Safety With Firearms

Inter-Limb Interaction

Of the four Firearms Safety Rules put forth by Advanced Weapons & Tactics, we refer to Rule Three as the Golden Rule: Keep you finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. The reason we make this a major issue, from the initiation of training, is a phenomenon called inter-limb interaction. This is a term used to describe the involuntary contraction of an individual's hand and finger muscles under stressful conditions. There are three causative factors of which shooting students need to be aware:

1. Sympathetic Squeeze Response

This can occur when the shooting hand is holding the weapon, and the non-shooting hand must be employed in some forceful or violent action. One example is a typical law enforcement situation: A suspect is taken into custody at gunpoint, apparently submits, and then violently resists when the officer attempts to search or make the physical arrest with the weapon still in hand and his/her trigger finger inside the trigger guard. many police agencies have been involved in litigation over incidents caused by this training deficiency.

2. Startle Response

This can occur when one is holding a weapon improperly and a sudden unexpected stimulus occurs. For example, if a homeowner was investigating a suspicious noise in the home while armed, he/she might be suddenly exposed to a loud scream, lights suddenly coming on, or encountering a family pet in the dark. With the finger in the trigger guard, this could easily lead to an unintended shot being fired.

3. Loss of Balance Response

This can occur any time one unexpectedly stumbles or otherwise experiences an unanticipated loss of balance. An example could be the above-mentioned homeowner investigating a suspicious noise and miscounting stair steps or placing a foot on an unseen object on the floor. In each of these situations, the response is a tensing of the hands and other muscle groups in an attempt to recover one's balance. If the finger has been allowed to rest on the trigger a unintended shot is again the likely result.

If you do not see your front sight, you do not feel the trigger with your trigger finger. The solution is as simple as it is critical Teach, Enforce, and Live Rule Three!
Keep you finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

The information on this page came from class materials developed by Walt Marshall and the Advanced Weapons & Tactics. If you own a firearm you should make arrangements to attend at least one of Walt's courses.

To Safety With Firearms Page.

To Walt Marshall's Advanced Weapons & Tactics Site.

To Kodai No Bushido Home Page.

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Last modified: $Date: 2004/10/18 15:30:31 $