Trigger Finger Problem

[Rising Sight]

I am having trouble getting my son to stop leaving his finger on the trigger while he is doing reloads. Have any of you had to work on this problem with a junior shooter? Any suggestions would really be appreciated.

[BigDave]

You might have him do dryfire mag changes where he starts with the gun mounted (arms extended as if pointing at a target) except that his trigger finger is out side of the trigger guard and thumb is on the mag release (right hand is just off the gun, perhaps). He drops the mag on the buzzer and performs the reload. Then work that into the position stated above (again in dryfire) from both hands on gun in the shooting position.

That's how I'd approach it, or at least start to.

[BritinUSA]

I've not had the problem with a junior but with some beginners during handgun training courses.

Usually I tell them to put their trigger finger along the frame, with the finger fully extended, actually touching the frame.

If you are teaching your son alone, ie. not during a match, then I would suggest actually stopping him, make him unload and start from the beginning. This is what would happen during a match, he would be stopped (permanently with a DQ).

The best part of this type of problem is that you can go over this during dry fire at home. This avoids all the problems of doing this with live ammo. My advice is to be patient, the younger they are the more important repetition becomes.

Another option (depending on the type of gun) is to install a mag button on the other side, so he has to use his trigger finger to activate it. Pretty soon he'll learn to move the finger off the trigger. he may (as some have found) find this type of reload more comfortable.

One other thing; His tendency to do this may be related to a desire to shoot more quickly. He may be under the impression that is is necessary to keep the finger on the trigger in order to shoot faster after the reload. Some videos of top shooters (some of Matt Burketts DVDs for example) may help to convince him that he is incorrect.

Good luck, hope this helps.

[Rising Sight]

If you are teaching your son alone, ie. not during a match, then I would suggest actually stopping him, make him unload and start from the beginning. This is what would happen during a match, he would be stopped (permanently with a DQ).

It did happen at a match,twice. The RO is a friend of mine and told me about it instead of DQing him. I am going to be sure to tell the RO that if it happens again at another match to just DQ him.

I think I am just going to drill him on this for a while with an empty gun. He just gets too excited when he is shooting and stops thinking. This is a pretty dangerous habit to get into and I just need to help him to stop it now.

[Gun Geek]

I am having trouble getting my son to stop leaving his finger on the trigger while he is doing reloads. Have any of you had to work on this problem with a junior shooter? Any suggestions would really be appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can use the Catholic Nun approach - whack him with a yardstick when he does it. Continue the beatings until morale improves.

Actually, I think the dry drills and the stopping/resetting will help lots. I agree with letting him get DQ'd at a match. Rough as it is, embarrasment is often a good motivator when correctly applied (not by you yelling at him, but by the rules of the game pinching a little.)

Any of this is better than an ND.

[diehli]

The first pistol class I took (long before I got into competition pistol shooting) had the saying "keep the mouse out of the house." If you were caught with the mouse in the house, you got a red line from a Sharpie drawn on you trigger finger to the second knuckle. Happened a second time, to the third knuckle. Then to your wrist, then to your elbow, etc.

Worked for me.