Finger Behind The Trigger?

C

Crazy88Fingers

New member
Well I'm new to the boards and have been shooting for a bit under a year now. I'm noticing a lot of discussion over safety and the Four Commandments, which is great. I'd like to introduce a discussion on Commandment 3, about keeping your finger off the trigger until firing.

Usually when I'm handling a firearm, particularly when I'm clearing jams from friends' rented semi-autos at the range, I like to place my finger behind the trigger. This way I have a firmer grip on the gun and my finger isn't at risk of slipping off the frame and pulling the trigger but, instead, acts as a trigger block. This would, however, seem to be a violation of rule 3.

Thoughts?

By the way, when handling guns in the shop or elsewhere around people I keep my finger completely away from the trigger to keep them at ease.
 
M

mete

New member
When you are walking or running and trip , you instinctively grip what you are carrying .That means you may release a safety such as the one on a 1911 and pull the trigger.For guns where you can put you're finger BEHIND the trigger it's a good safe way to carry it .I do that with my M29, but my finger then is behind not on the trigger. Another thing to do would be to put your thumb behind the hammer on a revolver.
This is harder to do with many autos.
Welcome to the forum ! :)
 
R

RickB

New member
While it is safe, I don't know that I'd want to develop any sort of "muscle memory" that involved putting my finger in the trigger guard but not on the trigger. My finger goes into the guard only to shoot, and I don't think I'd want to have any sort of confusion as to what I'm doing with my finger when it goes into the guard. On a more practical level, almost all of the shooting I do is competition that does not allow the finger in the trigger guard except when shooting, and absent-mindedly putting my finger behind the trigger would earn me an early trip home.
 
T

TheGoldenState

New member
Hmm, never thought of that. Im so used to keeping finger out of the trigger until ready to shoot, that i never even gave it a thought. Although i have cleared tons of jams and dont feel like i ever need anymore grip/leverage then i already do just holding the pistol firmly as usual. Be careful and saffe shootin':D
 
S

Sevens

New member
I'll add the opinion that you would probably wig out anyone who is running a range or anyone who takes the handling of firearms very seriously. I see you made note of that with your last sentence and it's a good idea and IMO, a better idea to do it the established way.

What other people will see is your finger inside the trigger guard, and that's not what anyone wants to see. Nobody wants to investigate further -- they'd be much more comfortable if there were no fingers in there anywhere.

Also, it gets difficult to pull off such a trick with many single action pistols, 1911's for sure, and others too.

When dealing with revolvers or really handgun that you may need to unload, show clear and then manipulate -- you may impede the process if your finger won't allow the trigger to go where it's supposed to go. Empty a double action revolver, check twice to ensure it's empty and then close the cylinder and cock the hammer to see that it's working properly and you'll find quickly that your finger is getting squashed by that trigger.

I don't think it's a very good idea.
 
J

jglsprings

New member
Sorry, I think messing around putting your finger behind the trigger puts you in a position to make a mistake at some point.

I just keep it simple and never put the finger in the trigger guard anytime unless it is to shoot.

Do what you want - just keep it pointed in a safe direction.
 
V

vladan

New member
I just keep it simple and never put the finger in the trigger guard anytime unless it is to shoot.
Click to expand...
^^^This ^^^... it is bad habit to put your finger inside trigger guard unless you are about to pull the trigger.
 
K

Kreyzhorse

New member
Putting your finger behind the trigger can lead to putting your finger in front of the trigger by mistake.

If you don't intend to fire the gun, keep your finger out of the trigger guard.
 
S

Standing Wolf

Member in memoriam
I just keep it simple and never put the finger in the trigger guard anytime unless it is to shoot.
Click to expand...

That's what I've always done. I index my trigger finger on the frame until I'm ready to shoot.
 
F

Frank Ettin

Administrator
[1] It's best to develop a habit of always doing something in the same way all the time -- like always having your trigger finger off the trigger, outside the trigger guard and indexed on the frame, except when you're going to immediately fire the gun.

[2] Some pistols won't accommodate your trigger finger behind the trigger.

[3] As others have mentioned, if you get in the habit of putting your trigger finger in the trigger guard behind the trigger, sometime you could wind up with your finger on the trigger by mistake, especially with a gun that doesn't have much, or any, room behind the trigger.

[4] Your finger outside the trigger guard and indexed on the frame is relatively easy to see and so it's clear to others that your finger isn't on the trigger. This can be especially important if you get interested in IPSC or IDPA competition, or if you're taking classes.

[5] With your trigger finger indexed on the frame, it's an easy motion to get your finger on the trigger to take a shot. Among other things, that means you won't have an excuse for poor trigger finger discipline when doing things like drawing your gun from a holster.
 
Z

ZeSpectre

New member
in addition to what others have said, I've seen a pistol (for the life of me I can't remember which one) where the trigger actually pushed a "nub" behind it to trigger the gun so if your finger were behind the trigger on such a firearm, it'd still be resting on the "nub" which was the real sear release.
 
M

MLeake

New member
ZeSpectre...

... I think I've also seen one in a Gun Digest annual many years ago, and IIRC it was a Walther or Hammerli target .22 with a prototype electric ignition vs firing pin.
 
S

shafter

New member
Keeping the finger behind the trigger is every bit as safe as putting it outside the trigger guard. I don't care about how safe I look. I want to be safe.
 
J

James H

Moderator
Aside from actual or real safety, I think it's a good idea to keep other people around you aware that you are being safe. Hence, finger outside of trigger guard until you are actually ready to pull the trigger. Anyone using a technique of finger behind the trigger would make me nervous. And why? Do you really need that much of an extra grip when clearing jams, etc.? Buck up. Use some muscle.
 
V

vladan

New member
Shafter said:
Keeping the finger behind the trigger is every bit as safe as putting it outside the trigger guard. I don't care about how safe I look. I want to be safe.
Click to expand...

that's not safe, can't be done with some handguns (1911), and on top of it you risk getting your finger pinched by the trigger traveling back as rack the slide and therefore cock the hammer ...
And furthermore, to move finger from behind -the-trigger position to firing position takes much more time and muscle movement.
Bad habit every way you slice it ...
 
M

MLeake

New member
What Vladan said...

What others have said about making people nervous also applies.

I have to wonder how much actual leverage you gain from behind the trigger. My guess is the gain is not worth the potential hassles.
 
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