J-frame: too much trigger finger?

[dyl]

I'm just curious how you all deal with the short length to the trigger on your small revolvers. I end up with a bit more trigger finger than I'm used to.

When I try to use my distal joint to pull the trigger it pulls the sights off target.
So what I've been doing is pulling the trigger with the next segment of index finger (proximal phalange) even closer to the base of my finger. It's strange, but it works. I've got some oddly placed calluses there now.

I was considering changing the grips for something that covered the backstrap but these wood boot grips my j-frame came with are nice to look at gold emblems. They're concealable too.

Anyhow, just shootin the breeze I don't know if that counts as a pun. Nope, probably not.

 

[Casimer]

I use the factory stocks and a T-Grip. But I also rotate the grip a bit so that my finger isn't quite so far through the guard. My only concern about using the proximal phalange is that it might be hard to set-up consistently when drawing.

this is a t-grip
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/rug357/Revolvers/SWModel38Bodyguard1.jpg

 

[Standing Wolf]

I think of the J frame as a gun whose most likely use will be at less than three yards, so the fine points of trigger control become noticeably less critical. At such distances, minute of angle is irrelevant: we're talking about minute of criminal, a much, much larger unit of measure.

 

[kle]

When I try to use my distal joint to pull the trigger it pulls the sights off target.

So what I've been doing is pulling the trigger with the next segment of index finger (proximal phalange) even closer to the base of my finger. It's strange, but it works. I've got some oddly placed calluses there now.

This is the technique I use, too. I like to use the J-frame magnas + Tyler T-grip.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/kent_le/4059562939/

Edit: I thought that using the 2nd segment is what I do when I draw, but I just tried a draw-to-fire drill with my unloaded J-frame, and it turns out that I use the joint of my trigger finger instead. Interestingly, I found that I also don't grip it as tightly as I would if I were just shooting it at the range. If I'm just shooting the thing at the range, I'll grip the gun very high and tight and I will use the 2nd segment. Interesting.

 

[dyl]

That's a good point about perhaps not being able to be consistent with the Proximal Phalange from a draw stroke. I've not really paid attention to how it is from the draw - or whether that takes more time or not. Typically, once i start dry-firing, I keep on going for a while and pay more attention to the sight picture.

By the way, does the Tyler T grip allow a three finger hold?

I took the grips off and lo and behold - all 3 fingers fit on the metal frame. But of course without grips it is so skinny that even if I make a fist I'm not even sure I'm gripping anything I think my ideal grips/stock might be something that does not fill in the place behind the trigger guard - allowing a 3 finger hold. But it would also have to cover the backstrap to increase the distance to the trigger.

Or I could just not fuss anymore and avoid contributing to my still-small pile of grips and holsters that don't work for me.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[dyl]

Casimer, yes I sometimes rotate the gun a little too so that there's less index finger/trigger finger laying along the frame. But then for my particular hand I lose a little "pointability" and have to make lots of fine adjustments by sight. Maybe it can be learned.

 

[kle]

By the way, does the Tyler T grip allow a three finger hold?

Not for me; I can get two-and-a-half fingers around the grip, with my pinky hanging half-off the end. But the ones that are completely on the grip have something solid to squeeze against; without the T-grip the two largest fingers (middle and ring) don't feel like they're really grasping anything and don't feel like they're really hanging onto the gun.

 

[Casimer]

By the way, does the Tyler T grip allow a three finger hold?

Yes, if you're getting a 3 finger grip on the frame, then you should with a T-Grip as well.

But then for my particular hand I lose a little "pointability" and have to make lots of fine adjustments by sight.

That's the bugaboo of these little guns IMO. If they don't point naturally for your hand, they're harder to fit than a larger pistol. I'm fortunate w/ the j-frame because it aligns well for me from a draw. But there are other compacts that never will.

 

[Deja vu]

I find I have to constantly practice with dry fires with my J frame (640-1) I have a crimson trace laser grip (405 model) after I practice drawing I aim at a point on the far wall (the center of a clock) and dry fire 5 rounds trying to keep the laser from moving, then I put the gun back in my pocket and try again.

I find that it is very hard to pull the trigger with the pad of the finger. Between the short grips and the heavy trigger I don't naturally use the pad with this gun. I usually end up using the second crease.

p.s. its pretty neat that I am getting good at pulling the gun up and its naturally on target even at hip shooting. With a little practice with the laser I am impressed how quickly you can learn such things... to bad I think I need another set of batteries.