Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Big Bore Recoil and my Right Middle Finger

When I shoot heavy loads in my rifles the trigger guard bruises my middle finger, and sometimes after only 3 or 4 shots it becomes too painful to continue. I have considered trying to pad the back of the trigger guard, but I wondered if anyone else experiences this and what you do about it? I know I am a wuss so you don't have to tell me that :>) .

SS

You can buy rubber bumpers that fit on the back of trigger guards. Some double rifle (and SXS) shooters use them.

I do two things: I grasp the pistol grip more firmly with my right hand and I use a shooting glove. One or both will greatly reduce the problem.

I can manage to shoot my 358 winny off the bench and bags with a fairly lite one hand target rifle hold. Last fall after giving abunch of 250gr speers a ride down range I smoked it back to the local gun shop to show off some good groups. While I was there I notice for the first time I had blood all over my right hand and the skin on my middle finger nuckle was tore back. Now this gun is by no means a bad kicker but I think I will try to remember to bring a glove next time I plan to shoot it off bags.

I had a 45/70 contender pistol that would bloody my finger after a few shots. I gloves prevented the bleeding but it still hurt after a couple of shots. The dam pistol kept eating scopes too, so it went down the road.

I had my CZ 550's bolt bent slightly to stop the 416 from rapping my trigger finger, what is the shape of your trigger guard - remember its just metal, change its shape until it works for you.

What rifle do you have?

Chuck

You've never been ripped until it was done by a Weatherby .460 with a checkered bolt knob....

What part of the rifle is hitting your middle finger? The trigger guard, the bolt? My 500 Jeffery comes back pretty good, but I've only noticed it on my shoulder.

Chuck

this is a common problem with double rifles - the "front trigger" grip puts you at a disadvantage if there's open space behind the triggerguard.

the trick is to make sure the middle finger is in contact with the triggerguard so it can't get a running start.

if that doesn't work, add a rubber bumper to the rear of the triggerguard.

As Colorado said, it would be helpful to know what type of rifle you are shooting to get better advice. In any case, banging the middle finger with the rear of the trigger guard is fairly common. However, in my experience it has more to do with the stock's pistol grip shape, your hand size, and also the shape of the trigger guard. You can't do much about your hand shape, but you can certainly change the trigger guard shape to some degree and can also change the shape of the stock grip. I shoot mostly M70's and have never had a problem. However, my Dad shoots various Sakos and M700s in large calibers and has the same problem as you describe. I'd take a look at the grip shape and see if some other style might suit you better. Padding your finger or the trigger guard would be the easiest/cheapest possible solution.
Test

It can be cured by a properly fitting grip, sometimes you may need more curve to the grip to stop the hit or it can be caused by a grip that is too thick for your hand...

Most doubles have an open grip so the hand can slide back to the rear trigger and one size does not fit all....The rubber bumpers pretty well solve the problem, but also increase the reach to the front trigger!

I know of no place wherein a custom stock does more for a rifle than on a big bore double..unfortunatly that adds to an already heavy price, but every big bore double stock should be made to the customer.

We still havent heard what type of rifle is causing the problem, but as Ray has said there are a few possible causes. For myself, when I built my 404, I did so with this potential problem in mind because of my hand shape-size and had my trigger cut off and altered to bring it to the rear of the trigger guard. I had been getting rapped on my finger during testing and this has been a definite fix. I think the trigger looks better set at the rear of the guard as well.

I liked it so much that its companion 7x57 had the same alteration to its trigger as well.


Von Gruff.

For those who asked it is the trigger guard that is hitting my finger. And it does it on all my rifles with heavy loads. From about 4000fp ME on up.

Where do I find these rubber bumpers? Are they sold for that purpose? I went on MidwayUSA and Cabelas and couldn't find anything.

SS

I haven't needed to use one, but the shotgunners seem to like this one:

http://www.csmcspecials.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CORNER

On all big blasters we test here I try to use
thumbhole stocks as it is hard with regular
stocks to keep from banging fingers.
And they do the job even with way over
12,000 ft lb loads.Ed

As 'un-clasic' as a thumbhole stock may be, I have always wondered what a thumbhole would shoot like on a big bore. I figured if reinforced right it would be the best for control.

Von Gruff, tell us more about the cocking piece sight!

PoppaW,
thumb holes don't work well with really heavy recoiling rifles as they put a lot of stress on the wrist and webb of the hand..But mostly they are not condusive to packing all day long in the African bush and heat, and they are not quick on target for DG..I have only seen one or two on Safari and they were pretty much a disaster..

Cabriolet,
If you ever get a chance to take a look at a Jack Hoag, Milan, In. stock, take notice of how he squares very small grip then egg shapes it to have thickness in the sides and completely through the center line of the stock from end to end making the stock very slim and handy but strong as a thick stock...I had a Jack Hoag Mauser rifle, and studied it and used it for a long time before I sold it for $16,000. I did have the stock pantagraphed and I use that pattern on most of my guns. The man is a genious..Today his son builds guns, and I think he builds carriges for the locals with black hats.

It is a Rigby style that I needed to sit lower than the centerline of the bolt so I had the cocking piece turned down and an off set sleeve made to take the dovetail for the sight. Sitting this low it also allows the placement of scope in custom QD set-up.

Von Gruff.