That my friends is some pretty good advice because in essence it tells you all about trigger control and if you really pay attention to it you won't make some of the common mistakes associated with getting a shot off.If you know anything about shooting such as what finger you use to operate the trigger - and even a novice shooter usually realizes that it is the index finger that operates the trigger - that statement will have you well on your way to becoming a good shot. One of the common mistakes among new and even some seasoned shooters is that they think that squeezing the trigger means that they are supposed to use their whole hand to squeeze it. In other words, they think they are supposed to be squeezing not only the trigger but also the whole grip, sort of like squeezing a lemon to get some juice out of it or like squeezing some one's hand when you shake it and want them to realize you have a strong grip. First of all, that statement tells you that all you are squeezing is the trigger. So, while you should have a firm grasp of the pistol grip, the only motion that you consciously, or try to, carry out to operate the trigger should be the pulling back or squeezing of the trigger with your index finger on you strong side or shooting hand, the other hand being used for support if 2 handed shooting or not used at all (to support the gun) if shooting with one hand.
There is another thing, in that sentence, that is also very important. It tells you not to jerk the trigger, but that "...you just squeeze it little might". In other words, its not like you are trying to crush a beer can in your grip as a show of strength, gouge out someone's eyeball, nor trying to pull your dog back on its leash if it lunges at someone, or to pull open a stuck door with all your might. What it is, is just a smooth continuous squeeze of the trigger, with your trigger finger, until the pistol goes off. (Of course this can also apply to rifle shooting which is the context in which the quoted sentence was originally used.)
Some will tell you that trigger squeeze is a bad term because it makes people think of doing something like squeezing a lemon. They prefer to use the term pull, but as I showed above that could be misconstrued as well. Then again, so too could just about any term that you use. What needs to be taught and what needs to be learned it what is meant by the term trigger squeeze. For an instructor to tell a student shooter that you squeeze the trigger, with giving an explanation of what is meant by 'squeezing the trigger' simply has too much a a chance to wind up with the shooter misunderstanding what s required for good trigger control.
One person, Robert Osborne, described trigger squeeze as this:
"Trigger squeeze is the independent rearward movement of the trigger finger without disturbance of the sight alignment until the weapon fires."
(http://www.firearmsprimer.com/marks/marks_5.htm)
I agree with almost everything he said except that trigger squeeze is not an independent movement but I do not fault Mr. Osborne for saying it. That he meant what I meant above is obvious to me. While Mr. Osborne was trying to convey what I just described above regarding the whole thing about consciously only squeezing the trigger with the index finger and not squeezing like you are juicing a lemon or shaking a hand, the truth is, that when you squeeze back with your index finger as I have just described there is also movement of all of the other fingers on your hand - a reaction to the movement of the muscles and tendons and ligaments required to move the index finger. Albeit that movement is basically involuntary and slight, it happens because of the movement of your index finger. It would probably take years to overcome that movement if possible at all to completely overcome it; it is simply a natural effect of curling back your index finger. The important thing though is not to squeeze with all of your fingers and the rest of the hand - you are making a conscious effort to squeeze back using only the index finger while maintaining a firm steady hold of the grip. When you make that effort you will get it right and, for all practical purposes, all you will be doing is squeezing back with your index or trigger finger while maintaining a firm hold of the grip - the involuntary movement of the other fingers and rest of the hand will be, at most, nominal in effect.
In essence, everything I wrote above was said in that one simple sentence. I heard it while watching an old western - Return of the Bad Men. It was uttered by the character played by George 'Gabby' Hayes, who was giving a brief shooting lesson to a young man under his tutelage. That movie and the quote were made in 1948. It was good sense back then and good sense today. By the way, the above pic is one of Gabby Hayes and Roy Rogers. There are better pics of Gabby Hayes but maybe none that look so much as if he may be perplexed while trying to teach someone trigger control - and that someone being Roy Rogers makes that shot priceless.
I agree with almost everything he said except that trigger squeeze is not an independent movement but I do not fault Mr. Osborne for saying it. That he meant what I meant above is obvious to me. While Mr. Osborne was trying to convey what I just described above regarding the whole thing about consciously only squeezing the trigger with the index finger and not squeezing like you are juicing a lemon or shaking a hand, the truth is, that when you squeeze back with your index finger as I have just described there is also movement of all of the other fingers on your hand - a reaction to the movement of the muscles and tendons and ligaments required to move the index finger. Albeit that movement is basically involuntary and slight, it happens because of the movement of your index finger. It would probably take years to overcome that movement if possible at all to completely overcome it; it is simply a natural effect of curling back your index finger. The important thing though is not to squeeze with all of your fingers and the rest of the hand - you are making a conscious effort to squeeze back using only the index finger while maintaining a firm steady hold of the grip. When you make that effort you will get it right and, for all practical purposes, all you will be doing is squeezing back with your index or trigger finger while maintaining a firm hold of the grip - the involuntary movement of the other fingers and rest of the hand will be, at most, nominal in effect.
In essence, everything I wrote above was said in that one simple sentence. I heard it while watching an old western - Return of the Bad Men. It was uttered by the character played by George 'Gabby' Hayes, who was giving a brief shooting lesson to a young man under his tutelage. That movie and the quote were made in 1948. It was good sense back then and good sense today. By the way, the above pic is one of Gabby Hayes and Roy Rogers. There are better pics of Gabby Hayes but maybe none that look so much as if he may be perplexed while trying to teach someone trigger control - and that someone being Roy Rogers makes that shot priceless.
All the best,
Glenn B
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