Trigger length V.S impact

[sigfla]

Assuming I am not manipulating the gun itself in any negative manner and my groups are very good just to the right or left of center. What affect would trigger length and or style have on my impact?

For instance lets say I am not pulling the trigger straight back like I am supposed to but it is a consistent pull and my groups are excellent at any distance they just hit left of center. Would a shorter or longer trigger have any affect on my POA V.S POI? Same question goes for trigger style, flat, curved, etc...?

I am experimenting with this now and would like to hear from someone who has some experience. I have noticed that I have a slight left POI with my guns especially during rapid fire. This is most likely due to my trigger manipulation. However, I wonder if the gun could be set up to correct this if my hand size/finger length is contributing to the problem.

[twodownzero]

Unless there's some gross mismatch between the way the gun fits and your hand, I doubt it'll do anything. You need to pay more attention to your sight picture and trigger control if your rounds are going left.

I'm also willing to bet that lightening the trigger pull will do more for you than changing the distance from the backstrap, but that's just a conjecture.

[mgood]

I have slightly smaller than average hands.

On most guns, I feel that if I get a proper grip, with the backstrap in the web of my had where it should be, then my finger just barely reaches the trigger. I can't really get the pad of my finger on the front of the trigger and pull straight back. When I think about it, when dry firing or just checking out a gun in a store, I always feel like I'm pulling the trigger back and pushing it left (I'm right-handed) at the same time rather than pulling straight back as I know I should.

I have not seen this affect shot placement. But I feel more confident, like I have better trigger control, if I can get a little more arch in my trigger finger and also get the pad of my finger squarely on the front surface of the trigger.

If I move my hand around where I have the finger placement I want, then the gun is no longer squarely in the web of my hand. Recoil is against the thumb joint where there's a lot less strength. I shoot that way and deal with it. But I'll never get really good like that because the gun jumps all over the place in recoil and makes fast shooting very difficult.

I need a shorter trigger in my 1911. NO double-stack will fit me right. That's what made me go to a 1911. And a short trigger and thin grips will make the 1911 fit even better. (Although I still own and enjoy, and even sometimes compete with a double stack, I know it doesn't really fit me right.)

[Morgan]

I have long hands, and used to use a really long trigger. I've since moved to a really short trigger, and I'm playing with something in-between. Little difference in my times/hits, but I'm much more comfortable with the medium to short triggers.

[Resjudicata]

I have smallish hands for my size. I shoot a STI 2011 in Limited. I use a short trigger now after having the same problem as the OP.

If you are watching your sights when the sights lift in recoil then you should see your front sight moving left right before recoil if you are pushing the gun left with your trigger. Even with a trigger that doesn't fit you should be able to correct the problem with proper trigger control and seeing the sights the whole time.

However, where I saw the problem was not with every shot but with those fast shots where my mental focus may not be quite so good I would start pushing the shots left. When I went with the shorter trigger that fit my hand better I started to see those gradually go away.

Chris

[bulamike]

Seems like a number of factors ,but one if you do it consistently I would adjust my sites. I have a friend who picks up any gun and naturally shoots it

right from POA (he's a lefty) and we just knocked his sites, bam. on target.

Now if its not consistent I would check your grip before trigger manipulation. I can slap a trigger in rapid fire strings and still be good, most can with a true grip.

[Nick Ennis]

Sigfla, i started shooting my 1911 this year which has a stantard lenght curved trigger. i have slightly larger hands then normal and have found that on some occasions my i get too much finger on the trigger (the trigger touches closer to the first knuckle then the tip of my finger). i have also noticed my trigger finger feels unnatural and bunched up when im shooting and im not able to be as gentle with the trigger. i recently bought a 1911 that has a SV long flat trigger and love it. it allows my finger to be straighter and more rexaled. it keeps me from putting too much finger on the trigger (now jut the tip of my finger lands on the trigger). with the front of the trigger being flat i get the same trigger pressure reguardless of where my finger lands (at the top, middle, or bottom of the trigger). i belive the SV triggers are fairly inexpensive and would be worth trying out.

[calishootr]

when the widebodies first came out I stuck with the normal curved, then SV came out with the interchangable's and i tried a long flat in my open gun, didnt really work, as i have smaller-ish hands(big palms, but shorter fingers) then i put a short flat in my limited gun, which i like alot, the open gun has a normal curved in it, go figure???? i shoot any and all with aplomb, part because im a trigger 'slapper'

[sigfla]

I have been using a short curved insert in my SVI lately and have been shooting it better than ever. I seem to "think" I push the gun less when I am going faster with it. My SS guns all have long curved triggers in them and I will be switching them out soon.

[Matt Cheely]

You want the pad of your finger to be perpendicular to the trigger face so that you are pulling straight back.

Assuming right handed, too long will push left, too short will pull right.

[LPatterson]

Max Michael Jr covers the same topic in his section of 3GM, he gave a length ans said all of his guns are set to that length. Matt also a pretty fair shooter so these are the people I would be listening to as the next highest poster has 429 posts.

[Nick Ennis]

Matt, thanks for saying what i was thinking. My large hands combined with a long, flat trigger, the pad of my finger is perpendicular with the trigger face. Granted the lenght would be different for everyone, and i dont have alot of posts here, but that combo works very well for me.