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Getting used to the 1911 trigger

3K views 30 replies 23 participants last post by  Sure1 
#1 ·
Coming from shooting Glocks exclusively the last few years, I'm having a hard time "getting" the 1911 trigger. I feel like I'm all over the place and the targets would agree. If I go super slow & focused, I can generally put rounds where I want, but anything faster than 1 round every few seconds and all bets are off.

I'd appreciate some tips/advice on going back and forth between the platforms and not shooting like a total noob each time.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Strangly even though I love 1911 triggers I shoot glocks better. I think some of it is in the grip and also in my head. The fatter square grip of the polymer guns feel better in my hands. Almost finished building a double stack 1911 which has a similar feel to a plastic gun hoping to see some improvement with this.

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#9 · (Edited)
Strange that the trigger would be the issue, this is usually one of the positive-differentiating attributes of a 1911 vs semi-plastics...BUT:

What kind of 1911 do you have?? Some of the low-end 1911 have crappy triggers NOOB. They can be way too heavy, and way to gritty. These can be fixed by a gunsmith.

Conversely, what kind of glock trigger are you use too? is it a tuned trigger post factory? Is it on a well worn glock which usually helps the trigger feel over time?

If neither of the above apply, and you've measure your 1911 trigger weight at say 4#s and under (just a swag folks, no offensive if 1911 fan's like a heavier trigger ;-)), and it isn't gritty, breaks clean, resets well, you need to look at other aspects of your grip. Are you "pointing" the gun correctly?? A glock grip and a 1911 grip are different. If you grip your 1911 in the exact same spot in your palm as a glock this may change the pointability of the 1911 just enough to impact accuracy. Related to this, is the proper trigger-finger-pad placement on the trigger being accomplished? (Slow fire you say is good, so i am assuming sights and other attributes of the gun are ok).
 
#10 ·
You should pour some grit or dirt in the 1911 then it's trigger will feel just like a Glock.
Your experiencing the same thing that 1911 people go through when they pick up a Glock. You've gone from a crappy trigger to a clean trigger.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Advice


Take instruction from a reputable instructor with 1911 credentials. There is no -good- substitute for this. After shooting for -years- at a plateau observers said was "a good shot", I started taking instruction and left that plateau behind in weeks. To practice well, one must know and understand what to practice. A book can tell you a lot but cannot offer feedback on -your- hand's interaction with the pistol. Your targets will tell whether you're doing the same things each time*: that's helpful but doesn't convey what is wrong nor how to correct it. If you'd like, I'll get you local referrals from my training counselor (teachers' teacher). It's information I like to have anyway for a close relative in your area.

As with other pursuits, most of the benefit of instruction will come early: 4 - 10hrs in and you'll have the trigger and all other 1911-isms well in hand. But also, after a lot more instruction -focused- on the 1911 and more yet treating the 1911 as the first among equals ;- j ... I find there's plenty left to learn.

*. One of my own pre-instruction traps: after a lot of untutored practice I was jerking the trigger in such a consistent manner that I knew where to aim to allow for the effect of jerking the trigger. j -;
 
#12 ·
I am also surprised that the trigger of the 1911 gives you fits over the Glock. I owned many Glocks and other similar striker fired pistols before I dove into the 1911 world a few years back.

On my very first trip out with my 1911, I instantly noticed how much better I could shoot the 1911 because of the trigger!!!

But just with anything, practice makes perfect! Just keep at it.
 
#13 ·
go slow. take up the slack and then break the shot. treat it as two different stages. you can practice by dry fire at home. align your sights on a small mark on the wall, doorknob or the like and go slow and keep your sights on target while taking up the slack and breaking the shot.
 
#14 ·
Maybe I shouldn't have said "trigger", perhaps I should have asked "coming from Glocks to a 1911, are there any tips to help out a struggling shooter?"

As said above, I agree one of my issues is I'm not "pointing" right. I'll head back to the range tomorrow and focus on sights and slow fire.
 
#15 ·
Keep shooting! Nothing better or more fun than shooting more!

I came from a life full of striker fired pistols for a long time before getting my first 1911. I couldn't or really didn't understand the fascination around the 1911 and the low capacity and what all the fuss was about. Then I got my first one and it instantly made me a believer. It just shot perfectly and felt balanced in my hand and I instantly shot more accurate than any other gun I had shot before!

Seems like you just have muscle memory for something else. I was shooting revolvers and striker fired pistols of all makes and models before getting the 1911. So I was used to adapting to each one. But I did so by simply shooting them all for quite a while. While I'm not bull eye shooter with any of them, I am proficient enough with almost all.

Just get out there and shoot and focus on the basics. If it doesn't help, then the platform just may not be for you. Plain and simple. Same reason some people just can't shoot a glock well because of the grip angle etc... It's just not for them!
 
#17 ·
compared to the glock, the hard snappiness of a 45 1911, along with a "delicate" feeling trigger may be making you flinch. just a little flinch can go a long way.

just squeeze the trigger slowly and smoothly. it should surprise you when the gun fires. the surprise part is important. if it doesn't surprise you then you may be expecting it, and the big bang and recoil that goes along with it, this can cause flinching.
 
#19 ·
Make or acquire some dummy rounds and have a buddy help you with "ball and dummy" drills. You may be surprised what you see when you're expecting the gun to go bang and it goes click instead. Have your buddy load your mags with a mix of live & dummy rounds while you're not watching.

Additionally, consider a 22 conversion unit for practice/training. This makes for cheaper practice and the absence of heavy recoil make's it much easier to perceive the small cues that let you know when you need to change something.
 
#21 ·
If paper is boring, try moving it farther out and shooting for 10's and x's. 3" 10 ring at 25-50 yards is not boring. Good shooters hit the 10 75% of the time or more. That's tough to do -challenging not boring. Torso silhouettes at 7 yds? Yep boring!


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#23 ·
Getting use to a 1911 trigger.....

A good trigger pull on a 1911 is a joy to shoot. My definition of a good trigger pull is one that has a clean break, does not "creep", and breaks at 3.5 lbs. or less. Most all of my 1911 and 2011 triggers break at 3.0 lbs. or less.

Since the hammer hooks holding the sear on a 1911 may have a depth of .020" or slightly less, the shooter only has to take up the trigger slack, and begin pressing the trigger pad straight to the rear...... .020" of movement is not much to allow a clean shot break.

The 1911 trigger design is one reason why the 1911 and 2011 style guns are so popular in competitive shooting sports...... they are easier to maintain trigger control and proper sight alignment.
 
#24 ·
Surprised that nobody has mentioned follow through. It's as important as the trigger squeeze.

I see people all the time at the range who, as soon as a shot breaks, jump their finger off of the trigger. Then they have to go through the entire take up part of the pull again. Proper technique is, when the shot breaks, hold the trigger all the way back against the stop until the pistol completes the recoil. THEN relax the trigger until it resets - you can feel it - to start the pull for the next shot.
 
#29 ·
Surprised that nobody has mentioned follow through. It's as important as the trigger squeeze...
This ^^^^^^^!

Any time I pick up a new firearm, pistol, rifle, or shotgun and am having problems, this the first thing I work on. I start by firing slowly with good trigger follow through. I then slowly release until I feel the reset.

Usually after about 50 to 100 rounds I'm doing well.

Also, a few weeks ago I was out with friends and had a new shooter with us. We were helping him get a feel for things and between us we had about 7 different pistols. Our new guy is looking at getting a pistol. We started him out with a Ruger Mk III. He really liked the CZ 75 in 9mm but then everyone does.

Last mag of the day was with my 1911 Commander in .45 ACP. I warned him that the trigger was very different and not to be freaked out about the lack of perceived movement.

Watching him really brought home how different the 1911 is! He did well but he was a bit scared of how "easy" it was.

And he was absolutely positive that he did not want that for his first, maybe in a year or two. ;-)

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#26 ·
Strong hand thumb over safety, weak hand with thumbs up against the slide. I try to feel the trigger and not let it drag on either side of the trigger stirrup as I press the trigger. I imagine the trigger in the middle of my finger and feel the pressure through the middle of where the trigger is touching my finger. Dry fire a lot, it helped me.

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#30 ·
I read once that Rob Vogel likes the striker style trigger specifically because the break is more vague and therefore more difficult to anticipate. It makes me wonder if you have some 'target panic' going on with precise break of the 1911. Target panic is trying to break the trigger when the sights are aligned instead if breaking the trigger while aligning the sights. I am a notorious trigger puncher. It's especially apparent when I shoot archery. An archery coach told me to try this and it really works. Get rid of the target. Shoot at a plain back stop with the goal being to see the sights lift when the trigger breaks. If you do this enough it will disconnect the 'break' from the 'aligned' signal and you won't punch the trigger as much.
 
#31 ·
You also might need a different size trigger. small, medium or large. I noticed I do not shoot my Supergrade straight like I do my Vickers Elite. Going to install a medium trigger on the TSG like on my VE. The TSG came with a long trigger.
 
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