Any suggestions for preventing trigger guard injury to middle finger? Any suggested modifications and a gunsmith who can make them? Thanks.

Length of Pull is too short more than likely the culprit.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Length of Pull is too short more than likely the culprit.

Agree...

Jeff Cooper installed a filler behind the trigger guard of "Baby" the .460 G&A rifle that he had built.As I recall it sloped gently from the wide part of the trigger guard back towards the wrist.

What Tod said is the most likely problem. “Length of Pull is too short more than likely the culprit.”
I have used a foam/gel pad on the back of the trigger guard when I had to shoot one that gave me that problem. I have wrapped my finger with a couple of wraps of tape to protect it. I think Galazan sells a couple of different products that might work. One of the shot gunners might know of a place that sells them.
Bill

Could also be the result of failing to grip the rifle firmly. There are rubber trigger guard bumpers made to fit on the rear of the trigger guard which will also relieve the problem.

Another thread on the same issue:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...601083671#5601083671

It is a sad story if this happens.I would consider getting rid of the rifle.I dont know what exactly is responsible for this-my guess would be the overall fit and weight balance of the rifle.I might be wrong and it could be that the trigger guard is too large or the trigger is set too forward.Again,my guess would be the weight balance and how it handles recoil-nothing will stop the recoil and how the rifle is moved backward.If it comes back at you in a weird way then it will get you.I dont think it is the LOP because I have never had this happen to me with a rifle of mine with the shortest LOP.Something is causing it to recoil in a bad manner.I am not wearing any funny stuff on my fingers(like Mike J) or anywhere else.Some rifles will cause your thumb to hit you on the nose.I will not wear a mask because of this.Find the right rifle.

Years ago when I first started shooting moderate sized doubles (.470 and .500) and also larger calibers, I experienced the same problem. The issue for me was related to Mike's comment. I was used to shooting a bolt action in .416 and .375 and also lighter doubles. They were more forgiving of a looser grip on the wrist at least for me.

A firmer grip on a double corrected the issue for me. As Todd and others have mentioned the LOP could also be an area to explore and easy to find out if that is the culprit with a slip on pad.

There may be something to the theory of needing to grip the rifle more firmly. Most every big bore I've ever shot was technically too short for me and I've never had that problem. Last week I was a shooting a .470 with a friend and he was getting whacked real hard on the middle knuckle at every shot. I didn't have a problem getting hit by it. I'm a good 4 or 5 inches taller than he is and the LOP was barely long enough for him, but not long enough for me.

A properly made rifle should not hurt you no matter how you hold the grip.

I have had this happen with one gun, a high grade double trigger Spanish sidelock shotgun. I spent time comparing stock dimensions, shape of the guard, etc and never could figure out why that gun bumped my middle finger and other guns that measured the same did not. The gun is long gone now so I can not look, but speaking to the head of the V-C shop he told me that most often it has to do with the distance of the front trigger in the guard. If you have to reach for the front trigger because it sits further forward or if you have short fingers your hand is closer or even touching the back of the guard before you shoot.
If you want to try a rubber bumper for the back of the guard I have some. Both spring loaded or with a screw. Special AR price $10 shipped (in the US) if you are out of the US some additional shipping will be needed. PM if you want to try one. You can see pics here, http://www.kebcollc.com/cart/store.php?crn=208

I have had this happen to me on a couple of new doubles I have and the LOP is correct. The problem is the angle of the grip and the way the top of wrist and comb come together. The grips on new guns seem to be much tighter than the old English guns which pushes your hand forward. The top on the comb is forward also which pushes your hand forward. I have shot doubles since I could walk and have only had a few guns that did this to me and they are all guns made in the last few years. After shooting one of my doubles I kept noticing that my middle finger was killing me. I could not figure out what was going on and started really paying attention to what was happening. Because of the tighter grip I was having to open my hand as I moved to the back trigger which made me lose my grip somewhat. Because I wasn't holding the grip as tight and my hand had changed position the trigger guard was banging my middle finger really bad.

Sam

If your finger doesn't touch the back of the trigger gaurd before the shot is fired, your finger won't hit it if your hand moves back at the same speed as the stock grip. If your hand doesn't move back at the same speed and your finger hits the trigger gaurd, then your grip isn't tight enough.

465H&H

I would be aware of light and long rifles.I think short, and compact with normal weight will not hit your finger.Best is all the weight between the hands when the left hand is as close to the action as possible.Imagine a large truck that is not loaded properly that has to stop hard all of a sudden.Who knows in what direction it will go to stop?Same with a rifle.

This used to happen to me,especially with my 470 & 458 lott DR's,I now hold my guns tight into my shoulder,my grip is tight on the wrist,no more banged up finger.

I have this issue sometimes with my 500 NE.

Yes, holding it tight does help. However, in the heat of the moment, I find myself reverting back to holding the double like a shotgun. My finger gets hammered especially if several shots are involved.

I had the issue when I first started into doubles. Just needed to hang on tighter and don't have the issue anymore even with the same rifles. I do agree with the others as making sure the fit is correct as well.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
A properly made rifle should not hurt you no matter how you hold the grip.

BS. I don't care how good the fit is on a rifle. If you don't hold onto the grip tight enough there is no where for your fingers to go but into the trigger guard during recoil if you are holding the grip to loose.

I disagree with the above few posts.My Ruger Lott has a short LOP and my middle finger is right up against the trigger guard.I have held the rifle tight and other times like I was shooting an air rifle and the rifle has never once smacked my finger not after thousands of full power rds nor has any of my other Ruger lotts.You can feed this shit to someone else not me.

The laws of physics are different in Montreal. So if you live anywhere other than there I would listen to the advise of the others.

My .475 No.2 never bothered my finger and it was perfect fit. My .500, however, was 3/8's too long in lop and would whack the knuckle. I do agree that a proper grip should resolve this issue as I was shooting for a quick follow up shot in practice when it occurred.

Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
The laws of physics are different in Montreal. So if you live anywhere other than there I would listen to the advise of the others.

Your stupid.

HOW ABOUT THIS http://www.csmcspecials.com/product_p/e0123.htm

The only time my finger gets hit is when I'm firing the left barrel and this is because of grip angle and wrist shape not the length of pull or the way I normally hold the gun. On all the doubles I have that don't do this I can move my finger from the front trigger to the back without changing my grip and on the guns that do hit me I have to change grip to get my finger to the back trigger.

quote:

Your stupid.

Should be you're stupid.
Not only are you stupid but you can't spell.
Cal

They's be usin a different type of syntax in Montreals. If used as a synonym it would be "I'm stupid" for "I'm Shootaway".

Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Your stupid.

Should be you're stupid.
Not only are you stupid but you can't spell.
Cal

That's funny!

I once shot a 900 #4 (Cal's 450 #2 that I doubled) and it still didn't smack my finger.

I'd says the Brett Chiropractic Kung Fu Death Grip is the solution.

Just sayin'

Assuming you are right handed, try to square up to the target a bit more, meaning, get your right shoulder a bit more forward.
The only way a rifle can get your finger is if the gun is recoiling before you have a handle on it.
For this to happen, it is probably not tight enough into your shoulder or your stance is allowing the rifle to slide outward on your shoulder.
For years, I shot heavy smallbore target rifles offhand and had a stance almost 90deg. to the target.
When I first started shooting heavy recoiling rifles, I ran into all sorts of things like this until I decided to try to get more square to the target. Much better. Even my steel plated 425 Westley doesn't bruise or bite me.

Great, thanks for all the suggestions and insights

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Your stupid.

Should be you're stupid.
Not only are you stupid but you can't spell.
Cal

I'm not the best at spelling but damn that's some funny shit!!!

Glad to make a few of you smile.
At Shootaway's expense.
Cheers, mates.
Cal

As always, Cal, we appreciate it. Makes my day complete.

Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Glad to make a few of you smile.
At Shootaway's expense.
Cheers, mates.
Cal

Shootacow was schooled by real life teacher... Nothing better...

Quebec is considering an euthanasia law.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1740713

I suggest that we nominate shothiswad as the first to try out. It would be of benefit to mankind.

Shootaway of course you have no problems with hurting your fingers with the trigger guards on your rifles, you are a genius!!!