Trigger finger discipline and safety question

[Shooter]

I like the one where the guy said, "tape your finger to a popsicle stick"! LOL

[WyoXD]

Utilize lots of dry fire practice--start with slow deliberate movements to hone technique. Speed up gradually, when I start practicing fast enough that I can't tell if my trigger finger is where it's supposed to be when it's supposed to be; I incorporate my video camera.

Burkett Reload drills from Steve Anderson's "Refinement and Repition" book is a great way to practice propper trigger finger placement during reloads.

[jeff221]

I find myself guilty of this as well, it's a bad habbit from a previous firearm with a switch safty whlich allowed me to pull the trigger without anything happening.

When I purchased the XD 40 I found myself have to FORCE myself to remember I CANNOT pull that trigger unless I intend on truely fireing the weapon. After reading this post, I've been carring my XD40 around the house makeing sure I keep that finger off the trigger. It's working wonders.

[ko3000]

"Line that finger up along that slide, and off the trigger until you are ready to pull it boy!" my father used to always tell me this and I never have had the chance to form a bad habit like finger on the trigger when not ready to fire. Even when I practice with my snap caps I never forgot, it is instinctual..

[olsontwinsandwich]

Originally Posted by Harlie D

Engage in organized shooting activities, IDPA, USPSA, Etc. After a disqualification, you will learn very quickly to not have finger in trigger guard during any drills, except when engaging targets, the finger should go to the frame above trigger guard to prevent grasping handgun if you stumble or fall. It's like thumb on safety on a 1911, it takes some conscious effort to accomplish.

I can attest to that. You will learn fast! And in front of a lot of people.

[CajunShooter]

Originally Posted by Chewie146

I don't know if this was mentioned, because I ain't gonna read all of this post. Try this drill. Draw and address a target as from tactical or concealed carry. ONLY ever 1 in 10 of these target addresses should be a dry fire. The rest should simply be finger outside the trigger guard practicing sight alignment.

Good suggestion. To expand on it ... try these dry-fire drills.

1. Draw, align sights, reholster. NEVER put your finger on the trigger during this whole drill. Do this drill 10-15 minutes a day for a month.

2. Draw, bring the gun to low ready, reholster. NEVER put your finger on the trigger during the drill. Do this drill 10-15 minutes a day for a month.

3. Do drill number 1 but this time actually pull the trigger only one time in every 10 draws. Vary the instance that you pull the trigger during the 10 draws. That is, during one set, pull the trigger on draw #2. The next set of 10 draws, pull the trigger on draw #7, etc. Practive this drill 10-15 minutes a day for a month.

You could mix up the drills during the month. One day do drill number 1, the next day do drill #2. Do not start to do drill #3 until you have done drills 1 and 2 at least one or two weeks.

DO NOT DRY-FIRE your weapon, other than in drill #3, AT ANY TIME during the first month. You are training yourself to develop a good SAFETY habit. Don't mess it up by putting your finger on the trigger during this time. In fact, it would be best not to even go to the range during this month. (I know, I know, that's a tough one.) Developing a good safety habit is FAR more important than punching holes in a target.

It is far better to do a short drill every day than to do one long session once or twice a month. Short, daily drills build up habits.

Do the drills slowly at first, paying careful attention to what you're doing. You're not trying to break speed records here. You're trying to ingrain a good habit. Only after several weeks of slow careful drills, should you speed up the drills.

ANY time you pick up the weapon ... to load it, unload it, polish it, clean it ... pay attention to where your trigger finger is. Over time, it will become an automatic habit. The bad habit of putting your finger on the trigger when it's not pointed at a target developed slowly over time. It will take time to break that habit.

Rome was not built in a day. Habits are not built in a day either. Be patient and VERY CAREFUL until the good habit is developed, then continue to be VERY CAREFUL after the good habit is developed.

It's been said that it takes over 1,000 CORRECT repetitions before anything you do becomes automatic. This applies to both good and bad habits. You don't have to do the 1,000 reps in one day, in fact it has to be done over an extended period of time. When you are not doing something, your brain is still thinking about it subconciously. That is how the automatic response becomes automatic.

You will find that the good habit of not putting your finger on the trigger until ready to fire will develop. This may seem like a long process to some people, but it is really short when you consider that it is designed to develop a safety habit that will last for the rest of your life. Not developing the good habit could cut your life, or someone else's life, short.

[slugger6]

What a great post! Thanks for sharing.

[Nastynewt]

I have a 24 year old son that cant keep his finger off the trigger all you can hear at the range is me bitching at him. I told him it's not one of his games he plays were you can reset and start over thsi is real.

[snolden]

thanks guys. I used info from this post for a new shooter. She is 55 years old and about 110 lbs. She learned within 25 minutes to consciously put the finger back on the slide each time she holds the gun.

I had to tailor her grip around the safety aspects of a gun.

[HRC]

Originally Posted by mcb

So I have been around firearms my entire life and I believe I have been a fairly safe shooter. After being part of an accidental discharge where a friend end up shooting himself in the foot with my shotgun when I was 17. (Luckily it was a slug and not a shot shell.) After this AD I believe I have become an above average shooter as far as safety go.

That said the recent purchase of my XD-40 has shown myself a slight weakness in my safety awareness. The fact that the XD does not have manual safety I have become more aware of my somewhat lacking trigger finger discipline. I know that you should only have your finger on the trigger when address a target. I find that in practicing with my XD using snap caps I sometimes end up with my finger still in the trigger guard while clearing or reloading. I am working very hard to completely break this habit.

So does anyone have any good ideas or drills that will help reinforce the habit of keeping my finger out of the trigger guard expect when actually ready to shoot. I would like to get in the habit of doing this far more strictly than I do know with all my firearms but especially the XD since it has no manual safety.

Comments and Suggestion appreciated

mcb

MCB
I suggest you ALWAYS keep Youre finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until You're ready to fire youre weapon, make this a habit
with any and all guns You shoot, ie shotguns, Rifles ETC, Youll find pretty soon You will do it without thinking.
Good Luck & Good shooting!

hrc