Can't pull the trigger!

[fecmech]

Gentlemen-- I need some help. I've only been shooting handguns for about 40 years so this may seem strange to you. I'm not a great shot but when I shoot Bullseye with a centerfire handgun I average about 240. Lately I'm having great difficulty pulling the trigger and I'm constantly fighting a flinch. Dry firing and trigger time with a .22 seems not to help at all. I'm not shooting heavy loads (4.0 Bullseye/200 swc) but it just seems my subconcious of late is really afraid of me pulling the trigger. Any ideas on how I can get over this hump?? Thanks in advance.

 

[eflatminor]

I know the feeling and when it happens, that trigger feels like it's hit a brick wall. Have you had a good trigger job? When this was happening to me, it was just before I had a trigger job done. When I got the pistol back a few weeks later, I had no flinching issues. Of course, it was all in my head but when I felt how nice the new trigger pull was, I forgot all about the flinching. Otherwise, I think you have to change your aproach to the pull. Here's an idea for you to consider: Tell yourself your going to follow through with the pull regardless of any flinching and then do just that, follow through. Pull the trigger all the way back and after the pistol fires, keep pressure on that trigger for a while before releasing. We're not doing double taps here so timing is an issue. Most guys don't follow through enough anyway but the point here is to focus your brain on something other than your mental block. Think about the follow through and holding that position after firing and see if that doesn't help. Good luck.

 

[offroaddiver]

didn't see what type of gun you are shooting but to steady my shot (shooting longer distances and competition), I practice trigger control not just dry firing and 22lr, those just don't seem to help me. those won't help you. you still may flinch but not notice it. A trick a guy taught me is to put a dime on the barrel of the gun and pull the trigger... do it enough that it doesn't fall off. More progressive practice would be mixing +p in with regular (if your gun can handle it) and that throws off anticipating recoil. Or have your buddy push the trigger while you aim.

 

[Howard Roark]

You sir have a case of "chicken finger".

The sights are all lined up but you can't make yourself pull the trigger for fear of pulling the shot off.

I have this worse in offhand, on some of the rare days that the sights don't seem to move at all off the center of the target. I shoot NRA highpower.

I combat this with proper practice. If you can shoot good scores in practice you can do so on match day. I never end a practice session looking at a poor target. I also do some other things like holdong my follow through much longer than I normally do. Along the same line as that I will break the shot and then bring the gun back on target and pull the trigger again when I see another 10. Do this as a practice drill by approaching the target as you normally do, break the shot and immediately move back into the 10 ring and break another. Don't worry about recocking the hammer just press the trigger. This helps you to stay in the center longer. It's all a matter of tricking your mind into allowing you to break the shots you know you can.

I hope this helps. I learned these things by talking to high master shooters. Maybe there is someone locally that you can talk to.

 

[Blackfork]

Go deerhunting.

Take a break. Get a squirt gun and shoot it. Try shooting blindfolded. Or just keep suffering until it's over.

All things change! This will pass.

 

[Harley Quinn]

Relax go for some rapid fire and forget where they hit try to count and at each number pull the trigger take up slack pull the trigger relax breath and have some fun

 

[Joe D]

Everyone gets Chicken Finger on occasion. You are trying for the perfect shot. Just let the gun move. You cannot hold it montionless. I have seen the best in the world get CF - Bonnie Harmon, Bill Blankenship and Hershel Anderson. I once saw Bill Blankenship set the gun down 3 times at the 50 yd line before he broke the shot.

 

[bdutton]

Practice on a blank target. Focus on sight alignment and trigger pull.

 

[fecmech]

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I think the label of "chicken finger" nails it pretty good and you fellows have given me some ideas to try to get me thru it. I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and again thank you for taking the time to help me out. Nick

 

[propfool]

Bad sear?

Try replacing your sear in a 1911 if you experience a much heavier than
usual actual trigger pull. I shoot Bullseye (still a marksman after 2 years)
and have had occasions where the gun would not go off no matter how
hard I pulled the trigger. It might happen only once at the 25 yard line in a match,
but it is a malfunction that is hard to detect. In my guns,
a Kimber 45 and a Essex frame with a Marvel 22 conversion unit,
it shows up after 5,000 plus rounds are fired. Occasionally,
it is not chicken finger, but a sear that is worn out.

 

[PzGren]

I 'll take a shot in the dark, too, and add my opinion. You know how hard it is to analyze a shooting problem without actually seeing the whole deal, so just evaluate it yourself.

A lot was mentioned already but I want to add the grip, if you do not grip the gun right, with the gun an extension of your forearm, a high hold, and a firm grip, any flinch will be getting worse.

If you do a little search under Bill Blankenship and the encyclopedia of bullseye you will be reminded of all the basics by a man that can apply them and relate his knowledge very well.

 

[XDKingslayer]

There were a couple of times I got "Chicken Finger" while qualifying with the M16 in the Marines. I usually got it at the 200 and 300 yard line rapid fire (10 shots in under 30 seconds), because you wanted to get a "possible" (all 10 on target). It's just a competitive thing.

I simply started using my middle finger on the trigger. It didn't have a mind of it's own like my index finger.

That got me over the mental block.

 

[JohnKSa]

I'm not shooting heavy loads (4.0 Bullseye/200 swc) but it just seems my subconcious of late is really afraid of me pulling the trigger.

This is a form of "target panic" and is more common in archery than in firearm sports.

It's usually not associated with recoil but rather it's the result of not wanting to break a shot unless it's perfect. Try doing a lot of dryfire practice and, at the range, do some more informal and FUN shooting with less pressure involved. Don't mess with target shooting for awhile.

When you start getting back to your target practice, stay relaxed and think about shooting in a cadence (stance, grip, breath, target, sights, squeeze) rather than trying to wait until everything is absolutely perfect.

Another thing that you can do it switch to a "pass through" sight picture instead of trying to hold steady on the target. Instead of trying to hold the sights rock steady and aligned with the target, keep them aligned and move them slowly but smoothly through the target shooting when the picture is right.