[Yo Mama]

In handguns, what does trigger reset mean?

[Meowhead]

When you fire a handgun the trigger is pulled all the way back. To fire again you need to first relax your trigger finger a bit, allow the trigger to move forward before you can pull it again - that time/motion is the reset.

P.S. She so fat she irons her clothes on the driveway.

[dmazur]

Trigger terms (as I understand them) -

Surprisingly, most of these aren't in the THR Library...

Pull - The force required to release the trigger, not necessarily uniform
Creep - The distance the trigger moves after "takeup" before release
Release - The point in trigger travel where the gun fires
Overtravel - The distance the trigger moves after release
Takeup - The distance the trigger moves before it starts applying force to the internal linkages (sear, etc.)
Two stage - A trigger that has a pronounced takeup at a lighter pull, then has a heavier pull to release
Single stage - A trigger that has a single pull to release
Reset - The distance the trigger moves back toward its "at rest" position before it re-engages the internal linkages (sear, etc.) permitting the gun to be fired again

Note that some terms aren't applicable to all triggers. For example, striker-fired guns like bolt-action rifles may not have a trigger reset distance until the bolt handle is lifted, cocking the striker. Single-action revolvers usually move the trigger as part of cocking the hammer, and that movement doesn't count as takeup. However, the above terms are more or less universal, I believe.

[texas bulldog]

dmazur, i wish i had read that a few years ago as a newer shooter. it would have helped a lot at the time...

[Yo Mama]

dmazur, also agree, nice list, and usefull

Ok, next question then is how do i know if my trigger reset is off?

I have a keltec pf9. Trigger reset is a concern at this time with some of the current production, and they have replacement parts including a hammer block.

Will a snap cap, and dry firing help me see if this should be a concern of mine, or do I have a live fire to test?

[CountGlockula]

Snap caps should work.

I trigger reset my Glocks with Snap Caps.

[sevin8nin]

Typically to test trigger reset you have to pulled the trigger, release the hammer/striker, and while holding the trigger back, cycle the slide, then slowly release the trigger to find where it 'clicks' and resets.

This is the operation I have to do on my 1911s and my PX4.

[9mmepiphany]

how do i know if my trigger reset is off?

how can aa trigger reset be "off?"...if it doesn't reset, it doesn't fire again

[CountGlockula]

You Tube.

[cambeul41]

Help!

Has anyone heard of reset/resetting referred to as stage/staging?

[AK103K]

Trigger reset is just something else some seem to need to worry about or blame for their lack of skills. :neener:

I'm still amazed I've been able to shoot at all all these years without even knowing it was an issue and seeing a therapist about it. Just shoot the gun for cripes sake!

Staging is when you pull the trigger DA and hesitate just before let off to worry about your sights.

[KyJim]

Staging a trigger is simply learning to pull the trigger part way and then making sure the sights are correctly aligned before the last small pull. It is usually done with the longer pull of double action triggers. Colt revolvers lend themselves well to staging as the trigger gets heavier toward the end of the pull and it is easier to tell when the trigger "breaks" and the gun fires.

[9mmepiphany]

you can also "stage" a SA trigger...it's usually refered to as "prepping the trigger"

it entails putting pressure on the trigger, but not enough to release it, to limit upsetting the sight alignment when you decide to fire...it reduces the tendency to jerk the trigger in SA

[tipoc]

I'm no expert but if we look at what reset is again we can see that it maybe is not such a "problem" unless something is broke in which case you'll know fast.

Once the trigger is pulled all the way to the rear, and the gun fires the slide travels rearward ejects the case, loads another round and either cocks the hammer or sets the striker, the trigger has to move forward again, back toward it's normal at rest position, in order for the sear to re-engage with the hammer or striker and be prepared to release the hammer or striker again and fire another shot. You can usually feel this taking place as you fire, if you go slowly and pay attention.

To see this either dry fire at home or test it at the range. At the range fire a shot safely down range and hold the trigger all the way to the rear. Slowly let it forward. At some point you will feel the trigger reset, it's at that point that you can fire again. Before that (before the trigger is reset) the gun won't fire.

The distance that the trigger must move forward to do this varies from type of gun to type of gun based on the design. In 1911's it is quite short. In a Glock it's a bit longer. In most designs it cannot be altered. The length of trigger travel before reset is usually of concern to some competitive shooters. A short reset means that their finger does less movement than with a longer reset. For most folks it's only becomes a concern if the gun is broken.

tipoc

[dmazur]

One more trigger term I recently encountered -

Stacking - an increase in trigger pull, usually encountered in DA, making the trigger pull non-uniform.


Back on the current concern about reset, some triggers have adjustable overtravel, and this can mess with the gun's reset. It doesn't change the sear mechanics, but by limiting how far the trigger can move, it can actually prevent reset.

I encountered this with a 1911 with a trigger with adjustable overtravel. If I didn't have 1/16" overtravel (or more), the trigger wouldn't reset.

If you have a 1911 trigger with 1/16" takeup, zero creep, and 1/16" overtravel, that's a pretty good trigger, IMO. (Well, assuming pull wt. is also what you want...)