How do I make my trigger finger faster?

[Nathan]

This is a serious question. I bought a Taurus TX22. The purpose was to work on my speed shooting so that I could improve my speed skills with my 9MM CCW and HD pistols. Ultimately what I’m finding out is after about six or eight rounds my trigger finger slows down. Are there any tips out there to make your trigger finger react more quickly, and maintain a high rate of fire?

[Sharkbite]

I would suggest a shot timer. Without REAL data and a metric to hold yourself to, what do you hold yourself to.

If you are able to shoot 3-4 hits at reasonable distances in 1 second (splits of .25-.30) you are shooting plenty fast for CCW or HD use. Speed of fire is RARELY the winning factor.

Life is not an IDPA match. Situational awareness, target ID and shot discrimination are WAY more important then rate of fire. Id rather only be able to shoot 1-2 rounds a seconds and have SOLID HITS than spray 6 rounds a second with crappy control (recoil, sight reference, etc)

[sigarms228]

Is it slowing down due to fatigue?? If so you might want to get one of those hand squeeze exercisers to build strength/endurance for your hand/wrist/forearm. Even a tennis ball can be used to start.

https://www.amazon.com/Prohands-Stre...1zcF9tdGY&th=1

[Nathan]

I agree. Need to share timer numbers.

I also wish there was a JM finger trainer!!!

[44 AMP]

Shooting faster than you can aim doesn't get you much, and remember you are legally responsible for every round you fire, so shooting fast and "laying down cover fire" off the range in the real world is only a good idea for Hollywood heroes and police who have their dept and their lawyers paid for by tax dollars.

Back when I played speed games (for fun, when ammo was cheaper) I found that somewhere between 9 -11 empties in the air at a time. (.22s), fewer with heavier recoiling rounds.

besides the finger strength tools, its a matter of practice, and more practice. A timer will show you if you're improving, or not.

Also, consider a large capacity firearm, Feeding will be expensive, but if you can, practice "mag dumps" shooting as fast as you can until the gun runs dry. This will help train your "finger" (actually your mind) to avoid or minimize the unconscious pause when your subconscious tells you your gun should be empty by now, so stop pulling the trigger.

back when semi autos were nearly all 7-9 rnds, I got a Hi Power (13 rnds), and did notice that years of practice with lower capacity guns had me stopping without actively thinking about it, before the Browning was empty.

[Recycled bullet]

Use a grip strength exerciser with the individual springs for each finger. Work your way up to the gray one which is like 60 lb tension if I remember correctly.

Squeeze tennis balls or pickleball you want to be able to indent the ball with your fingertips. Like a pinching motion.

Put all your fingers together then Use a rubber band wrapped around the outside of your fingers to exercise the opening motion. Open and close your hand like a flower. This will help keep the musculature of your hand balanced and make it less likely for injury and carpal tunnel and pain.

Do reverse dumbbell wrist raises with your forearm flat on a desk in your hand extended off of the edge use small dumbbells three to five to 8 lb dumbbells whatever is appropriate for you. This is to help build support in the back of your wrist.

After you've done these things then take your 686 Smith and Wesson and shoot it 20,000 times in double action.

Periodically repeat the physical therapy hand exercises described above as you advance strength and dexterity in your hands.

Then pick up your semi-auto pistol and you'll be able to shoot it five times in one second, keep firing until empty. Your limitation will be the size of the magazine.

At this point your fingers will be so strong that it'll be faster to manually load magazines than to use a loading tool.

[Jim Watson]

after about six or eight rounds my trigger finger slows down.

You mean six or eight in a row, a magazine dump?
I don't do that, can't help.

[Shadow9mm]

This video is an excellent tutorial. Garand thumb with "mojo". Works on pacing and cadence. https://youtu.be/TCFRWFh4Uyc?si=4zYq6y7uhgXyRAgr

This is good too, would brothers and jerry miculek https://youtu.be/pic_C6Adt3Q?si=GW2GTEaNenWteihy

If your having trouble with your trigger finger itself getting tired, i reccomended the grip master. It's a hand strength trainer but it works the fingers individually. You can use it just like a handgun squeezing your trigger finger. Do 3 or 4 sets a couple times a week. https://a.co/d/6c2caVs

[GlenF]

A lighter trigger would help eliminate your finger getting tired.

Something about 2 pounds.

[44 AMP]

Something about 2 pounds.

A very light trigger can be dangerous on a duty class weapon. Particularly in rapid fire.

Too light a trigger can be a disaster when your fingers are cold and stiff, or if wearing glove, or if you attention wanders just a tiny bit.

What is fine on a deliberate slow fire gun isn't always the best idea for something else.

Not only is it a training issue, but on some guns, a 2lb (or less ) trigger can even be mechanically dangerous.

Approach the idea with caution, serious caution.

[gwpercle]

You need to build up the muscles ...

Ain't but one way to build up the muscles ... Pump Iron

Pull the trigger ... over and over and over ...

Gary

[ballardw]

Learning where trigger resets so you don't move the finger any further forward will help.

[Nathan]

Learning where trigger resets so you don't move the finger any further forward will help.

This is an interesting theory. It seems correct, but when fast shooters are analyzed by high speed camera, they come off the trigger. I think Rob Leatham had a video on that.

A lighter trigger would help eliminate your finger getting tired.

Something about 2 pounds.

I think I agree with 44 AMP on this one. I have triggers from 3.5lb to 7lb on semiautos. I’m not sure it matters much. I do agree that over 5 takes more effort. Reduced takeup seems helpful.

IMO, the biggest factor to me is how fare the “wall” is from the backstrap. To me, a deeply bent finger is faster than a straighter finger.

The strength training ideas are interesting, but in my experience strength training is a bit different than speed or explosiveness training.

[sigarms228]

If you have a DA/SA pistol you could practice relatively fast trigger pull via dry fire. I do this sometimes for fun using a laser training cartridge and it's surprising how well I can keep on target. Of course there is no recoil doing that but it has helped me improve my trigger control consistency for DA. I rapid fire my Browning Buckmark 22 once in a while and can stay on target very well with it for ten rounds but the Buckmark has a pretty stellar trigger even out of the box.

[Ricklin]

Way back when with my new to me Glock 19. Did not care for the factory 5.5 lb. trigger at all. I ordered and installed a kit for a 3.5 lb. trigger. One range session and I put the old parts back in. Two things made me more comfortable with my Glock 19.
#1 A good holster that covers the trigger
#2 Many thousands of rounds of dry fire practice.
Those thousands of dry fire rounds improved me, the thousands of rounds also made a Goldilocks of the stock Glock 19 trigger. It's just right.
Feel for the reset as you release pressure on the bang switch, when you feel the click it's time to press it again. Esp effective for double taps. The trigger stroke is much shorter when riding the reset. Some resets are a longer stroke than others, feel for the click.

[44 AMP]

Feel for the reset as you release pressure on the bang switch, when you feel the click it's time to press it again.

Admittedly I do not have thousands of rounds through a Glock, and likely never will, but the few hundred I have fired the trigger impressed me, unfavorably!

I did not like the reset that slaps my trigger finger, and makes it sore in short order. One Glock I shot had an inconsistent pull, every shot was different. There was literally no learning when the gun was expected to fire, every shot was different. An aberration, I'm sure, but that was what it did.

I'm a fan of the finger coming completely off the trigger, then pulling it again. I'd not a speed shooter, don't play those kinds of games, and while learning how to and where to ride the reset might be slightly faster, its of no concern to me, as I really try not to shoot faster than I can aim.

Also finger coming off the trigger works with EVERYTHING. DA or SA, revolver or semi, allowing the trigger to move ALL the way forward works everytime. Since I shoot many different pistols, I prefer one method that is constant and consistent for all of them, for me,, that works best, and works with any and every thing I shoot. IF you only shoot one gun, or every gun you shoot has the same trigger pull and reset, fine. I have guns that differ radically where the reset is, and some where riding the trigger forward can even prevent a reset.

An old friend of mine used to say "Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes better. Perfect practice makes perfect." Never found anything where that was wrong.

If you want to make your trigger finger faster, you do it the same way the amateur violinist gets to Carnagie Hall.....PRACTICE!

[Shadow9mm]

Keep in mind, Jerry miculek set his world records shooting a revolver, double action, and i believe with a 8lb trigger..said the heavier trigger reset faster letting him shoot faster.

https://youtu.be/WzHG-ibZaKM?si=n82K-754iR22kvfy

[Recycled bullet]

Jerry Miculek is so fast he makes a double action Smith and Wesson revolver sound like an MG42.

Have you seen his hands? He has enormous powerful dexterous fingers.

[tangolima]

I read that it was a mental thing. One needs to train to override the brain's pause after a loud noise happens. One method is to establish a rhythm, similar to dancing to the beat of music.

Planned to do that myself. Changed mind as I couldn't pay the ammo bill. Going slow to make each round count more is the new plan.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[44 AMP]

Have you seen his hands? He has enormous powerful dexterous fingers.

Check out what Ed McGivern could do. Not a large man at all. Just really quick.

[Ricklin]

My Glocks trigger does not slap back at all, just a click and it is consistent. I'm not a fan of mag dumps or of accuracy via volume. That said riding the reset permits a really fast double tap for me.

[Nathan]

I'm not a fan of mag dumps or of accuracy via volume.

I'm not picking on you, just interested in hearing a bit more "why" about these statements. If you can meet the accuracy requirement of a shot, isn't faster better?

IMO, the skill with a pistol is to be able to deliver fast follow up shots until a target or targets are "Stopped". This applies to bear defense, and other critter defense.

To be fair, when I talk about speed or volume, I'm looking to shoot until a threat, that is returning fire or attacking, is stopped. . .or maybe shooting in a local match. That's it. I'm also talking about giving up some accuracy. For example, most of my CCW's will slow fire a 15yd group under 3" in my hands. . .this accelerated pace firing is intended to deliver 10" paper plate accuracy levels, but with sub 0.25s splits.. . .maybe sub 0.2s.

I'm not the guy at the local indoor range that moderately rapidly fires 10 rounds into a silhouette at 5 yds missing the paper 5 times or the guy holding his gun sideways in a YouTube video. I'm just looking to enhance my ability to deliver fast, accurate fire.

Heck, I would have liked to get the first one on my buck deer last year a little quicker!

[Ricklin]

Nathan, it's all about the size of the group produced first. How quickly that tight group can be made is also significant, hits on target rule.
I practice double taps a fair amount, I'd like to see one hole I'm happiest then. If they are within an inch of each other, I'm good.
I find my groups open up as I shoot faster, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.