I have developed trigger finger tendonitis lately. It is quite painful to pull trigger finger independently.
Recently came across this tip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmdfYfp3xXY
I started pulling trigger finger and third finger together as a unit. The tendonitis pain is much more tolerable this way.
But more importantly, the grouping has also gotten smaller.
Any comment on this technique of pulling trigger finger together with the grip?
trigger finger pull as part of grip
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Re: trigger finger pull as part of grip
If I remember well ... the trigger finger and the third finger share the same tendon. That could (perhaps) explain why pulling both fingers, at the same time, gives good results. s.seamaster wrote: I started pulling trigger finger and third finger together as a unit.
Re: trigger finger pull as part of grip
As long as you can ONLY apply pressure on the grip straight to the rear with the 3rd finger it shouldn't hurt your grouping. However, that's easier said than done. Any change in pressure off axis will tend to push your shots around.
The best way to shoot a really tight group is to be as consistent as possible. Keeping a consistent grip is easier if nothing is changing. Any variation in pressure on the side of the grip (like from finger tips or your thumb) will push the shots around. The most consuistent force you can apply is zero, which is why it's important to relax your thumb & finger tips.
I have tendonitis in my fingers as well, although at the moment it's largely manageable. Warming up the affected tendons before stressing them helps, as does icing them afterward.
My tendonitis was the results of two things:
1) Too tight a grip. I was basically mashing the tendons in my middle two fingers.
2) "Chicken finger." The trigger finger pulls on the trigger using "flexor" tendons & muscles. If part of your brain is hesitant about the shot, it can subconsciously activate the "extensor" tendon/muscle system in your hand that straighten out your finger. Now, your flexor system has to overcome not only the trigger spring force, but the impeding action of the extensor tendon/muscle system. This can make the trigger pull seems many times stiffer than it actually is. The resulting high levels of force also create a lot of extra wear & tear on the tendons. If you can really mentally COMMIT to the shot, so the extensor muscles stay out of the way, you'd be amazed at how light the trigger can feel.
After a bout of tennis elbow, where it hurt every time the pistol went off, I found my problem with "chicken finger" escalated dramatically. It got so bad that my trigger finger & the muscles that move it (up in the forearm) were sore after every shooting session. The extensor muscles are actually "intrinsic" muscles, and are located in the back of the hand. They aren't nearly as strong, but they can still both mess with your trigger pull a LOT, and get ticked off if the flexor muscles are fighting with them.
I've had tendonitis in lots of other places, and Ibuprofen has also made a huge difference. One thing about tendonitis is that once it gets to a certain threshold, it escalates every time you perform the offending activity. At that point, you HAVE to rest & let things calm down. Trying to tough it out just makes it worse, and can cause permanent scarring of the tendon sheaths.
The best way to shoot a really tight group is to be as consistent as possible. Keeping a consistent grip is easier if nothing is changing. Any variation in pressure on the side of the grip (like from finger tips or your thumb) will push the shots around. The most consuistent force you can apply is zero, which is why it's important to relax your thumb & finger tips.
I have tendonitis in my fingers as well, although at the moment it's largely manageable. Warming up the affected tendons before stressing them helps, as does icing them afterward.
My tendonitis was the results of two things:
1) Too tight a grip. I was basically mashing the tendons in my middle two fingers.
2) "Chicken finger." The trigger finger pulls on the trigger using "flexor" tendons & muscles. If part of your brain is hesitant about the shot, it can subconsciously activate the "extensor" tendon/muscle system in your hand that straighten out your finger. Now, your flexor system has to overcome not only the trigger spring force, but the impeding action of the extensor tendon/muscle system. This can make the trigger pull seems many times stiffer than it actually is. The resulting high levels of force also create a lot of extra wear & tear on the tendons. If you can really mentally COMMIT to the shot, so the extensor muscles stay out of the way, you'd be amazed at how light the trigger can feel.
After a bout of tennis elbow, where it hurt every time the pistol went off, I found my problem with "chicken finger" escalated dramatically. It got so bad that my trigger finger & the muscles that move it (up in the forearm) were sore after every shooting session. The extensor muscles are actually "intrinsic" muscles, and are located in the back of the hand. They aren't nearly as strong, but they can still both mess with your trigger pull a LOT, and get ticked off if the flexor muscles are fighting with them.
I've had tendonitis in lots of other places, and Ibuprofen has also made a huge difference. One thing about tendonitis is that once it gets to a certain threshold, it escalates every time you perform the offending activity. At that point, you HAVE to rest & let things calm down. Trying to tough it out just makes it worse, and can cause permanent scarring of the tendon sheaths.