How do you handle a revolver as opposed to an auto

[paradoxbox]

Make sure to get sights installed on the right hand side of the barrel there

 

[Garand Guy]

Think you need to get a little more of your finger in the trigger guard.

To answer the question:

-Revolvers: quite well, thank you

-Autos: I don't

 

[Doug.38PR]

I think your taking it a little to literally Doug. The reasoning is to prevent ADs by keeping you finger away from the trigger until your ready to shoot.

On this note, I will say that you cannot fire the gun with your hand in those seen positions in the trigger guard. Your hand has to be like this in order to fire:

Your finger cannot pull the trigger back in these positions, try it yourself:

The other ways of handling it your thumb or hand is blocking the way, but with the two above ways, the hammer cannot move back

 

[joab]

Make sure to get sights installed on the right hand side of the barrel there

Holding gun in right hand taking pic with left hand, turned ghetto for a better photographic angle

Think you need to get a little more of your finger in the trigger guard

If that was directed at my picture I'm not sure I understand. none of my finger is in the trigger guard whidh is the purpose of the exercise.

The other ways of handling it your thumb or hand is blocking the way, but with the two above ways, the hammer cannot move back

That may be true in the exact position that you are holding the gun now, but what if the gun is forced downward somehow, like in a fall or many other ways. your finger is still in the trigger guard when you do not have a clear and/or intended target.

That's the way all NDs start

 

[swmike]

Somewhere along the line I was told that ALL ND's (with modern firearms)involve a finger on the trigger. Every handgun I own prevents the firing pin from contacting the primer unless the trigger is depressed. Seems simple enough to keep the finger on the guard and ready to go when needed.

It sure seems like a lot of work done with the photos to justify an unsafe practice.

 

[PressCheck]

Hold it with two hands, and hold it as you would a hammer (thumbs down). Keep your finger out the trigger guard.

 

[kymasabe]

Did you sleep thru the safety course? Keep your d@mn finger OFF the trigger. I'll sleep better tonight knowing you don't live in my neighborhood.
Either change your grip or change your gun but your pics are more of an example of what NOT to do with a gun.

 

[Eghad]

Never put your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to shoot what it is pointed at

assume a gun is always loaded...so dont point any weapon at anything unless you willing to destroy or kill it.

 

[rn22723]

Here is good link! http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/JERRY_MICULEK/jerry_miculek.html
Please follow the Four Rules!

 

[Majic]

Looks like you are purposely trying to create a hazard. With your finger on the frame or triggerguard you still can use the same finger pressure as if the finger was on the trigger and have the same amount of control. Your other fingers are securing the gripframe. It's no different than the semi-auto. Riding your hand up the gripframe like pictured does nothing except take your hand out of the firing grip. You don't have to block the hammer if your finger is off the trigger. Even though you use a holster that has the triggerguard cut out you can still draw the revolver without putting your finger in the triggerguard. Are you trying to put your finger through the leather of a holster that has the triggerguard covered?
It sounds like you need to retake that class as you obviously have missed some very basic elements and now creating your own conclusions which seem to have no basis.

 

[tanksoldier]

I'm not going to try to explain in text what really needs to be shown and practiced, but it's clear you have NO IDEA what you are doing. Based on the gun handling you've shown I wouldn't think you're save with a revolver OR an auto.

Go pony up for another class, and pay attention this time. Don't let the instructor move on until you get this down. Right now you are NOT safe wit a firearm.

 

[USP45usp]

After reviewing again the pictures, I will have to agree with some of the others that your finger in the trigger guard really creeps me out on some level.

Please don't take the advise given wrongly, the members aren't attacking you but your gun handling as shown.

We make fun of each other when you read about people having their "trigger finger" outside the guards of simple tools such as drills, saws, etc.. That they find themselves with their trigger finger extended until ready to drill/saw/etc..

But deep down we all know that it seems "funny" but are happy and thrilled that our muscle memory has made that a constent in our lives with any tool with a trigger is concerned.

And I agree.

Even if it doesn't "feel right" or you think that you have excessive play in the retention of the gun, it's always good policy to keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire. I can understand where you are coming from and what you are saying, I used to think the same thing, but the finger inside the trigger guard, on the trigger, actually gives me the chills.

Maybe I've programmed myself to actually feel ill when I do that or others do that, I don't know. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe it isn't (to feel that way). But for myself, I find that keeping my finger off the trigger to be a good thing, and I expect those around me to do the same, "unloaded gun" or not.

Just my .02

Wayne

 

[IZinterrogator]

I place my finger on the front of the trigger guard where my support index finger would go if I was shooting a semi-auto. It looks like you have long enough fingers to do this. I am still trying to figure out why you don't even have your trigger finger against the revolver in some fashion in your "why this doesn't work" photos.

 

[Doug.38PR]

I can understand where you are coming from and what you are saying, I used to think the same thing, but the finger inside the trigger guard, on the trigger, actually gives me the chills.

Maybe I've programmed myself to actually feel ill when I do that or others do that, I don't know. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe it isn't (to feel that way). But for myself, I find that keeping my finger off the trigger to be a good thing, and I expect those around me to do the same, "unloaded gun" or not

Oh I take no offense personally to any of these comments.

Well your first comment raises a good point. Part of this has to do with confidence. I am confident that I can handle a A REVOLVER (not auto) with finger in the guard and having in one of the positions shown in the pictures. I am confident it is safe and it does not give me the chills.
If you, or anyone else doesn't feel safe (or gives you the chills) doing it then by all means DON'T.
If someone doesn't feel safe carrying a gun at all, then I would recommend they DON'T until they are confident.
There are people out there (MANY People given the state of our culture) that feel none of us are safe because we carry or even own guns. They think that, as if by magic, only police are safe carrying guns. (I've heard, don't have the stats in front of me, that more accidents happen with individual LEOs per capita than citizen gun owners. A former supervisor of mine about 8 years ago told me that he witnessed to his horror some Sheriff Deputies in Galveston County courthouse where they have all the metal detectors and X ray junk set up kidding around with some landmen that frequently came through every day that they were friendly with. One of the deputies took out his LOADED gun from his duty holster and slipped it in one of the landmen's briefcases and put it through the X ray deal and told the landman jokingly that he caught him with a gun in his case. A LEO fooling around with a loaded gun. This is not a slam against LEOs but just illustrates that anyone can be unsafe with a gun but that does not mean that everyone, LEOs included, actually is.)
Many posters on this, and past threads, have made comments and some seem to get a little excited when they see any picture with my finger on the trigger. They think that alone is unsafe and violates the safety rules. But think about this. How many in here can honestly tell me they NEVER EVER EVER EVER have put their finger on the trigger of their gun apart from when it was pointed down range loaded or at a Bad Guy loaded? Most people, when they buy a gun in the store or at a show like to see how good the action is. They generally dryfire the gun a few times or test the action with their fingers on all six chambers. They take aim (not at people) and test it right there in the store or show. I do this and have seen others do this ALL THE TIME at shows and stores and NEVER EVER has anyone said anything or looked the least bit uncomfortable. Why? Because both the dealer and then myself check to make sure the gun is unloaded. (I do this all the time, anytime I pick up one of my guns, I don't care if I set it down on a table cleaning it and walk out to get something and walk back in. I open the cylinder and not only check it with my eye but I hit the ejector rod a few times, where the eye can decieve you the ejector rod can't. It has become a healthy habit.) Also, there is a reason there is a market for snapcaps. Nobody buys snapcaps to take down to the range and snap at the target. I practice my DA all the time with snapcaps or everynow and then dryfiring. I once had a conversation with a Colt repair store about practicing at home my firing with

 

[Bradbx]

I don't think confidence is the word, it seems like everyone here is telling you its a false sense of security with something that is inherently dangerous. I think your LEO example is flawed, there was no finger on the trigger or object in the trigger guard, was there a safety mechanism on the gun that could have prevented it from being fired? Either way, I'd agree its not a 100% "safe" thing for the LEO to do, but that doesn't justify it as being ok. I hear an "if your friends jumped off the bridge" story coming... Other people may do similar things, but they recognize them for what they are, mistakes, and correct them accordingly. I fail to see the relevance of your other arguments on snapcaps, dryfiring, etc.

Are you saying that you only use those hand positions when you know the gun is not loaded? the impression i got (and others apparently) is that you handle the gun that way all the time, loaded or not. even if its only when unloaded, whats to prevent you from learning those movements and subconciously bringing them into your "loaded" routines and/or movements.

For your pictured positions, whats to prevent you from slipping from there during a fall or some other unanticipated movement? You're absolutely relying on your hand/thumb to be blocking the hammer, and any movement away from that causes a serious problem.

pic 1, wouldnt pulling the trigger apply a torque to the gun to rotate it away from the webbing of your hand, which you need to prevent the discharge? pic 2, your thumb looks unnaturally bent to me, and could the hammer slip underneath it? pic 3, looks like you're relying on the fleshy part of your palm to prevent the hammer from moving, I would think the force from even a short fall could push the hammer past that.

Even so, why practice a hand position that could be completely wrong on another handgun? (i.e., anything without an exposed hammer) Perhaps the instructor wasn't clear about a point on the triggerguard, but as IZinterrogator posted, whats wrong with putting your finger around the outside of the trigger guard, or even along side it but above it? anything but in the guard ready to pull the trigger.

 

[RsqVet]

Doug ---

For god's sake stop trying to re-invent the dam wheel, many, many others have mastered the art of handeling a revolver WITHOUT putting their finger on the trigger, CHL class is a little like a basic drivers test --- it's by nature basic, and if you really want to lean guncraft go to gunsite, front sight, thunder ranch or any other good school and they will teach you if you are willing to learn.

BTW -- In your reasoning and your explanation you have compleatly and utterly failed to apreciate why we are all taught to keep the finger off the trigger --- it's because under stress our body can do some strange things, like oh say pull a trigger when we don't want to --- having the finger off the trigger is step one in conditioning to make rapid shoot / no shoot decesions, if you are walking around with your finger on the trigger you are already complealty in violation of this principle and are an accident waiting to happen --- don't believe me??? --- load up a revolver with some primed brass or simulation rounds and have people of any skill level go through stress shot house scenarios holding a revolver as you suggest --- then provide some startaling / non-shoot stimulus --- and see how many pops you hear --- I don't care where the web of you hand is in relation to the hammer with your finger on the trigger if your finger squeezes you hand will by reflex or volition make it positon it's self so the gun can fire.

 

[stratus]

but I've noticed in the last few years, even out in the garage when I handle my Makita or my pneumatic air wrench...my index finger is pointed straight forward.

Hell, I've been caught doing it with soda cans.

 

[Doug.38PR]

the impression i got (and others apparently) is that you handle the gun that way all the time, loaded or not. even if its only when unloaded, whats to prevent you from learning those movements and subconciously bringing them into your "loaded" routines and/or movements.

For your pictured positions, whats to prevent you from slipping from there during a fall or some other unanticipated movement? You're absolutely relying on your hand/thumb to be blocking the hammer, and any movement away from that causes a serious problem.

If that has been yours, and others, impression then there has been a misunderstanding I DO NOT go around with the gun loaded handling it in that way all the time. Typically I remove the revolver from the holster and transport it (from shoulder holster to hip holster for instance if I am changing my attire) by gripping all four fingers and my thumb around the frame of the gun with my middle and ring finger holding around the outside of the trigger guard (the finger is never in the trigger guard in these cases and there is a firm grip on the gun.)

I handle the gun with my finger on the trigger when snapcapping with the gun unloaded (unloaded with bullets real ammo that is)
The only time I ever have or would handle the gun in the way seen in these pictures loaded is if I need to pull the gun out of my holster to use it. If I hear something go bump outside or need to go into my dark house at night finding it in a suspicious manner (open back door and things of that sort.) I hold the gun in any one of the seen manners, if I suspect I might have to shoot I point the gun forward in firing position with my thumb pushing against the hammer. Or I hold the gun upward or downward when walking around investigation my houses interior or exterior.
My reasons for not using the index finger are because I don't feel the gun is secure in my hand that way. I want that gun secure in my grip, not dropping or flopping from my grip for whatever reason. Also, without the support of my finger in the guard, it is easier for someone to grab it and pull it out of my hands in an instant.
I can reasonably say that I am sure it will not go off if I trip. 1) there is a lot of fairly hard pull between the hammer going back and snapping forward 2) first and foremost part of my thumb or hand will be holding off the hammer. This is not something I dreamed up. This is something I've practiced with the gun UNLOADED and I am confident is is safe.
No safety on any gun, mechanical or mental, is absolute. Mechanical Safeties have been known to fail. "This Glock is the safest gun in the world, I could load one in the chamber, throw it against the wall and it won't go off." I disagree, any safety can fail. Some of the most safety concious people in the world have probably had gun accidents. Some of the safest drivers in the world have had accidents or caused accidents by trying to be too safe (for instance slow drivers claiming to be safe driving in the left passing lane have caused wrecks from people struggling to get around them.) By using the indexing method on revolver you only have the support of your middle, ring and pinky finger. In my method you have the support of all four fingers and thumb in some way or another on your gun

 

[tanksoldier]

<<The only time I ever have or would handle the gun in the way seen in these pictures loaded is if I need to pull the gun out of my holster to use it. If I hear something go bump outside or need to go into my dark house at night finding it in a suspicious manner (open back door and things of that sort.) >>

Man, what people are trying to tell you is that, in the situation you describe above, this is the WORST time to have your finger on the trigger. When you MIGHT have to shoot is when it is most vital that your finger be OFF the trigger. If you get suprised by a cat, or neighbor kid, or anything and flinch... BANG! Shooting should be a deliberate act, requiring concious thought... which is why you have to decide to put your finger on the trigger to shoot.

Also, if you walk around with your finger inside the trigger guard and bump into someting in the dark, or slip and fall... BANG!

There are many very experienced gun people here telling you that your method of gun handling is going to get you or someone else killed.

Please listen.

 

[stratus]

Doug,

Judging from the pics, I think if you pressed your index finger to the frame just under the cylinder, you would have an easier time holding the revolver steady.