Shooting Techniques With Trigger Control on a Revolver

Trigger control is an essential element of accurate handgun shooting. All your work on a proper stance, grip and breathing technique is simply a lead-in to the final trigger pull. Ultimately, the proper trigger technique is the last control you can give to any shot. If the trigger pull is off, the shot will be inaccurate. A good trigger pull will result in a good shot.

  1. Point of Contact

    • The point of contact between your finger and the trigger is the first important element. Your finger should touch the trigger between the center of your finger's pad and the first knuckle. If the alignment is off in either direction, you can inadvertently pull the sighting off to the left or right.

    Pull Angle

    • Make sure you pull the trigger straight back. This may seem like obvious advice, but many missed shots are a result of an uneven trigger pull. In most cases, a faulty pull angle is caused by poor finger placement, so that when the finger is flexed, it is pulling either inside or outside. Experiment with finger placement until you are sure you are pulling the trigger directly back.

    Independent Finger

    • Move only one finger when pulling the trigger. Inexperienced shooters often clench all their fingers as they prepare to shoot. Maintain constant pressure with your other fingers; only tense your index finger to pull the trigger. Excessive flexion can misalign your grip and add tension and instability to the shot.

    Smooth Pull

    • Make sure the trigger pull is a smooth pull rather than a jerking motion. Do not succumb to the temptation to fire as quickly as possible when the target is aligned. Make a steady, sustained pull directly back on the trigger.

    Surprising Trigger Break

    • Quelling the anticipation instinct may be the most difficult part of trigger technique to master. The trigger break, when the firing pin is deployed and the gun fires, should take you by surprise as you gradually pull the trigger back. Practice dry-firing, without live rounds in the gun, to get a better feel for the break of the trigger, and to practice pulling the trigger steadily through the break without reacting to the pop as the firing pin is deployed.