Finger pad or finger joint on the trigger?

[scatter]

I've done my share of handgun shooting, and after all this time, when I miss it's still almost always low and left. I know "flinching" is a possible culprit, although I am very conscious of it and I don't think that's the entire problem.

I've been taught, and have always thought, that the best way to pull the trigger is with the pad of the finger. But recently I've been watching the mechanics of my finger when I simulate pulling a trigger with no gun in my hand. For me, it is not possible to pull the pad of my trigger finger straight back and keep it perpendicular to the trigger. That means I'm putting sideways pressure on the trigger, and when it breaks that force goes away and the gun naturally snaps back toward the left (I'm right handed).

But I CAN pull straight back with no side force if I use the joint of my finger. I've been doing some dry-fire experimenting with this lately and I think I might make the switch. Anybody else been through this dilemma?

 

[MisterHappy]

If the shots go where you want them, that's the right way to do it.

 

[firestorm]

For me it depends on the gun, with lighter triggers using the pad seems to work best but for my P220 I seem to throw that first shot on DA if I try using the pad but it's better if I use the first joint.

 

[LuvDog]

The more I read about how I'm "supposed" to shoot, it seems the worse my placement is. Go with what works for you.

 

[Queen Bee]

i use the pad of my finger for most guns except the glock 42. where i use the DIP joint , because the gun is very small .

 

[SJan]

If my finger was divided into 10 equally sized sections from the tip to the line made by the first joint, I put the trigger at the second section from the joint.

"Learn how to jerk the trigger without moving the gun"

watch about 1:52 - 2:05 for the secrets of shooting straight

 

[szaino]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48

Go to 39 sec in the video. He talks exactly about the trigger finger.

Jarrett has great videos on shooting.

 

[neum69]

Fantastic advice in this video.

 

[Supermoto]

I've done my share of handgun shooting, and after all this time, when I miss it's still almost always low and left. I know "flinching" is a possible culprit, although I am very conscious of it and I don't think that's the entire problem.

If you can call you shots by keeping your eyes open as the shot breaks, then you would see the front sight move as you are firing the shot. If you aren't seeing that, then you are flinching and closing your eyes and trigger finger placement isn't your biggest concern

 

[-B-]

joint Here is how it was first explained to me in small bore three position , the joint is a hard point of contact , the joint negates poor position / side loading . That all held true in NRA shot gun, 10m match , 30 years of paintball . The had part is setting up a gun to fit correctly so that the position happens more naturally in 10m and small bore mortification to the grips and stocks are very common most are ugly and crude but it world with care it can blend quite well

 

[rhombus]

A friend of mine in the military always told me to use the pad, so for a long time I tried to retrain myself to shoot that way... Then that same friend had a chance overseas to shoot at a range with some Delta guys and he paid close attention to their fundamentals, and he told me it was mixed bag as to which they used.

After I heard that, I went back to the joint. It feels more natural and if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me.

 

[cockpitbob]

I saw a training video recently that talked about this. The suggestion was to try dry firing the gun with the finger in different positions. With just the tip of the finger you'll probably deflect the sights left when you pull. Way down on the 2nd joint you'll probably pull the sights right. Find your sweet spot somewhere in the middle. Made sense to me. I'm about halfway between the middle of the pad and the joint with my little LC9s.

 

[Cloverleaf Firearms Group]

If my finger was divided into 10 equally sized sections from the tip to the line made by the first joint, I put the trigger at the second section from the joint.

"Learn how to jerk the trigger without moving the gun"

watch about 1:52 - 2:05 for the secrets of shooting straight

If you can call you shots by keeping your eyes open as the shot breaks, then you would see the front sight move as you are firing the shot. If you aren't seeing that, then you are flinching and closing your eyes and trigger finger placement isn't your biggest concern

Your answers are here. Fix your grip, put your finger wherever you want, and slap shit out of trigger if it pleases you.