Sights twitching to left at trigger break - weak hand only

[jmtyndall]

I am trying to dissect an issue I'm having when practicing weak-hand-only shooting. When dry-firing weak hand only the sights stay stable during the trigger pull until the point the trigger breaks. As the trigger breaks the front sight moves left and then returns to center in the notch. 

 

I tried moving my finger contact point around on the trigger and wasn't able to see much change. I believe that trigger finger placement is correct trigger falls just past the last joint in my finger, identical to the placement of my trigger finger when shooting with my strong hand.

 

If I build a proper grip in my weak hand and shoot freestyle with my weak hand acting as my strong hand and my strong hand crushing the grip I get no notable movement in the sights when pulling the trigger. If I hold the gun strong hand only and pull the trigger with my weak hand (all other finger on my weak hand are straight) I am able to break the trigger without moving the sights. So far as I can tell, I'm pulling the trigger straight and with the correct part of my finger. I think this leaves sympathetic movement of the other fingers in my left hand?

 

I tested this by forming a "grip" with my hand and moving my trigger finger. I can 100% see the grip fingers (specifically the middle finger tip) tightening while I move my trigger finger, which seems consistent with pushing the gun left. Doing the same with my right hand I see no sympathetic movement. Does this sight movement seem indicative of sympathetic finger movement to you? I don't even remember how I ever learned to move the trigger finger on my strong hand without doing this. How did others go about training their weak hand to pull a trigger with as much finesse as their strong hand?

 

Background info: I'm a right handed shooter, shooting a box-stock M&P DA trigger.

Edited February 13, 2019 by jmtyndall

[Racinready300ex]

So left hand is weak hand correct?

 

My first thought would be same as yours, your other fingers are pulling on the gun causing it to twist left in your hand. Now I think you have to try to focus on feeling it happen. Once you can feel it, you should be able to stop it. Just try to focus on those fingers as you press the trigger.

[jmtyndall]

13 minutes ago, Racinready300ex said:

So left hand is weak hand correct?

 

My first thought would be same as yours, your other fingers are pulling on the gun causing it to twist left in your hand. Now I think you have to try to focus on feeling it happen. Once you can feel it, you should be able to stop it. Just try to focus on those fingers as you press the trigger.

Correct, left is my weak hand. I have tried doing it without the gun for about an hour this morning, and when pulling slowly I was able to move just the one finger. Really odd feeling staring at your finger tip for an hour trying to will it not to move.

 

Took that exercise to the gun, used an extremely slow deliberate pull and was able to get about 70% success with not moving the sights. That does seem to reinforce that this is the issue. The only problem was that the trigger felt like it was about 40lbs and my hand actually feels tired from pulling the trigger 50 times. Looks like I'm going to need to work on this a lot. In the mean time, weak-hand-only strings are going to kill me

[Furrly]

LOTS of the deliberate practice will help !!

[gomerpyle]

Perhaps focusing on REALLY driving the web of your hand into the beavertail, almost pinching the beavertail with your weak hand thumb.....

 

Ive had this issue before, and I found that this was a workable solution....

 

As a side note, if you are right handed, your right hand is likely larger than your left hand - but not the opposite if you are left handed.... see link: https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/91/11/5030.full.pdf

Edited February 14, 2019 by gomerpyle

[jmtyndall]

Huh, interesting point. That makes me wonder if maybe the gun isn't aligned with my forearm, and that's causing a weird pressure on the gun when I pull the trigger. That would help explain why using a two-handed grip eliminated the issue. The 2 handed grip felt so unnatural I really had to concentrate and take time to get my hands in just the right position. I think I'll take your tip and then checkout how I'm gripping. I'll build a full grip in the "wrong hand" and then remove my strong hand without adjusting the weak hand and do a few trigger pulls, see what the result is.

Edited February 14, 2019 by jmtyndall

[Boudreaux78]

When I shoot strong hand only (right for me), the gun is straight out in front of my body with my right leg forward bent and almost a old dueler’s stance. When I shoot weak handed, my stance is reversed but the gun is slightly canted. Don’t know why, but it feels better and I feel like I have a stronger grip. I would say your problem is mostly grip related. Try loosening your pinky and ring finger just a little, might help. 

[gomerpyle]

15 hours ago, Boudreaux78 said:

 Try loosening your pinky and ring finger just a little, might help. 

 

^^^^^This too:) And tighten your middle finger.....

Edited February 16, 2019 by gomerpyle

[blueorison]

Guys I'm just over here wondering how he is shooting double action on a striker-fired M&P

 

On 2/13/2019 at 12:34 PM, jmtyndall said:

Background info: I'm a right handed shooter, shooting a box-stock M&P DA trigger.

 

[jmtyndall]

31 minutes ago, blueorison said:

Guys I'm just over here wondering how he is shooting double action on a striker-fired M&P

 

 

The real question may be how anyone could shoot anything other than a double action M&P. Maybe if you reprofile the sear the striker wouldn't move back during the trigger pull. Anyways, it's not exactly the scope of this thread.

 

As for the others, I've seen some improvement just from practicing not tightening my hand and just doing dry fire repetition. Certainly still not great and I'm seeing some sight movement on most shots. I think sticking with the ideas above will lead to long-term success.