TRAINING WITH KL STRATEGIC (5): The deduction work

The trigger work is a complex process that has a significant impact on a shot. Even small errors can have major consequences.

Controlled trigger work or trigger control is a major challenge, especially for beginners. Tuned triggers with a short pull and low trigger weight inevitably make learning this control more difficult due to their very sensitive settings.

But what is it that distinguishes trigger control from just squeezing the trigger?

On one hand, it is the understanding that the movement of the trigger has far more implications than just breaking the shot; on the other hand, it is a conscious and controlled movement where influence is exerted on the weapon.

The second part is especially important, as it represents a clear contradiction to past shooting training.

While it used to be said until a few years ago that one should "be surprised" by the shot when squeezing the trigger, we now know better. In handling firearms, it is important to know exactly what you are doing - accordingly, a shooter should also know when a shot breaks. This requires practice and experience with your own weapon, in short, nothing else than training, training, training.

Controlled trigger work is closely related to mindset and, of course, practical knowledge and skills.

Let's focus on the first aspect mentioned above: knowledge about the effects of trigger movement!

When looking at a weapon, one will notice that the direction of movement is quite clearly defined, namely forward and backward.

Within this range of motion, the trigger pull, depending on the type of trigger, is more or less large. However, all triggers have one thing in common. At a point - defined by the trigger according to the type of trigger - the firing mechanism picks up the hammer/striker and from here the actual firing process of the shot begins.

With pressure point triggers, this point is very noticeable - after a certain amount of pre-travel - noticeable; with set triggers and direct triggers, this point is usually reached immediately or after an extremely minimal amount of pre-travel.

For the sake of simplicity, I would like to further explain trigger control based on a pressure point trigger.

Controlled trigger work begins with the placement of the trigger finger. Here, the ghosts already start to diverge; however, a method has prevailed independently in various areas.

In this method, the first finger joint with the sensitive center is placed on the trigger. This has several advantages:

• The ability to squeeze straight is already naturally present (see below)
• Due to the sensitive touch nerves in this area of the finger, reaching or re-reaching the pressure point is clearly palpable.
• The danger of pushing/pulling the trigger sideways is almost eliminated

The goal of squeezing is to move the trigger steadily and controlled, parallel to the bore axis, until the shot breaks. Only then is any deviation due to trigger errors ruled out.

In the next step, the trigger is controlled along the pre-travel until the pressure point is reached. Already at this point, it is important not to push the trigger sideways. If the placement of the trigger finger is incorrect, this can lead to the weapon twisting in the grip.

Example:

A right-handed shooter places the finger on the trigger with the first finger joint. This usually causes the trigger finger to "roll" around the trigger during squeezing, thus exerting lateral pressure to the right on the trigger. This leads, on the one hand, to the perceived trigger weight being higher than it actually is, as the trigger is moved in an undefined direction, and, on the other hand, to the weapon being twisted to the right in the grip, leading to lateral deviations of the shots. Another sign of this error is the need to re-establish the grip after each shot.

Inversely, if the finger is placed on the trigger with just the fingertip, it causes the weapon to tilt to the left due to lateral pressure on the trigger.

In this example, one can see how important the interaction between the individual factors of the shooting process is.

As mentioned in the first article (Grip), these connections play an important role in the overall shot placement and require a high level of concentration. The grip already strongly influences the possibilities of placing the trigger finger. This is why the grip is so crucial to the shot.

After reaching the pressure point, this is overcome by even pressure parallel to the bore axis until the shot breaks. This usually happens after overcoming a short distance, during which the hammer/striker is released by the trigger mechanism. This varies slightly for each weapon and is related to manufacturing tolerances.

As mentioned earlier, a shooter should know when the shot breaks with their weapon and not "be surprised by the shot" (The importance of this is explained further below).

At this point, the wheat is separated from the chaff, as inexperienced shooters release the trigger here. However, if you want to make deliberate shots or execute rapid shot sequences, it is important to keep your finger on the trigger and lead it to the rear stop. The time required allows the recoil from the weapon to be transmitted through the body (see Part II - Stance) and to complete the weapon's movement. This is commonly known as the so-called follow-through. By continuing to press the trigger to the rear stop, the weapon remains stable in the stance and returns to the natural hold point (see Part 3 - natural hold point), allowing for a quick shot initiation in the future.

Why is releasing the trigger negatively impacted?

If the finger is suddenly lifted from the trigger after the shot is fired, the following negative factors occur:

• Unnecessary, jerky movement in the weapon. This leads to "pulling off."
• A new shot initiation is only possible after repositioning the trigger finger. This costs time and concentration, as well as possibly requiring a new aiming process. In general, these are unnecessary movements.
• Rapid shot sequences are hardly efficient due to the onset of "trigger hammering," caused by the rapid release and pulling of the trigger, which leads to a lot of unnecessary movement in the weapon, resulting in lower shots with lateral deviations in rapid shot sequences.

In the further progress of the controlled squeezing, the trigger is brought back consciously from its rearmost position to the pressure point. The earlier placement of the trigger finger plays a positive role here, as it can sense the re-engagement of the hammer. From here, a new rapid and controlled shot initiation can take place, or the finger can be removed from the trigger to end the series, change positions, or perform other tasks.

Looking at this process from a safety perspective, one can see that the 4 basic safety rules even support this process:

Rule 3:

The trigger finger touches the trigger only when the muzzle is directed at the target and leaves it when the muzzle leaves the target.

This means, conversely, that the trigger finger can remain on the trigger as long as the muzzle is aimed at the target!

Also from an efficiency standpoint, the described method offers clear advantages over others. Efficiency generally refers to achieving a desired goal with minimal means and time. The method presented achieves this by minimizing movements to an absolute necessary minimum and performing them in a targeted manner.

Now it becomes clear why "being surprised by the shot" is not productive. Not only does a surprised shooter tend to flinch and consequently jerk in the last moment; but a weapon whose release point is unknown will always remain a foreign object in the hand, as an unpredictable factor remains.

An even greater uncertainty factor is the uncertainty of the release point during deliberate shots. Here, squeezing is even slower and more focused. Many shooters reach and overcome the pressure point and now wait for the shot release, but if the release point is not known, this can lead to a long delay in the shot release, which leads to "impatience" among the shooters, causing them to eventually "force" the shot, which is done by quickly pressing the trigger. This is accompanied by a tearing of the trigger, which leads to the weapon jerking.

In the context of stress-resistant firearms handling, these things should be avoided. The foundation lies in precise knowledge of your own weapon(s) and trust in your own skills. These can only be achieved through regular practice and the development of muscle memory.

Those who know their weapon and their skills and trust them can truly handle their weapon safely. As long as a weapon is treated as a dangerous foreign object, conscious and unconscious uncertainties in handling will still exist.

Especially trigger work can greatly ruin an otherwise perfect shooting process.

How to train these and other aspects anytime and easily is covered in Part 12 - Home Training.

In this sense

Stay safe!

Khi Pa

KL STRATEGIC on the INTERNET: http://kl-strategic.com

KL STRATEGIC on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/KL-STRATEGIC

SPARTANAT is the online magazine for Military News, Tactical Life, Gear & Reviews.
Send us your news: [email protected]