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Trigger pull weights ????

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Category: Firearms, Bows, and Ammunition
Forum Name: Shooting
Forum Description: Techniques, tips, stories, general discussion, etc.
URL: http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=17272
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Topic: Trigger pull weights ????
Posted By: sniper13
Subject: Trigger pull weights ????
Date Posted: May/20/2009 at 22:47
Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of a 4# trigger pull???? I was told thats about what I want for tactical applications......

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pulling a trigger is easy....hitting your mark is intelligence



Replies:
Posted By: helo18
Date Posted: May/20/2009 at 23:06
Tagged for responses.  

I have most of my guns (at least the ones with adjustable triggers) set at 2.5#


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To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

GEORGE WASHINGTON


Posted By: SD Dog
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 11:04
Personally that is heavy for me.  I have my deer rifle at 3.25, but everyone has their preferences.  I could not get the accuracy or consistency I wanted out of a heavier trigger.

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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert

Stupidity & ignorance have been the foundation for many certainties.


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 11:17
No rifle used for hunting should have a trigger pull below 5lb.  We must take the safety of those others who may be in the woods with us into consideration...


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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: Bigdaddy0381
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 11:37
ALL my rifles have a 3 pound trigger well one has a 2 pound.

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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.

Ecclesiastes 10:2


Posted By: 300S&W
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 11:39
  First off I see no cons in a light trigger pull as long as it's safe for the intended use of the firearm. 
 
  The pro is a better chance for top accuracy. Think of every part of your body except  your trigger finger as a firearm support system.  You want it to be as stable as possible until after the follow through of the shot.  The only movement you need to make to fire the arm is the movement of the trigger finger. The least amount of tension transmitted by the trigger finger to the support system(your body)the more stable the system will stay.  Hence,a light(but safe) trigger pull will let the trigger finger put the least amount of tension to the rest of the system. 


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"I ain't got time to bleed!"


Posted By: Roy Finn
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 13:18
All of my hunting rigs have trigger pull weights between 2.5-3 lbs. Years ago, I ordered a Remington 40X with a 2lb trigger pull and long story short it came through with their 2 ounce BR trigger w/no safety. Took me some time to get used to that trigger but in time I was able to predict when it would break. I was only using that rifle for target work so safety wasn't a real concern.


Posted By: BeltFed
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 15:36
Sorry guys, I have to disagree. Sniper is asking about a trigger on a weapon used for TACTICAL work, not hunting or targets. In Service Rifle competition 4.5 pounds is the minimum trigger pull allowed because that is the minimum trigger pull spec for service rifles used in combat. This is a standard that many police dept.s use for their rifles used for everything but sniper work. The reason, safety and liability! Under the stress of a gunfight your fine motor skills are drasticaly reduced, and your gross motor skills take over. Meaning that you have a tendancy to be more ham fisted with your grip and trigger press under stress. The heavier trigger pull is desired to HELP prevent negligent discharges. It really sucks to accidentally shoot your partner or someone you had no intention of shooting.
Two cases from my own dept. both were drug bust by narcotics detectives. I won't go into all the details. The first one is an example of gross motor skills taking over. The detective is a large stong man that was a weight lifter. During the bust a fight and gunplay was envolved, this detective pulled his Mod. 36 S&W and attempted to return fire as he fell to the floor to avoid being shot. He yanked the trigger so hard on the little Chief Special, that he locked the thing up and it never fired and siezed up. His life was saved by another officer who shot the suspect.
The second case is an example of a light trigger. Two detectives kicked in the door of a hotel room. One was armed with his personal shotgun that had had a trigger job, and he was the second man in. As they entered the room the shotgun discharged and the lead detective was struck by the blast in the leg. The resulting investigation revealed that the trigger on the shotgun had been modified and was no longer in factory specs. These two detectives were best friends and partners, and I know the one will tell you it SUCKS to shoot your partner.
 
It's not so much that 4lbs, 4.5lbs,or 5llbs is the magic trigger weight for a tactical weapon, it's that you have a factory trigger that falls into factory specs and no parts have been modified in a way that would make it unsafe.
We would smooth parts up on revolvers, but we never messed with sears, springs,or any other part that would effect the function or safety of that revolver or any other firearm. These were also factory authorized work. 


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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.


Posted By: lucytuma
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 16:07
Good info Lynn, For me 4 lbs. is perfect.

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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson


Posted By: sniper13
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 16:11
very nice...thanks belt fed & I agree lucytuma.....

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pulling a trigger is easy....hitting your mark is intelligence


Posted By: RifleDude
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 16:59
I think 2-3 lbs is the perfect hunting rifle trigger pull weight, for responsible shooters who know what they're doing.  If one did all their hunting in very cold weather such that they are always wearing heavy gloves, I can see upping the pull weight to 4-5 lbs or so simply to gain better trigger control when hands are numb and/or heavy gloves reduce your "feel."
 
As long as a trigger doesn't slam fire or otherwise malfunction at 2 lbs, it is no more dangerous in the field than a trigger set at 7 lbs.  If you practice the cardinal rules of safe firearms handling, you won't be relying on the weight of your trigger for safety anyway.  The safety of a trigger set below 3 lbs has more to do with the design of the trigger itself than the pull weight.  I've seen some triggers that weren't safe even when set at 4 lbs.


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Ted


Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle.


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 17:12
... oh... the humanity...




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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: John Barsness
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 17:55
In general dangerous game hunters also prefer a little more trigger pull, just because of the "gross motor skills" thing. They may also be shooting when they're sweaty or cold--or both--and the sweat may have nothing to do with ambient temperature. Personally I have the triggers on all my dangerous game rifles set at around 4 pounds.
 
But for my more general big game rifles I like around 3 pounds, and for varmint shooting 2--or sometimes even less.
 
There's also more to a trigger than just pull weight. I have owned rifles with 5-1/2 pound triggers that felt like 3-pound triggers, and rifles with 3-pound triggers that felt harder. The crispness of the pull has a lot to do with this, but also the shape of the trigger blade itself.


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 19:21
and on that, I rest my case...

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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: RONK
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 19:41
 There is also a strong case to be made for two-stage triggers from a military, tactical and danderous game standpoint.  I never really liked them until I got a couple good ones. The aftermarket Jewell in my Bushmaster AR15 and the original military trigger in my Swiss K-31 Schmidt-Rubin are both outstanding.
 


Posted By: John Barsness
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 20:46
Yup! Until you try a really good 2-stage trigger, it's hard to understand how good they can be. I also have a K-31 and the trigger is really fine.


Posted By: Kickboxer
Date Posted: May/21/2009 at 22:19
My Voere has a superb double set trigger system.  Without "setting" the trigger it pulls at a very crisp 6lb.  After "setting" the trigger, it is 8oz.  Of course, I only "set" the trigger after I have thoroughly scoped the deer...  

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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living


Posted By: Duce
Date Posted: May/22/2009 at 13:52
My target rifles are set at 2 lbs except for one with a set trigger, I use target rifles for prairie dog shooting but that is with a stationary setup, not walking. For a gun that rides is the truck I use 4 & 1/2 or 5 lbs. A  a military, tactical and dangerous game gun I would want 5 lbs. When you are excited it is much too easy to set off a gun with a 2 lbs trigger in those situations. My favorite trigger is still the set trigger if you have never use one, you owe it to yourself to try a good one.
Duce  Big Grin

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Duce


Posted By: Duce
Date Posted: May/22/2009 at 14:02
Where I have noticed a big difference in triggers is using scoped handguns, a good trigger makes a huge difference in accuracy.
Duce  Smile


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Duce


Posted By: Dale Clifford
Date Posted: May/22/2009 at 14:42
grip angle, thumb position, length of pull are all more important than pull wt. personally I like the 2 stage type as in Sako trg, if your interested this place makes good 2 stage for remingtons.
http://www.huberconcepts.com/ - http://www.huberconcepts.com/


Posted By: Ed Connelly
Date Posted: May/25/2009 at 09:40
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

No rifle used for hunting should have a trigger pull below 5lb.  We must take the safety of those others who may be in the woods with us into consideration...
 
 
        Roll on Floor Laughing


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