Online there are many adaptive devices available to hold a weapon in place so individuals with disabilities can use it. The particular apparatus that I use was purchased from Blackberry Technology, which I believe is no longer in business. Wherever you purchase a device to hold your gun be sure of these two things: one, there must be some kind of recoil absorber on the unit and two, the gun must be held tightly in place. If you look at the picture to the right you can see there are two Velcro straps holding my gun in place.
Many of the e-mails I receive involve the Trigger Adapter on my gun and a lot of the interest on my website is related to the trigger adapter. Unfortunately, while hunting last spring I lost the trigger adapter a friend had made for me. I am fortunate enough to have progressed to where I have the ability to pull the trigger on both my shotgun (which I use for turkeys) and my rifle (which I use for deer). I know a machinist who would make another trigger adapter for me if I asked. However, because of the interest in my old adapter I decided I was going to try and come up with a relatively simple and inexpensive way to pull the trigger. I tried string, wire and other types of devices but decided to use cable ties. Please understand, as in anything you do, there are certain inherent risks involved. Try this adapter at your own risk.
When I began to construct the Poor Man’s Trigger Adapter on different weapons I realized that every firearm will require some modification of the original idea. Begin by angling two pieces of plastic tubing across the grip portion of the stock with one on each side and then cut them to fit. Take a roll of black electrical tape and tape the pieces of tubing in place. Make sure they do not move. You must also be sure that the tape is not too tight causing the tubing to collapse. Feed one end of a 14” inch cable tie down through the tubing in front of the trigger and back up through the tubing on the opposite side. Be extremely careful not to place any pressure on the trigger. Ideally, the cable tie will rest on the trigger but exert no pressure against it. This step is critical. A second cable tie is then placed in the middle of the loop created by the first cable tie. The loop made by this cable tie may be just large enough for the shooter’s finger or made larger for several fingers or even the shooter's wrist. If the shooter is a high-level quadriplegic, I believe a string or another cable tie may be substituted for the second loop so the individual can bite on it and fire the weapon by moving his head backwards.
When you are finished with the trigger adapter there are several things to be aware of. After firing the weapon you must be absolutely positive that the trigger will return to its normal position. This is especially important if your gun is semi automatic. If the trigger does not return to its proper position it may fire a second round that you will not be anticipating. In order to avoid this be positive that the cable tie is moving freely within the tubing. You must also be sure that the tubing is not taped too tightly. Once the Poor Man’s Trigger Adapter has been placed on the gun there should be a regimen of testing to make sure everything is functioning correctly.
I strongly caution anyone who will be using this trigger adapter to make sure you are familiar with the weapon you are using and follow the directions as carefully as possible. When you are ready to try the Poor Man’s Trigger Adapter begin practicing using Snap Caps. It is not wise to fire your gun when it is empty. It puts stress on the firing pin and can actually do damage. Snap Caps can be used in place of live ammunition and eliminate any unnecessary stress on the firing pin. Before you use live ammunition you should have an able-bodied companion first fire the weapon. The purpose of these procedures is to reduce any possible problems prior to your use of the trigger adapter. Putting one of these trigger adapters on your gun is not that difficult. What is difficult is to pay attention to the details so that you put it on correctly. All normal gun safety precautions should be followed.
