It’s a question I get all the time as a pro shooter. How do I shoot faster?
There are a lot of steps along the way that will help you to learn to pull the trigger faster and keep your hits on the center of the target. And the first step comes with getting a proper grip on your handgun.
I like to get a high, thumbs forward grip that eliminates all spaces along the handgun. The reason being, I want to control the recoil for every shot. If I have to readjust my grip every single time, I am never going to be able to shoot faster.
With a cleared and empty firearm, I am now going to show you trigger finger placement. That’s the next step in learning how to shoot faster.
I don’t want just the tip of my finger along the face of the trigger, because that means it could get tired very easily. And I won’t have as much power as I need to press the trigger to the rear.
I also don’t want to use too much finger on the trigger because that means I am automatically going to be slower.
If you have a hard time reaching your trigger, this is when you need to change out your back strap. This performance center M 2.0 makes that super easy. Ideally, the full pad of your finger sits on the trigger, just like so.
Now, let’s address the mechanics of shooting and trigger reset. This is a striker fired gun, so I am going to be able to feel and hear the reset. It’s very easy to do in dry fire. Press the trigger, pull back on the slide and the click is right there.
When I am shooting, I won’t be able to hear that, but it is still important to work on the skill in dry fire so that you learn how far you need to move your finger. You're reducing your finger movement to shoot faster.
Throughout this tip, I am shooting six shot sequences. This is actually a classic drill called a Bill Drill. You are shooting both quickly and accurately starting from the low ready position. I am presenting to the target and shooting six quick shots. It’s very easy to burn through ammo shooting Bill Drills, so you really want to make sure you focus.
I am really working on recoil control and getting that proper grip every single time from the low ready position. Presenting, shooting six, so that I can make sure the gun isn’t moving in my hands.
This is not a mag dump situation. You need to make sure you are controlling recoil and watching trigger finger movement throughout the entire string. You also need to watch your accuracy, making sure you are keeping hits in the target center.
Bill Drills are a great way to learn how to shoot faster. Your group size is going to dictate how fast you shoot. Keep that in mind, but practice focusing on your grip and that trigger finger movement.
