Trigger control with a light trigger

[AzNooB]

I recently bought a CZC Shadow (switched from Glock), and took it out to the range for the first time last night. I managed to get better groups at 25 yards in DA than in SA. When I fire in SA, I feel like I have trouble keeping myself from applying more force than required to get the gun to go off. The trigger is reportedly under 3# on my CZ and I'm used to a 6# Glock trigger. 

 

What techniques do y'all use to improve trigger control on such a light trigger?

[MemphisMechanic]

Shoot it. A lot. Live and dry fire.

 

I switched from M&P to a Tanfoglio with a similar trigger to yours, back to polymer (Walther Q5 Match)

 

The issue is that everything striker fired has slowly rolled back into the gun as you stackstackstack bang. That's what you're used to.

 

With a metal SA gun, you take the slack out and then the trigger basically sits in place as you add weight until it breaks. It's a very different way for things to operate, and it takes time to get used to. It's easier to pull the shot off-target, in my opinion.

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[AzNooB]

13 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:

Shoot it. A lot. Live and dry fire.

 

I switched from M&P to a Tanfoglio with a similar trigger to yours, back to polymer (Walther Q5 Match)

 

The issue is that everything striker fired has slowly rolled back into the gun as you stackstackstack bang. That's what you're used to.

 

With a metal SA gun, you take the slack out and then the trigger basically sits in place as you add weight until it breaks. It's a very different way for things to operate, and it takes time to get used to. It's easier to pull the shot off-target, in my opinion.

 

 

Which is easier to pull the shot off target?

[MemphisMechanic]

The 2lb single action in a steel gun is much harder for me to shoot accurately at 25yds than the 5lb trigger in my Walther.

 

It's a different way of working the trigger, and simply not what I was used to.

[AzNooB]

47 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:

The 2lb single action in a steel gun is much harder for me to shoot accurately at 25yds than the 5lb trigger in my Walther.

 

It's a different way of working the trigger, and simply not what I was used to.

That is the exact opposite of what most people will say. I'm a little confused now.

[MemphisMechanic]

There's this supposition that the moment you pick up a CZ or Tanfo instead of your Glock, you'll instantly be faster or more accurate. In reality it's going to take you three months of hard work dryfiring frequently just to catch up to the point you were at when you put the Glock down.

 

The CZ isn't a "faster" gun. It's just different. Some people will prefer lighter plastic guns, some the more stable metal ones. Pick one and practice.

 

But until you practice, you'll have issues shooting accurately in SA in particular.

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[AzNooB]

I remember us having this conversation a while back. I plan on practicing with the CZ, I'd just like to know if there was a specific method so I don't waste my time doing things incorrectly.

[MemphisMechanic]

Being used to a long, pretravel-filled Glock trigger? The DA first shot will come naturally to you. It already has, as you've noticed.

 

I received a lot of bad advice about practicing the DA pull, and followed it. After two matches full of trigger-freezing moments, I taped the hammer back in the cocked position and dryfired the gun like that for two weeks.

 

It really helped me learn to shoot the short, crips trigger at high speed.

Edited September 8, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[AzNooB]

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks!

[RaylanGivens]

5 hours ago, AzNooB said:

I recently bought a CZC Shadow (switched from Glock), and took it out to the range for the first time last night. I managed to get better groups at 25 yards in DA than in SA. When I fire in SA, I feel like I have trouble keeping myself from applying more force than required to get the gun to go off. The trigger is reportedly under 3# on my CZ and I'm used to a 6# Glock trigger. 

 

What techniques do y'all use to improve trigger control on such a light trigger?

 

Practice.

 

The advantage of a light SA pull is that you don't have to yank so hard on the trigger that you pull the gun off target...  Practice with your new gun for a while and you'll grow to like it...  Try some dry fire and some live fire...  It'll help...

 

[eric4069]

On 9/8/2017 at 1:54 PM, MemphisMechanic said:

Being used to a long, pretravel-filled Glock trigger? The DA first shot will come naturally to you. It already has, as you've noticed.

 

Yep, you have an advantage over many shooters being used to the DA first shot which intimidates others.  Keep that advantage,  practice up the SA and the transition from DA to SA and all will be good.

Eric

Edited September 10, 2017 by eric4069

[GunBugBit]

The brain sorts this stuff out with repetition.  Some of it bubbles up to the conscious mind, other parts we don't really think about as much as we just feel them.

[zinger4040]

Others have mentioned it, but I think you will get used to it in time, especially if you dry fire frequently

[blueorison]

On 9/8/2017 at 12:30 PM, MemphisMechanic said:

The 2lb single action in a steel gun is much harder for me to shoot accurately at 25yds than the 5lb trigger in my Walther.

 

It's a different way of working the trigger, and simply not what I was used to.

 

What he said in his previous post to this one; shoot a lot.  You will get used to it (or perhaps you might not).

Understand that the pressure in your index finger relative to the pressure you're telling the rest of your fingers to implement on your grip might have some influence in this situation; I don't prefer 2 lb triggers (I prefer 4-5lb).  But mainly because IMO it fabricates an environment that allows laziness/lack of discipline to flourish.  Understand that I said that IMO.  I'm not claiming this as fact.  Then again, give a 4.5lb trigger to a 2011 shooter and see if they can still shoot it well after getting used to it.  It's easier to go lighter than back to heavier... if one ever trained on a "heavier" trigger, in the first place.  

 

I think it's important to maintain a balance and shoot everything from a 2lb to a 10lb DA trigger so you'll be well-versed.  Just my .02

 

 

[MemphisMechanic]

2 hours ago, blueorison said:

 

What he said in his previous post to this one; shoot a lot.

 

I did. I’ve got at least 75k on striker guns and 10-12k on DA/SA guns in the past decade or so.

 

As I said: After shooting both extensively, I simply prefer the “rolling break” of a striker gun. I desire a trigger which creeps as you stack weight - once you find the wall - until it breaks.

 

Guns with crisp crisp triggers ironically are more frustrating for me to group well with. It doesn’t matter much to me either way when shooting close & fast, though.

Edited October 12, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[AzNooB]

I took out the CZ last weekend to a USPSA match for the first time and I "felt" better about using it over my Glock. I don't think my performance really changed except for a stage where I had to shoot strong hand only. I cannot for the life of me shoot my Glock with any consistency shooting one handed - I just haven't figured out how to pull the trigger without disrupting the sights. With the CZ in DA or SA, it's easy for me to do.

 

I'll keep using it and see how I do. There are some annoyances with the CZ (like accidentally flipping the safety up while reloading) but I think I'll overcome them with time behind the gun.

[cody6477]

9 hours ago, AzNooB said:

There are some annoyances with the CZ (like accidentally flipping the safety up while reloading) but I think I'll overcome them with time behind the gun.

Flipping the safety up still happens to me once in a great while, lol.  Fun surprise...  Yeah, I think you can expect the kinks to work themselves out with more time.

[obsessiveshooter]

I switched from a glock to a cz ts. I had the same issue, mashing the trigger harder than needed, and I had to unlearn prepping the trigger. Once you get used to it, it is easier to shoot fast splits. It's just gonna take time to get used to it, and shoot it as confidently as you did with your glock.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[blueorison]

2 hours ago, obsessiveshooter said:

I switched from a glock to a cz ts. I had the same issue, mashing the trigger harder than needed, and I had to unlearn prepping the trigger. Once you get used to it, it is easier to shoot fast splits. It's just gonna take time to get used to it, and shoot it as confidently as you did with your glock.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

 

It definitely is a different technique going from a trigger with a clear wall to one that more resembles a stacking trigger.  Then there are those in between.

It all comes down to preference and an individuals adeptness at being malleable to what he/she picks up and shoots.  

[rowdyb]

What's one of the biggest reasons the bullet didn't hit the target where you wanted it to? Putting extra input into the trigger itself while using it,  that moves the gun/sights away from where you were intending the shot to go.

 

You're used to giving a fair bit of pressure and travel into a trigger shoe while "working it". Now you've switched to a lighter and shorter trigger. Using the same inputs you're giving too much. Thus the poor accuracy. As others have stated it is normal and you're going to have to put in the time and effort to revise your technique.

 

Improvement=Effort*Time

[AzNooB]

On 10/18/2017 at 10:47 AM, rowdyb said:

What's one of the biggest reasons the bullet didn't hit the target where you wanted it to? Putting extra input into the trigger itself while using it,  that moves the gun/sights away from where you were intending the shot to go.

 

You're used to giving a fair bit of pressure and travel into a trigger shoe while "working it". Now you've switched to a lighter and shorter trigger. Using the same inputs you're giving too much. Thus the poor accuracy. As others have stated it is normal and you're going to have to put in the time and effort to revise your technique.

 

Improvement=Effort*Time

 

It's been getting better with more trigger time. I'm probably not as patient as I ought to be. 

[enzo357]

A shorter lighter trigger offers me a lot less opportunity to pull the shot off target.  As long as the grip is solid and the sites are on.............

[Doublehelix]

It is funny, but I have just the opposite problem! I am so used the the SAO guns (1911, SIG P226 SAO, etc.) that I have a hard time shooting the striker-fired guns. I only own one striker-fired pistol, an H&K VP9, and although it is a nice gun, I cannot shoot it anywhere near as well as I do my SAO guns. And when someone hands me a Glock??? Forget about it!

 

I am also not a fan of the DA/SA setup. Too many variables for me, I prefer having a single type of trigger style and break.

 

I think this just emphasizes the points that have been made about that it is what you have trained to do. I am sure that there are going to be natural preferences such as @MemphisMechanic says about the striker-fired guns, and that is fine and comes down to personal preferences. But I agree that training and practice will get you where you need to be.

 

Good luck!

[k80clay]

Practice. You have built your mental sensitivity around 6lbs. You need to retrain your mind to accept the new 3lb sensitivity. Eventually, you'll feel the 3lb as no more sensitive (to your brain) as the 6lb. 

[Treeclmbr]

Ive been shooting a tac sport for 2 years and now trying to shoot the shadow 2. The double action then single is going to take a while to get used to.

Im much faster and accurate shooting. 40cal  than the 9mm