Anyone else missing their trigger finger?

[lka]

Hi,

Last year I lopped off my trigger finger at work, it hurt lol and I'm just mow getting back into shooting (I was heading to the range almost every am before work for years) it's tough and I can't shoot pistoles with trigger safety's. I going to head out this am and try with my middle finger. Anyone else missing their trigger finger? And if so how do you shoot?

[uscra112]

That's a bad break !

I know of one guy who switched to shooting lefty when he injured his right hand.

I also just recently read (and saw a picture) of a silhouette shooter holding a Contender such that she used her middle finger. She still has the index, just preferred not to use it.

[winelover]

Recently, read something, where it was recommended to shoot a pistol that way, when it comes to instinctive (point and shoot) shooting.

Winelover

[sdcitizen]

One of my shooting friends is missing his trigger finger. He mostly shoots left handed, unless its very low recoil. Might have more to do with residual pain though, this past summer he injured the scar area, and said after that it felt better than it had in years.

[lka]

Well I didn't get to test out the middle, I got to the range and found I grabbed the boy scout ammo can instead of the one with my casted bullets :( but I got a ton of brass :D

And I can see why he said it hurts, lol the concussion from my m2 with slugs really hurts, the 1911 is fine though it still hurts some

Thanks for the replys

[jmort]

I'm sure many of us have seen the video of the young lady with no arms shooting with her toe. Where there is a will, there is a way. Good luck with your readjustment.

[Firebricker]

Thought I would post a link of Karoly Takacs who made a huge come back after a grenade disabled his right arm. I have no doubt that you will overcome your injury. FB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1roly_Tak%C3%A1cs

[lka]

Thought I would post a link of Karoly Takacs who made a huge come back after a grenade disabled his right arm. I have no doubt that you will overcome your injury. FB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1roly_Tak%C3%A1cs

The link says it's down for maintenance, but gez A grenade, I just lost a fight with a pocketknife

[Boz330]

When I was a DI at Ft Knox we had a cruit shoot off his index finger with an M-14 because someone told him they wouldn't send him to Nam without a trigger finger. When he got out of the stockade they told him to use the middle finger and he finished up his basic. The only thing he accomplished was getting 6 months of bad time added to his tour.
I'm not sure what they did to those guys in the stockade but every single one of them were soldering SOBs when they got back. They sure didn't want anymore of that action.

Bob

[jcwit]

I went into the Army a fellow that had his trigger ripped out in a water skiing accident. Made no difference at all, he went thru basic just like the rest of us, have no idea where he went to from there. This was back in the 60's.

[lka]

Wow LOL shoot off your finger to get out of serving your country?

[429421Cowboy]

My little brother split his trigger finger straight down the middle almost all the way down to his hand with a table saw two years ago, and they repaired and pinned it, so he has a index finger still, but it is immobile. He shoots rifle with his middle finger with this index alongside the stock, it took some learning to keep it out of the way, since its there, but nonfunctional. Pistol, he holds with his right hand, and pulls the trigger with his left index finger and works pretty good that way.
He was fairly lucky that he was young (13) and could adapt pretty well to have a lifetime of shooting afterwards.

Good luck to you!

[lka]

I had a lot of people suggest shooting left-handed but that feels really really uncomfortable, i'm going to keep practicing, but the middle finger actually doesn't feel that bad, I was surprised I've only dry fired that way and can't wait to get beck out to test it. I'm also signing up for the CCW class again to try using my middle or stub, it's a fun class anyways lol

[Teddy (punchie)]

Yes that would be adjustment. Pray your in no pain.

About shooting just do it, then find out what needs to be changed,fixed . I recall hearing not how much but how often. Start slow and relearn and get faster with time. What may work for you may not work for an other person. I would shoot over a soft flooring, just case you drop something. Would load one load at a time, for same reason.

I think of a few other things I would have more trouble then shooting. Fat farmer fingers here, that middle finger is just larger.

Best of luck!!

[bob208]

if you watch some of the speed shooters with bolt guns the enfield comes to mind they use the middle and some use the next finger down.

when I was younger the thought of loosing one finger came to me so I taught my self to use other fingers and even shoot left handed.

[Bonz]

A friend of mine uses his middle finger on the trigger because its longer than the rest. He is an excellent shot and great hunter !

[Firebricker]

Ika, I just tried the link and it came up but if it gives you problems you can just search Wikipedia it is an interesting read. The first time around Hungry would not let him compete because he was not an officer. By the time they lifted that restriction his arm was severely damaged by a "faulty grenade" this guy had a dedication and passion for shooting. FB

[captaint]

I would first try using my middle finger. Would also try learning to shoot left handed. One way or the other, it'd work out. Mike

[DIRT Farmer]

Working as a police officer, we had to qulify using both hands. There was a training vidio where a police officer was killed when he was hit in his strong hand and could not defend himself. I learned to use either hand, either eye.

[jonp]

When I was a DI at Ft Knox we had a cruit shoot off his index finger with an M-14 because someone told him they wouldn't send him to Nam without a trigger finger. When he got out of the stockade they told him to use the middle finger and he finished up his basic. The only thing he accomplished was getting 6 months of bad time added to his tour.
I'm not sure what they did to those guys in the stockade but every single one of them were soldering SOBs when they got back. They sure didn't want anymore of that action.

Bob

I know a guy whose unit was deploying to Afghan. He didn't want to go so he came up with the bright idea to shoot himself in the foot. After he recovered he went anyways. Numbnuts.....

[fouronesix]

Hi,

Last year I lopped off my trigger finger at work, it hurt lol and I'm just mow getting back into shooting (I was heading to the range almost every am before work for years) it's tough and I can't shoot pistoles with trigger safety's. I going to head out this am and try with my middle finger. Anyone else missing their trigger finger? And if so how do you shoot?

Yep we be brothers :) You will notice pain from bumping and recoil for a while but it will slowly get better. The sensation of screwed up, out-of-place nerves around the stump will always be different and you'll just have to learn to adapt. The biggest pain in the butt is reaching for and dropping things and reaching into pockets to get things. :(

After almost 30 years of training with both hands for handgun, I've found off or weak hand shooting is OK. Not great but OK. I'm right handed and right eye dominant so the left hand handgun shooting was, is and always will be not as good as strong hand. Single action revolver is fine using middle as trigger finger by cocking with left thumb without changing grip- something learned long ago anyway. Shooting strong (right hand) using the middle as trigger finger with both the Glock and 1911 is not so good.

Shooting long guns has really not been any problem using the middle finger as long as you keep the tender stump away from hitting something during recoil until it toughens up over time.

Good luck

[Love Life]

A friend of mine uses his middle finger on the trigger because its longer than the rest. He is an excellent shot and great hunter !

I use my middle finger for fast bolt work.

[lka]

Yep we be brothers :) You will notice pain from bumping and recoil for a while but it will slowly get better. The sensation of screwed up, out-of-place nerves around the stump will always be different and you'll just have to learn to adapt. The biggest pain in the butt is reaching for and dropping things and reaching into pockets to get things. :(

After almost 30 years of training with both hands for handgun, I've found off or weak hand shooting is OK. Not great but OK. I'm right handed and right eye dominant so the left hand handgun shooting was, is and always will be not as good as strong hand. Single action revolver is fine using middle as trigger finger by cocking with left thumb without changing grip- something learned long ago anyway. Shooting strong (right hand) using the middle as trigger finger with both the Glock and 1911 is not so good.

Shooting long guns has really not been any problem using the middle finger as long as you keep the tender stump away from hitting something during recoil until it toughens up over time.

Good luck

Cool! Someone else missing digits ;) (I know it's not that cool)

I've noticed the same thing, rifle is no big deal but the glock is out so far, thanks for the reply ;) oh yeah the whole reaching for things lol it sucks strange feeling grabbing at something and missing it and I still can't really get anything out of my pocket partly because I still have stitches that haven't dissolved yet and they get caught on the fabric usually resulting in a yelp! It is amazing how the other digests jump in to help, I use my hands a lot and I'll get working on something forgetting it's missing that happened relatively quick. My biggest issue is trying to get the stub to move better I was in a bandage for months and I lost all strength in it, it's amazing how quickly you loose movement when it stays in place for so long. They attached my index to my middle for two weeks while waiting to see if the finger would heal together (they tried sewing the end back on and it was working out perfectly until I closed it in a door, then it turned black and I got gangrene) anyways two weeks with the middle and months later it's still stiff.

If ya don't mind me asking, how did you loose yours?

[Shuz]

One of the best CBA competitors in the Plain Base category is a gentleman from Nelson, BC. who lost his index trigger finger in an accident about 15 years ago. After the accident, he began shooting with his middle finger and has continued to win his category of PB in CBA competition throughout the United States at National and Regional matches. He's living proof that,"where there's a will, there's a way".

[gnoahhh]

A few years ago I managed to get my RH index finger mangled pretty good in a Blum hinge drilling attachment in a drill press. A generation ago they would have just taken it off entirely rather than try to fix it. My surgeon was tempted to do just that anyway- it was that bad. I pleaded with him to try and get me enough movement in it to continue using it as my trigger finger, which he did. It's stiff with about 50% range of movement and crooked to boot but it works fine for what God intended it for- squeeeezing a trigger.

As a kid I witnessed a guy who had lost both hands at the wrist via a high tension electric cable. He had a socket rigged to his right wrist into which a modified S&W M29 would fit. A thin stainless steel cable was implanted up his arm and around to his right pectoral muscle, the end of which was hooked to the trigger of the Smith. His son would load the gun and fit it in the socket and hook the cable to the trigger. He (the amputee) could then cock it with his LH stump, aim it 'normally', and flex his pectoral muscle to pull the trigger. The guy could out shoot all of us, and even killed a couple of deer with it I was told.

[fouronesix]

If ya don't mind me asking, how did you loose yours?

Oh ya, I also had quite the discussion with the docs about options, including the infamous "Napoleon" graft similar to what you attempted. Thought about it overnight and decided to take it off clean. I still tell the joke about the hospital serving finger sandwiches the day after. :)

Not much glamor in my millisecond of inattention. Mangled both index and middle finger making a "simple" cut on a table saw- wham! Middle finger didn't suffer as much tendon or bone damage so it works fine now- just a little stiff in the mornings or after working hard.
One thing I'm watching out for now is getting arthritis in the remaining finger joints.

And really, my shooting hasn't suffered too much. The handgun shooting takes the most concentration.

And hey, who needs a stinkin' trigger finger when you've got "The Hook". :wink:

[Boz330]

Wow LOL shoot off your finger to get out of serving your country?

While I was with that company we had 2 finger shootings with M-14s (makes a real mess). One guy jumped off of a barracks balcony, another slit his wrists, twice. One pulled a stunt on the grenade range that got the you know what beat out of him by a Master Sgt with almost 30 years and a CIB with 2 stars. He actually got out. Of course there were too many AWOLs to even remember.
During the draft and Viet Nam not everybody was that thrilled about serving their country.

Bob

[jcwit]

While I was with that company we had 2 finger shootings with M-14s (makes a real mess). One guy jumped off of a barracks balcony, another slit his wrists, twice. One pulled a stunt on the grenade range that got the you know what beat out of him by a Master Sgt with almost 30 years and a CIB with 2 stars. He actually got out. Of course there were too many AWOLs to even remember.
During the draft and Viet Nam not everybody was that thrilled about serving their country.

Bob

That sadly was a sign of the times. I think it would be even more so in todays world, sad to say.

[Love Life]

That sadly was a sign of the times. I think it would be even more so in todays world, sad to say.

Says you.

[scarry scarney]

That sadly was a sign of the times. I think it would be even more so in todays world, sad to say.

Back then, there was the draft. Today's military is all volunteer. During the height of the Iraq/Afghan wars, people were turned away from the recruiters.

[lka]

Oh ya, I also had quite the discussion with the docs about options, including the infamous "Napoleon" graft similar to what you attempted. Thought about it overnight and decided to take it off clean. I still tell the joke about the hospital serving finger sandwiches the day after. :)

Not much glamor in my millisecond of inattention. Mangled both index and middle finger making a "simple" cut on a table saw- wham! Middle finger didn't suffer as much tendon or bone damage so it works fine now- just a little stiff in the mornings or after working hard.
One thing I'm watching out for now is getting arthritis in the remaining finger joints.

And really, my shooting hasn't suffered too much. The handgun shooting takes the most concentration.

And hey, who needs a stinkin' trigger finger when you've got "The Hook". :wink:

Lol the hook is ******! You lost more then I did, I must say though, the hook is cool

[scb]

An elderly friend of mine lost his trigger finger, his middle finger, and better that half of his ring finger in a sawmill accident when he was younger. He could shoot as well as anyone I know and better than most. I heard him say many times that those finger didn't even slow that 48" blade down. Then again he'd say it was hooked to a 100 hp diesel engine. I'd guess practice is the key to being able to shoot well again.

[richhodg66]

My wife's grandpa was missing about half of his and he shot with his middle finger. Killed quite a few deer in his day, including some big ones. It happened in an accident on the farm when he was a small kid and it didn't stop him being drafted and serving in Europe during WWII.

[jcwit]

Says you.

Yes says me. Think about the inner city kids if they brought back the draft. Might be good for them tho if the DI's could be strict enough. If nothing else it might teach them some self respect.

Many of them might even find a father figure, AKA a Sergeant.

[Love Life]

Yes says me. Think about the inner city kids if they brought back the draft. Might be good for them tho if the DI's could be strict enough. If nothing else it might teach them some self respect.

Many of them might even find a father figure, AKA a Sergeant.

You had inner city "kids" in your day. Some went to vietnam, some dodged the draft in any way possible.
You had middle class "kids" in your day. Some went to vietnam, some dodged the draft in any way possible.
You had upper class "Kids" in your day. Some went to vietnam, some dodged the draft in any way possible.
You had rich "kids" in your day. Some went to Vietnam, some dodged the draft in any way possible.

[jcwit]

I'll just say IMO it would not work today, to bad, but that's the way I see it.

You may disagree with me, but that's fine also.

[Geraldo]

Not missing it last time I checked...

Two things came to mind when I read your post. First was a long time ago when I saw a pic of a Marine who competed at Camp Perry. He had broken his trigger finger prior to the matches, so he shot with it splinted riding the mag well of his rifle. He used his middle finger and IIRC won big. British Tommies supposedly shot their Enfields using their middle finger on the trigger and thumb and index finger to run the bolt. In the end I think you'll be fine.

I did tear a ligament in my right index finger a long time ago and thought I was going to have some permanent problems because I could not pull a DA trigger at all (could barely pull the trigger on my Gold Cup). I didn't want to have surgery, so I gave it a little time to heal and then worked it on the lightest DA revolver I had. From that I moved up to a Colt Anaconda with the worst DA trigger ever and built it up some more. Works great now. You might try this as a workout for your middle finger.

[Rangefinder]

Recently, read something, where it was recommended to shoot a pistol that way, when it comes to instinctive (point and shoot) shooting.

Winelover

YUP!!! Tried it for the heck of it about a decade or so ago because a deputy where I grew up was missing his trigger finger and shot using his middle--and shot EXTREMELY well. For fast, instinctive shooting, it works fantastic. I still shoot semi's this way pretty often.

To the OP>> sorry about the finger, but once you get the hang of using your middle (a magazine or two, likely) it will all come together.

[fouronesix]

The problems I had with handgun are twofold. After years and thous of rounds using a complete hand, the muscle memory for best grip or trigger pull are not easily transferrable to middle finger shooting, neither for the mechanics of quick, reliable and consistent draw from holster. Both are doable but require time, effort and resetting muscle memory.

[DLCTEX]

My youngest brother cut his trigger finger off close to his hand in a work accident. He was an avid trap shooter at the time and wanted to save the finger. The finger was reattached and he went through almost a year of treatment that included using leeches to aid in bloodflow to the finger. In the end the finger was saved but non-functional with no feeling. He never got back into trap, but does shoot occasionally using his middle finger. He changed his outdoor interests to fishing.

[Ramar]

lka,
Twenty years ago I was a pretty good bullseye shooter until I got my trigger finger caught in a timing gear mishap.
I lost a portion to the 1st joint but I was real lucky to have big hands which helped me get the stump to the trigger but not around it. Still don't have much feeling, which is good because I can move it and have no idea when the hammer will release. Pistols are easier but I love revolvers. I can't make the DA work but the single action and a legal light trigger pull really helps. My scores are better now with the stump because I hand to relearn and this time I learned right and worked a bunch harder. You can do the same takes work but this time you got more experience and wisdom.
Ramar

[lka]

My youngest brother cut his trigger finger off close to his hand in a work accident. He was an avid trap shooter at the time and wanted to save the finger. The finger was reattached and he went through almost a year of treatment that included using leeches to aid in bloodflow to the finger. In the end the finger was saved but non-functional with no feeling. He never got back into trap, but does shoot occasionally using his middle finger. He changed his outdoor interests to fishing.

When I first cut it off the doctors really did not want to attach it, they told me most people regret it because you end up with a part of your finger does not work properly and it gets in the way. I of course wanted to try so I told him to go ahead and put it back, well he was right it was in the way and after the second amputation I actually felt a lot better about it.

I was using a brand-new benchmade knife, It was serrated at the bottom, it turned out that the locking mechanism didn't work and it collapsed on me went right through the trigger finger and pretty far into my middle finger. If anybody gets a new life open it and tap it on the shoe and see if it closes, this particular knife you can barely tap it and it swings closed without touching the unlocking mechanism. I'm still amazed that it want through the bone I was barely putting much pressure on it, I guess there's just a lot of leverage there at the bottom

[lka]

lka,
Twenty years ago I was a pretty good bullseye shooter until I got my trigger finger caught in a timing gear mishap.
I lost a portion to the 1st joint but I was real lucky to have big hands which helped me get the stump to the trigger trigger but not around it. Still don't have much feeling, which is good because I can move it and have no idea when the hammer will release. Pistols are easier but I love revolvers. I can't make the DA work but the single action and a legal light trigger pull really helps. My scores are better now with the stump because I hand to relearn and this time I learned right and worked a bunch harder. You can do the same takes work but this time you got more experience and wisdom.
Ramar

Thanks for the advice,

Luckily I have fairly big hands as well and I can get to the side of the trigger, this works for everything but trigger Safty like the glock and my main carry gun sr-40c. I have a little hammerless 38 and I couldn't pull the trigger, I put snap caps in it and when watching TV I just keep pulling the trigger (I'm sure it's been driving my wife nuts ;)) 2 weeks later I can pull it with ease. It's just them damn trigger safeties and the pain. I'm really interested in middle finger shooting, I like the idea of point and shoot, I just need to keep my finger crossed that I don't rub the slide lol

[TXGunNut]

Working as a police officer, we had to qulify using both hands. There was a training vidio where a police officer was killed when he was hit in his strong hand and could not defend himself. I learned to use either hand, either eye.

Former longtime LEO and PPC shooter. I'm a little slower shooting with my "off" hand but accuracy often improves. No big deal but just like any shooting it takes practice. Gets funny looks from fellow shooters and RO's when you decide to let your "strong" hand rest a bit and continue with your "off" hand. Your hands and brain will do anything you let them do, just let them do it.

[flounderman]

It shouldn't be that hard to shoot using a two hand grip and pulling the trigger with the left finger. Just have to rearrange the grip. You could still use the right to aim and the right eye. I had to switch to left hand for rifle and shotgun, years ago. I still shoot pistol, right hand, left eye.

[Firebricker]

It will not help for handguns but check out Jon Kruger with a shotgun I believe he is missing at least two fingers on his shooting hand. I think he uses velcro on the stock and on his glove to hold the shotgun. FB

[lka]

Well I went again yesterday and the day before, and getting ready to shoot over there again now,, I think the middle finger will win :) i've been going through a lot of 45s looks like I'll have to cast up a bunch over the weekend ;)

[KCSO]

Middle finger won't hurt as long as it's now short enough to miss the cylinder gap on a revolver. This will be a lot easier than trying to retrain to shoot lefty. Had abuddy who lost the tip of his trigger finger shooting a derringer with the middle finger once, he heard it was better for point shooting that way, now he can't point as far.

[lka]

Middle finger won't hurt as long as it's now short enough to miss the cylinder gap on a revolver. This will be a lot easier than trying to retrain to shoot lefty. Had abuddy who lost the tip of his trigger finger shooting a derringer with the middle finger once, he heard it was better for point shooting that way, now he can't point as far.

Lol, well he should be able to shoot and point the derringer now ;)

[DLCTEX]

When younger and dumber I let a fellow talk me into shooting a revolver with middle finger on the premise that laying the fore finger along the chamber and barrel would aid in point shooting. I'm glad it was a 22 LR. My son let a fellow try his 480 Ruger (now mine). He caught the guy wrapping his off hand over the barrel to hold it down in recoil just before the trigger was pulled. He had to explain why that was not a good idea.

[lka]

When younger and dumber I let a fellow talk me into shooting a revolver with middle finger on the premise that laying the fore finger along the chamber and barrel would aid in point shooting. I'm glad it was a 22 LR. My son let a fellow try his 480 Ruger (now mine). He caught the guy wrapping his off hand over the barrel to hold it down in recoil just before the trigger was pulled. He had to explain why that was not a good idea.

Gezz good thing your son stopped him,,

Reminds me of some survival show we were watching, dude was all about his guns let his kids shoot really was kinda annoying about it all, well he's shooting and acting like he's an expert and did something and shot a finger, he wigged out and fainted, then he changed his mind about guns, idiot,, lol..