The Importance of Safely Placing Your Finger on a Handgun

“Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.” The late Col. Jeff Cooper’s third rule of firearms safety is intended to prevent your gun from discharging until you’ve made a conscious decision to fire. While the rule is simple and, on its face, easy to understand, there are some nuances to when your finger should be on the trigger.

There’s a concept called “indexing,” which is placing your trigger finger outside of the trigger guard until you’re ready to fire. Indexing comes into play whenever you are handling a gun—whether you’re picking one up, having one handed to you or are in the act of drawing.

Properly indexing your trigger finger during the draw is especially important. As you draw, your index finger should be straight and on the outside of the holster. As the gun is lifted from the holster, your finger should index along the side of the pistol.

There is some debate about where and how this should occur. I prefer a high index, where my finger is positioned high on the frame or even on the slide on a semiauto.

Indexing?

I’m not a fan of indexing on the frame with my finger bent so that only the tip is in contact with the pistol. To me, this positions your finger closer to the trigger, and since your finger is flexed, it can be easier for it to slip off the frame and into the trigger guard. Placing your finger across the trigger guard is also ill-advised because it’s too likely your finger will find its way inside the guard.

The scenario you’re facing also has big effect on correct finger placement. For one thing, drawing your gun does not automatically mean that firing it is warranted. If you’re drawing but have not yet determined that you’re dealing with an imminent deadly threat, your finger should be indexed as previously described.

A quick refresher on draw technique is in order here. The gun should come straight up to the chest, where the support hand joins the grip, and then be driven straight toward the target. Once your second hand joins the grip, your muzzle should be oriented to the target.

At this point, if you know you’re going to shoot, there’s no need to wait until your arms are fully extended to find the trigger. Instead, place your finger on the trigger as you drive the gun toward the target. If you had to, you could fire before your arms are fully extended.

Surprise Trigger Break

This is when another of Cooper’s concepts—that of the surprise trigger break—can seem to contradict his third rule of firearm safety.

Surprise trigger break refers to applying rearward pressure on the trigger gradually to keep the muzzle from moving as the shot is fired. That’s important because even the slightest muzzle movement when firing could result in a miss.

The “surprise” refers to not anticipating when the shot will break, which often leads to a miss. It doesn’t mean you should be surprised you fired the pistol. Firing your pistol should always be a conscious decision.

After firing, your trigger should be reset with your finger still in contact. Don’t immediately remove your finger from the trigger after firing. If you do and then realize you need to fire again, the tendency is to “slap” the trigger rather than “press” it to the rear. Slapping the trigger is a good way to miss your target. Keep your finger in contact with the trigger until you are sure you won’t need to fire another shot right away.

Gunsite Foundational Teachings

Gunsite Academy, which Cooper founded, teaches to keep your finger on the trigger as you follow an assailant to the ground so you can deliver more rounds if warranted.

An assailant who’s been shot and has fallen to the ground may still be able to shoot you. When you’re confident that’s no longer the case, you should again index your finger along the side of the pistol as you scan for additional threats.

Following an assailant to the ground after shooting him—or simulating doing so on the range—is fine, but having your finger on the trigger when your pistol is in the Low Ready position is not. With the latter, your sights aren’t on target, meaning your finger must be off the trigger.

In a recent pistol course I taught, a student had his finger on the trigger while using the Low Ready position, with the muzzle pointed between him and the target. However, he was not looking at the target but rather at me. Such inattentiveness can have costly, perhaps even deadly consequences.

Holstering

Finger placement is crucial during holstering the gun because this is when you are most likely to fire the pistol unintentionally. For some reason, people seem to be in a hurry to holster, and in their haste a finger can find its way onto the trigger.

Be especially mindful if you wear your pistol behind the hip in an inside-the-waistband holster. In this position it’s harder to see the gun. Also, the mouth of the holster—particularly one made of leather that doesn’t have a properly reinforced mouth—can collapse, and the shooter then has to adjust his or her grip to force the gun into the holster.

For safety’s sake, slow down. Take your time, take a breath, and if you need to, take a glance at your holster. If you’re worried about taking your eyes off the battle space, don’t be. After all, holstering shouldn’t even be a consideration until you’ve confirmed your world is safe.

If there’s one thing many handgunners, especially beginners, have trouble with it’s following Cooper’s third rule. Next time you’re at the range, focus on your trigger-finger management. It’ll make you a safer and more effective defensive shooter.

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Top Selling Semi-Auto Pistols Sold in September 2025

Source: gungenius.com/top-selling/

To learn more or shop for any of the guns listed, visit Gun Genius at www.gungenius.com/top-selling.

Editor's note: In the report, guns are rated from one to five within each category, with the number one gun being the most popular that month. The numbers are color-coded to show any changes in the ranks from the previous report.

Black = Steady
Green = Up
Red = Down

Source: gungenius.com/top-selling/

To learn more or shop for any of the guns listed, visit Gun Genius at www.gungenius.com/top-selling.

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