Trigger Grip? or 1/4 of an inch....

I was at the range today, trying to get in a little trigger time prior to recertification in another week or so, and I learned something. Not so odd that I learned something, but odd that I'd never noticed this particular item before.

I, apparently, have large hands. Large enough that when I draw my duty weapon, a Glock 22 in .40 S&W, the most comfortable, and automatic grip, puts my trigger finger in the wrong the place. I've always had a bit of a problem shooting low and to the left(I'm right handed) and have been told various and sundry things that were probably causing that. Now granted, even though I'm shooting low and to the left, I shoot enough, and am a decent enough shot, that my rounds are still good shots, just not where I think they should be.

I went with my partner to the range today, and after I popped off my first mag of 15, noticed that while I had a good grouping, my group was about in inch out of the X10 ring at about 0730 on the clock. I consulted with my partner, a better shot than myself, and came up with the usual answers. Anticipating the shot, and jerking the trigger, etc.. Since today's session was to focus mainly on target acquisition, smooth trigger pulling, and utilizing the trigger reset on the Glock, I spent a little more time analyzing what I was doing.

For the first time in how ever many years it's been since I was issued my first Glock, I noticed that when I draw from the holster, assume the shooting stance, and place my finger on the trigger, my finger is too far over. I realized that I had the trigger resting inside the first knuckle of my finger. Epiphany time. That's what has been pulling my shots low and to the left all these years. You can't pull straight back, if the trigger is inside the crease of your knuckle. Well, you might be able to, but I sure can't.

So I make a conscious effort on the next draw, and once I'm on target, make sure I've pulled my trigger finger back about a quarter of an inch, so that the pad of my index finger is resting on the trigger instead of the crease of my first knuckle, and WHAMMO!! I'm dead on target, knocking the X ring out of the target. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I'm tearing up the X ring, and no longer low and to the left.

I shift up to the head shot, maintaining the pad of the finger on the trigger, same results. Lots of little holes in the face of the target, none on the chin.

I've always qualified, and qualified well, if I do say so myself. I've always been able to hit what I aimed at when plinking, though now that I stop to think about it, I've always compensated just a bit for that low to the left shot. I've been shooting for years, and had multiple instructors of varying levels of skill(all above mine) at the Academy, and subsequent re-certifications, that have always pointed out that I must be jerking the trigger to keep pulling my groups like that.

I wonder why none of them ever looked at where my finger was placed on the trigger? Probably because I've always shot well, just never dead center. I've always had good groups and high scores, just never the highest scores, because my groups were always a little off, low and to the left.

We'll have to see how this affects my shooting, or if today was just a fluke at the range. However, I foresee higher scores at this years re-certification. :)

Remember, sometimes, actually most of the time, it's something little, that's so obvious, no one thinks to look for it.....

Shoot straight....


Casey