Precision shooting: Single or two-stage trigger?

Which is better for precision shooting: A single or two-stage trigger?

  • single

  • two stage

  • neither. try a hybrid

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My deer rifles have 3 lb. pulls, due to the colder temperatures and wearing gloves. Besides, a deer, even at 300 yards, is a pretty large target, compared with trying to shoot tight groups on a target range. There are also no scoring rings on a live deer, so missing by a half-moa is not a problem, even at 400 yards.

Range centerfire rifles that I own are usually set at 2 to 2 1/4 lbs, but .22LR range rifles may be down to as little as 1 lb. Jewell Rimfire Benchrest rifle triggers, when I competed, were 2 ounces.
 
Yeah, if I were chasing a super-light pull on a trigger that was still suitable for something other than bench work, I'd look hard at a set trigger.
 
does anyone make a modern set trigger? i've only ever seen them on quigly type stuff
 
The more I look at those set triggers the cooler they are. :cool:

Still noticing how close the voting is...I honestly didn't expect that.

I am impressed with this forum:thumbup:
 
I wasn’t advocating for set triggers. They’d be super slow for matches etc. just saying I thought the technology was cool for its day.
 
Definitely a horses-for-courses thing. Set triggers are probably good for hunting guns that people also want to wring accuracy out of. Probably not great for a timed PRS event!
 
This is not an answer to the OPs question but a helpful suggestion. Learn to pull a double action pistol trigger well and a 3 lb rifle trigger will become really easy to pull properly.
 
Casefull said:
This is not an answer to the OPs question but a helpful suggestion. Learn to pull a double action pistol trigger well and a 3 lb rifle trigger will become really easy to pull properly.
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Just really not applicable for the type of shooting we’re talking about.
 
I suppose that means I cannot shoot half inch groups with my single stage triggers. What type of shooting are you referencing? Lots of pitfalls in assuming we all have the same abilities and handicaps. BTW I know intimately “the type of shooting” Op is referring to.
 
taliv said:
I wasn’t advocating for set triggers. They’d be super slow for matches etc. just saying I thought the technology was cool for its day.
Click to expand...

I inherited a short action Mauser rifle (6.5x54 Kurz Mauser) that had been my grandfather's. It has set triggers. It is fun to shoot once in a while but it takes another mindset to shoot well in stressful situations.

Not that it is difficult to learn, but using the set trigger has to be second nature. It is kind of like remembering change triggers on side by side shotgun with two triggers.
 
Just going to add... "backing out " of a trigger pull, for me , is far easier with a 2 stage.
 
Casefull said:
I suppose that means I cannot shoot half inch groups with my single stage triggers. What type of shooting are you referencing? Lots of pitfalls in assuming we all have the same abilities and handicaps. BTW I know intimately “the type of shooting” Op is referring to.
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I guess every rifle coach in the world has been missing the boat by neglecting to tell their RIFLE students to run out and buy a DA pistol to practice with their competition rifles. Silly professionals...
 
Varminterror said:
I guess every rifle coach in the world has been missing the boat by neglecting to tell their RIFLE students to run out and buy a DA pistol to practice with their competition rifles. Silly professionals...
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If incapable of having a discussion with someone with different experience’s than yourself, immediately try and disparage said person. You obviously think you have a corner on firearms knowledge and operation. Good for you. You will never know what you do not know with that attitude.
 
I carry a DA pistol every day, have for over 15yrs, and shoot weekly with it. I’ve been instructing shooters for almost 20yrs as well, and have been competing in various precision rifle sports for over 20. Never in my use of a DA pistol have I felt it offered significant advantage to rifle work. Maybe for someone without even a base of fundamentals, as they’ll feel much greater control, and sure, shooting begets better shooting, but I don’t pretend to believe a recommendation to practice with a long & heavy DA trigger is anything but trolling.
 
One thing - back on topic - to consider when choosing a two stage trigger for your AR-10:

Compare the stage weights of the options you’re considering. A 3lb total isn’t the whole story - a 2.5lb 1st with a 1/2lb wall will feel very different than a 1/2lb slack 1st with a 2.5lb stall. I like to have the weight on the front end, with a brief, light stall at the second stage. I just want to feel the wall, JUST feel it, before it breaks. So for me, a good trigger like the Rock River National Match or Varmint is backwards. Their triggers are light up front, with a heavy wall. The Savage Accu-trigger is similar, a light take up on the sear block blade, in front of a heavier trigger break. They work, obviously, and I do recommend them, but I personally prefer a heavier take up with a surprise “trip,” not a slack take up in front of a more single stage feel.
 
On the phone so forgive me if choppy. The CZ I have is not a double set but a single. push trigger forward and it gets set to the light pull... don't and it is standard pull both are adjustable in about every way. This way you have standard pull for gloves, or real light for range
 
Since the OP pictured an unlimited class Benchrest gun I assumed he meant for bolt guns, and not ARs, but yes, the AR requirements would be different than a bolt gun. No worry about a double in a bolt gun.
 
My first gun I owned was a Turk Mauser 98. I shot the daylight out of that thing. It had a two stage trigger, I knew it well.

When I bought my second centerfire I ever owned (a Winchester 94) the single stage trigger was foreign and uncomfortable to me. This is because I was so versed on the two stage. I felt like I almost couldn’t tell when the single stage would break.

Now between the two, I’d go single stage all day. On my surplus mausers, sometimes I find myself discharging too soon as I creep up the double stage to the sear. That is however because the take up was heavy and pressure to break the sear was light. In other guns like my k31 the two stage is superb, and still performs better than some aftermarket high end two stage triggers I’ve used. It really is remarkable what the Swiss can do.

In short, I learned on a two stage, hated single stage at first. But once I got used to it I realized it was superior.
 
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bfoosh006 said:
Just going to add... "backing out " of a trigger pull, for me , is far easier with a 2 stage.
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Hello bfoosh I've seen you around here and elsewhere and appreciated your threads. :thumbup:

I'm a bit ignorant, "backing out" of a trigger? You mean after a shot for the reset/follow-up or just easing off and not breaking a shot?
 
Varminterror said:
One thing - back on topic - to consider when choosing a two stage trigger for your AR-10:

Compare the stage weights of the options you’re considering. A 3lb total isn’t the whole story - a 2.5lb 1st with a 1/2lb wall will feel very different than a 1/2lb slack 1st with a 2.5lb stall. I like to have the weight on the front end, with a brief, light stall at the second stage. I just want to feel the wall, JUST feel it, before it breaks. So for me, a good trigger like the Rock River National Match or Varmint is backwards. Their triggers are light up front, with a heavy wall. The Savage Accu-trigger is similar, a light take up on the sear block blade, in front of a heavier trigger break. They work, obviously, and I do recommend them, but I personally prefer a heavier take up with a surprise “trip,” not a slack take up in front of a more single stage feel.
Click to expand...


Yeah that makes good sense. The MBT I just installed is quoted as a 4.5lb = 2.5lb first stage / 2.0lb 2nd stage although my trigger pull gauge (Wheeler) shows it to be a bit lighter. I did get a chance to shoot it while function testing/ tuning my AGB a few days ago and while I am no trigger connoisseur, I do like the trigger and look forward to hunting for some good groups after I finally roll up these 165 SST's. I would say that it feels noticeably better to me than a RRA NM which I have shot in a few different AR's (not that I disliked the RRA NM I just feel the MBT is better). I have also shot an Accu-trigger and liked them. I thought just using the MBT would be a bit hard to get used to because I was used to shooing a 1.5lb single stage with pretty much zero movement before the break, but found the MBT very agreeable...moreso than the RRA NM.

I kinda feel like I need to pay more attention to the triggers I use because I don't think my trigger palate is terribly sophisticated yet but I'll get there eventually. I've still never even shot a Geissele. PSA just had the SSA-E on sale for 156 bucks which I was very tempted to pick up but I just got this MBT so I figured I better play with what I have for a while yet.

LOL
 
Walkalong said:
Since the OP pictured an unlimited class Benchrest gun I assumed he meant for bolt guns, and not ARs, but yes, the AR requirements would be different than a bolt gun. No worry about a double in a bolt gun.
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Yes sorry I might have been a bit ambiguous but I am using an AR308 but didn't want to necessarily specifically limit the subject matter and appreciate any number of viewpoints and philosophies in regards to preferred trigger types as they relate to dependent/specific applications. I had often heard (generally speaking) a 2-stage for precision shooting but found that at odds with many precision rifles...hence the poll and looking for insight. :)
 
I'm another "it depends" guy.

On my ARs i prefer a two-stage, usually about 2.0+2.5lb for general purpose, 2.0+1.0 or so for target/varmint rifles. I like the extra sear engagement for moving around guns. Also means i can kind of "lean into" my trigger when shooting under stress, if that makes sense.

For my bolt guns, i like a sharp, clean break at 2.5-3lbs with no take-up or creep, so i prefer a good-quality single stage. It turns the trigger manipulation into less of a pull, more of a pressure.

As always, YMMV and opinions are worth every penny you pay for them...
 
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