Honeybooboo Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'm having a hard time deciding what the proper trigger reach should be. I have a gen 4 glock and I've been playing around with different backstraps and I don't know what I should really be looking for. Is there a rule of thumb or anything? I typically wear L/XL gloves so I guess I'm pretty average. I've never put this much thought in to this with 1911s before for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arshooterxm15 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 If you are asking how much of your finger you should put on the trigger, I always use just the first pad of my trigger finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I wonder about that too, but don't really have a choice with my hand size. Full size Beretta 92. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybooboo Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 If you are asking how much of your finger you should put on the trigger, I always use just the first pad of my trigger finger. Yea, I do the same. But depending on the backstrap my hand and trigger finger are in slightly different positioning. I have my pad of my finger on the trigger both ways, but I wonder which way allows me to pull back straight the easiest? I guess I'm thinking about this in a human anatomy, physiology kind of way. I dunno, should have just got a gen 3 lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Elliott Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 If it's possible to set it up so that the pad of your trigger finger interfaces the face of the trigger at 90° to the axis of the trigger, I would imagine that to be as close to ideal as you can get. This would provide the least likely angle to deflect the trigger stroke by pressing off the corner, either inside or out side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dossauce Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I found that the easiest way to find what's best for you is going to paper. Bring all the backstraps to the range. Start off with none, reach your finger in to the first joint. Shoot 5-6 rounds some quick follow up shots, notice any trends, shots slightly right, left or where? Then move your finger out more, towards the pad, shoot 5-6 again, same way. If you need to move your finger out more and more, repeat. Then once you've found where your finger needs to be try the different backstraps. Draw the pistol like you would in a match, no need to load the gun here, notice the location of your finger, repeat. Try with different backstraps until you find the one that gets you closest. Only you can find what's best for your body. I went to school for applied physiology and kinesiology (literally the study of the human body and movement) and it all comes down to each person individually, we will generalize things all day that work for the majority of people but every person is different. It's why physical therapy is so hands on. Btw I shoot a glock 35, gen 3 so I've had to focus on consistency during the draw to make sure my finger gets to the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 (edited) I find that for me it makes no real difference in accuracy if I use the pad on my finger or the first joint (keep it straight) on my finger. What does make a difference is the leverage on the trigger as using the pad decreases the leverage and the trigger feels heavier. What I find makes the difference is not bending the finger at the first joint and bending it at the second joint only. With my large hand and long finger that puts my finger perpendicular to the trigger motion and easier to maintain a straight rearward pull. Edited April 27, 2015 by TDA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rprecision Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 (edited) I found the optimal position on the trigger and noticed what kind of room that left. I have long fingers so the medium beavertail was the winner. Edited April 27, 2015 by rprecision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobapunk Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I found that the easiest way to find what's best for you is going to paper. Bring all the backstraps to the range. Start off with none, reach your finger in to the first joint. Shoot 5-6 rounds some quick follow up shots, notice any trends, shots slightly right, left or where? Then move your finger out more, towards the pad, shoot 5-6 again, same way. If you need to move your finger out more and more, repeat. Then once you've found where your finger needs to be try the different backstraps. Draw the pistol like you would in a match, no need to load the gun here, notice the location of your finger, repeat. Try with different backstraps until you find the one that gets you closest. Only you can find what's best for your body. I went to school for applied physiology and kinesiology (literally the study of the human body and movement) and it all comes down to each person individually, we will generalize things all day that work for the majority of people but every person is different. It's why physical therapy is so hands on. Btw I shoot a glock 35, gen 3 so I've had to focus on consistency during the draw to make sure my finger gets to the right place. This +1,000 Go shoot some groups with different trigger finger positions and different backstraps and see what works best for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobapunk Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I have not read this, just saw the headline and thought it might have some useful info: http://bearingarms.com/how-to-make-sure-your-handgun-fits-you/?utm_source=gpfbp&utm_medium=fbpage&utm_campaign=gpupdate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgardner Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I can shoot most pistols no matter what the reach is but I notice that I can come off the trigger more quickly if my finger is flexed more which means I'm faster getting back on it. Probably why I can shoot my Shadow fastest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
908ssp Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I cheated by making custom grips that only allow my finger to fall precisely where I want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I have large hands and noticed I have better splits with a long flat trigger vs a short curved trigger. I shoot a 1911. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US1 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Honeybooboo, While there are common guidelines, this is something that works different for different shooters. The best way to find out the combination of position on the trigger and the part of your finger is to find a spot on a wall, stand about 10 feet away and pull the trigger. Your goal is for the hammer/striker to drop without moving the sights. If the sights move, change the finger location on the trigger until you find the spot that works consistently – this is YOUR spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokewagon Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) I also have a couple of Gen 4 Glocks. I based my backstrap choice on the mag release, and not the trigger. I could reach the trigger with all 3 just fine, but the ability to reach the mag release without having to change my grip is what determined which backstrap I used. Edited May 27, 2015 by smokewagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59nolimit Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Good info. The link bobapunk posted is worth the read. I use flat triggers in my AR-15 and 1911's. They seem a more natural fit for my long fingers and gets trigger finger close to a 90° to the trigger. Seems a lot faster splits also but haven't verified with a timer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glockified Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 I also have a couple of Gen 4 Glocks. I based my backstrap choice on the mag release, and not the trigger. I could reach the trigger with all 3 just fine, but the ability to reach the mag release without having to change my grip is what determined which backstrap I used. Reaching the mag release without changing your grip should be consideration #1, then worry about the trigger finger position. Smokewagon is right on target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbandito Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 My hands are small and I am having to try to find a new grip, as on my glock 17 now, my trigger finger barely reaches the trigger, making my shots go to the left. Since I figured this out I have been trying to look at different ways of gripping it and will certainly be following this topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeb10 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 The short of the answer tends to be whatever grip circumference allows the middle part of the first pad of your trigger finger to naturally fall on the face of the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now