I was volunteering for the womens shooting event at Koko Head yesterday and I had a person having difficulty doing precise handgun shots, 2" target at 4 yards.  Flinching, mashing the trigger, pushing the shots to one side, etc.  I tell her the typical focus on the front sight, firm grip, slow even trigger press.  Better but still mashing that trigger.

Then I tell her slow 2 second even press on the trigger, with just enough pressure to fire but not a feather more.  Nails most of the shots in one ragged hole

I'm going to use that phrase more.

I was volunteering for the womens shooting event at Koko Head yesterday and I had a person having difficulty doing precise handgun shots, 2" target at 4 yards.  Flinching, mashing the trigger, pushing the shots to one side, etc.  I tell her the typical focus on the front sight, firm grip, slow even trigger press.  Better but still mashing that trigger.

Then I tell her slow 2 second even press on the trigger, with just enough pressure to fire but not a feather more.  Nails most of the shots in one ragged hole

I'm going to use that phrase more.

How's about "let the shot break as a surprise" from the Army Pistol Marksmanship text.

Same thing, but very effectively communicates how the shooter can train themselves to mentally disengage from any expectation of when the shot breaks.

Just line up, and steady increasing pressure on the trigger, once started - it goes off when it goes off.

It's another good, time tested way of communicating the point.

Actually, remembering a bit better (I'm old), I believe the actual phrase in the text runs "... as long as the shot breaks as a surprise, it will be accurate."

How's about "let the shot break as a surprise" from the Army Pistol Marksmanship text.

In the civilian defense world, we started moving away from the surprise break for liability reasons.  As an instructor testifying in court after a defensive shooting, testifying  I teach students to press the trigger with a surprise break and they shouldn't know exactly when the gun fires...  that's a bad look.

In the civilian defense world, we started moving away from the surprise break for liability reasons.  As an instructor testifying in court after a defensive shooting, testifying  I teach students to press the trigger with a surprise break and they shouldn't know exactly when the gun fires...  that's a bad look.

Ok How's about "As an instructor testifying in court after a defensive shooting I teach my students to "... keep their finger out of the trigger guard until they are certain that grave bodily injury or death (or in Hawaii sodomy) is unavoidable, and that through their sights they can clearly see the target and what's beyond it - that it's clear - and then to pull the trigger until the firearm discharges."

Not arguing - but in this world, care must always be taken to not allow those with mal-intent to determine, well, any effing thing, whatsoever.

There is always a dear price to pay where this line is not held.