Trigger Issues

[buck460XVR]

I have shot quite a bit over the years but over the last couple of years found that when shooting a revolver D/A or say, a Glock, right before the trigger fires the round there is a "slack" or dead space in the pull, and I think it is going to fire and without thinking I relax the grip a bit and the gun dips slightly, and the round goes low or to the side of the target

This doesn't happen with a 1911 and it doesn't happen when shooting a revolver S/A.

Basically, what you have described is the difference between SA and DA and the effort needed by you finger to cock the weapon to fire. Nature of the best and why there is a preference by some and better accuracy by some going the SA route. My revolvers, other than my 637, are used for hunting. Even tho they are DA/SA, for the most part while hunting I use them SA because of the accuracy, trigger pull and the increased distances they are used at, compared to a SD/HD firearm. I still practice them DA and am reasonably accurate with them that way, but it still takes more practice to be accurate with DA revolver. That is not a bad thing tho, because one can practice by dry firing. Live practice never hurt anyone either. The 637 is always shot DA.....but considering it's intended range, that is a moot point. Most folks can feel when a DA revolver trigger is going to "turn over" and hesitate to realign the sights. Some even practice this way. This is generally where the novice has the problem.

 

[BCRider]

Back to the OP's original description....

I can't say that I feel any "slack" in my S&W triggers so if you are noticing such a thing then I suspect that 9mm's post about the likelihood that you're slowing down and staging the trigger could be the real issue. You may not even be doing this consciously.

I've shot a few Glocks over the years and again I can't think of any which had any reduction in the trigger effort just before the BANG! And in fact I find that it's pretty much a continuous, if rubbery like, increase in effort right to the end of the pull. So again it suggests that you are likely slowing down your finger in some unconscious staging.

If you're building trigger pressure quite slowly and deliberately some amount of staging is hard to avoid because we are all waiting for the shot. My suggestion would be to speed up the pull to where from start to rear travel limit you build up the pressure over about 1/3 to 1/2 second. That's still slow enough for tight group accuracy but it's fast enough that you don't have time to slow down even more and stage the trigger to any degree.