Advanced Marksmanship Trigger pull or controlled jerk

[AQC440]

Trigger pull or controlled jerk

My friend and I shoot together constantly. We are both accomplished shots, but I have noticed he can get 5 rounds off much quicker then myself. That said, his groups, dot drills or what have you are never as good as my own. He gets on the trigger rather quickly, but I always have a long slow pull.
The scenario: Using a bolt gun, lets say you have 3 milk jugs full of water as targets, 100,300 and 400 yards with 8 seconds to engage all three and a $100.00 bet just to add pressure.
With the time restraints, for me to win, my slow trigger pull would have to fall by the wayside. So my question is: When shooting a tactical rifle, should I practice some other form of trigger control or stick with what I know, and be much slower.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

Tigger control use to be SQUEEZE, witch is kind of silly. You sqeese ladies, they dont care how long you squeeese them.

Guns are differant. You "squeeze' nice and slow, and your target has left the country.

The proper term is SMOOTH, a jerk dosnt work, its not controlled. The trigger is pulled SMOOTHLY, not jerked, not squeezed.

With practice you can get a quick, SMOOTH, pull.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

As KraigWY said above. A good controlled trigger squeeze.

You may also want to have someone who is serious about gun set-up have a look at your trigger. And then pay them to do something about it. No point in squeezing forever if you "can't get right on it, eh?"

A controlled pull with a good/great trigger means faster engagement.

 

[AQC440]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As KraigWY said above. A good controlled trigger squeeze.

You may also want to have someone who is serious about gun set-up have a look at your trigger. And then pay them to do something about it. No point in squeezing forever if you "can't get right on it, eh?"

A controlled pull with a good/great trigger means faster engagement. </div></div>

KraigWY, gotcha...quick,smooth pull.
Sandwarrior, trigger on my tactical rifle breaks at 2 lbs. 2 oz. on average.
The Jewell trigger on my BR rifle breaks at just over 2 oz..
It's not equipment, I think it is mental. My heart is set on shooting tactical, but I learned while shooting bench rest that as long as I pulled straight back on the trigger using just the pad of my finger I could shoot "screamers" from 100-6 and not to shabby 1K's.
I guess I need to train my brain that a quick, smooth pull will produce the results I am looking for...
I thank both of you for taking time to respond to my question.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AQC440</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

... trigger on my tactical rifle breaks at 2 lbs. 2 oz. on average.
The Jewell trigger on my BR rifle breaks at just over 2 oz..
It's not equipment, I think it is mental. </div></div>

Good deal. I think then it's just a time to set your mind and get it done the way you know it needs to be done.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

Trigger control is a mental process and pull is a physical process. Think SMOOTH. Smooth can be fast or deliberate.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

Proper trigger control is being able to break the shot without disturbing the lay of the sights enough to miss the target.

How quickly that can be done is a matter not only of proper technique, but about the relative size of the target.

For example, with a pistol, at 5 yards, I can pretty much slap the trigger without missing a target the size of a human torso - but at 100 yards, I'd better take more time.

With a precision rifle, dry firing the rifle with targets of various sizes will help you get a feel for the proper technique.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

I agree 100% about Dry firing helping with your trigger control.

Lindy mentioned pistols. One of the best tools out there to work on your trigger control with a pistol is Laser Sights. You see instant results watching that red dot dancing around.

I don't have a laser sight for a rifle, but for the purpose of dry firing and teaching trigger control, I'm tempted to get one.

 

[AQC440]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

O.K. thinking smoothly, I will sit different size targets throughout my rifle range and dry fire away.
I have an old laser that just isn't reliable enough for defense but should work perfectly for dry fire training once the shadows cover the range...never thought of using the laser as a training device!
Great input gentlemen, thank you very much.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

I understand the usefulness of a laser for a pistol to get a feel for smooth trigger control. For an iron sight rifle, I have not seen the usefulness of a laser, when I stay focused on the front sight.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

http://www.scatt.com/default.htm

 

[Elxx]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.scatt.com/default.htm </div></div>

Worst name ever.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

the 10 cent method

put a dime on the top of your barrel while dry firing, if it falls you are jerking. if it stays, you are "squeezing" smoothly.

rapid fire on milk jugs at different distances, you can get away with "jerking" to some extent. smaller more presice shots, not as much. but is he jerking it or just engaging the trigger smoothly, but quicker than you?

again smoothness counts, whether its being smooth in a quick or slow manner, it will reduce the chance of pulling the shot off target. just because one can get off shots quickly, doesn't mean they are not engaging the trigger smoothly.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Trigger pull or controlled jerk

Dimes are ok for slow fire pistol dry firing and such, but the laser sight is better for double action revolver shooting or, lets say, rapid fire with a rifle.

I'm s stickler for not letting people take the stock out of their shoulder when shooting rapid fire with a bolt gun.

Thats where the laser comes in, work the bolt, let her rip and see if the dot moves off target, if it does, then your trigger control needs work. (Or postition, that takes some observation to determine).

Checking if its the position is a differant topic.