Surprise break

**Novice** · 17-03-2009, 16:50

Good day fellow shooters

New to this site and must commend the admistrators of gunsite for an informative platform for South African pistoleros,well done.
I am fairly new in the whole shooting thing (carrying for 2 years ,shoting IDPA for 1 year) and there is one thing in the firing of a pistol that puzzles me, and that is the surprise break.Could anyone clarify the concept of the surprise break?

**SSP** · 17-03-2009, 16:57

The idea is that the break of the trigger (dropping the hammer/striker) takes you by surprise in order to minimise the effects of a flinch. The theory is that if taken by surprise by the break you will not involuntarily tense up and disturb the shot.

**Craig** · 17-03-2009, 18:22

Hi Novice and welcome to the forum, nice to have you on board.

Regarding the surprise break, its what SSP said. I had a classic example the other day when at the range with a fellow gunsite member, he was shooting a pistol that he was not familiar with and was squeezing the trigger ( on target ) when the round went off unexpectedly, it took him totally by surprise as he didn't expect the trigger to be as light, needless to say the bullet hit the bull.