The truth about triggers

[Hickok]

Texas thanks for that post, a lot of good information there about different triggers!

The trigger on my National Match M1A is one that has given me a "what the heck" moment once. If when shooting off a bench rest or sand bags, and holding the rifle somewhat loosely, it has "double fired" on me.

I now really pull the M1A in to my shoulder nice and snug when on the bench, and it does fine. Held a little loose, I believe the rifle kind of "bump-fires" due to movement and recoil.

I saw this happen once to a friend firing a service grade M1 Garand while laying on the ground resting the rifle on a sand bag, two fast shots that sounded like one shot. He looked up and said "What the "

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Triggers are one of those opinion things. I like clean 2.5-3 lbs on my hunting rifles. A two stage pull - 2.5 for the first stage and 2 lbs for the second stage. My 686 runs 9.5 double and under 2 single action. Shoot what you like, physical strength, both body and hand strength make a difference, sense of touch or finger sensitivity also changes things. If you use hand tools a lot, do heavy physical work, spend time outdoors a great deal for work or fun, all of it matters. Starting a women or kid? A 'good' safe trigger that they can handle, not too hard but just right counts. Need to break off a shot though a hole in the timber, your trigger is important. Squeezing a trigger so you " DON'T KNOW" when the rifle fires is bunk for any but very new shooters. Triggers are Goldilocks, what is just right for me, may not be for you. Bad triggers - rough and/or inconsistent and/or stagey and/or whatever should not be tolerated. Tough subject without a single answer for everyone.

[tazman]

I can't stand a gritty, creepy trigger. A clean break I can work with even if it is a bit heavy. My rifles vary quite a bit. My hunting rifles have heavier triggers. My target rifles have lighter triggers.
My handguns are all over the place. I like to keep them under 4lb if possible. Due to damage from a long ago injury, the strength in my trigger finger makes double action very difficult for me.

[gnoahhh]

For me, someone who grew up learning to shoot with '03 Springfields, I can adapt to just about any trigger as long as it's within reason. Now though I've long since learned that a good consistent light trigger pull can spell the difference between a 10 or an 8 or 9 on the target. When the sights/crosshairs are wobbling back and forth over the bullseye one needs to be able to "snatch" the shot whenever things are perfect, and a heavy trigger can impede that horribly. Of course I'm speaking in terms of un-supported position shooting, and offhand shooting in particular. That can be correlated directly to hunting when shooting from often awkward positions when there's no time to take a rest and no time to get one's breathing/heart rate under control. To that end I'm a firm believer in double-set triggers, and my go-to hunting rifles (Mausers) are so equipped.

Off the bench, with the rifle firmly and solidly rested, I can make-do with a smooth clean 3-4 pound let off (but I prefer something lighter).

Triggers do matter, and matter a lot IMO.

[W.R.Buchanan]

[QUOTE=country gent;4631575]
I have one Glock here and just cant get used to the trigger pull on its sponginess I shoot it okay but the trigger just isn't what I'm used to. [QUOTE]

CG; Glock triggers are different for sure. It is pointless to try to modify them as all that occurs is they wear out faster. They benefit from being fired alot.

You also benefit as you learn when the slack is out, then Slack Plus (as we call it) then let off. I have 4 Glocks and the triggers are all virtually identical and I can pickup any of them and within about 5 dry fire shots be right back to where I was last session. I have been shooting these guns for 20 years and have them down.

The only thing I do to those triggers is trim the finger safety back to where it is flush with the front face of the trigger shoe when it is fully depressed. This is so it doesn't leave a groove in my finger every time I shoot it.

People need to understand that Glocks are NOT 1911's and never will be. But they are simpler to use which makes them desirable to lots of people. these triggers can be learned like just about every other one. Go to a class and fire 800 rounds in 4 days and you'll probably have the trigger in your Glock figured out.

[curioushooter]

Couldn't agree more. People fret too much about triggers generally. But I think I know why. Sometimes they ARE ridiculous.

A case in point most factory double action revolvers. Especially on j-frames, they tend to be ridiculously heavy, some stack, and then break so hard they shake the revolver as they come down. The upside is that if you can use these things as finger strengthening tools. You dry fire them 50 times a day for a few weeks and your finger now thinks every trigger is light. Drop a spring kit into one and whoa! Now you are doing great. I can now shoot hole touching groups with my S&W 442 (an internal hammer DAO revolver) with good ammo. This was impossible to me before finger strengthening exercises. People say these things are "difficult to master" I think mostly because their trigger is basically impossible for a typical human to use well. They can be phenomenally accurate and easy to master once you have the strength and put in a spring kit (Apex Tactical).

For big game rifles I think a 4-6# trigger is good. As long as it is a clean break.

On the matter of two stage triggers, I of course have one on my M1. And I would would a two stage trigger on an semi-auto since they jerk all over the place.

But on m CZ527, which has an adjustable two-stage trigger that can be either set to be two-stage or single-stage, I thought it would be great. Turns out that I don't like that two-stage trigger on that little rifle as I think it encourages one to have their finger loiter by the trigger instead of keeping it out of the guard. So I set it to be single stage. It's a good trigger, but nothing amazing.

Another thing I have learned is that with semi-auto handguns I don't like those multi-piece triggers with the safety in the middle. If shooting rapidly these things can stab your finger. Now on a bolt action, they are great. Perhaps the finest rifle trigger I've ever had the pleasure of using is the one on my kid's Savage Rascal, a $140 youth 22LR rifle. I've picked up fine hunting rifles that couldn't hold a candle to that trigger. It has that lever in the middle, but it doesn't stab you and you don't shoot these things rapidly (they are single-shots).

[M-Tecs]

But on m CZ527, which has an adjustable two-stage trigger that can be either set to be two-stage or single-stage, I thought it would be great. Turns out that I don't like that two-stage trigger on that little rifle as I think it encourages one to have their finger loiter by the trigger instead of keeping it out of the guard. So I set it to be single stage.

Is that an after market trigger? My CZ453'a and CZ527's all have single stage triggers with a set feature but its still single stage. I was not aware of anything other than these
https://cz-usa.com/news/the-cz-singl...rigger-system/

[PB234]

"My CZ453'a and " lucky guy to have a 453!

[curioushooter]

It's bone stock. I bought it in 2016 if that helps. There is an adjustment screw. If you move it to the extreme end it eliminates the two stage feature. It had considerable uptake before I adjusted it.

[M-Tecs]

It's not a two stage trigger just a poorly adjusted single stage with a set feature. Two stage triggers came about to prevent AD's during extreme use in combat. On a two stage trigger the sear moves the entire time the first stage is being taken up until it hits the second stage mechanism that provides the additional weight. CZ triggers lack the second stage mechanism that provides what is called the wall. The trigger weight spring in these triggers are not intended to be backed off to zero.

[curioushooter]

Great video. And you are correct. In my defense a lot of loose language about 2-stage triggers is thrown around in promotional literature. It is basically a single stage trigger with a set feature. What I did was make it so the set feature was disabled, adjusted it so there was very little uptake (from the factory it had considerable uptake, like a 2-stage trigger), and left the overtravel and weight screws alone, which were fine. I did this as soon as I unpacked it, and basically forgot about the details, and have been shooting it ever since. It is my favorite bolt rifle.

The only thing I don't care for is that I think the safety is backwards. Perhaps it was meant to be analogous to a hammer fired firearm, but to me it is forward to fire. The CZ is forward to safe. I was told by a salesman at a CZ dealer that this will be changing on some models forthcoming.