Gun fit - trigger position

[Doing my part]

I have a new Howa Bravo and have been trying to get my gun fit right. I think I have most of it where it should be. The last issue I am working on is the trigger position.

I adjusted the LOP as per common feelings on here then got behind the gun and realised that I have a bigger problem - the grip appears to be too close to the trigger. I have looked into adding padding to the stock to move my hand back but the design of the stock doesn't allow it without some major surgery. The whole layout of palm swells and grip cutout just doesn't appear to allow any tuning.

I believe I have three options plus one stupid idea - Live with it, Replace the trigger with an adjustable one (it's currently stock), replace the stock, or (stupid idea time) put something on the trigger to pad it out, move the contact forwards.

Does a anyone have any experience with this gun, stock, or problem please?

 

[Newbie2020]

Unless you’re over 6’5” it looks from photo one that you’re fine.

As per @lowlight With the butt in the crook of your elbow the trigger should be level w your second knuckle. This is how you’ll achieve a consistent 90 degree trigger finger.

 

[Newbie2020]

With the Bravo and most other commercial chassis the limits to the LOP adjustment cause a challenge for extremely short guys not medium or tall guys.

 

[Doing my part]

Unless you’re over 6’5” it looks from photo one that you’re fine.

As per @lowlight With the butt in the crook of your elbow the trigger should be level w your second knuckle. This is how you’ll achieve a consistent 90 degree trigger finger.

The LOP from butt to trigger is right. The distance from grip to trigger encourages/permits too much finger on the trigger.

Compliance with the the first does not ensure proper trigger ergos in this case.

 

[Newbie2020]

I’m 6’4” and thought I needed more LOP but I was wrong. At full extension at 15.5” it’s perfect for me to achieve a consistent 90 degree trigger finger w the center of the pad of my trigger finger on the middle of the trigger shoe

 

[Newbie2020]

Back out of the trigger guard a bit. Your second knuckle seems to be in the perfect location.

From your white knuckles you also might be muscling the grip a bit which makes trigger manipulation difficult

As per Marc Taylor @Enough Said your graspers pull back on the grip into the body w about 10 lbs of force while the pincers manipulate the trigger. The thumb should be relaxed to keep from pushing or pulling the trigger laterally, which is why a lot of guys have quit wrapping their thumb and simply float he thumb on the trigger finger side of the chassis.

The importance of the 90 degree trigger finger is to get a consistent straight back trigger press (not “pull” as we were always taught...)

 

[Doing my part]

Back out of the trigger guard a bit. Your second knuckle seems to be in the perfect location.

From your white knuckles you also might be muscling the grip a bit which makes trigger manipulation difficult

As per Marc Taylor @Enough Said your graspers pull back on the grip into the body w about 10 lbs of force while the pincers manipulate the trigger. The thumb should be relaxed to keep from pushing or pulling the trigger laterally, which is why a lot of guys have quit wrapping their thumb and simply float he thumb on the trigger finger side of the chassis.

The importance of the 90 degree trigger finger is to get a consistent straight back trigger press (not “pull” as we were always taught...)

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Newbie2020]

The LOP from butt to trigger is right. The distance from grip to trigger encourages/permits too much finger on the trigger.

Compliance with the the first does not ensure proper trigger ergos in this case.

If the LOP is good then you’re good.

Marry your 90 degree trigger finger to the trigger shoe, relax your thumb, grasp the front of the grip w your three graspers, and rest the heel of your hand against the side of the grip. The heel of your hand really doesn’t do a whole lot nor should your thumb.

 

[Doing my part]

OK thanks!

 

[Lowlight]

Shorter will be better, so you can get square behind the rifle correctly

We are actually removing about 1.5" (height dependent) out of the traditional LOP prone shooters have used in the past. At 6.5" you might loose 2.5" off the traditional LOP

 

[Newbie2020]

I’m 6’4” and frank took my bipod and rear bag up to 8.5-9” but took 1.5-2.0” out of my LOP. I feel way more relaxed now in prone.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I’m pretty sure you can get a really good 90deg trigger finger from that pic.

Most are using a jointed trigger press. Closer is better and alleviates this.

 

[Doing my part]

Thanks for the help guys, I think I'll leave it alone for another couple hundred rounds and see if I can get comfortable.

 

[Shootin Stuff]

From pic #1 your knuckle looks to be in about the right spot, but you are wrapping your index finger way too much. You've got a deathgrip on that stock too.

Have you thought about/tried building up the grip to stand off the base segment of your index finger so the pad naturally centres on the the trigger? Or even better, build up the whole grip to fit your palm and middle, ring and baby fingers. It's amazing the difference a grip shaped to fit your hand shape makes.

 

[Doing my part]

From pic #1 your knuckle looks to be in about the right spot, but you are wrapping your index finger way too much. You've got a deathgrip on that stock too.

Have you thought about/tried building up the grip to stand off the base segment of your index finger so the pad naturally centres on the the trigger? Or even better, build up the whole grip to fit your palm and middle, ring and baby fingers. It's amazing the difference a grip shaped to fit your hand shape makes.

Yeah I mentioned earlier that hose are quick and dirty pics to show dimensions, not my shooting technique! I particularly don't jam my finger all the way through like that - it was to show how much extra finger there is than 'just the tip' which is what I was expecting.

You're talking about the sort of thing I was thinking about though - I don't naturally fall into a 90-finger with the pad on the trigger, which is what made me think that the dimension from grip to trigger was not right. Back to that thing where if good form feels weird, something needs to change ergonomically (something lowlight said about moving the mirrors on the car...). I ended up thinking that it's more a problem with my expectations that the actual nuts and bolts of the gun and more time on range would probably help.

I actually bought a reasonable amount of moldable silicon adhesive (sugru - brilliant stuff!) to modify the grip, so that's still an option. I'll knock some sketches up when I'm not working and see what the hive mind makes of it.

 

[Lowlight]

Here is a big guy with a bravo, you want to rotate your hand too

we built up a shelf during a class

 

[Doing my part]

Thanks @Shootin Stuff , @lowlight , this looks like a good line of development. I love fixing stuff with tape and tie wraps