Why aren't there more "sliding-trigger" designs?

[Eightball]

Simple question--with the awesomeness that is the sliding-trigger on 1911s, why don't more designs incorporate it? Wouldn't it be cool if a company made a DA/SA sliding-trigger firearm that still had an awesome 1911-ish trigger pull? Or a sliding-trigger "striker-fired" design?

Is there something about it I'm just not seeing?

 

[The Wiry Irishman]

I think that ties into a question I frequently ask myself: why aren't there more single action only pistols? I'm not sure if the sliding design would lend itself well to double action.

 

[Sam1911]

I think it has more to do with mechanical advantage than anything else. In a 1911, the trigger really has to do a VERY little job: moving the sear a few thousandths of an inch. In a traditional DA gun it has a lot more work to do and generally needs to pivot on a fulcrum to accomplish it, either due to weight of spring resistance, direction of motion, or both. In a striker-fired gun it's probably about 1/2 way in between, but usually there are still other operations going on like trigger safeties disengaging.

-Sam

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Here was a DAO sliding trigger, the H&K VP70:



But it is reputed to have a very heavy trigger pull.

I think it has more to do with mechanical advantage than anything else. In a 1911, the trigger really has to do a VERY little job: moving the sear a few thousandths of an inch. In a traditional DA gun it has a lot more work to do and generally needs to pivot on a fulcrum to accomplish it, either due to weight of spring resistance, direction of motion, or both.

I believe this a very plausible and likely explanation.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The Hi-Point pistols have single action and striker firing. I am uncertain if the trigger slides or pivots, though.

 

[CU74]

I think Sam1911 is probably correct, but I do wish someone made a slide-trigger 9mm pistol so I could try it out. I'm a big fan of the straight-back pull of the slide trigger.

The best grip of any pistol I have ever held is the Beretta Cougar - it just fits my hand like it SHOULD fit. Unfortunately, the Cougar's pivot trigger is the worst I have ever pulled - I have not measured the travel, but it feels like my finger has traveled the length of Route 66 before the danged thing fires. I'd sure like to try a Cougar with a 1911-type straight-pull trigger.

(I bought the Beretta for my wife and she really liked it, but she couldn't shoot reasonable groups with it. She now shoots a Smith 5946 and her groups are much better - the difference is the length of trigger pull.)

 

[Sam1911]

Well, there's a flip side of this, too. Practicing with a good, but long, double-action trigger will make you a much better shot with a single-action, too -- generally.

I shoot about 1/2 the year in revolver class competitions and 1/2 with the 1911. After drilled and drilled to get as good as I can managing the sight alignment and trigger control necessary to make good hits with a DA revolver, I'm always amazed at how much my SA shooting has improved when I switch back.

If you develop the ability to hold your sight alignment all the way through a long trigger pull for every shot, you'll be a whole lot more stable when that trigger's breaking with much less movement and pressure.

-Sam

 

[Pulse]

I think Sam1911 is probably correct, but I do wish someone made a slide-trigger 9mm pistol so I could try it out. I'm a big fan of the straight-back pull of the slide trigger.

there are 1911 versions in 9mm and there is the SIG210, wich also has a slide trigger SAO design.

 

[Jim K]

The sliding trigger has some drawbacks, mainly the tendency of the trigger itself to fire the gun when releasing the slide to chamber a round. There is also increased friction in the trigger movement than in a pivoting trigger design.

On balance, a pivoting trigger is probably the better design, though more difficult to disassemble in the field.

Jim

 

[The Wiry Irishman]

The sliding trigger has some drawbacks, mainly the tendency of the trigger itself to fire the gun when releasing the slide to chamber a round.

Could you explain this?

 

[Hoxviii]

If you have a crazy light trigger pull, the force of the slide returning to battery has the possibility of making the trigger jump and fire the gun again- part of the whole only having to move the sear a few thousands of an inch to make the gun fire.