Rifle trigger pull technique?

[FergusonTO35]

Hey folks. I've been shooting and hunting for a long time now, and the last thing I find I can't conquer is a proper trigger pull/squeeze/press whatever. Yesterday I was shooting my Winchester 94 some and my trigger pull inability was killing me. One group would be spread out horizontally, another vertically. The biggest problem is, it is extremely difficult for me to exercise any fine motor skills without looking at what I am doing. As in, hard to exercise good trigger control while focusing on the front sight. Usually the best I can do is something of a quick press. Having a bit of essential tremor doesn't help matters. Any ideas to improve this? I know I'm never going to be a match shooter, but I would like to gain the ability to make nice round groups centered on the point of aim. Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[mdavlee]

Get the dry firing shells to practice with. That’s the biggest thing. Watch tv and do it so 5 wait 5 minutes and so on. Just pick something to have an aiming point

 

[Steve Taylor]

Lots of practice so it becomes automatic. That is what I try.
Like the guy above said snap caps and practice.

 

[Fresch]

Practice your breathing and trigger pull it matters. I exhale/ relax at the point(you will feel it) that your body stills squeeze the trigger with the tip of your finger, the part under the nail towards the front not the joint

 

[breese]

I have been following Jerry Miculek for a very long time.
Those that do not know, he is the worlds fastest shooter.
He has a log of videos and loves to share whatever he is doing and loves teaching.
Here is a video "How to shoot a Rifle"
Great Info here....

 

[FergusonTO35]

Yep, I gotta get some snap caps. I use Miculek's revolver shooting technique and it works great. Might be able to sneak out and practice with the Henry .22 tomorrow morning.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I did some casual practice with the Henry .22 this morning at 20 yards standing. I did make a neat, round group on the target. Still, my trigger finger fights me on every shot. An actual controlled squeeze is very difficult. The best way to describe it, is my trigger finger is like a car heater fan control with a bad resistor. The signal from my brain often doesn't make anything happen unless I try for a fairly hard press, like putting the fan control on high to bypass the bad resistor.

 

[Fresch]

How about your middle finger any better?

 

[FergusonTO35]

Hmm, I'll give that a try!

 

[Stump Shot]

Get the dry firing shells to practice with. That’s the biggest thing. Watch tv and do it so 5 wait 5 minutes and so on. Just pick something to have an aiming point

/\
This
Will let you see where your finger is pulling and allow you to find the sweet spot that doesn't. Your brain will automatically put it to memory once learned.
A good timely squeeze should be found and used even for hunting, there is no good way to jerk the trigger and not have an effect on accuracy.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Yes, I will have to order some!

 

[Stump Shot]

Yes, I will have to order some!

... and make damn sure three times, that's what you have in your firearm before practicing. Your TV set will thank you.

 

[FergusonTO35]

C'mon now, I would never do anything like that!

 

[Locust Cutter]

The breathing might be the most essential part, especially when shooting prone. Naturally you're going to swing the rifle or pistol in anywhere from a slight to an exaggerated sideways figure 8 (or the old symbol for infinity). The trick is to find that spot when you become still, while controlling your breathing and just as importantly heart rate and depending on the trigger begin the squeeze just before or right at that moment, s-l-o-w-l-y. The best advice I was given was to lay the pad of my finger tip (or whatever part I could most easily feel/control, as your mileage might vary) on the face of the trigger with zero pressure, literally resting. Then take 3-4 deep, slow, controlled breaths from your diaphragm to slow things down and establish a timing mark. Then at the moment I had my breathing under control, as I came down to the trough of the body wave (using a SineX/X analogy) and became still, start pressing the trigger gradually until the shot broke.

Every firearm is different and will have a different timing and feel from initial press to sear release. You'll have to find yours. But, once you do and have the A-HA! moment, all other firearms will be much easier to understand/translate for the same experience. I'm no Alvin York, but I can lay damn effective harassing fire well beyond 500 yards with my .243 Ruger, 8x57mm Mauser or M-1 Garand fairly efficiently and regularly. I am sure, that under pressure with people shooting back, things would become a bit more difficult though.

 

[Stump Shot]

C'mon now, I would never do anything like that!

No, but I know a feller who has! Killed it with one shot. Lol

 

[FergusonTO35]

The breathing might be the most essential part, especially when shooting prone. Naturally you're going to swing the rifle or pistol in anywhere from a slight to an exaggerated sideways figure 8 (or the old symbol for infinity). The trick is to find that spot when you become still, while controlling your breathing and just as importantly heart rate and depending on the trigger begin the squeeze just before or right at that moment, s-l-o-w-l-y. The best advice I was given was to lay the pad of my finger tip (or whatever part I could most easily feel/control, as your mileage might vary) on the face of the trigger with zero pressure, literally resting. Then take 3-4 deep, slow, controlled breaths from your diaphragm to slow things down and establish a timing mark. Then at the moment I had my breathing under control, as I came down to the trough of the body wave (using a SineX/X analogy) and became still, start pressing the trigger gradually until the shot broke.

Every firearm is different and will have a different timing and feel from initial press to sear release. You'll have to find yours. But, once you do and have the A-HA! moment, all other firearms will be much easier to understand/translate for the same experience. I'm no Alvin York, but I can lay damn effective harassing fire well beyond 500 yards with my .243 Ruger, 8x57mm Mauser or M-1 Garand fairly efficiently and regularly. I am sure, that under pressure with people shooting back, things would become a bit more difficult though.

Thanks so much. I did some dry fire with a couple of my rifles last night and found a couple of things. First of all, the trigger finger technique that I use on handguns is a poor choice for a rifle. I have too much finger inside the trigger guard, and am squeezing this entire area. Moving my hand back and only using the top part of the finger largely remedies it. Also, "squeezing" the trigger doesn't work. The best results seem to come from pressing the trigger straight back. Hopefully I can try it under live fire soon.

 

[FergusonTO35]

No, but I know a feller who has! Killed it with one shot. Lol

Before we were married, I bought my wife a little .22 pistol to keep in her apartment. Upon taking it home, I couldn't fire it right away so I just cycled some shells through the pistol by hand to see if it would at least do that. BANG! One of them slam fired and put a bullet into her carpet. Fortunately she lived on the first story and the carpet was so thick you couldn't tell it had been shot. Her neighbor was usually passed out so he probably didn't even hear it. Just goes to show, always keep the business end pointed in a safe direction!

 

[countryhog]

Couple things

• I was told in the marines to not squeeze hard (jerk it) but gently like you would yer woman’s breast (or should)
• Every time the firing pin is released should almost be a surprise. Dont think about it or anticipate cause youll loose yer sight pic
• Unless youre in a firefight you got enough time to breathe and relax. Do it.
• Do it the same way every time. Shooting is a lot about muscle memory

Go forth and conquer

 

[FergusonTO35]

Couple things

• I was told in the marines to not squeeze hard (jerk it) but gently like you would yer woman’s breast (or should)

So, I should only pull the trigger once a year?

 

[Fresch]

Haha once a year.
Two kinds of shooting, slow = squeeze and rapid =jerk.
Rapid fire you use the rhythm of recoil and jerk, military style presenting force down field; sniper will do the squeezing.