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

2026 Top Guns 1
2026 Top Guns 1

SSSF Top Guns Bring Heat to 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

SSSF’s rising shooters deliver breakout performances at their first NRA World Shooting Championship, showing poise and marksmanship skill.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Ammunition

Discover five solid ammunition options perfect for competition shooters, plinking and training this holiday season.

Review: Glock G47 MOS

Glock’s G47 MOS delivers Gen5 performance, improved accuracy and competition appeal, making it a top choice for 9 mm shooters.

Winchester Plants Its Flag in Clayton, Missouri, with Sleek New Office

Winchester opens a new Clayton, Missouri, office for 70 staff, blending history with modern design and marking a major milestone for the iconic brand.

Range USA Hits Milestone with 50th Indoor Gun Range Opening

Range USA opens its 50th location in Chester, Virginia, cementing its place as the nation’s largest indoor shooting range operator.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Shotguns

Whether you’re shopping for an up-and-coming athlete, a seasoned competitor or treating yourself, these picks are sure to keep the competitive spirit thriving into the new year.

Interests



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