Experiment

[Jake Di Vita]

Very late night...

Here's the gist of it:

Step 1) Pull the trigger as normal

Step 2) Take a full minute to pull the trigger once

Step 3) Pull the trigger as normal

Tips:

Try to pull the trigger so gradually it breaks like butter...you'll know it when it happens.

Notice the temperature of the trigger

In general, pay attention to things others would filter out

Try it and post what you think, i'll post my comments later.

[benos]

Good one. If I were still training I'd be doing that.

be

(Move this to Tips maybe?)

[Jake Di Vita]

I have no problem moving it to tips. For me this is a mental exercise more than anything else. Afterwards the gun ended up remaining rock steady, even when "slapping" the trigger.

I also thought it was interesting that the easiest way to do this was for me to close my eyes. Another interesting part is I put my left thumb between the hammer and firing pin so I could really feel the mechanical action of releasing the hammer.

It's amazing how I could literally feel the impatience building until it got nearly unbearable. Interesting because that's always been a big problem of mine. I'm wondering if this drill done enough times wouldn't aid with that.

[Bigpops]

It's funny Jake,

Until I tried this I didn't think I had that much take up. It's amazing how you feel the inner workings of the gun when you really concentrate. Its like picturing how a clock works as you watch the seconds tick by.

Thanks for another great tip!

[xsniper]

I truely didn't realize there could be that much feel of my handgun trigger. I knew the concept from really good rifles, but had never transfered it over to my handgun. Thanks for the reminder.

[eric nielsen]

I noticed early on that I lost all tolerance for any source of uneven grip tension. As in, I can't stand it.

I work on the neutral grip a lot - took the *thumb rest [generic]* off my open gun, changed my draw with all my guns, and so on. Every new time shooting live ammo is an improvement over the previous time because of it.

This exercise took me from low-tolerance to zero-tolerance.

To Jake's part about rock-steady, that's something I see if I play the bass guitar for a while & then pick up a pistol. Bam - right away.

[benos]

I also thought it was interesting that the easiest way to do this was for me to close my eyes.

That makes sense. I do many daily repetitive activities better with my eyes closed.

be

[Bill Nesbitt]

The only gun I had handy was J-Frame. Pretty glitchy.

[Matt Griffin]

I used a similiar technique to help my uncle get over his flinch. I told him to line up the sights, put all of his attention, other than keeping the sights lined up, on the texture of the trigger, and pull the trigger. Immediate fix, and something I've used for myself. I find that I have two (maybe more, but in shooting two) spans of attention at once, and no more. Visual and tactile, so if I can occupy my tactile attention with something, I won't flinch.

Lately though, my vision has really improved while shooting, and I think I'm starting to be able to double my visual attention and let everything else just happen. (<--This is a good thing.)

H.

[benos]

I used a similiar technique to help my uncle get over his flinch. I told him to line up the sights, put all of his attention, other than keeping the sights lined up, on the texture of the trigger, and pull the trigger. Immediate fix, and something I've used for myself. I find that I have two (maybe more, but in shooting two) spans of attention at once, and no more. Visual and tactile, so if I can occupy my tactile attention with something, I won't flinch.

Lately though, my vision has really improved while shooting, and I think I'm starting to be able to double my visual attention and let everything else just happen. (<--This is a good thing.)

H.

Good stuff!

In the end, at all times, learning where to put your attention is what it all comes down to.

be

[Paul Burtchell]

Awareness & Focus. Now, where have I read about that??

[benos]

Awareness & Focus. Now, where have I read about that??

I don't know... Focus is a finite occurrence that exist in the infinite realm of awareness... or something like that does sound familiar.

[kfd147]

Thanks I will try that.

Jason

[murkish]

What I became aware of in the second repetition of the exercise is that I could feel my pulse in the little and ring finger of my strong hand. Then, I realized that I could choose to let the trigger break between heartbeats. It kind of blew me away.

Thanks for that.

Jack

[sigfla]

I did this last night and noticed an immediate awareness of my trigger control/feel. I was able to relate that also to my hand pressure right away. When I began I noticed I was squeezing the gun with my non trigger fingers along with the trigger press. I relaxed my grip and began to only feel the trigger press. Dry firing at a static target later I found the sights moved much less and my trigger feel/awareness had increased a great deal. An eye opener for sure.

Edited April 6, 2010 by sigfla

[sigfla]

I did this last night and noticed an immediate awareness of my trigger control/feel. I was able to relate that also to my hand pressure right away. When I began I noticed I was squeezing the gun with my non trigger fingers along with the trigger press. I relaxed my grip and began to only feel the trigger press. Dry firing at a static target later I found the sights moved much less and my trigger feel/awareness had increased a great deal. An eye opener for sure.

WOW, I can't stop playing with this. Just sitting here in the office I have noticed not only is my awareness focused on my trigger and not the rest of my strong hand grip but my trigger finger isolation is much improved. I have practiced this many times over with different techniques/devices and I have had some success. My grip fingers move very little but under pressure my strong hand thumb always moves downward. After doing this exercise my thumb could be held in a very relaxed position and did not move at all while pressing the trigger.

[Bigpops]

In your office?

My co-workers give me some strange looks when I practice my triggering with a rubber band.

[sigfla]

I am the boss. I did however have a staff member report me once to my own HR dept for loading magazines out of the back of my truck.

[Jake Di Vita]

Did you fire him? lol

[sigfla]

He was a she and I just laughed it off when they called me in. She thought maybe I was about to go postal.

[kewag]

A minute is a long time. I never realized a 1911 trigger could feel so heavy until trying this experiment last evening. Mid way through I actually had to double check to ensure the safety was off. Applying slow pressure made the trigger feel like 10-12 lbs when it finally broke.

[BoyGlock]

Very late night...

Here's the gist of it:

Step 1) Pull the trigger as normal

Step 2) Take a full minute to pull the trigger once

Step 3) Pull the trigger as normal

Tips:

Try to pull the trigger so gradually it breaks like butter...you'll know it when it happens.

Notice the temperature of the trigger

In general, pay attention to things others would filter out

Try it and post what you think, i'll post my comments later.

Is this applicable only in 1911 type of trigger?

[Jake Di Vita]

Why would it be?

[BoyGlock]

Why would it be?

thanks.

I shoot paraords, 2011 and glocks but Im more for the latter.

I tried it on my stock g17, my trigger finger was stressed a lot, but think I appreciate what you meant.

I will try it on my open g17 and std g35 both w/ vanek triggers later...

and on my custom std para and sti much later...

adited to add: I intend to do this 10x on a daily basis on my std G35 and see how it impacts on my trigger control

Edited April 16, 2010 by BoyGlock

[ahtsay]

I tried this last night. After about 45 seconds, I can feel a strain in my right hand and finger. I was also shaking a bit from the strain. The trigger felt heavy too. Am I doing this wrong or is my hand just really weak?