Don’t Jerk It: Pistol Trigger Control Tips With Brian Zins

by
posted on January 16, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Last week for Part 1 of our “Precision Pistol Tips with Brian Zins” video series, we covered pistol grip improvement. Now for Part 2, Brian, a 12-time NRA National Pistol Champion, reviews his pistol trigger control tips (watch the video above).

Part 2: Trigger control
What is trigger control? Brian Zins believes that trigger control is the ability to manipulate the trigger without disturbing the sights. Trigger control, simply put, is “getting the gun to shoot, once you get the sights where you want them.” Brian tweaks this advice to, “Align the sights as you pull the trigger.” More on this later.

Brian Zins on pistol trigger control
Stance, grip and aiming are important, but you can have a perfect grip, and hold perfect sight alignment all day long―but it only counts when the gun goes bang and only one action causes the gun to do that―pulling the trigger.


According to Brian, there are two fundamentals in shooting, aiming and trigger control. Trigger control is the more important of the two, because it’s the only part of the gun that’s actually moving before the shot breaks. There’s no sense in aiming if you can’t pull the trigger without disturbing the sights. This is not limited to precision pistol―trigger control is key for all pistol shooting disciplines.

Trigger finger placement in bullseye
Now for bullseye, where should the trigger make contact on the finger? We touched on this a bit in Part 1, so if you have not watched it yet, be sure to review it. The trigger should be centered in the first crease of the trigger finger. Why you ask? We have always been taught to place the pad on the trigger. Brian would rather have the hard surfaces of the creases on the trigger, because when pressure is applied, we know the trigger is actually moving to the rear, and we are not just feeling the fat and skin of the finger being pushed out of the way.

Brian Zins shares his tips for pistol trigger control in bullseye
In Part 3, which is upcoming, Brian will marry up his concepts of sight alignment and trigger control.


Trigger control, you should make yours nice and smooth. Learn it, live it, love it!

In Part 3 of our video series, Brian will cover the relationship between sight alignment and trigger control. The tips in these videos are taken from Brian’s instructional clinics. Learn more about Brian Zins pistol training at www.pointblankrange.com/training-instructor-bios/brian-zins

Latest

Holidaygift2025 Rifles 1 Lede
Holidaygift2025 Rifles 1 Lede

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Rifles

Curated rifle gift picks for competitive shooters—perfect for newcomers and veterans this holiday season.

Four Team Remington Shooters Named to 2026 NSCA USA Sporting Clays Squad

Four top Team Remington shooters added to 2026 NSCA USA Sporting Clays Team roster, poised for international competition dominance.

Max Michel Joins Staccato in New Leadership Role

Max Michel joins Staccato as VP of Training, Marketing and Brand Ambassadorship, returning to the company that launched his career.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Pistols

A curated 2025 holiday guide highlighting top pistols and standout gift options for competition shooters and handgun enthusiasts.

Seth Innes Dominates 2025 Florida State Precision Pistol Championships in Jacksonville

Seth Innes secures multiple titles at 2025 NRA Florida State Precision Pistol Championships, held under perfect October skies.

Collegiate Rifle: No. 1 Nebraska Outlasts No. 7 UTEP in 4717–4713 Thriller

Nebraska stayed unbeaten with a narrow 4717-4713 win at UTEP, leaning on Charlie Mick’s career day and a dominant air-rifle finish.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.