{"id":11741,"date":"2025-09-10T12:16:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T12:16:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:35:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:35:02","slug":"trigger-pull-vs-follow-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/","title":{"rendered":"Trigger Pull vs. Follow-Through"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Trigger_Pull_vs_Follow-Through_Rethinking_Rifle_Accuracy\" >Trigger Pull vs. Follow-Through: Rethinking Rifle Accuracy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Understanding_Dwell_Time_and_Lock_Time\" >Understanding Dwell Time and Lock Time<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#The_Demonstration_Trigger_Pull_in_Action\" >The Demonstration: Trigger Pull in Action<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Why_Trigger_Pull_Matters_More_Than_You_Think\" >Why Trigger Pull Matters More Than You Think<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Training_Tips_for_Better_Trigger_Pull\" >Training Tips for Better Trigger Pull<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#What_About_Follow-Through\" >What About Follow-Through?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Final_Thoughts_Precision_Starts_at_the_Finger\" >Final Thoughts: Precision Starts at the Finger<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/trigger-pull-vs-follow-through\/#Pursuit_of_Accuracy\" >Pursuit of Accuracy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Trigger_Pull_vs_Follow-Through_Rethinking_Rifle_Accuracy\"><\/span>Trigger Pull vs. Follow-Through: Rethinking Rifle Accuracy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Uf9ZHP2rbe0?si=u5nu3jjbMbHBZamb\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><p>In the world of <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/shooting-tight-groups\/\">precision shooting<\/a>, certain techniques are treated as gospel\u2014follow-through being one of them. But what if the most important factor in hitting your target isn\u2019t what happens after the shot, but what happens just before?<\/p><p>Josh from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PursuitofAccuracy\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Pursuit of Accuracy<\/em> <\/a>recently challenged conventional wisdom with a bold claim: the single most important part of making an accurate <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/finding-the-perfect-6-5-creedmoor-rifle-scope\/\">rifle<\/a> shot is the trigger pull\u2014not follow-through.<\/p><p>Whether you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/why-we-use-argon-gas-versus-nitrogen\/\">shooting<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-22lr-rifle-in-a-whole-new-way\/\">rimfire<\/a>, centerfire, or competing from an unsteady prop, this insight could reshape your training.<\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Dwell_Time_and_Lock_Time\"><\/span>Understanding Dwell Time and Lock Time<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Before diving into technique, let\u2019s define two key terms:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Lock Time<\/strong>: The interval between pulling the trigger and the ignition of the round.<\/li><li><strong>Dwell Time<\/strong>: The time from ignition to when the bullet exits the barrel.<\/li><\/ul><p>In rimfire rifles and airguns, dwell time is slightly longer than in centerfire rifles, which has led many to emphasize follow-through. The logic is simple: if the bullet is still in the barrel, any movement you make can affect its trajectory.<\/p><p>But Josh\u2019s demonstration flips that assumption on its head.<\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Demonstration_Trigger_Pull_in_Action\"><\/span>The Demonstration: Trigger Pull in Action<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Using a Bergara B14R rimfire rifle, Josh fired multiple <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/videosview\/why-james-eagleman-prefers-moa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MOA-sized<\/a> shots from a prop with virtually no follow-through. The results? Consistent hits. The takeaway? If your trigger pull is clean, straight, and undisturbed, the bullet will find its mark\u2014even if your follow-through is imperfect.<\/p><p>This doesn\u2019t mean follow-through is irrelevant. It means that in the hierarchy of shooting fundamentals, trigger control reigns supreme.<\/p><figure id=\"attachment_8725\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8725\" style=\"width: 655px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8725\" title=\"Trigger Pull vs. Follow-Through\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pursuit-of-accuracy-2-1024x571.png\" alt=\"Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through\" width=\"655\" height=\"365\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8725\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through<\/figcaption><\/figure><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Trigger_Pull_Matters_More_Than_You_Think\"><\/span>Why Trigger Pull Matters More Than You Think<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Here\u2019s why trigger pull deserves your full attention:<\/p><ul><li><strong>It\u2019s the moment of truth<\/strong>: The instant you break the shot is when you&#8217;re most likely to impart unwanted movement.<\/li><li><strong>Muscle tension matters<\/strong>: A tense hand, flexed fingers, or anticipation can steer the rifle off target.<\/li><li><strong>Follow-through can\u2019t fix a bad trigger pull<\/strong>: Once the shot breaks, it\u2019s already too late to correct poor technique.<\/li><\/ul><p>Josh\u2019s advice? Strip away distractions. Ditch the ammo. Dry fire. Train your finger to pull straight back, smoothly and consistently, without disturbing the rifle.<\/p><figure id=\"attachment_4958\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4958\" style=\"width: 710px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-30mm-long-range-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4958\" title=\"Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250.jpg\" alt=\"Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through\" width=\"710\" height=\"183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250-300x77.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250-768x198.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250-600x155.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/08\/TRACT_30MMLR_970x250-150x39.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4958\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: center\"><a style=\"text-align: center;text-decoration: none\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/tractoptics.com?utm_medium=Trustbox&#038;utm_source=EmailNewsletter3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/emailsignature.trustpilot.com\/newsletter\/en-US\/3\/5fc7afaa58a6e200016f0dfc\/520\/170\/light@2x.png?stars=5,4,3,2,1&#038;fontSize=default\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"170\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Training_Tips_for_Better_Trigger_Pull\"><\/span>Training Tips for Better Trigger Pull<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><ul><li>Practice dry firing with a coin balanced on your barrel. If it falls, you\u2019re moving the rifle.<\/li><li>Use a light trigger if possible, but train with heavier ones too. Mastery means control, not reliance on gear.<\/li><li>Focus on relaxation. A calm body leads to a clean break.<\/li><li>Incorporate trigger drills into every range session. Make it a habit, not an afterthought.<\/li><\/ul><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_About_Follow-Through\"><\/span>What About Follow-Through?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Follow-through still plays a role\u2014especially with centerfire rifles where recoil and impact observation matter. But for rimfire shooters, or anyone chasing precision from a bench or prop, it\u2019s secondary to the trigger pull.<\/p><p>Think of follow-through as the polish, not the foundation.<\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts_Precision_Starts_at_the_Finger\"><\/span>Final Thoughts: Precision Starts at the Finger<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PursuitofAccuracy\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Josh\u2019s message<\/a> is simple but powerful: if you want to shoot better, start with your trigger finger. Follow-through, cheek weld, shoulder pressure\u2014they all matter. But none of them can compensate for a poor trigger pull.<\/p><p>So next time you hit the range, don\u2019t just aim to shoot. Aim to pull the trigger like a marksman. Every time.<!--EndFragment --><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_8729\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8729\" style=\"width: 627px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCovybkC7GsNeBvgU5HopiVQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8729\" title=\"Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pursuit-of-accuracy-logo-1024x163.png\" alt=\"Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through\" width=\"627\" height=\"100\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8729\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trigger Pull vs Follow-Through<\/figcaption><\/figure><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pursuit_of_Accuracy\"><\/span>Pursuit of Accuracy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Join Josh on his YouTube channel, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCovybkC7GsNeBvgU5HopiVQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pursuit of Accuracy,<\/a> as he dives deep into the world of action shooting sports. From gear breakdowns and firearm insights to match coverage and expert tips, he covers everything a shooting enthusiast craves\u2014especially if rimfire precision is your passion.<\/p><p>Expect detailed reviews, hands-on advice, and a front-row seat to the world of competitve shooting.<\/p><p data-start=\"115\" data-end=\"212\"><strong data-start=\"115\" data-end=\"138\">Thanks for watch and reading!<\/strong><br data-start=\"138\" data-end=\"141\" \/>If you have any questions or need support, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out.<\/p><p data-start=\"214\" data-end=\"314\">\ud83d\udce7\u00a0<strong data-start=\"217\" data-end=\"227\">Email:<\/strong>\u00a0<a class=\"cursor-pointer\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"228\" data-end=\"285\">support@tractoptics.com<\/a><br data-start=\"285\" data-end=\"288\" \/>\ud83d\udcde\u00a0<strong data-start=\"291\" data-end=\"301\">Phone:<\/strong>\u00a0631-662-7354<\/p><p data-start=\"316\" data-end=\"371\">Your vision. Our promise.<br data-start=\"341\" data-end=\"344\" \/><strong data-start=\"344\" data-end=\"371\">\u2013 The <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/how-to-pack-and-protect-your-optics\/\">TRACT Optics<\/a> Team<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trigger Pull vs. Follow-Through: Rethinking Rifle Accuracy. In the world of precision shooting, certain techniques are treated as gospel\u2014follow-through being one of them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2256,2257,2265,2266,2267,2272,2274],"tags":[2326,3580,2903,2979,2980,2986,3581],"class_list":["post-11741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-how-to-fix-adjust","category-rifle-scope","category-riflescopes","category-shooting-skills","category-toric-34mm","category-video","tag-accurate-shooting","tag-how-to-improve-your-shooting-skills","tag-long-range-accuracy","tag-precision-rimfire","tag-precision-rimfire-gear-list","tag-pursuit-of-accuracy","tag-shooting-skills"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11741"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11918,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11741\/revisions\/11918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}