Do You Use Different Amounts of Finger for Different Shots?

[Smitty79]

I shoot more accurately with very little trigger finger. I shoot faster with more finger.

Has anyone made a conscious decision to practice using different amounts of finger for different levels of shot difficulty?

[tkheard]

Don't know about conscious, but BE mentions that he noticed using he was using different places based on shot difficulty and need for speed. It's in his "Practical Shooting" book. I'll look up the spot, if you're interested.

[Jake Di Vita]

I personally change nothing about placement. I'll slow group fire and smash a 5 yard bill drill with the same finger position.

[DKnoch]

I dont consciously use different amounts of trigger finger for different shots, it's an interesting question though. I think the biggest difficultly would be ingraining it subconsciously, so you're not thinking about it in the middle of a stage.

Daniel K

[Jake Di Vita]

There are so many ways to complicate what we do. At its essence its always going to be find target, point gun at target, keep gun still until bullet has left the barrel, repeat. I'm a big believer in doing this in the simplest way possible. I don't usually like to see people make a change in technique based on treating the symptom of the problem. For example, if someone has a tendency to pull shots right when shooting left hand only, the last thing I want this person to do is start aiming left and planning on yanking it. The main reason for this is I never want someone to set themselves up to where if they execute the shot correctly they are going to miss.

In the same vein of treating the symptom, instead of using different finger positions as a crutch for poor trigger manipulation I'd rather see you adopt your "fast" trigger finger placement as default and figure out why you have problems shooting accurately with it. Then correct that problem. I say adopt your fast position because it tends to be easier to learn control than speed. In reality, with enough work you could likely use either trigger finger position and be fast and accurate with it.

[P.E. Kelley]

There are so many ways to complicate what we do. At its essence its always going to be find target, point gun at target, keep gun still until bullet has left the barrel, repeat. I'm a big believer in doing this in the simplest way possible. I don't usually like to see people make a change in technique based on treating the symptom of the problem. For example, if someone has a tendency to pull shots right when shooting left hand only, the last thing I want this person to do is start aiming left and planning on yanking it. The main reason for this is I never want someone to set themselves up to where if they execute the shot correctly they are going to miss.

In the same vein of treating the symptom, instead of using different finger positions as a crutch for poor trigger manipulation I'd rather see you adopt your "fast" trigger finger placement as default and figure out why you have problems shooting accurately with it. Then correct that problem. I say adopt your fast position because it tends to be easier to learn control than speed. In reality, with enough work you could likely use either trigger finger position and be fast and accurate with it.

Yes, yes and yes!

"We" find faults with things when it is generally a mask for faulty fundamentals.

Edited July 24, 2016 by P.E. Kelley

[pointerman1967]

There are so many ways to complicate what we do. At its essence its always going to be find target, point gun at target, keep gun still until bullet has left the barrel, repeat. I'm a big believer in doing this in the simplest way possible. I don't usually like to see people make a change in technique based on treating the symptom of the problem. For example, if someone has a tendency to pull shots right when shooting left hand only, the last thing I want this person to do is start aiming left and planning on yanking it. The main reason for this is I never want someone to set themselves up to where if they execute the shot correctly they are going to miss.

In the same vein of treating the symptom, instead of using different finger positions as a crutch for poor trigger manipulation I'd rather see you adopt your "fast" trigger finger placement as default and figure out why you have problems shooting accurately with it. Then correct that problem. I say adopt your fast position because it tends to be easier to learn control than speed. In reality, with enough work you could likely use either trigger finger position and be fast and accurate with it.

This^ I have a friend that can't seem to aim correctly, so he lines all of his shots up low rather than fixing his sight alignment issue. Seems to think he has some unique problem that no one else in the world has ever experienced.

[alucardus]

I find it doesn't seem to matter for anything except extremely long shots, but I will use only the very tip of my finger to make very precise shots.

[uewpew]

No.  Same finger placement for all shots.  For me;  middle of first finger pad.