Trigger Finger Positioning, Hand Clenches, and Accidental Discharges

[zapfbroad]

Good reminder on the importance of small details and muscle memory w/pictures. Anyone have opinions good, bad or otherwise?

Interesting link in there to a review out of Washington state about AD, looks to be from 2010 so may be lurking in a thread around here already.

http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/trigger-finger-positioning-hand-clenches-and-accidental-discharges

[Jonnin]

That was good to know. Most of the accidental clench scenarios seem to be moot for a typical joe with a HCP : if you have your gun out, you have a threat, and if you are punching someone or jumping or being kicked, a AD is bad but hey, you were going to shoot the guy anyway most likely, if the gun is pointed safely at the bad guy, no real harm done. Where this seems to be critical is training/action sports/ LEO duties/ etc where you might have a loaded gun with no threat present while doing these things. In those cases, this is really important info.

I knew you could clench but not how many triggers there are for it, I am going to try some of these out to see for myself and practice a safer hold.

[TMF]

Guess that makes sense. I've always kept my trigger finger above/north of the trigger well on both my pistols and M4. It just seemed more natural and easier to transition to the trigger. I've seen lots of folks who stretch their finger outward across the trigger well (the way described in the AD scenario) and it always looked forced and uncomfortable... something that would be difficult to train my finger to do in all situations. I've never considered that would create a higher likelihood for an AD, but it makes sense that it would.

[Parrothead]

Guess that makes sense. I've always kept my trigger finger above/north of the trigger well on both my pistols and M4. It just seemed more natural and easier to transition to the trigger. I've seen lots of folks who stretch their finger outward across the trigger well (the way described in the AD scenario) and it always looked forced and uncomfortable... something that would be difficult to train my finger to do in all situations. I've never considered that would create a higher likelihood for an AD, but it makes sense that it would.

Like you, i always keep my trigger finger high of the trigger. In a potential self defense situation, this is exactly where my finger landed and it didn't move (thank God). However, this position was completely subconscious--i don't remember the draw or hand position--My wife noticed it and mentioned these items after the fact. I ALWAYS hold a firearm of all types in this manner. I am a firm believer of this method.

[A.J. Holst]

Good stuff, had never considered the mechanicals of the hand when other "stuff" was happening.

I too keep my finger north of the trigger/guard and don't even realize I'm doing it, thank goodness for 20 years of muscle memory.

I just tried the un-recommended method; an involuntary clench of the hand would cause my finger to easily slip inside the guard.

Thanks for posting!

[piercedan]

Thanks for posting this. I will definitely put this into practice.

[z90HD]

I just have to say, that for over 20 years that I have been a mechanic and have used an air operated impact wrench, I have always carried my wrench in hand with my trigger finger north of the trigger. I guess by doing this it just came natural for me when I started getting into firarms.

[Defender]

I wonder if some of the accidental LEO shootings are because of something like this?