[exceltoexcel]

PULL THE TRIGGER!

Seems like an easy task doesn’t it? Just squeeze that index finger and bang that bullet is going to hit the bulls eye, of course you are using your “fake gun” so that is not possible right now.

We need to evaluate how all of this adds up to either a good shot or a poor one.

Several people will tell you that you should put the pad of your index finger only on the trigger, some will bury their finger in the trigger and some will even use their middle finger! I am going to give you my opinion. If your hand is small enough to comfortably use only the pad of your index finger that is what you should use. I unfortunately have longer fingers and with my firearm this makes for a very uncomfortable contortion of my hand so I go up to just before the first crease (ducking while others throw objects at me for doing so) . However if you can use the pad use it. Sit down WITHOUT your “fake gun” and simulate pulling the trigger, do not forget to use both hands as you have learned earlier. Notice how your hand moves. You do not want to adjust your grip strength through the pull! However, it is nearly impossible to not alter it, we want to reduce that as much as possible. While you are looking at your hand, your index finger should be simulating being on the trigger but not pulling it yet, make note of how tight you are gripping. Make sure your grip is about as tight as if you were gripping the firearm. Are you tensing too many muscles? Pull the index finger back slow. Notice how the index finger flexes your whole hand. Typically, it will tweak your hand left and right. We need to minimize this as much as possible. First off, we do not want to use muscles that are not necessary to complete the action, only those that are needed, while maintaining the grip. Your pinky and thumb are typically the two main culprits here. Do not allow you pinky to squeeze harder or loosen up while the index finger is doing its thing. Note that your thumb is probably moving up and in. Try to hold it rigidly in place while moving the pad of your index finger in with as little arc as you can. Your hand is going to act slightly differently than anyone else’s. Your tendons might displace in the inside of your hand, this will move the “fake gun” as well. You are going to have to evaluate on your own to determine what adjustments you have to make to keep that hand as steady and sure as possible throughout the entire trigger pull. This is a great exercise to do while bored at the office, instead of thinking about the receptionist.

Sit down, grip your “fake gun” and look at the sights closely, follow all of your safety rules for ensuring that no bullet can be fired. Keep an eye on your sights and pull that trigger very slowly. See how much you are moving the gun! It is probably all over the place! Take some time, think why, and fix those slight flaws. Practice, practice, practice and try to perfect it.

Now you are ready to dry fire your “fake gun” using those snap caps and all the safety procedures to ensure that you do not discharge your firearm. Go up to that safe wall arms distance away, get into your stance, close your eyes, raise your gun, keeping your eyes closed, ensure that your arm position is correct. Open your eyes and put a target on the wall so that the natural position of the now leveled gun is lined up with the ten spot! Perform this exercise five times or so to make sure that the target is in the right location.

Keep your eyes on the front sight, be focused, take a few deep breaths, as you have learned earlier, when you are ready, inhale ½ way and hold it, pull the trigger slowly and observe the motion of the “fake gun” sights. You will probably naturally hold your breath before pulling the trigger, the reason for the half breath is because it is typically more comfortable to hold a half breath and it will force more oxygen to your brain. This will allow for clearer vision, greater focus, and less overall involuntary body movement from respiration. You now see all the work you will have to do to ensure your hand creates a level and strong shooting platform. While you are working on improving your basic techniques you should be taking some serious time between shots and slowly pulling that trigger, try to do it too slow.

For those that have shot before and have never used snap caps you will probably jerk in anticipation of recoil when you pull the trigger. This jerking is an indicator that you have to break that habit. Practicing with the snap caps will help you eliminate the anticipatory jerking that is having an effect on your actual trigger pull. You can take this exercise to the target range and do what is called a Dutch load, every other bullet will be a snap cap, or have a buddy load the magazine placing snap caps randomly within the magazine. Do not try to see where the bullet hits the target, keep your focus on the front site throughout the whole pull. That way you will see the jerking motions you are making when you surprisingly pull the trigger on a snap cap. When you pull the trigger DO NOT ASSUME that since the gun did not fire that you pulled on a snap cap, it might be a squib. If you do not know what a squib is, you need to go back and relearn your safety procedures again.. Another technique is to balance a quarter on the top of your slide during a snap cap only exercise, the quarter should not move!

I hope this article helped you in some way. Please do not interpret this as “the only way” or “the best way”, assume that some of it is wrong. Be critical with its contents, do some your own research, and talk to professionals that know way more than I do. Good luck, be safe, and I wish you good shooting!

-Ted John Noga