Model19 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I've been dry firing like crazy this last month after getting a new to me 2.5" M19 for IDPA use. This will be my second season of wheelgun competition and I'm at the point were I'm refining my technique. I've stumbled on a method that seems to be a fast way to get that first shot off, where once I establish my full grip and am extending my arms toward the target I start to stack the trigger up so that when I reach full extension and have my sight picture I break the shot. This is one fluid (most of the time..practice practice) motion. I used to stay off the trigger until I was set up and sighted and then pull through the whole stroke in one go, but this other way seems faster. Is what I'm doing now a common practice and/or even advised as a technique? There are VERY few revo shooters in my club and at our matches so there are few chances to compare notes. Any input?? TIA, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earplug Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 "I start to stack the trigger up so that when I reach full extension and have my sight picture I break the shot. This is one fluid (most of the time..practice practice) motion. I used to stay off the trigger until I was set up and sighted and then pull through the whole stroke in one go, but this other way seems faster. " This is what I try and do. Works real well when i'm shooting steel targets such a plate rack. I have many bad habits to unlearn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 It's called prepping the trigger. Good method to use with any type of gun....as long as it is practiced quite a bit for obvious safety reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sinko Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Yes, you DO need to constantly stay on the trigger and keep it moving. You need to feel the trigger once the muzzle is downrange. Back in the old days there were many holster designs (the Threepersons comes to mind) that left the trigger exposed so that you could feel the trigger and get proper placement of the trigger finger as you were drawing. And instead of beating up a good DA revolver with extensive dry fire, I'd suggest you dry fire with a DA auto like a Sig or Beretta. That's about all a DA auto is good for anyway. Dave Sinko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Another +1 here. Be careful when switching guns though. Those revolver triggers are a lot longer and heavier than you tuned 1911 trigger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model19 Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Thanks for the advice guys. I don't own any autos other than a 22/45, so I'll stick with my Smith's for practice. I buy 'em to use 'em so what the hell if I wear one out. It's all fun no matter what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 For me it depends on the target. 1------------- inside 10 yds and wide open I'll do it just the way you mentioned. .70 ish seconds and 95% A first shot 2------------- outside 10 yds and or covered, I get a good sight picture before a smooth quick trigger pull. 1.25 and 100% first shot Not much of a difference..........but I've seen where half a second will get you a match win vs. first loser. But I'm not much of a shooter now. Hopalong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiianjo Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 WOW That's fast .70 @ ten yards my smoke and hope times are only about .98s and that is only about 3 yard's @ a18 by 24 target i guess i need to practice alot more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerosigns Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Hoppy told a fib But I'm not much of a shooter now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Thanks for the advice guys. I don't own any autos other than a 22/45, so I'll stick with my Smith's for practice. I buy 'em to use 'em so what the hell if I wear one out. It's all fun no matter what. Model19, By the time you "wear out" that Model 19 you will be quite good at whatever it is you are practicing. Dry fire practice will not hurt that gun. If you're from ME, you have access to many great IDPA matches in New England - Indoor Nationals, New England Regionals, MA States, GOAL Cup, CT States - we hope to see you there. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 Hawiianjo, Shoot 1000 rounds a day, a match every weekend for 4 months and it'll be a piece of cake Hop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiianjo Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 HOP Are you doing a 1000 one shot draws a day ? That's why your'e so fast .70 @ 95% hit factor out to ten yards is that hitting the A zone or just the target? I will be shooting a steel match this weekend so i will see if i can even get a shot off at a berm from the draw in .70 with my ghost holster will get back with results on sunday Thanks Hawaiianjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 No, I WAS doing 1000 rnds a day in a complete practice (likely 50+ draws but at different type targets) I could (was) getting 95% c zone or better hits out to about 10yds(I'd say 75% of these were A hits) with a miss thrown in there occasionally to make me pay more attention to what I was doing.(usually shooting too quick) The biggest way to get a FAST draw is to practice the response time to the buzzer. fire to the beep. Have a partner hold the timer right behind your head with a loaded gun, aimed and on target. have him give you the ready, then beep. You fire just as soon as you hear the beep start. With time you can get .20 or less response time . Then you can take that and insert it into your draw. (Most people will start at around .75) because they usually start at the end of the beep which is .25 long on the PACT timers. Then when you get a good response time, get a vidieo camera and take vidieo of you drawing. Then ELIMINATE wasted motion. (this may take a while). Hope that helps. Hopalong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiianjo Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Thank's for the info will try it this weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 When you get used to shooting double action prepping the trigger will come naturally. You should also be prepping the trigger as the gun rises and falls from recoil which will set you up for quicker split times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Maybe it's just a linguistical thing, but I don't believe the concept of "prepping the trigger" applies to double-action revolver shooting at all. Prepping the trigger refers to taking up the slack on a single-action trigger and then holding for a brief moment while the front sight settles before breaking the shot. Consistently prepping the trigger is an important key to shooting well with a single-action auto, no doubt about that. The closest thing that applies to double-action is called "staging the trigger," where the trigger is partially rolled through and then held before finishing the trigger pull. Staging is not the way most successful revolveleros go about handling the trigger--even on longer shots, the better wheelgunners roll the action straight on through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Xtreme Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Staging/ prepping call it what you want. Are you telling me that you wait for the gun to come to full extension during your draw before you begin to pull on the trigger? And that you wait for it to settle back on target between shots before you begin to pull on the trigger? I find that hard to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Are you telling me that you wait for the gun to come to full extension during your draw before you begin to pull on the trigger?And that you wait for it to settle back on target between shots before you begin to pull on the trigger? No, I'm not saying that.....but when I start pulling the trigger, ordinarily I pull it through in one smooth motion, as opposed to intentionally pulling the trigger partway--stopping--then pulling it the rest of the way. Staging the trigger used to be a technique used by some in PPC matches and elsewhere. Remember the little rubber trigger stops that were used to intentionally help stage the trigger? The auto shooters on here talking about "prepping the trigger" are talking about something different. You really can't prep a DA trigger....that's what I'm saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Mike Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 It may kind of seem like prepping the trigger at first, but what I try to do is to keep the sights aligned as well as needed throughout the long double action pull. The sights may not be aligned perfectly at the beginning of the trigger pull, but I don't stop at any point, just keep on rolling while keeping the sights on the A-zone. I may not be explaining it well, but I hope this helps. DM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanCdp Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Hoppy told a fib But I'm not much of a shooter now. +1 to that... Are you doing a 1000 one shot draws a day ? That's why your'e so fast .70 @ 95% hit factor out to ten yards is that hitting the A zone or just the target? I will be shooting a steel match this weekend so i will see if i can even get a shot off at a berm from the draw in .70 with my ghost holster will get back with results on sunday Thanks Hawaiianjo i've seen him work[well.. be at work ] a 9hr day then stay at the range till moonlight....and his right thumb looked like a hunk of 90 grit sandpaper ....and the plate rack???? i dont know how he does that all day long.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Just to clarify my trigger stroke. I NEVER STAGE MY TRIGGER !!!!! (intentionally) I have been known to do it only because I stopped in mid stroke because the sights weren't where they needed to be...........and I've also shot it and then do another just depends on if the extra bullet is available. On close targets (fast type stuff) I will have the trigger moving and cylinder turning before I get to the spot I want to hit. On long or hard targets the sights are where I want them before I move the trigger. Always, if I start the trigger stroke I finish it in one smooth complete stroke. And Gman.........................Don't be telling all my secrets ! Hopalong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjl32 Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 (edited) Oh Sam! You're my hero Tell us more about your trigger stroke Edited February 18, 2008 by cjl32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pskys2 Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Unfortunately if you try to Prep the DA trigger of a Revolver like you do a SA Auto you'll end up with a very jerky pull that will cost time and points. What you are after is starting the pull after clasping your hands and timing the stroke so that the shot fires as you get an acceptable sight picture. JM said on a video while shooting steel he has to start the shot to the next plate befroe he gets to that plate. It's all about timing. Some are natural Dancers and some never can, the rest of us flail around and manage to look good on occassion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model19 Posted February 19, 2008 Author Share Posted February 19, 2008 Unfortunately if you try to Prep the DA trigger of a Revolver like you do a SA Auto you'll end up with a very jerky pull that will cost time and points.What you are after is starting the pull after clasping your hands and timing the stroke so that the shot fires as you get an acceptable sight picture. JM said on a video while shooting steel he has to start the shot to the next plate befroe he gets to that plate. It's all about timing. Some are natural Dancers and some never can, the rest of us flail around and manage to look good on occassion. That is what I've been doing, starting the pull once getting full grip and as my arms extend. With practice it's getting so the hammer drops right as I get on the A-zone, which is as precise as I need to be right now. And I generally dance just fine with a couple in me and the right music. Just ask my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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