Leftylivesmatter Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 After our local USPSA match this past weekend, I heard several shooters say they had trigger freeze on some of the stages. One stage in particular had 2 rows of targets that were very close together. I also had one instance of trigger freeze. It probably cost me a full second. I practice rapid trigger pulls almost daily. I usually do two set of 100 consecutive double taps as fast as possible. I find that if a slap, instead of keeping trigger contact (as I normally do), I can do this drill faster and without freeze. When I try it while keeping trigger contact, I sometimes have freeze. Is slapping on close "hoser" type stages a good idea to prevent freeze? What are some better drills? Dry or live fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigpops Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Three targets placed pretty close together, approx 5-7 yards away helps. Shoot each one once, then twice and continue. Concentrate on a consistant grip and feel the trigger. I recently went through this same problem. I found I was overgripping with my strong hand when my brain thought "hose it"! Resist the urge to "go fast" and just shoot at the pace you see things happen. I prove this theory all the time at our range. Set some targets up close and have your buddy shoot them. Right before he goes tell him to mow it down as fast as he can. Watch how fast he locks up. Now have him relax and shoot them concentrating on the above. It should be faster , smoother and more accurate. Unless of course this person is a GM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Steele Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I have also had this problem in the past, not recently. I did some reading from the Brazos web site and tried a gunsmith blank trigger after I shortened it. I like to ride the trigger and found the regular or long curved trigger to be to long, my finger was not in the right position per the article I read. I now like the gunsmith blank trigger a lot better and haven't had the problem sense. This may not work for others but of course now that I said something I'll have trigger freeze next match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcalvert Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 TGO once told me to think about getting "A" helps you slow down enough to help. He also slaps the trigger for ALL of his shots by totally removing his finger from the trigger. dcalvert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hello: My trigger finger has been modified by a surface grinder and a hand grinder so I have some problems with trigger freeze. What has helped me alot is using a short curved STI trigger on my 2011's and 1911's. The short flat works great also. With the short trigger and my long fingers I can come off the trigger better it seems than the longer triggers. Cold weather doesn't help either Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Trigger freezes, that are not some sort of mechanical malfunction, are always caused by rushing. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Brian: My trigger freeze has a little to do with grinding the tendon on my trigger finger. You know that your bones are actually white Some days it is more flexible than others. By having a shorter trigger I can get more pressure on the trigger and move my finger faster. I am not sure it will work for everyone but having my finger angle less than 90 degrees stops the trigger freeze mostly, unless it is a 50 round course of fire. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aztecdriver Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 BE beat me to it. You'll never pin that trigger back or miss resetting if you aren't tense and pushing. I was running a reshoot on a speedshoot just to see if I could do it clean - and I screwed something up -again- and saw it. I had 6 rounds left in the gun and I bill drilled one of the targets with my G34 - just as fast as I could to slide lock just because it didn't matter and it was fun. Guys next bay over genuinely thought that the gun broke and went full auto. It's amazing how fast you can shoot when you are not TRYING to shoot fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leftylivesmatter Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. Brian- What is your opinion on slapping the trigger on short fast shots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 After relaxing, I think shooting some Bill Drills is a good way to improve trigger freeze. Trigger slapping certainly helps as well. It won't eliminate it if you are pushing too hard. Pushing or rushing is more noticeable if you are riding the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windscreen Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I did some reading from the Brazos web site and tried a gunsmith blank trigger after I shortened it. I like to ride the trigger and found the regular or long curved trigger to be to long, my finger was not in the right position per the article I read. Could you please post a link to the article mentioned. I searched Brazo's web site and was unable to find it. Thanks -Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee King Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 How many misses did you have? They're related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigpops Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I did some reading from the Brazos web site and tried a gunsmith blank trigger after I shortened it. I like to ride the trigger and found the regular or long curved trigger to be to long, my finger was not in the right position per the article I read. Could you please post a link to the article mentioned. I searched Brazo's web site and was unable to find it. Thanks -Steve I'm not the one that posted this but I will jump in. I too went with the blank and had Bob cut one to my finger length. There is an article on his webpage discussing reset, overtravel, etc but I think there was a better article a few issues back in an issue of Front Sight. (Bob wrote it also) Its a pretty simple thing actually. Grab your gun and hold it upright so you may see your finger tip placement. Is it hooking excessively? Are you extending to far? Does it feel cramped? In my situation the trigger was too small and I was hooking to far to feel it. A slight sanding on a blank trigger was the trick. Only you will truly know what feels good. I would suggest you try some other guns at your next match and see what you like and what feels good. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Trigger freezes, that are not some sort of mechanical malfunction, are always caused by rushing. be For me...true! I feel it, still I do it...I hate it! Caught in the middle of an otherwise smooth transition...too much tension! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki999 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I also think too much tension, and that billdrills help. Also the reset of your trigger should be good. I shot with a very light trigger and when i had to draw and engage targets at close range my second shot was a triggerfreese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Y'all should listen to BE. Pushing, rushing, trying to go fast, whatever you want to call it is what causes trigger freeze. It has nothing to do with trigger length. Some triggers might allow you to go faster but they don't cause trigger freeze. When it happens to me, I have noticed that I have a preconceived pace or rhythm in my head. If I am just shooting what I see it never happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. Brian- What is your opinion on slapping the trigger on short fast shots? Whether or not you can get away with slapping the trigger depends on you motor skill set. Gross motor skilled individuals, like TGO, can effectively slap for all but the more difficult shots. While fine or "cerebral" motor skill shooters will tend to shoot better by always "riding" the trigger. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hello: Besides if you ride the trigger just right you you can get some really fast doubles I just suggested what worked for me because of my funny finger. Others may get different results. Like any sport if you relax you will always do better. Muscles react faster when they are not under tension. Stress is tension-so relax. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leftylivesmatter Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 How many misses did you have? They're related. Lee-- No misses that related to the trigger freeze. Just a lot of tension in my strong hand. My misses would take a whole nother couple of threads to work thru. Mainly one sight picture in stead of two I think. Wally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leftylivesmatter Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. Brian- What is your opinion on slapping the trigger on short fast shots? Whether or not you can get away with slapping the trigger depends on you motor skill set. Gross motor skilled individuals, like TGO, can effectively slap for all but the more difficult shots. While fine or "cerebral" motor skill shooters will tend to shoot better by always "riding" the trigger. be BE- Thanks. I have always read that slapping was bad, but it works better for me on close fast targets. More Bill Drills are in order! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. Brian- What is your opinion on slapping the trigger on short fast shots? Whether or not you can get away with slapping the trigger depends on you motor skill set. Gross motor skilled individuals, like TGO, can effectively slap for all but the more difficult shots. While fine or "cerebral" motor skill shooters will tend to shoot better by always "riding" the trigger. be BE- Thanks. I have always read that slapping was bad, but it works better for me on close fast targets. More Bill Drills are in order! Thinking about what your finger is doing can cause trigger freeze. Just let it do it's thing and watch your sights. The only time I become aware of my finger is on long or tight shots where I want to notice the take-up and I plan that on my walk-through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee King Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 How many misses did you have? They're related. Lee-- No misses that related to the trigger freeze. Just a lot of tension in my strong hand. My misses would take a whole nother couple of threads to work thru. Mainly one sight picture in stead of two I think. Wally The cause is related. Trying to "go fast". Every miss I have and every trigger freeze are always related to me thinking "GO!". I re-learned that lesson on stage 1 Saturday. I tried to push too hard and 1. Got out of position a lot 2. Trigger froze 3. Had a miss (I made it up at the end but it cost 3-5 sec) 4. Ran dry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 your front sight has become disconnected with your trigger. Reconnect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvary45 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I had a few trigger freezes at the last steel match, on the up close targets is when it would happen. Finally zeroed it down to me being extremily tense, which transferred through my whole body all the way to my trigger finger. The nest stage i focused on staying relaxed the whole stage, cured my problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 your front sight has become disconnected with your trigger. Reconnect it. Good stuff. "Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind." -Maynard I had a few trigger freezes at the last steel match, on the up close targets is when it would happen. Finally zeroed it down to me being extremily tense, which transferred through my whole body all the way to my trigger finger. The nest stage i focused on staying relaxed the whole stage, cured my problem. Nice work. That's where it's at. Just remember you will always want to summon that relaxed, loose feeling, for every stage you shoot, forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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