Trigger Pressure

[warbirdlover]

In here it seems everyone feels a light trigger pull is best for accuracy. 3-4 lbs. pull or so.

I used to feel that also but 15 years ago got my Ruger 77 Mk II. It came set at 6 lbs. pull. I was going to get it changed until I went out to the range and shot sub MOA groups at 100 yards with the cheapest junk factory ammo out.

The trigger pull is heavy but it's as nice and crisp as any trigger on any gun I've owned. I have a feeling you can start flinching if the trigger pull is set too light. With it heavier like this I know I have to give it a good squeeze while holding (bench rest) on target. It's worked good for me in hunting situations also.

Am I the only one who actually likes a 6 lb. trigger pull? Is there something wrong with me?

 

[BuddhaSnipe]

Whatever floats your boat man, I prefer a 1 pound trigger on a bolt gun and around 3 pounds for my 1911 both need to be crisp. Are you sure that you wouldn't shoot the gun just as well or better with a lighter pull?

 

[warbirdlover]

No, not sure but no need to mess with something that is working.

 

[allons]

There probably is something very wrong with you because you are thinking like ME! I really don't mind a firm trigger pull. I'm more concerned with having a smooth sear release, (no gritty feeling) than the poundage.

I must have spent too many years with military triggers. I really hate it when the rifle fires when I'm still in take-up mode on the trigger! I just flat don't like a semi-hair trigger! I've found too many other variables that affect my accuracy, ammo, shoulder pressure & position, wind, etc. - Besides, after 50 yrs of shooting if I can't figure out how to milk the trigger to get the scores I want, I probably better quit.

I think a lot of it is what you get accustomed to, like the man said, "whatever boats your float"

 

[jmr40]

Pull weight is part of the equation, but being crisp is just as important, maybe more. On a hunting rifle I like a crisp 3-4 lbs but can live with more if it has a good "Feel" to the trigger. It is my opinion that the ultra light 1-2 lb triggers work great on the bench, but are too light for hunting. Bench rest shooters don't care if they are surprised when their gun fires. It is locked into a shooting rest shooting at an immobile target.

A hunting rifle is usually wobbling some on an improvised rest while you aim at a target that is milling about, or if stationary, could move at any time. You pull the trigger when the sights on your rifle and the target come together. I find that a little bit more trigger pull weight helps me make the gun fire exactly when I want it to.

I say if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

 

[olddav]

Good for you, as for myself I cant hit anything with a 6lb trigger. My Savage 110 w/Rifle Basix Trigger is set at 14oz. With a heavy tigger, I find that I start fixating on the trigger rather than hold the crosshairs on the target. It could be explained by the fact that I have a short attention span... what were we talking about?

 

[Bart B.]

Lighter pull triggers tend to enable one to shoot more accurate. The main reason is the amount of force transmitted to the rifle after the sear releases the firing pin when the trigger bumps against its stop.

That bump against the trigger stop moves the rifle. If one doesn't pull straight back on the trigger, the force will be at some angle to the bore. Which causes the rifle to be moved off its aiming point by some amount. The end result is the barrel's not pointing where it should to shoot the bullet where you originally aimed it.

It helps if the trigger has good repeatability. If its force vs travel curve ain't the same for each shot, it's gonna be hard to shoot accurately. Crisp and clean let offs are important; sometimes more important than accuracy, especially with handguns.

Benchresters like 2-ounce triggers. There's minimal shock transferred to the rifle when they're pressed straight back by just a finger tip. The 13 pound rifle doesn't move during the time the firing pin moves from its cocked position to slamming the round against the chamber shoulder and firing it.

On the other hand are 4.5 pound triggers on service rifles used in competition. It takes a bit of practice with proper hand position on the stock and finger position on the trigger to consistantly pull those triggers straight back and keep the rifle aimed correctly when that much force smacks the rifle.

Most folks flick their trigger finger off the trigger as soon as their bodies sence the sear releasing the firing pin. A good way to learn how to stop this is to use a .45 ACP 1911 (or any handgun) with a flat top front sight. Cock the hammer then put an empty .22 rimfire case atop the front sight. Learn to grip the pistol and dry fire it such that that empty case stays on top the front sight. Carefully watch the muzzle and note if it jumps to one side when it's fired; if so, your trigger finger's either too far in or too far out. This teaches correct trigger pull and follow through techniques that apply to all trigger fired shooting devices; air guns included. One can also use a rifle with a high magnification scope on a bench; dry fire it keeping your eyes open noticing which way the reticule jumps when the rifle goes "click." If the reticule jumps off its aiming point, you need to reposition your trigger hand on the stock and trigger.

 

[warbirdlover]

If you're "squeezing" the trigger there should be no bump. I see bench rest shooters "tapping" the trigger and this is not the right way to do it. If you do tap the trigger then obviously the heavier trigger weight will effect your shooting. If you are holding (concentrating) the sight on the target while you steadily increase the trigger pressure there is no bump and you are surprised when the gun goes off IMHO.

 

[CK_32]

Well when you get out to longer ranges the pulling of the trigger sometimes moves or lifts your rifle a smidge. Reason why I like to have it lower. Right now I have my remington at the stock 7 lbs but i havnt shot it yet but when I get my full set up ill probably lower it to 2-3 1/2 lbs.

Its all on personal pref. If you like a 10 lb pull go with it.
But there isnt anything wrong with a heavy trigger.

 

[Bart B.]

Warbird claims:

If you're "squeezing" the trigger there should be no bump.

Having checked several factory rifles held vertically and a can of water attached to a bar on the trigger with string, then slowly trickling water into the can with a dial indicator on the trigger, when they break, there's a jump from the release point to where the trigger stops.

Even when backlash is set to a minimum clearance (where the two knife edges don't touch after releasing else their precise edges will be ruined), there's a thousandth or more jump to the bump at the backlash adustment. This duplicates the very best squeezing us humans can do even with a light pull trigger. There's enough bump to be seen through a 20X scope with pull weights over 1 to 2 pounds.

Some high-end heavy-pull triggers have a "pull through" trigger design where the jump is imperceptable when their backlash is properly set. Anschutz triggers for their .22 rimfire biathlon rifles are popular on some centerfire match rifles requiring trigger pulls of 0.4 to 1.6 kg to (0.88 to 3.53 pounds).

 

[Art Eatman]

I've found that at the benchrest, even a bad trigger/heavy trigger/whatever won't really hurt.

But when Bambi jumps up, I don't want to fight the trigger to get off a killing shot. My preference is for two to three pounds, but no more than three. And I want it to break like the proverbial glass rod snapping...