Trigger Control

The beginning shooter will soon realize that keeping the sights rock steady on target is an impossible task. Learning proper shooting positions, steady hold techniques, and shooting from a supported position or rest greatly reduce sighting error and wobble, but perfect alignment remains an ephemeral circumstance.

The novice attempts to deal with this by yanking the trigger at that fleeting moment that the sights appear aligned on target. Even if his timing is perfect, which is not likely, jerking the trigger will force the shot awry. The shooter who continues in this error will never be an expert marksman.

A marksman does not yank, jerk, or pull the trigger. He CONTROLS the trigger. Steady hold techniques aid in target acquisition, and as the perfect sight picture comes into view the marksman applies pressure to the trigger with a SQUEEZE of the trigger finger.

Should the sights drift out of perfect alignment, the pressure is stopped at that point, but not backed off. As the target is again acquired the SQUEEZE is resumed from the point it ceased.

This process of applying measured pressure to the trigger only while the perfect sight picture is in view insures that the weapon will fire while the target is acquired. There will be no jerking motion or flinch to destroy accuracy.

The marksman should mark the sight picture at the moment of recoil and be able to "call the shot" or tell exactly where on the target the bullet will hit.

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