Nothing is more frustrating than shooting lousy groups, especially when you’re aware it’s operator error. There are quite a few factors that come into play when it comes to shot placement, and if even one is off, the results on paper won’t be pretty. Trigger control is a big one, and it’s one that you can work on both during live fire and dry fire. If you want to get better groups, no matter what gun you’re shooting—and who doesn’t—read on.
Trigger Control
Trigger control is the phrase used to refer to how well you run your gun with your trigger finger. Things like finger placement on the blade, consistent pressure, and pulling straight back rather than at an angle all matter. If your trigger control is lousy, so are your results.
There’s a popular meme that’s been going around for years that harps on trigger control. It’s circular with a bull’s eye in the center that states, “good, keep doing that.” The outer ring is cut into slices like a pie and in every slice is the statement “you suck.” It might seem harsh, but it’s more accurate than the other memes floating around that claim to diagnose why shots land in certain spots.
That particular meme leads viewers to believe that too little or too much finger on the trigger is the solution for [insert problem here], and it couldn’t be more wrong. The variables are just too great, and there is no one-size-fits-all diagnosis. For example, my tendency to drop my right shoulder messes up my groups any time I forget to move it back—and that has nothing to do with my trigger finger. Trigger control is simply one piece of the good shooting puzzle.
Does the trigger matter?
Yes, the trigger on your gun affects your control and accuracy. Two specific factors apply to the trigger itself: quality and blade shape. Triggers that are gritty or have stacking are significantly more challenging to master, and when it comes right down to it, it makes sense to replace it with a better model. Fortunately, there are a lot of aftermarket triggers available. If you’re going to replace a poorly designed trigger with a better one, stop and consider blade shape.
The face of the trigger blade is where the pad of your trigger finger rests, and the shape matters. The standard factory handgun trigger is curved and may or may not have serrations on its face. Some are safety blades, meaning there’s an additional small device in the middle of the blade that must be pressed rearward to fire the gun—something you’ll see on Glocks, among others. There are handguns with straight triggers, and if yours doesn’t have one, odds are good you can find an aftermarket model. How much it curves, how wide the trigger face is, whether a straight blade has a ledge at its base—all those things vary.
Just like we all have different hand sizes, we have different fingers. The way the pad of our finger interfaces with the face of the trigger varies. For some people, a curved blade is better, while others excel with straight blades. You should learn to run multiple types of triggers well, but it’s also good to understand which type fits you best.
What’s a good trigger pull?
A good trigger pull gives you repeatable, consistent results on target. Factors that matter when pulling the trigger include:
- Even pressure and speed from start to finish
- Straight back pull
- Allow the trigger to move fully forward after the shot is fired (don’t ride it or only look for the reset)
- Use a crush grip on your pistol—you need to hold that gun firmly
- Pull the trigger with your finger, not your hand (no squeezing of the other four fingers during the pull)
- Follow through (yes, I’m saying it again)
- Front sight focus
Trigger Control – Pull or Press
Over the years, I’ve heard a surprising number of words applied to the trigger pull. The two most common are press and pull. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It matters how you do it. If thinking of it as a press makes you struggle to keep smooth, consistent pressure, then call it something else. If calling it a pull makes your brain want to jerk the trigger roughly, well, don’t call it a pull. You will most commonly hear it called a trigger pull, but trends change, so one day it might be called something else entirely.
How To Improve Trigger Control
Finger Placement
The first thing to jump on for trigger control is finger placement. If you are fortunate enough to take a class with Mas Ayoob, you might end up doing a drill that involves changing the contact point of the trigger on your finger. You could try the tip, the middle, and the first crease. Many—most—shooters will tell you that too little or too much finger is catastrophic, but again, everyone is different. Speaking as someone with a slightly rotated trigger finger, I can say that what works for me is different than what may work for you. Try shooting your gun with more—or less—finger contact. Odds are good you’ll discover right in the middle is the sweet spot, but it’s a solid learning experience to try out different placements.
Trigger Pull
Once you know where you need the pad of your finger—assuming you’re shooting a semi-auto, it’s probably the middle—you can move on (if it’s a revolver, you’re more likely to need to be closer to or at the first crease of your trigger finger). Here’s what to keep in mind about the actual trigger pull:
- Follow through matters. The trigger must be pulled all the way rearward before returning forward. Don’t look at your target, move your head, or simply let the trigger go. Follow through with the trigger pull, start to finish.
- Don’t jerk the trigger. A rapid yanking motion rearward doesn’t do you any favors. The pull must be smooth, steady, and straight. Speed comes later.
- Keep your finger in constant contact with the face of the trigger. You shouldn’t let go or lose contact.
- Riding the trigger is a no-go. There was a time when riding the trigger to reset was considered a good idea, but those days are gone. Allowing the trigger to move fully forward before the next shot is the way to go.
- Pinning the trigger is also bad. When the trigger is pulled fully rearward, it’s time to complete the pull by allowing it to move forward again. When you pin the trigger back, you create a jerking motion and also slow yourself down.
Try Dry Fire First
Basic Dry Fire
It’s a good idea to do some dry fire first to work on your trigger control. You can even do it at the range and then switch over to live fire. If you’re a visual learner, it can help to watch yourself pull the trigger. Do this with a gun you’ve cleared both by looking at it and touching the chamber. Make sure the muzzle is aimed in a safe direction, which might require you to turn your body to one side. You’re not worried about your sights; you’re watching how smooth your trigger pull is. Simply rotate your hand—with the muzzle in a safe direction—and watch yourself pull the trigger. Make sure you’re not doing any of the bad habits listed above. If it looks good, move on.
Dry Fire Aimed at Target
Next, try dry fire aimed at a target. The idea is to ensure you aren’t moving your sights when you run the trigger. It’s harder to tell if you do this right off with live fire, so try it with an empty gun first. Remember, you’re focusing on the front sight, not the target. You can always balance something on that sight—or on the slide—to keep track of movement. Coins and spent brass work well.
Live Fire
A good drill to find out how you’re doing is to load your magazine with live rounds and snap caps. It can be more effective if someone else loads it for you, but it still works if you do it yourself (just try not to count shots fired so you know where the snap cap is). When you’re shooting, you’ll find out if you’re jerking the trigger or otherwise disturbing the gun when you find the snap cap. Switching from live fire to a snap cap without warning can be quite the moment of discovery. If the gun jerks noticeably with a snap cap, you know you need to fix your trigger control.
READ MORE HERE: AR15 Trigger-nometry: Instant Accuracy Boost
You Can Master It – Keep Trying!
Mastering the trigger might seem challenging, but you can do it! Don’t compare yourself to YouTubers or famous competition shooters. Take a video of yourself shooting if it will help you figure out what’s going wrong. And don’t be afraid of dry fire. It might not be as exciting as live fire, but it’s an excellent training tool. Before you know it, you’ll have trigger control down and you’ll move on to speeding things up. Be patient.
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