Thumb position

[invisiman]

A buddy of mine taught me to put my (being right handed) right thumb on the right
side of the grip, almost pointing straight up. This puts less pressure on the hand and to me makes it easier to shoot more accurately . I also use the second knuckle of my trigger finger (bending at a 90 degree angle).

[Von Gruff]

Personally I have found that if I put my thumb on top of the wrist (on bolt rifles) right behind the bolt shroud I get a much more straight line press with the pad of the first joint of my finger on the trigger more inclined to move toward the centre of my thumb pad for a less disturbance at the shot.

[LR1955]

A buddy of mine taught me to put my (being right handed) right thumb on the right
side of the grip, almost pointing straight up. This puts less pressure on the hand and to me makes it easier to shoot more accurately . I also use the second knuckle of my trigger finger (bending at a 90 degree angle).

Invisiman:

You must have a trigger that is identical to issued Carbines to need half of your trigger finger to pull the thing.

As for the thumb. You will find that sometimes you just don't like having it there and will use it the way your hand was designed. Other times, the way you use it now. I normally wrap it around the pistol grip when I shoot an AR in High Power. Particularly in the rapid and sustained fires. I think a-lot of it deals with the position you are using. From a bench, most likely the hand just fits better with the thumb on the side. From unsupported positions, probably not.

LR1955

[CPT.CRAZY]

I do put my right thumb on the right side of my grip wham shooting from a bench or prone. I picked up this from an ex ranger he said that you are less likley to"tourque" the rifle this way.

[invisiman]

LR1955

I have a 2 stage geissele trigger SSA-Enhanced. I do not have a tremendous pull, I like the positioning of the finger using the second knuckle. It helps me be more consistent squeezing this way.
I agree with you, I will wrap the thumb around the the grip for fast shooting and use first knuckle of trigger finger. With shooting precisely I shoot thumb up and with the shooting finger at a 90. This position is much for steady for me.

[stokesrj]

The Army Marksmanship Unit teaches laying the thumb natrually along the left side or the rest and a semi firm grip similar to a hand shake. They also teach that it isn't important where your finger contacts the trigger as long as it can be pulled straight back with no side torque. You can easily see if you are doing this or not by dryfireing while watching your sights. If they don't move then you are performing proper trigger control.

Some bolt rifle are set up for thumb to the right but this is for speed during the rapid fire stages, not precision trigger control. The most famous prone stock, the McMillan Anshutz has a thumb rest slightly to the right of center which places the thumb almost upright.

Here is a video of Garry Ellisseo shooting one of his tube guns with his thumb to the right. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw7nkHAGD...ure=fvwrel
Most people shooting a Tubb 2K shoot with the tumb on the left because it is set up to work the bolt more ergenomically and can make the time limits during rapdid fire doing so.

Some benchrest shooters don't even use the grip, instead, they pinch the trigger between the thumb and trigger finger with the thumb behind the trigger guard. http://www.vintagebenchrest.com/page19/f...ge19_1.jpg

[invisiman]

Thanks Stokesrj and everybody else. Nice video of Garry. This is what I like about this forum. Gathering information from shooters, experimenting with the information and making myself a better shot through technique and position. Thanks again.
I am going to the range tomorrow. We are supposed to have light winds. Looking forward to shooting at 100, 200 and 300 with this rifle. Curious to see what
I can do at 300 with a 16 inch tube.

[vanessar]

Thats a good advice. Thanks for sharing.