TargetTalk

As a pistol shooter, I squeeze the trigger. I remember a Lanny Basham tape where he stated that rifle shooters pull the trigger.
Can someone clarify what this technique should feel like.
Also would the trigger pull be different for a 300m centerfire rifle compared to a Smallbore rifle or Air rifle ?
Hope my questions are clear enough.
Thanks,
Lee

I would describe it as a quick, smooth, light movement, much like typing of clicking your mouse.

I am currently trying to perfect a trigger release technique for smallbore that would be described as a squeeze. Using a 2 stage trigger I take up the 1st stage and as then "squeeze the stock" with my thumb and the trigger finger sort of just follows along.

Hope that makes sense.....

[quote="Pat McCoy"]I would describe it as a quick, smooth, light movement, much like typing of clicking your mouse.[/quote]
would this apply to air, SB as well as a 300m free rifle ?

This would apply to Air Rifle and smallbore standing and kneeling. Smallbore prone is sometimes still a "squeeze", BUT really we strive for an "automatic" actuation of the trigger while focusing on sights.

As one gets to higher and higher levels you see more "automagical" shots, where both the sighting and trigger actuation become un(sub)conscious. You are not aware of them at all.

I have no experience with 300M, so cannot comment directly on it.

I have found, in coaching shooters who have switched from rifle to pistol, that the focus is much more on the rigger in pistol shooting (allowing the un(sub)conscious to make the final small adjustment of the sights). This is just the opposite of rifle shooting, and my suspicion is because of the much more stable platform (much less sight movement) in rifle shooting.

For 300m Free Rifle the trigger will be virtually the same as S/B. The Standard Rifle though has to have a 500g pull weight.

For a good two stage trigger I would have it set up so that I have about a 1/4" (5-6 mm) first stage with the weight set to just enough to return the trigger leaver (the opposite to pistol or the 300m Standard Rifle which has most of the weight in the first stage). The second stage would have a defenant stop and would break at around 2oz (60g) with no creep. I would then have a long over travel to the trigger stop.

In use I would take up the first stage fairly early during the shot process and hold on the second stage pretty much using it as if it were a single stage from that point on. Once the position is settled I then increase the trigger pressure when the sight picture is correct until the shot breaks. When the shot does break though I do not continue moving the trigger, and never bring it back to the stop. Often it will be the subconcous mind that drives the shot release, often to the surprise of the concus mind. Those tend to be the best shots, but are often impossible to call accuratly as in the centre. Having to concously "force the issue" usually gives poor results. Mostly the councous part of the brain gives the order for the automatic reaction to take place, these shots usually go on call.

Another thing is follow through. I am a big believer in follow through. The trigger stays in it's final position throughout the follow through, which can be 4 to 5 seconds or longer. Only then do I relax the trigger finger and come off the sights etc. When shooting AR on the SCATT my follow through usually times out the default setting for the end of trace after shot release.

Alan

Thanks for all the tips. As a long time pistol shooter I always had a love of rifles and would like to learn all I can.

regards,
Lee

Pat McCoy wrote:I would describe it as a quick, smooth, light movement, much like typing of clicking your mouse.

My technique is more like trying not to pull the trigger while I keep constant pressure on the trigger.

Basically, keep trigger movement positive without introducing any additional movement due to the trigger being moved.

'Clicking' the trigger in my opinion is more like lightly jerking it.

With really good two stage triggers set properly it is just a light application of that last little bit of pressure and the shot breaks. I agree not so much a clicking like a mouse but just becomes a involuntary response the finger makes when the sight picture is what you want. When the eye sees that the finger just has to apply that last little tiny bit of pressure in a smooth subtle way. Something you only learn with lots of practice.

You can pre-load the second stage with pressure as well once you become really familiar with it so that it only takes a mouse fart of wind to set it off. Get to the point where that pressure input is so minimal it just happens without any real sudden application of pressure or pulling required.


Bo

All my shooting life I have heard this "squeeze" vs "pull" crap and I believe it is just semantics. When I began shooting junior smallbore I was told to "squeeze" the trigger through the shot. I believe that is a result of the fact that a new shooter has no hold- only a area of wobble. Second, back then triggers were required to weigh 3 lbs. The triggers have now made such advances good smallbore shooters use triggers measured in grams, and not many of them.

In standing most shooters do need to consider a area of aim but in prone and to a lesser extent in kneeling the hold is so steady that a light trigger can be actuated without disturbing the hold. In fact even with iron sights the pulse beat must be considered and the shot made at the bottom of the pulse.

Most good prone shooters have a mental program they run with each shot and when they get to the mental step that says"bang" the rifle goes off. I would call this a conditioned response as opposed to subconscious or unconscious.

It is much like changing gears in a stick shift car. After your dad taught you how, you just do it. Foot off the gas, other foot on the clutch, hand moves the gear shift, foot off the clutch, foot on the gas. All while listening to the radio and talking with your girl friend.

In addition every shooter is different. It is like the famous violinist said to the question, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Answer, "Practice".

Ensure that you know the zero setting of your rifle. It you do not know where it is shooting, you will waste much valuable range time and could be shooting out of the range's safe area.


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