as fast. You have to know yourself, your gun, your ammo and how you function under stress.
Did you prep the trigger during the draw or only on follow up shots? On the bold, that’s one of various reasons I prefer to focus on one gun, and practice with it pretty much exclusively. You know those types who have their gun of the day, and will change guns they CCW like they change clothes. Unless they are very well trained on all of them, this always struck me as a bad idea.
I draw with my finger straight, until the front sight post is in view and my grip is being finalized. I then prep the trigger(stock M&P) and take up all the pretravel, then hold it until I decide to shoot.
I will, however, shoot at any time at or after gripping. For example, a clear, large target at 10 yds, there is no prep, just slapping the trigger once the sights hit it.
About a .75sec split shot cadence I begin prepping. Less than that I hold my finger off the trigger and pull all the way through once I get the sight picture I want. I hope that makes sense.
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the point of practicing that first shit with a DA/SA pistol on SA mode? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the training, since that first, most important shot, the shot where you have made the conscious decision to shoot, would be DA?
Always prep on the draw, it is part of the draw stroke. I hate to keep linking my blog, but this is applicable. Check out my one shot from draw video - http://vdmsr.blogspot.com/2014/10/one-shot-from-concealment.html - as I get faster I am prepping the trigger earlier, releasing the shot at full extension and then before full extension.
The bold part, I would say that if you are not, or rather do not, consider yourself an expert with pistols then yes being extremely capable with one specific firearm and one specific trigger is definitely better than being mediocre with a few different setups. You will, however, learn that through training and dry-fire you will become extremely familiar with any trigger system of any firearm (especially rifle) and be able to perform above average at that point with any pistol you pick up.
The 200 drill I shoot with three different guns on the regular. All three have drastically different trigger setups, NY1 (duty gun), to 3.5 minus connection and even throw in the zev-tech trigger I have in my G17L to see where I am with that. Some are easier to use than others and that is personal preference. I really like OEM Glock trigger setups with a dot or minus connector (gen 4), second is the G17L or “competition” trigger setup which is extremely light and while that is awesome for some I find myself ND’ing more with it.
Firstly, there are no absolutes. You train for the harder of the two because you can always fall back on SA from DA, its easier, right?
Second, I do not know of a single PD that allows their officers to run their SA/DA pistols, cocked. All are first shot DA.
That’s my basic approach/opinion, but I’m not a qualified instructor nor BTDT type. The latter however is much more common in my experience. Why buy a new gun that has a very different trigger, location of fire controls, etc when you’re not competent with what you have? That tends to be ignored as new shiny things much more interesting than range time.
Which is why different trigger systems have different recs to be proficient with. I don’t shoot DA/SA guns as I don’t like them, so can’t comment on if/how people apply trigger prep to it.
Are you having typing issues, or do you not know the difference between DA and SA??
I was getting them confused, thanks for bringing it to my attention, even though it wasn’t in the most polite way.
I’ll go back and edit what I posted.
Finger hits the trigger when I am willing to let a shot go.
Initial take-up when the sights are in view and assuming I am still willing to release a shot.
Shot breaks as sights tell me that I have an acceptable sight picture to guarantee a hit.
Trigger is in continuous motion, with smooth, gradual pressure. Sometimes that gradual pressure will happen more rapidly (large/wide open target) and sometimes it will be more deliberate (distant/low percentage target).
As soon as the shot breaks, the finger releases the trigger and comes back to initial take-up. Performed properly, the trigger will be reset before sights are fully recovered, giving more time for good trigger control.
LOL. Only thing worse than a DA/SA trigger would be an SA/DA trigger! I’ll bet Taurus is working on that as we speak. Two, I can assure you Voodoo knows the difference.
Admittedly, I have not owned a hammered pistol in well over 5 years. I shoot them when I can, not a fan though.
I wasn’t trying to be rude. I know from much experience that phone and tablet typing can be problematic. Having said that, I think if we all want to be very specific in this thread, some proofreading is worth it to avoid confusion. In short, if I am to take advice from information in this thread, correct terminology is vital.
For myself, I don’t mind a DA or an SA trigger, and have transitioned from SA (via 1911s) to DA via new polymer wonder pistols. But, a gun with both? A consistent trigger pull, be it SA or DA is my preference.
The question presumes that prepping the trigger is an advantage. Obviously this varies by platform. My experience, based on my recent experimentation, is that with the Glock, prepping the trigger is a disadvantage for long, precise shots, is no advantage close and fast, and is a disadvantage from a safety perspective.
I am not following. Prepping is bad for accuracy?
I’m not following.
Not sure if it’s a terminology disconnect or something else.
Care to expound on it?
As the others said, not tracking. An increased potential for ND yes, but there’s a reason it’s used: it does increase speed and accuracy. As mentioned, not for all platforms, all shooters, nor all situations.