Chris
09-18-2008, 04:50 PM
Rob Leatham has been a dominant force in action shooting competition for more than two decades. His major match wins are far too numerous to list, but include four IPSC World Championships, 14 USPSA national titles, Bianchi Cup, Steel Challenge and STI/Handgunner World Shootoff crowns. Rob believes trigger control is the most important component of shooting skill. Indexing the gun on target is important, but relatively easy to learn. Developing trigger control to the point where it becomes a subconscious skill takes a great deal of work. It also has tremendous benefits. Comments are from conversation with Leatham, from a shooting class recorded by Nyle Leatham and from the website www.robleatham.com.
SOUNDS EASY
"You've probably been told 'Look at the sights and squeeze the trigger' by every person who has ever tried to teach you to shoot. I know I have, but I think few ever take it far enough to understand what it really means. In my experience, you can pretty much ignore sighting issues and move straight to fire control."
"I have found trigger manipulation and fire control are, by far, more important. Mistakes I've made in training or in tournaments are around poorly-fired shots, not poorly aimed shots. The trigger finger goes squarely across the face of the trigger so it can press the trigger straight back. I don't agree with a lot of other instructors on the forward movement of the trigger finger after the sear breaks. Many instructors say you should keep the finger on the trigger at all times, letting the trigger move forward under control just to the point where the trigger resets. I don't do it that way. The instant the sear breaks my trigger finger moves forward, off the trigger. Sometimes it will move so far forward I'll hit the inside front of the trigger guard with the finger.
"I've experimented with both ways. Keeping the finger constantly on the trigger, letting it move ahead just enough to reset and then pressing again, is slightly faster, I agree. But the margin of speed is very small. The bad side of this method is you might not let the trigger move ahead far enough to reset. If the trigger doesn't reset, obviously the gun won't fire when you press the trigger. You have to release it again to reset. By then you may be swinging to another target or even starting to move to another position. Then you've really lost time. Releasing the trigger completely as I do may be marginally slower, but it is more reliable and consistent. I never have to worry about those trigger stumbles which really eat up time. And I can use the same technique on any gun, whether it's a 1911, Springfield XD, or revolver."
Trigger Finger Fun
"Fast shooting is a matter of timing, doing the right things in the right sequence. As the gun fires and flips up the trigger finger moves forward, off the trigger. The gun cycles and the trigger resets as I'm pulling it down from recoil. As the gun indexes back on target I'm already moving the finger back to fire the next shot.
"You will not pull the trigger the same on a fast pair at five yards on an IPSC target, as you would at 50 yards. You would not be able to keep the gun in alignment in both instances with your finger moving at that fast a pace. You also would be slow as molasses shooting the close target with the same trigger manipulation needed for the hard shots.
"This is obvious, but brings me to a point. You can do anything you want to the gun as long as you keep it in alignment long enough for the bullet to leave the barrel. Jerk the trigger if you like, as long as the gun stays in alignment. Pull it slow if you like, but keep it aligned on the target. The important thing is to move the trigger finger without moving any thing else."
So, now you know. Now, you have to learn to do it!
American Handgunner, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Dave Anderson
SOUNDS EASY
"You've probably been told 'Look at the sights and squeeze the trigger' by every person who has ever tried to teach you to shoot. I know I have, but I think few ever take it far enough to understand what it really means. In my experience, you can pretty much ignore sighting issues and move straight to fire control."
"I have found trigger manipulation and fire control are, by far, more important. Mistakes I've made in training or in tournaments are around poorly-fired shots, not poorly aimed shots. The trigger finger goes squarely across the face of the trigger so it can press the trigger straight back. I don't agree with a lot of other instructors on the forward movement of the trigger finger after the sear breaks. Many instructors say you should keep the finger on the trigger at all times, letting the trigger move forward under control just to the point where the trigger resets. I don't do it that way. The instant the sear breaks my trigger finger moves forward, off the trigger. Sometimes it will move so far forward I'll hit the inside front of the trigger guard with the finger.
"I've experimented with both ways. Keeping the finger constantly on the trigger, letting it move ahead just enough to reset and then pressing again, is slightly faster, I agree. But the margin of speed is very small. The bad side of this method is you might not let the trigger move ahead far enough to reset. If the trigger doesn't reset, obviously the gun won't fire when you press the trigger. You have to release it again to reset. By then you may be swinging to another target or even starting to move to another position. Then you've really lost time. Releasing the trigger completely as I do may be marginally slower, but it is more reliable and consistent. I never have to worry about those trigger stumbles which really eat up time. And I can use the same technique on any gun, whether it's a 1911, Springfield XD, or revolver."
Trigger Finger Fun
"Fast shooting is a matter of timing, doing the right things in the right sequence. As the gun fires and flips up the trigger finger moves forward, off the trigger. The gun cycles and the trigger resets as I'm pulling it down from recoil. As the gun indexes back on target I'm already moving the finger back to fire the next shot.
"You will not pull the trigger the same on a fast pair at five yards on an IPSC target, as you would at 50 yards. You would not be able to keep the gun in alignment in both instances with your finger moving at that fast a pace. You also would be slow as molasses shooting the close target with the same trigger manipulation needed for the hard shots.
"This is obvious, but brings me to a point. You can do anything you want to the gun as long as you keep it in alignment long enough for the bullet to leave the barrel. Jerk the trigger if you like, as long as the gun stays in alignment. Pull it slow if you like, but keep it aligned on the target. The important thing is to move the trigger finger without moving any thing else."
So, now you know. Now, you have to learn to do it!
American Handgunner, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Dave Anderson