Trigger Guard Hold

[pete156]

I heard via JP that having a finger on the trigger guard while shooting is a bad thing. I've always placed the index finger of my support hand on the trigger guard for added stability.

Some of my handguns have a smooth rounded trigger guard which makes that more difficult, but others, such as my Glock and Bersa, have a checked grip area on the front of their trigger guards.

Isn't that what it's for?

[Michael Brown]

I heard via JP that having a finger on the trigger guard while shooting is a bad thing. I've always placed the index finger of my support hand on the trigger guard for added stability.

Some of my handguns have a smooth rounded trigger guard which makes that more difficult, but others, such as my Glock and Bersa, have a checked grip area on the front of their trigger guards.

Isn't that what it's for?

There are some good shooters like Jerry Barnhart who use this technique. However even Barnhart acknowledges its not as effective and does NOT teach his students this way. I think that says a lot.

The problem with doing it that way is that if you are using appropriate support hand pressure (if your entire two hand grip is 100%, the support hand should be 60-70%) then you will have a tendency to pull shots off to one side since you are already contracting your shooting hand slightly when you pull the trigger.

The checkering or flattening of the front of the trigger-guard was a phenomena that occurred back when combat shooting was in its infancy and some have never lost the idea. Its an antiquated concept just like the weaver stance. All four fingers of your support hand should be underneath the trigger-guard.

That said, plenty of people have done great work with sub-optimal technique. However if you want to use the most efficient technique currently available, you need to have all four support-hand fingers under the trigger-guard.

Hope that helped.

Michael Brown

[pete156]

That actually did make sense to me. :)

Thanks.

[J.P.]

Reference the finger under triggerguard;
In the two attatched images,I show the first grip with support fingers clearly under the triggerguard.
In the second pic,I am using a high grip with the support fingers crowding the triggerguard.

Is there an optimal placement or do you just work with what is comfortable?

(please ignore the other obviously bad aspects of the grip,I took two quick shots,with self timer,in a crowded space. ;) )

[Michael Brown]

I can't really tell from the pictures but what you are seeking is that if you opened your hand, your support hand fingers would be pointed about 45 degrees downward.

Michael Brown