Can you post the relevant part of your code?
Something like this should work:
Code:
if (joystick.getRawButton(SHOOTER_BUTTON))
talon.set(1.0);
Sometimes a button on a joystick is read as an axis on the computer. For example, the xbox 360 controller finger triggers (bumpers or whatever they're called) actually count as axis and you'll get a variable value instead of a true/false.