Trigger talk

[proforguns]

When I first started shooting it was with a Taurus pt111 HORRIBLE start gun for ME.I moved on to a XD the trigger difference was amazing.I was discouraged with the Taurus and thought shooting was much more difficult.I now (with training and practice)can shoot most pistols very well.That to me leaves a grey area for new shooters ,in a perfect world every new shooter would have a pro standing next to them teaching proper trigger press.My question is,When a new shooter is learning to shoot how much importance should be put on learning on a gun with a decent trigger?

 

[SIG_Fiend]

It's a good idea to work with what you have. That being said, there are some triggers out there that do make things significantly more difficult for beginners. A good example would be the S&W Sigma. They have on average a ~12# trigger. That's double the trigger pull weight of most modern semi-autos nowadays. That's not fun, even for an experienced shooter, although it is doable.

Much of the issue that people are working on with their trigger practice is eliminating that mental connection between pulling the trigger and the gun going off. Initially, everyone knows they are connected, and for a lot of people that anticipation causes them to yank the trigger or try to "press" against the recoil before it happens. You can diagnose this in extreme detail with terms to describe the exact effect, such as pre-ignition push, heeling, thumbing, milking.....there are a lot of effects at work here that can be an issue. It's easy to confuse the subject when considering all these variables. The important thing to remember is break it down to the basics. For a lot of people, the root cause behind all these effects is anticipation in one way or another. Sometimes it's anticipation and the effect is the shooter trying to make the gun go off (usually resulting in yanking the trigger, pre-ignition push on the gun, breaking wrist down, etc.). Other times it may be a slightly different effect. Most of the time, the root cause is still the same. It's all a matter of practice. There are specific drills out there you can do, which are very effective at maximizing your practice. Bottom line, the more repetitions you get pulling the trigger the proper way, the more you will build up that muscle memory and get closer to subconscious competence. Once you reach the level of subconscious competence, that mental connection in your trigger finger between pulling and the gun going off has been removed. Your finger no longer cares, it simply pulls through what it is supposed to in order to get the job done. I hope that makes sense, it's a little bit zen-oriented.

 

[Mikewood]

Being able to shoot well is a skill best mastered with a quality gun. You need sights you can see, a trigger you can manage and a gun that is mechanically accurate. It helps if the gun fits you and your confident in it. Once you learn to shoot you can shoot most anything. A 22lr target pistol is a great learning ok because I fits most people and has goid sights and a great trigger. Most cost abou $300.00 and you will spend ha much just on ammo learning to shoot.

 

[TheDan]

A 22lr target pistol is a great learning ok because I fits most people and has goid sights and a great trigger.

Bingo... everyone needs a decent .22 when starting out. Once you have good fundamentals with the .22, then mastering your POS Taurus/Keltec/Sigma will be much easier. Then again it might spoil you

 

[shortround]

Even the most crappy trigger can me mastered with practice.

Sight.
Breathe & Hold.
Press.
Repeat.

Does not work well for double actions produced in Third World Countries or former COMBLOC nations (except Czechoslovakia).

Be well.