Re: Horizontal Dispersion
Fair enough. Here we go then
. I actually found while doing this that designing some diagrams was useful, so you'll see them included below.
It all boils down to consistency for me. Now, you might think, what could be more consistent than pulling straight back, right? And I agree. But in my hand, what I suggested above actually ensures a more consistent, more repeatable straight back motion than the classic way. Here's the reason why-
I want you to do an exercise for me (assuming a right handed shooter here). Wrap your hand as though around the stock, put your trigger finger straight out and then point it in at 9 o'clock. Now, in a very relaxed fashion, pull back with the tip of the finger. You'll find that the natural motion of the finger (especially the tip) is to curve inward, not straight back:
Now do the same exercise with conscious effort to keep it straight as it pulls. You can do it, sure. But it requires a certain level of tension, and I guarantee an hour of this motion will tire out your finger much more than the natural closing motion. So in order to have consistency (that first important word), you have to do this tense motion the exact same way each time. Getting an unnatural motion perfectly consistent is much more difficult and prone to error than repeating a natural one that follows the joints' and muscles' natural range of motion.
Ok, next step. This is basic mechanics- angular distance is equal to angle times length. This is why using the tip of the finger introduces the most potential torquing if you don't pull absolutely straight back. But if you use the closed fist approach, your length is much shorter and close to the center axis. Try this: hold out your shooting hand and pretend you're holding a bottle. Now shift your trigger finger away from the bottle and back to it, like you would be doing when pulling the trigger. You'll notice that with very little effort that the area around the second joint can be brought back almost completely straight.
Also while you're doing this, take a look at the tip of your finger- see how much more torque it's introducing? Remember- angle times length.
As the final pitch, I find this part of my finger is much stronger, especially when this close to a fist, probably owing to the much larger joint controlling it. So with relatively no effort I can break like a glass rod, as opposed to the longer feel of pull and effort I feel is needed when using the tip.
But, after all is said and done, it's a personal mechanics thing. Like I was saying, if we were all built after robot model #247-658E, rules could be set in stone
. But it's a taste and fit thing. Always remember- any instruction in a book was written by humans for other humans, plain and simple. It's not the word of a higher power. If anything, I find the only truism is to get out there and shoot, as many on here say, because then you *do* find what works best for you.
Oh, and don't get me started on breathing patterns
