Do different style triggers require different trigger finger placement?

[lrrifleman]

Greetings! Today I had the 686+ 3" out testing some handloads, and noticed that at 15 yards, my shots were still printing to the left of center despite the sight adjustments. I spent a few hours contemplating why, and I think I have an explanation, which I am inviting comment on.

With the exception of my 36-6 and my 4 screw Model 14, all of my revolvers have the wide target trigger (accompanying the wide spur hammer), and these revolvers also wear target stocks. When I shoot these revolvers, I place just the pad of my finger tip on the trigger.

Thinking through how I was shooting the 686+, I used the same approach, with the pad of my finger tip. The Hogue Monogrips are much smaller/narrower than the target stocks that I am accustomed to, plus the trigger is both narrower and smooth. Might it be that my target shooting technique needs to be changed, with more finger on the trigger so I am not pushing the muzzle to the left because of the geometry of the unimpeded length of my finger and the smaller surface of the trigger?

Thank you for your opinions!

 

[delcrossv]

I use the center of the pad between the top joint and tip. I haven't noticed any difference between guns- and I have a wide variety that I shoot, from M frames to X frames with and without wide triggers.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Yes and no.

Trigger finger placement isn't as important as pulling the trigger straight back. However, it may be possible that the change in grip may be altering the geometry with your trigger finger, which in turn changes how you pull the trigger.

My suggestion would be to do some dry fire practice using the same trigger finger placement and see what happens. Focus more on pulling the trigger straight back.

I'll share a little trick that helped me. When you grip your gun and put your finger on the trigger, look at the part of your finger that connects to the knuckle. If you know anatomy terms, it'd be the proximal phalanx. Ideally, that part of the finger will be parallel with the gun. Put your finger on the trigger in such a way that the proximal phalanx stays parallel. Pulling the trigger from the joint at the end of that bone, like a hinge, will help you pull the trigger straight back. It works for me.

Just my layman's opinion.

 

[Kurusu]

I got me a "mangled"(childhood accident) trigger finger. I can only use the "pad" of the fore tip, there is now way I can use the "joint".

I can make it work.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I got me a "mangled"(childhood accident) trigger finger. I can only use the "pad" of the fore tip, there is now way I can use the "joint".

I can make it work.

Sometimes, you just gotta do the best you can with what you've got.

I've got smallish hands, so the trigger reach on my DA semi-autos can be a bit of a stretch. I can't use my distal joint with them, unless I hold the gun incorrectly. But I can still work the trigger with the pad of my finger and make the "finger trick" I mentioned work.

Maybe I should've found a better way to phrase that.

 

[Kurusu]

Sometimes, you just gotta do the best you can with what you've got.

I've got smallish hands, so the trigger reach on my DA semi-autos can be a bit of a stretch. I can't use my distal joint with them, unless I hold the gun incorrectly. But I can still work the trigger with the pad of my finger and make the "finger trick" I mentioned work.

Maybe I should've found a better way to phrase that.

I got "biggish" paws.

 

[paplinker]

Greetings! Today I had the 686+ 3" out testing some handloads, and noticed that at 15 yards, my shots were still printing to the left of center despite the sight adjustments. I spent a few hours contemplating why, and I think I have an explanation, which I am inviting comment on.

With the exception of my 36-6 and my 4 screw Model 14, all of my revolvers have the wide target trigger (accompanying the wide spur hammer), and these revolvers also wear target stocks. When I shoot these revolvers, I place just the pad of my finger tip on the trigger.

Thinking through how I was shooting the 686+, I used the same approach, with the pad of my finger tip. The Hogue Monogrips are much smaller/narrower than the target stocks that I am accustomed to, plus the trigger is both narrower and smooth. Might it be that my target shooting technique needs to be changed, with more finger on the trigger so I am not pushing the muzzle to the left because of the geometry of the unimpeded length of my finger and the smaller surface of the trigger?

Thank you for your opinions!

I get the very same problem!!

I used to always shoot just left of center in every gun I shoot. Every gun. Even adjusting the sight made no difference. I assume I am pushing a bit left with my trigger finger. I have a 2x hand but short fingers.

I have improved on fixing my problem by going to a target grip that wraps around the backstrap. Of course I happened upon this by pure accident but it has had noticeable improvement.

This is the Roper set that started it all. Since then I bought a few Herritts grips that also hide the backstrap. I find them on ebay time to time.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

GRIPS?SHOOTING

Grips can and will change your shooting for sure. For some unknown reason, the night before a hog hunt I change the stocks on my beloved 629-- a known to be right on gun, the next day, with all things being equal, it shot four inches low- a lesson learned and NEVER forgotten. NEVER go afield with a untried gun or ammo.