cool45auto
Member
I keep coming across these terms in the gun rags. I hear how a trigger "creeps" and "stacking" before breaking. I also read about people shooting "offhand" at a target.
What do these terms mean?
What do these terms mean?
Definitions of trigger "creep", "stacking" and shooting "offhand".
- Thread starter cool45auto
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A creeping trigger is one that after you have taken up the slack and feel the sear resistance, there is a slight amount of play when pulling the trigger till the sear releases. Easier felt than explained by me.
A stacking trigger is one that starts the DA trigger pull rather easily, but increases in resistance until the sear releases. Older Colts have stacking triggers.
Offhand is just shooting while unsupported (not on a rest of some type), be it one or two handed.
A stacking trigger is one that starts the DA trigger pull rather easily, but increases in resistance until the sear releases. Older Colts have stacking triggers.
Offhand is just shooting while unsupported (not on a rest of some type), be it one or two handed.
280PLUS
Member
what majic said,,,
but i would describe creep more in terms of once you take up any slack and feel the sear pressure you can feel the mechanism sliding some as you increase pressure before the trigger actually releases
some prefer some creep while others prefer a "clean break" when pressure is applied
e.g. the top shooter around here will tell you he likes a clean break but he will also tell you that the top national shooter (or one of them anyhow) prefers some creep or a trigger that "rolls"
but i would describe creep more in terms of once you take up any slack and feel the sear pressure you can feel the mechanism sliding some as you increase pressure before the trigger actually releases
some prefer some creep while others prefer a "clean break" when pressure is applied
e.g. the top shooter around here will tell you he likes a clean break but he will also tell you that the top national shooter (or one of them anyhow) prefers some creep or a trigger that "rolls"
In my opinion, creep is a negative. It is not the initial take up of a classic two stage trigger. When you have a trigger described as creepy, it means you can't predict where the first stage ends and the final pull begins.
For example, the take up occurs and a solid pull begins, then more take up suddenly occurs, then more solid pull, then more take up... Makes it very difficult to concentrate on your sight picture and breath control when all these goofy things are happening with the trigger. Then too the creep happens in different places and at different times in the sequence of events so there goes you muscle memory, too.
For example, the take up occurs and a solid pull begins, then more take up suddenly occurs, then more solid pull, then more take up... Makes it very difficult to concentrate on your sight picture and breath control when all these goofy things are happening with the trigger. Then too the creep happens in different places and at different times in the sequence of events so there goes you muscle memory, too.
280PLUS
Member
i'm with bigG,,,
i like a clean break too,,,
FWIW...on my ruger MKII with the volquartsen trigger kit, the dirtier it gets the more it creeps,,,or if i lube the searface it will REALLY creep
m
i like a clean break too,,,
FWIW...on my ruger MKII with the volquartsen trigger kit, the dirtier it gets the more it creeps,,,or if i lube the searface it will REALLY creep
m
Sean Smith
Member
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- Dec 28, 2002
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Most of the good info has already been provided. So I will provide more.
Creep applies mainly to single action trigger pulls. Double-action trigger pulls don't have creep. To understand why, let's look at how a single-action trigger is supposed to work.
Takeup is the initial "slack" built into the trigger system. Some single action trigger pulls, such as those on some revolvers, have no takeup at all (or close to it). The amount of resistance in the takeup is close to zero.
Once the trigger is pulled through the takeup (if any), the single action trigger should not move at all until a certain pressure threshold is crossed. Once that exact threshold (the pull weight of the trigger) is crossed, the trigger "breaks" in one very short movement, and the hammer falls.
Creep is when you have pulled the trigger through the initial takeup, but you can feel the trigger moving back before it breaks, usually in a gritty and irregular fashon. Because it is uneven and inconsistent, creep makes it more difficult to shoot with precision consistently.
Creep doesn't really apply to a double-action trigger, since the trigger is supposed to move through the entire pull. When the double-action pull is uneven it is usually called "stacking."
IIRC Rob Leatham likes them that way. However, the "rolling" letoff isn't really creep, because it is consistent, smooth & designed into the trigger. Single-action triggers can be creep-free but vary in the degree of the subjective "sharpness" of their break.
Creep applies mainly to single action trigger pulls. Double-action trigger pulls don't have creep. To understand why, let's look at how a single-action trigger is supposed to work.
Takeup is the initial "slack" built into the trigger system. Some single action trigger pulls, such as those on some revolvers, have no takeup at all (or close to it). The amount of resistance in the takeup is close to zero.
Once the trigger is pulled through the takeup (if any), the single action trigger should not move at all until a certain pressure threshold is crossed. Once that exact threshold (the pull weight of the trigger) is crossed, the trigger "breaks" in one very short movement, and the hammer falls.
Creep is when you have pulled the trigger through the initial takeup, but you can feel the trigger moving back before it breaks, usually in a gritty and irregular fashon. Because it is uneven and inconsistent, creep makes it more difficult to shoot with precision consistently.
Creep doesn't really apply to a double-action trigger, since the trigger is supposed to move through the entire pull. When the double-action pull is uneven it is usually called "stacking."
IIRC Rob Leatham likes them that way. However, the "rolling" letoff isn't really creep, because it is consistent, smooth & designed into the trigger. Single-action triggers can be creep-free but vary in the degree of the subjective "sharpness" of their break.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I've always heard and used "offhand" to refer to one-handed bullseye-style shooting.
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