Advanced Marksmanship Mechanics of the Firing Hand Article on Home Page

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Mechanics of the Firing Hand

Mastering the Pull and Press


Day One, Precision Rifle Course. Students transition from the classroom to the firing line to put into practice what they were able to absorb about the Fundamentals of Marksmanship presentation. Lives turned upside-down by the fact that Taylor passed around a 15-pound dumbbell, asking that each student dangle it from their “graspers” while explaining that, “This is what your grip on your rifle should feel like as you pull it into your shoulder”.

Wait… What?!

One of the greatest misunderstandings with respect to rifle marksmanship training over the years is the function of the remainder of the shooting hand that is not trigger finger. We’ve seen students apply everything from NO pressure to DEATH GRIP pressure to the rifle with the firing hand, and somewhere between the two is proper shooting hand grip and pressure.

The hand is a fantastic tool, but many fail to understand the two basic physical groups that the fingers are separated into: Graspers and Pincers.

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[Steel head]

Good read

 

[deersniper]

Do you float the thumb or not?

I tried doing that on a AX. Seems awkward and my graspers want to slide back to the right.

 

[A&8's]

Good, short article Marc.

 

[Centuriator]

Great information, thanks. This is something I need to work on and be much more aware of.

 

[pmclaine]

Unnatural what we ask our hands to do when using firearms.

99 percent of daily use is about working in unison and for max application of pressure than we pick up a firearm and we want three doing one thing, a single doing surgeons work and the other taking a nap.

I think this becomes even more critical with pistol.

Been working more on floating my thumb. Had my right thumb nail get ripped pretty good last weekend when I left it a little too floaty by the bolt shroud of a Springfield 03.

None of my gear has modern ergonomics. This explains a lot of the current designs coming about and why they are.

Good shooting thread, first thought was this was going to be a more in depth look at Masturbation after 60.

 

[seansmd]

I love that picture MOA - Dennis that is from our class up in AK. The last picture is me shooting someone else's rifle, great memories!

Great article, this was a big learning for me in this class, prior to the class I was LOADING the bipod, really heavy and not using the shooting hand to secure the but stock into my body. This change and practicing this was big for me, it also helped for working on consistent trigger presses, without the pull into the body, it was harder for me to consistently pull without slapping, or smashing while under live fire. Dry firing was fine, as the engine didn't start and there was no recoil, and my brain didn't try and compensate in the trigger pull.

 

[Enough Said]

Do you float the thumb or not?

I tried doing that on a AX. Seems awkward and my graspers want to slide back to the right.

MILE HIGH has them. Just shy of $40. Enjoy. -- Taylor

 

[BootyLord]

Good stuff thanks for posting.

 

[HiDesertELR]

Put this into practice the other day sighting in a new bolt gun. Bipod, no rear bag, off the hood of my truck, plinking loads made for my gas gun... Best groups I've ever shot - mostly 1/2" @ 100. Thanks for that article.

 

[PJT]

Good article, thanks

 

[TriggerJerk!]

I love that picture MOA - Dennis that is from our class up in AK. The last picture is me shooting someone else's rifle, great memories!

Great article, this was a big learning for me in this class, prior to the class I was LOADING the bipod, really heavy and not using the shooting hand to secure the but stock into my body. This change and practicing this was big for me, it also helped for working on consistent trigger presses, without the pull into the body, it was harder for me to consistently pull without slapping, or smashing while under live fire. Dry firing was fine, as the engine didn't start and there was no recoil, and my brain didn't try and compensate in the trigger pull.

^^^^^This!

I really want to take a class in the future. But have learned a lot from reading here on the SH. And the above is the pivotal focus for my practice sessions. Proper pull and press leads to a straight recoil, comfortable ‘catch’ of the rifle, and ability to actually ‘call the shot’ (i.e., seeing the precise position of the reticle at the moment of trigger break). This in turn allows for proper freeze and follow through, allowing the rifle to remain mostly in target while it comes to rest. When I get that sequence, I know I have driven the rifle properly and that my fundamentals were good. Zen!

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

Thanks for this, as usual I've been doing it wrong. Or inconsistently anyways. I just spent this evening practicing this, it will take a while before it becomes natural. I have to focus on it every shot at this point but I can tell in my dry firing alone that this is consistent.

Much appreciated...

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

This was a big help... I am shocked at how much more control I had when I did all this live firing today. It made a huge difference in my recoil management off the bench and especially prone.

It's the little things makes all the difference. The consistency of my shots and recoil changed pretty dramatically in one range trip. ? Great info.