Tigger Control

[Flashooter]

Any suggestions welcome!

I have been shooting about 2 years. I am a D shooter in Limited 10 and more recently in Open. My old eyes can see the red dot a WHOLE LOT better!

I'm using a metronome (music tick-tock device) ocassionally for dry-fire practice and to determine how quickly I can pull the trigger without disturbing the dot. I find that the fastest I can pull the trigger continuously without disturbing the dot is only about 2 pulls per second. At 3 pulls per second the dot moves quite a bit, and at 4 pulls per second the erratic dot movement indicates 'mikes' or D hits at best. Pulling the trigger at this speed also causes 'trigger freeze.'

I currently dry-fire about an hour per day, 4 days per week. I include pressing the trigger at least twice with every single dry-fire practice drill, which include draws, indexes, transitions, reloads, shooting on the move, moving into and out of a 3-foot box, etc. I have incorporated practice drills from this forum as well as some from the Anderson book and the Matt Burkett web site and video. Overall, the dry fire practice has helped me to improve quite a bit!

It seems that I have improved in all areas (including accuracy, draw, movement, reloades, transitions, etc.), but I am still shooting at a top speed of only about 2 shots per second (I think this is called "splits?") in live fire and during a match. When I try to push beyond this my accuracy suffers greatly.

How can I increase my ability to pull the trigger quickly while not disturbing the sights?

Any suggestions or insights are most welcome!

Leo

[benos]

You can't "think your way" through a quick, non-disturbing trigger pull; therefore you must train the movement long enough for it to become a reflex action. Of course there are many ways to improve your trigger pull... but here's an "odd" you might try in addition to anything else. Practice pulling the trigger straight through - without having the gun in your normal shooting position or while in any way aiming. Sit down, and with your pistol in your strong hand only, comfortably resting at your side, just become aware of what it feels like to pull the trigger straight through, in about 2 seconds, start to finish. Don't time it with anything, just estimate the time period. After getting comfortable with that, cut the time down to an estimated 1 second. Work with that for about 15 minutes a day for 3 weeks. You can even do it while watching TV... because you're training your finger to do one thing while you're looking at something else. Then cut down the time to 1/2 second, and repeat for the same duration as before.

be

[R112mercer]

I don't think anybody would ever be able to control Tigger, he's a representation of man's inner child, a restless, wild spirit. And I don't think Tigger needed to increase his speed any. Eeyore, now that's another story.

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Edited January 6, 2006 by R112mercer

[Crusher]

Loose the "tick-tock-tick-tock" first, nice idea for a drummer but for a shooter it suxxors.

With all the dry firing you are doing I wonder if you have a tension free grip and if tension exists the dry fire routine is merely enforcing bad dry fire habits that will cross over to live fire (this is not to say that you don't need a firm grip, you do. The tension could come from forearms, upper torso ect. and you need to loose that if any exists.)

Like BE said you need your finger to move reward (I like to call it FLOAT: I have posted my secret mantra below I use before I shoot anything, shhhh don't tell anyone) and be aware of what it feels like to move your finger straight back without interfacing anything other than the trigger stirrup (the finger has to float independent of grip tension).

The speed will come when focus is on the target while being aware of the dot and its position on the target and your finger "floats" the trigger reward. dots are kool because your focus can be on the targets (don't shoot a dot like iron sights) and the dot just appears on the target and bang the gun goes off. With Iron sights eye focus has to be on the front sight which can (for us OAE guys/gals makes distant targets a blur and really interesting to shoot at)

Secret mantra: "Loose the tension (grip is firm), Float the finger (interface with trigger bow only), Track the sights (omit this for a dot and replace with "Project the ball"), Snap the eyes (to the next target, array, position).

Good luck

[Mistral404]

Thanks Brian,

I have been sitting up here in the raining NW sitting in my living growing bored.

So I pulled out the old single stack and start pressing the trigger while I am watching TV.

Practicing exactly what you described.

[Flashooter]

Thanx for your prompt reply, Brian!

I experimented with pulling the trigger while watching TV last night. In just one session of repetitively pulling the tirigger slowly at about 2-seconds per pull, I have increased my awareness and feel of the trigger pull. I can tell this drill will help me!

BTW, I found where you describe this drill in your book under 'Trigger Contol" on page 83. I read and highlighted this paragraph about a year ago , but forgot about it because I have been working on the following paragraph that deals with how to cure the flinch.

Again, many thanx for your reply!

Leo

[Flashooter]

"Secret mantra: "Loose the tension (grip is firm), Float the finger (interface with trigger bow only), Track the sights (omit this for a dot and replace with "Project the ball"), Snap the eyes (to the next target, array, position)."

Crusher, thanx for your reply!

In the beginning I used a ' death grip,' but I'm fairly certain that I have removed any excessive tension especially from my strong hand and trigger finger. However, your post reminds me that I still have a great deal of tension in my upper arms, shoulder, and neck.

I like your secret mantra and will be using it! It's a positive way to remind yourself to do everything right. I promise, I'll keep it secret.

Warm regards,

Leo

[benos]

BTW, I found where you describe this drill in your book under 'Trigger Contol" on page 83. I read and highlighted this paragraph about a year ago , but forgot about it because I have been working on the following paragraph that deals with how to cure the flinch.

[caspian38]

you might try taking a few hundred rounds and a timer out to the range ... set up three targets(about 7-5 yards ) and shoot each one twice including transitions ...working on cadence ...make your splits and transitions close to the same. then try relaxing your right hand after you have shot it a few times. I like about a 30% right 70% left hand grip. I thought I had a good grip until lately when I found that I could shoot .15 splits and transitions by relaxing my right hand and using my left more.

with all that PRACTICE YOU WON'T be in D LONG ! keep it up !

C38

[Flashooter]

you might try taking a few hundred rounds and a timer out to the range ... set up three targets(about 7-5 yards ) and shoot each one twice including transitions ...working on cadence ...make your splits and transitions close to the same. then try relaxing your right hand after you have shot it a few times. I like about a 30% right 70% left hand grip. I thought I had a good grip until lately when I found that I could shoot .15 splits and transitions by relaxing my right hand and using my left more.

with all that PRACTICE YOU WON'T be in D LONG ! keep it up !

C38

Hey, C38 --

Your drill sounds like a good way to focus on relaxation, similar to the Bill Drill, or Matt Burkett's "Timing" drills. I'll give it a shot (pun intended). Guess what? I got my C card this month. All the dry fire is beginning to pay off.

Thanx for your response!

Leo

[usmc1974]

Trust the force, feel the trigger