doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Trigger finger freeze

Have any of you gentlefolk ever experienced the inability to pull the trigger on a shotgun?
A friend of mine as recently been stricken with this affliction, some times he can and others (increasingly) he cannot.
Cause and cures would be appreciated.Thanks.

Is it a mental reaction or he physically can't bend the finger? Mental might be an extreme flinch from recoil or muzzleblast. Physical could be tendon problems or joint problems. I just saw a discussion on a fishing forum where they where talking about inflamed tendons can swell and actually get stuck preventing your finger from moving easily. The cure in that case was shots and possibly surgery.

Like WAID said. If it's physical, you better hope the shot works. After that, it's surgery. My wife had that condition some years back. The shot worked on the LAST day. She woke up in the morning and she could bend her index finger! You might guess she was pretty happy. Lee

I have it, occasionally. Usually occurs on the second shot, after moving to the other trigger. I've imagined it's a cold-solder joint in my neck. Maybe something on the order of a flinch because often, when I realize I haven't fired the second shot, I jerk the gun downward as I finish pulling the trigger. Sometimes I blame it on the trigger but usually when I measure the lbs. pull, it's not much different than the first, sometimes less.

There actually is an orthopedic hand problem called 'trigger finger' or stenosing tenosynovitis BUT the finger gets "stuck" bent, rather than being unable to bend.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=168&topcategory=
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trigger-finger/DS00155
Sometimes an inflammatory nodule developes on the extensor tendon (along the top of the hand) which 'hangs up' within the tendon sheath and prevents bending the finger.
It seems much more likely that what Jim and your friend are describing is a 'trigger flinch'; or an involuntary inability to contract the trigger finger despite a voluntary 'command' to do so. This is one (of many and most often multifactorial) flinch that can usually be 'cured' with a release trigger.

Can also get it in your thumb, Rev Doc, and then it's called trigger-finger thumb. Could play hell with getting the safety off. But trap-line staggers isn't physiological. Can't even get your finger OFF a release until the target's hit the ground? Time to hang it up!

jack

The trigger finger freeze is a form of flinching. In fact, it is usually accompanied by the whole body lurching after the initial freeze. A couple of possible solutions:
First, if shooting sporting clays (or obviously wild birds) use a low gun with the butt quiet low, below the chest. Put the end of the barrel where you expect to first be able to focus on the bird. When the gun is properly mounted it will be tracking the bird with the bead. When the gun hits the shoulder it should be where it belongs and the shooter can fire immediately. Don't track the bird too long. Trying to follow the bird or be too precise can cause the freeze. (And its a bad way to shoot anyway.)
Another thing that often helps is to start with the trigger finger well off the trigger. When it is time to shoot "slap" the trigger. Don't start with the finger tense and on the trigger. It should almost be pushing forward.
In fact, I had a very good friend (God rest him) who was a AA 27 AA trapshooter and also superb on skeet and sporting. He cut out an ordinary rubber eraser and made it fit the inside front of the trigger guard. There was some distance in front of the trigger to this eraser. More than enough for the finger to have some room. My recollection was it was at least two fingers from the trigger to the eraser. The eraser was shaped with a groove in a semi-circle toward the front of the gun. He glued it into the front of the trigger guard. He would literally push his finger forward against the eraser when calling for the bird. Then slap when firing. It was almost like a reverse release trigger. It worked very well for him and eliminated most tendency he had to flinch.
Good luck to your friend. Let us know what happens.
Oh, P.S.
Flinches of this type are sometimes caused by a stock that is too short. That should be checked.
Regards, Jake

What Jim said.
That is what I was describing on the post I just made. (My ADD keeps me from reading all the threads before I shoot off my mouth. Patience, patience my mom used to say.
Jake

Trap shooters use a release trigger to solve this. Damn things scare me.
bill

YOu and me both, Bill!!

jack