Help me understand: What's a good trigger like?

[djsjd]

I've been into firearms for decades, and I ALWAYS hear one of two things about a 'gun': how *good* or *bad* a trigger is.

I must be dense or something, but so long as pulling that little lever results in a bang, life is good. I've pulled triggers that don't travel one millimeter before the bang, and I've yanked on others that wiggle, squirm and fight back before they decide to do their magic.

So what is it that makes a *good* trigger?

Smooth? Like no changes in force required during travel?
-or-
Consistent? Like the bang happens in the same position each time?
-or-
Light? Like whispering kindly is all it takes?
-or-
Indestructable? Like you can CCW at a mud volleyball game, and go shooting right after, even when mud is dripping out of all the orifices?
-or-
????

I've got a Colt Match Target in 22LR... Trigger travel is very short, feels like greased Teflon, and the force required from the beginning to end is equal. No take up slack, no grit, no nothing. Just smooth.

I've got a new HK Tactical with the Match Trigger... Supposed to be a *real good* trigger. Well, there's hardly any force required to move the trigger through about 98% of its single action travel before resistance is met. This travel is not smooth, but not 'catchy' either. Just 'lumpy.' Then the last 2% - **maybe** one millimeter - is like a twig breaking.

So, what makes a trigger good?

 

[firearms_instructor]

Go dry fire an M1A - GOOD trigger. Then go dry fire an HK91 out of the box (mind you, MY primary EBR is an HK91) - BAD trigger. It's all about the smoothness. Dry-fire an S&W revolver single-action (nice!), and then try a Glock (Arrgh!).

Actually, fire or dry-fire as many guns as you can get your hands on (gun show!) and see what you like. The M1A experience is likened to "snapping a glass rod".

In my experience, and as best I can remember now:

Best pistol triggers:
S&W revolvers
Colt Gold Cup

Best rifle triggers:
Sako Forester
M1A

What makes a good trigger? Smooth, even, crisp, no mushy or gritty feel.

 

[Justin]

You shouldn't have to think about the trigger as you're shooting. It should just *happen.* A good, single stage target pistol trigger will not have noticeable take up. It will simply go BANG without you having to put a mind to it.

A good two-stage trigger is a wonderful thing. Pull until it stops. Make sure everything is lined up properly, then pull just a little bit more, and BANG!

 

[JohnKSa]

There are different kinds of triggers.

Perfect Single Stage Trigger.
Breaks with no perceptible movement before or after the break.
Pull weight is heavy enough to be able to feel when it's going to break but not so heavy as to disturb your aim.
Pull weight and break are consistent.

Perfect Double Stage Trigger.
Smooth, light, consistent first stage (take up.)
Clear second stage which acts like a perfect Single Stage Trigger.

Perfect Double Action Trigger.
Smooth, even, consistent pull with no perceptible starts, stops, hitches or increase in weight until the gun fires.

Some people like to pull a DA trigger almost all the way and then pause right before the hammer drops--called staging the trigger. These folks would like some feedback that tells them where to stop the pull.

 

[P95Carry]

djsjd .... my keyword is SMOOTH! I am less concerned with poundage per se .. whereas lack of smoothness will tend to generate an unevenness.

If I feel ''creep'' that is about the worst ... it goes tight/loose/tight/loose ...... and then jerks.

If smooth then, the end of travel will always give that ''oh - it's gone'' reaction .. and then if you were concentrating on the sighting .. a half ways decent shot result.

Lower poundages are nice - no doubts there ... and maybe a rifle with 2 1/2 lb trigger is great - provided that release is SMOOTH .... but, even low poundage is useless for me if creepy.

Same rules apply with handguns ..... maybe even more if for instance, a revo, used D/A .. must be silk smooth.

Smooth rules!

 

[Gurnard]

Hey bud,
I can't even begin to answer your question but after reading your post I do have a couple for you.

1. What the hell kind of volleyball are you playin'?
2. Did you get mud in the gun too?

 

[carebear]

It's like warm apple pie.

 

[Justin]

Keep it on topic, guys.

 

[Dionysusigma]

A perfect trigger is the one you like, the one that blends in perfectly with your style. I, for one, cannot stand single-stage triggers at all. I am glad that none of my guns has one.

 

[carebear]

But... but... it was FUNNY!

On my single actions, which are carry guns, I like a crisp 4-ish lb. break but a little creepy getting there. So I can perceive it moving. Still talking minimal movement, just being able to tell as I'm pressing.

 

[Black Majik]

Dry fire a quality 1911 a buncha times. Of course make sure the chamber is EMTPY and magazine is out of the gun.

Once you get used to the 1911 trigger go to a gunshop and dry fire their Glocks.

You'll see what a huge difference in trigger feel is like. Hopefully you'll prefer the 1911 trigger.

 

[MeekandMild]

This is going to sound weird, but it is the goal for perfection.

To find what perfection feels like go to a craft show where somebody is making glass beads and see if they will let you have one of the short glass rods aboout eight inches long. Take it home and put it into a padded vise to hold it steady. Nick the back of it with a file to creat a fracture line. (Wear a pair of gloves so if it breaks wrong it won't cut your hand.) Gently pull on it like you would a trigger.

It will give a couple of pound of resistance then all of a sudden will just snap off. This sudden perfect snap is what you are looking for, no creep, no give, just a crack and its broken. Then clean up the broken glass.

Kind of like a Sig Pro, but better.

 

[WonderNine]

I'll post some firearms that come to mind of having had good or bad triggers, I'll start with the best to the worst. I will be talking about single action pulls only. I'm not talking about double action pulls and I am completely excluding double action only firearms. Some of the excellent (like the BHP) are almost in the "good" category while some of the "good" are not in the excellent category because of long take-up, but still break very nice, ect, (like the B92).

Excellent:

1976 Ruger Single Six .22lr
1990 Smith & Wesson Model 19-6 .357 Magnum
1959 Colt Sistema 1911A1 .45ACP
1982 Belgian Browning Hi-Power/P35 9mm
1988 stainless Ruger MKII .22lr
Any Winchester Model 70 I've shot.
1976? Winchester Model 94 30-30

Good:

1992? Norinco 1911A1 .45ACP
90's Beretta Jetfire/950BS .25ACP
70's production? Yugoslavian SKS 7.62X39mm
1994 Italian Beretta 92FS Inox 9mm
1994 Silver Chrome Browing Hi-Power 9mm (nice trigger after removing the mag safety and 500 round break-in, but the slight creep wouldn't go away. Sometimes would creep, other shots would not so much.)
Taurus 415T .41 magnum
older probably 80's Armscor rifle .22lr
Marlin Model 60 .22lr
2002 (Made in Maryland) Beretta Inox 92FS

Fair:

1953 CZ-52 7.62X25mm (I have two, one almost rates as good IMO)
2002 stainless Ruger Blackhawk .357 (creep, creep, nice and light through, hard to screw up a single action trigger that badly even with cheap manufacturing techniques.)
American Derringer M-1 9mm (slight creep, but kind heavy.)
S&W 99 .40 S&W (too much takeup, a little creep, I won't mention the other shortcomings.)

Truly Bad:

Ruger 10/22 .22lr (nice, crisp 15lb. trigger pull. Like breaking a glass sculpture. Ridiculous.)
Phoenix Arms HP22 .22lr (more creep than Creepshow.)
Romanian SAR-1 7.62X39mm (on par with the HP22.)

 

[Kharn]

Go try an older (but well cared for) S&W revolver.
I got to shoot an early Model 29 yesterday, the single action was so short and crisp I couldnt believe it. It was like a very tiny glass rod was breaking when I pulled the trigger.

Kharn

 

[45King]

Smooth, crisp, consistent.

Lightness dependent upon type: pure target= lightest; hunting/defensive= heavier; long guns generally lighter than handguns.
.5#= GREAT target rifle (set trigger); don't go there in a handgun
2.5#= great target pistol; decent target rifle, great hunting/defensive rifle
3.5#= good target pistol, good hunting/defensive rifle
4.5#-5#= great defensive pistol, so-so hunting/defensive rifle
7#= good DA handgun, awful long gun

My opinions only; your mileage may vary.

 

[BozemanMT]

Well, yesterday I thought I knew the answer to this. I was wrong. Today, i found what a good trigger is.
Went over to a friend who's been collecting for some years. He takes out an older Colt National Match 1911. He said built in teh late 50's. Beautiful deep blueing. Apparantly bought from an old Marine Colonel who shot at Camp Perry.
he says, dry fire it.
who am i to argue.

wow
mouth on floor
click
like glass
unreal.
It was amazing.

 

[JohnBT]

Once you try a Jewell rifle trigger you'll never look at triggers quite the same way again. They work cleanly and reliably from 4 pounds or so down to 1.5 ounces.

www.ada.ru/Guns/remington/Jewell/manual_en.htm

John

 

[Mikul]

It sounds like you've been shooting an FAL too long.

A good trigger should feel smooth through the entire pull. It should feel like you're dragging something along glass instead of concrete. The pull should be consistent throughout its length: no changes in weight or grittiness, no pauses. When it breaks it should barely move. It shouldn't break and then move 1/8."

The only way to judge a trigger is to pull it as slowly as possible. I've drug 1 ounce triggers over their length to feel them. It's doable, but you've got to be slow and patient.