GUNS Magazine August 1962

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TR.Y IIA JERKED TRIGGER IS A MISSED SHOT" IS THE RULE. BUT BEFORE YOU SAY TH IS LAD IS CRAZY. LOOK AT HIS TARGET By JOHN STUART WATKINS Above. Watkins demonstrates off-hand position that has produced targets like the one shown at right. Perfect 100 score was fired by jerking the trigger. Note that the target is witnessed. N"1"Ott",i'~~ '~iINrlo.'( I~AL l5() 1o'T. ,!:~A~;- :Qoam tU'i'LR:'t'AliU"Wl' 26 GUNS • AUGUST 1962
JERKINO THE TRIGGER.! "SQUEEZE that trigger. Don't jerk it. Just exert a steadily increasing pressure on the trigger till she lets off." This, or similarly-worded good advjce has been handed out by thousands of coaches to millions of shooters, especially those addicted to small-bore or four position shooting. Is this sound advice or is this one of those old-wives' tales that have been perpetuated for many years? I would not know, for I jerk the trigger in the off-hand position! Why should I be proud of the fact that I am a triggerjerker? Well, I have managed to get some pretty fair scores with my method of trigger handling, and until someone cOmes along and proves that I can do better by squeezing the trigger, I'll keep jerking my shots.· Shooting my way, I have racked up a modest stack of medals and trophies, culminating in being named to the All American Collegiate Rifle Team for 1961. And I am willing to bet these medals that, admit it or not, many other top shooters also are jerking their triggers ... Some have even told me so! In March of 1962, after I had won the Gold Nugget Tournament at the Tanana Valley Sportsmen Association in Fairbanks with a score of 786 out of 800 using iron sights, the range officer walked up to me. "John, how do you fire your off-hand shots?" he asked. "I jerk them," I replied. "Oh. Don't you mean that you squeeze the trigger fast?" I explained that I jerk the trigger, jerk it so distinctly that it could not possibly be thought of as a squeeze. The range officer didn't comment, but as he walked away I almost could hear him thinking, "Well, the kid will learn!" He didn't know it then, but I had just finished firing a 98 and 96 in the off-hand position. When I ask other shooters how they handle the trigger in the off-hand position, I am told they use a fast squeeze, or what is known as an educated (Continued on page 50) Properly proud of rifle skill author Watkins shows young wife Jeanette latest accomplishments. Close-up of Watkins in the off-hand position shows how only the tip of index finger touches trigger, just enough to, enable him to jerk trigger. At right, coach MjSgt. Everad Horton extends congratulations to author for winning trophies, medals displayed. GUNS AUGUST 1962 27
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GUNS Magazine August 1962

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