Trigger for ISSF 10 meters sensitive

[10metershooterazores]

I have a FWB 103 and I did 4 matches! I knew when I fired because I had the drag and then I stopped and I knew exactly when I was going to shoot, but on the advice of a lot of people, I adjusted to not know when I'm going to shoot, that is, the pressure is always the same and I'm squeezing until the shot comes out! Is it correct for P10 ISSF? Thank you

[Gwhite]

Getting a "surprise shot" is useful to avoid subconscious changes in your grip in anticipation of the shot. Do NOT think about firing the shot. Ideally, it should all be automatic & you shouldn't be thinking at all. However, when you are training & learning, it helps to think about an action that will result in the shot being fired. Think about smoothly and constantly increasing pressure on the trigger, or smoothly and constantly moving the trigger to the rear. Which works best is partially personal preference, and can also differ depending on the mechanics of your pistol's trigger setup.

The slight mental difference between "thinking about firing the shot" and "thinking about an action that will cause the shot to fire" is subtle, but important. The slightest tensing up of your grip because you KNOW when the shot is about to go off can easily move the sights far more than your natural wobble.

[10metershooterazores]

Getting a "surprise shot" is useful to avoid subconscious changes in your grip in anticipation of the shot. Do NOT think about firing the shot. Ideally, it should all be automatic & you shouldn't be thinking at all. However, when you are training & learning, it helps to think about an action that will result in the shot being fired. Think about smoothly and constantly increasing pressure on the trigger, or smoothly and constantly moving the trigger to the rear. Which works best is partially personal preference, and can also differ depending on the mechanics of your pistol's trigger setup.

The slight mental difference between "thinking about firing the shot" and "thinking about an action that will cause the shot to fire" is subtle, but important. The slightest tensing up of your grip because you KNOW when the shot is about to go off can easily move the sights far more than your natural wobble.

But I'm used to knowing when the shot will come out and I can center on the last second! I'm today, I'm going to the left, do you know the reasons? Oh, and thank you very much

[Gwhite]

Assuming you are right handed, the most common problem is that you are tensing up your finger tips because you know the shot is about to break. That's exactly why it is better to get a surprise shot. If you are actively trying to time your shots so they go off in the middle, you are extremely likely to have anticipation problems far worse than accepting your natural wobble. Maybe you can do it successfully, but that approach goes against every book & coach I've dealt with.

[porkchop]

Gwhite, when the OP is saying he had some drag on the trigger, is that the same as having most of the weight on the 1st stage? I thought that was good for 2-stage triggers and why they are preferred. I appreciate your explanation why shots go left, I should get some putty and build up my front strap on my grip as I tend to dig my finger tips in also. Would it be different if I gripped with some finger tip pressure from the start or is that a bad practice also?
Stan

[Gwhite]

I'm not quite sure what the OP meant about drag on the trigger.

The goal is consistency. Unless you are shooting centerfire with heavy recoil to deal with, you don't need to apply ANY pressure to the side of the pistol with your thumb or your finger tips. If you do, and there is any variation in that pressure (for example, due to anticipation), you will move the pistol sideways. The most consistent pressure you can apply is ZERO. If you keep your fingertips & thumb OFF the grip, they can't push the pistol around.

Ideally, you want all of the force from your hand on the pistol to be aligned with the barrel. That way, any variation in pressure will not disturb the sight alignment.

If you have trouble keeping your finger tips off the side of your grip, you can do what my first coach did for me. He taped a row of thumbtacks on the side of my grip (points out). That fixed my problem VERY quickly.

[10metershooterazores]

I'm not quite sure what the OP meant about drag on the trigger.

The goal is consistency. Unless you are shooting centerfire with heavy recoil to deal with, you don't need to apply ANY pressure to the side of the pistol with your thumb or your finger tips. If you do, and there is any variation in that pressure (for example, due to anticipation), you will move the pistol sideways. The most consistent pressure you can apply is ZERO. If you keep your fingertips & thumb OFF the grip, they can't push the pistol around.

Ideally, you want all of the force from your hand on the pistol to be aligned with the barrel. That way, any variation in pressure will not disturb the sight alignment.

If you have trouble keeping your finger tips off the side of your grip, you can do what my first coach did for me. He taped a row of thumbtacks on the side of my grip (points out). That fixed my problem VERY quickly.

Thanks for the help! I just canceled the stage 1 of the trigger, that is, as soon i touch the trigger it shoots because the champion of my shooting club use that way!

[Gwhite]

It's OK to experiment, but don't slavishly follow what higher level shooters do. Shooting well is a very individual thing, and part of the journey to achieving your full potential is figuring out what works best for YOU. You will probably find that you shoot better for a while with the new setup (the "new gun" phenomena). This is often because things feel different, and you tend to focus more intently on your technique. As soon as you get used to it, old habits will creep back in, and your scores will go back down.

As soon as a top level shooter wins a big medal, everyone studies their technique, equipment & position and tries to copy it. All the on-line videos these days helps to fuel this approach. One of the top pistol shooters in the US is Brian Zins. He doesn't shoot ISSF events, but he's won the National Pistol Championship (.22, centerfire, & .45 combined) something like 12 times. Somebody spotted him eating a banana and mayonnaise sandwich before a big match, and in short order, LOTS of shooters were making banana and mayonnaise sandwiches to eat before they shot... He was very amused. He just happens to LIKE banana and mayonnaise sandwiches.

[David M]

White bread or brown........