SHORT BLASTS
Plenty of practice at the range helps in maintain-
ing shooting accuracy as does pulling the trigger
correctly.
This simple drill taught my hunting part-
ner a very important lesson about “trigger
control”. He didn’t flinch at the shot, as
there was no shot. Instead he jerked on the
trigger and I assumed he did the same thing
when he missed the buck.
There are several things that contrib-
ute to the accuracy of our shooting. Most
think of ammunition, scopes, rests, and so
forth, but it really comes down to remaining
steady and pulling the trigger correctly.
Trigger Control Key
to Accurate Shooting
T
he buck made his way out of
the timber and into the alpine
opening without knowing that
we were perched above him. As
he lifted his head up presenting a broad-
side shot I told my hunting partner to “take
him.” But the buck did not fall as the rifle
cracked, not on the first, second or even
third shot. My hunting partner kept asking
me where his bullets were hitting and I told
him that the vegetation and trees made it
impossible for me to know since the buck
was not moving I assumed he was shooting
high. The deer moved off and we ranged the
distance again — 320 yards, well within his
shooting ability.
The following week we were back on the
rifle range and a few shots from the bench
proved his rifle was still on. Replaying the
scene a few times in our minds—knowing
he had a good rest and plenty of time to
make the shot, along with the rifle sighted
14
WESTERN HUNTING JOURNAL
in—we couldn’t figure out why he missed. I
took to the bench and pulled the rifle tight
into my shoulder. Clicking the safety off
and pressing my finger against the trigger, I
pulled, and pulled, and finally the rifle fired.
“Is your trigger always this hard to pull?” I
asked.
Induced Stress Shooting Turns out my
hunting partner’s rifle had a heavy trigger
with no travel. It was then that I asked him
to take the bench again. I ran him through a
drill, known as “induced stress shooting”. I
told when I said “go” to get the rifle on target
and fire three rounds as fast as he could just
like when he missed the buck. As he did this
I started yelling, “That’s a big buck! Hurry,
shoot, shoot now!” What my hunting part-
ner didn’t know was that I had put a spent
shell into the chamber when I handed him
the rifle. I watched as he tried to shoot, and
he jerked the rifle as it went “click”.
Trigger Weight The weight of the trigger
is the biggest factor. If you have a trigger
set to a heavy weight, such as eight pounds
or more, then it takes more force for your
finger to move the trigger than it can do by
itself. It takes muscles in your hand and this
causes you to jerk the trigger or roll the rifle
as you squeeze your hand, not simply pull
your finger. Too light of a trigger, such as
one pound, means you might set it off pre-
maturely. A light trigger is also a dangerous
trigger. Once the safety is off, the gun can
misfire when dropped or when the shooter
is not ready. You need to find the right bal-
ance between a heavy trigger that offers an
extra precaution and a light trigger that can
be a hazard. If you find yourself in a simi-
lar situation, I suggest taking your rifle to
a gunsmith and having the trigger weight
adjusted. A good rule of thumb is to adjust
it to 3 ½ pounds. Anything lighter and you
run the risk of the aforementioned prob-
lems.
Trigger Travel Trigger travel is another
factor that plays into the accuracy of the
shooter. Some like a “stiff ” trigger which is
one that doesn’t travel at all. Any moving
of the trigger causes the gun to fire. Others
like to be able to move the trigger a little, or
have it “travel” before the gun goes off. This
allows the shooter a bit of time to make sure
the shot is on but if you are prone to flinch-
ing then a trigger that travels can cause you
to miss the mark as you anticipate the re-
coil.
Avoid the Yips Next time you are at the
range try shooting a few times and then
putting in a spent casing and see how you
react. Better yet, have your friend put one in
your rifle so you don’t know if the gun will
fire or not and see it you jerk the trigger.
JASON BROOKS