Trigger jerk a myth?

[Chuckman]

This argument joins the 9mm vs .45, 1911 vs Glock debate.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Why Trigger Jerk Is A Myth

For, well, ever, shooters have been taught to avoid “trigger jerk” when shooting, particularly handguns. There’s practically a whole industry around diagnosing and correcting this horrible imperfection in one’s shooting. But, it’s all based on a myth.

www.shootingillustrated.com

 

[P01135809]

I'm a jerk who anticipates the shot which results in a petit mal seizure looking flinch when you load dummy rounds in my gun...

 

[john galt]

Been on the range when he did this.

 

[gc70]

The guy is obviously correct - all of those pesky trigger pull problems would disappear if everyone just had a vise-like gorilla grip that totally immobilized a gun like a Ransom Rest.

 

[Charlie]

Been on the range when he did this.

I wonder what the results would be if the fellow holding the pistol was the one smacking the trigger with the wrench?

 

[georgel]

There are many sports require consistent repeatability to do well. I used to use as an example, a pro golfer Jim Furyk ,that had a weird loop at the top of his back swing. But, he was a great golfer. I would tell people, you can have a flinch or jerk, as long as you do it the exact same way every time.

 

[fieldgrade]

Hackathorn says everybody jerks the trigger. Some just control it better than others.

 

[Gator]

Saw it mentioned in another video some time in the past. Appears to be the same thoughts just expressed a little differently.




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[Notacop]

Jerking the trigger ain't literally you moving the gun mid firing. It's all that pesky hand attached to that finger moving around.

 

[Jmoser]

Squeeze your hand = miss
Grip your thumb = miss
Flinch = miss
Anticipation of recoil = miss

Root cause analysis includes a nut loose behind the trigger . . .

He addresses the ‘myth’ at the 3:35 mark

 

[MacEntyre]

Wall, the trigger gotta be pulled, or the gun won't fire, whether there's a jerk or a wimp behind it all!

 

[Jeppo]

Wall, the trigger gotta be pulled, or the gun won't fire, whether there's a jerk or a wimp behind it all!

Baldwin says otherwise! 🤓

 

[Stogies]

Trigger flinch certainly is a thing.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I've gotta read through that link later.

But what's important is DISCIPLINE. Specifically, trigger discipline.

And that's a holistic event, because the muscles and tendons which control the trigger finger run the full length of the forearm, the wrist, and the finger. This means moving your trigger finger affects ALL the arm, from the forearm to all the fingers.

So it's tied into grip, other finger movements, and wrist movements. You can't escape this.

So learning trigger discipline is about both form and function. And you have to exercise (i.e. practice shooting) to develop the appropriate strength and muscle control to hold your sight picture while you pull the trigger.

So no...trigger jerking is NOT a myth. Jerking the trigger CAN adversely affect your shooting.

The question is "do you practice enough to develop and control your muscles the way you should?"

Plenty of people pull their triggers in a "jerking" fashion and do quite well. But they practice enough to develop the strength and control required to put their bullets on target.

Jerry Miculek, for example, didn't set his many timed records by standing there gently pulling the trigger on his guns.

 

[NKD]

Just to use an extreme example to illustrate a point:
A 1000 yard shot with a precision rifle: why in the world would anybody ever “jerk” the trigger for any reason? It’s a dumb notion. There is no reason to and no benefit to be gained from it.

Conversely, shooting a pistol at a huge target at two feet super fast on a timer at a match: why would you ever carefully press trigger and carefully feel reset etc? You don’t. You quickly slap it the required number of shots.

It is the type of shot scenario that calls for the type of trigger press. There is no ONE SIZE fits for everything. Just my opinion.

 

[Hellquest]

Think trigger jerk is more of a problem to new shooters. Experience shooters know how to hold and aim. New shooters jerk hard and cause many problems.

 

[BatteryOaksBilly]

3 minutes a day will make you a better shooter. This is incorrect.......it should be 3 minutes EVERY day will make you a better shooter.

There are those on Here that can prove this...the problem is All shooters don't Really want to get better..they like to Type about it.

In the time it took me to type this, you could be finished with your dry fire session........Folks just aren't serious about getting better.

 

[Hellquest]

3 minutes a day will make you a better shooter. This is incorrect.......it should be 3 minutes EVERY day will make you a better shooter.

There are those on Here that can prove this...the problem is All shooters don't Really want to get better..they like to Type about it.

In the time it took me to type this, you could be finished with your dry fire session........Folks just aren't serious about getting better.

Ohh I know. I teach 4 classes a week at the store and range. People only care about having the idea of shooting not the work and skills it takes to shoot.

 

[VA_GENTLEMAN]

And yet... half a century of shooting and I am still like this:

 

[Hellquest]

And yet... half a century of shooting and I am still like this:

We had a lady on Wednesday in our CWP class that on the range she missed at 3 yards on a b-27E Target. Blamed the gun for having to much recoil.

 

[BatteryOaksBilly]

she missed at 3 yards on a b-27E Target.

With Over 3,000 attempts at The Wizard, I have seen Many seasoned shooters that I have known for decades MISS a 6 inch plate at 3 YARDS! 3 times in a ROW.

 

[Notacop]

3 minutes a day will make you a better shooter. This is incorrect.......it should be 3 minutes EVERY day will make you a better shooter.

There are those on Here that can prove this...the problem is All shooters don't Really want to get better..they like to Type about it.

In the time it took me to type this, you could be finished with your dry fire session........Folks just aren't serious about getting better.

I do my daily desk pop

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

3 minutes a day will make you a better shooter. This is incorrect.......it should be 3 minutes EVERY day will make you a better shooter.

There are those on Here that can prove this...the problem is All shooters don't Really want to get better..they like to Type about it.

In the time it took me to type this, you could be finished with your dry fire session........Folks just aren't serious about getting better.

Sooo...three minutes EVERY day jerking your trigger will make you shoot better?

I think I've got this nailed!

(And that's about as far as I can take this in this thread...)

 

[Hellquest]

I do my daily desk pop

Lady by our business thinks we just shoot into the air when will feel like it.

 

[baltimoreed]

Not a trigger flinch- it’s a gun flinch. Shooter trying to push the gun away because it’s loud and violent. The shooter winds up pointing the gun low when it goes bang. Another shooter loading the gun doing the alternate dummy-load- dummy drill can eventually cure it. A lighter load or smaller caliber can help desensitize a flinchy shooter.

 

[Derek8404]

Been on the range when he did this.

On a side note, I don’t have the words to describe how much I hate that guys shooting stance. I cringe seeing people use that stance shooting pistols. It looks cool on the Gram and YouTube I guess, but you loose so much of your peripheral shooting like that.

“Range Theatrics” is what I call that. And that doucher from T Rex arms is the Steven Spielberg of range theatrics. @DCGallim obviously knows how much I love that kid…..