Carry Gun Triggers & Accuracy

One gun. All the time, every time. Trigger pull should not be something one thinks about: it just is, because you've drilled it 10 thousand times before: Front Sight, Press. Repeat as Necessary.


If you keep rotating guns like you dress of different occasions and you create variables and uncertainty......dividing precious training time and ammo. Pick one and stick with it...... even it's tiny and not the latest and greatest: A well struck small blow in time beats a high powered miss a second too late, especially if one can repeat it several times in a second or two .....
 
In benchrest shooting , my rifle has a 10 ounces trigger , once you get use to shooting a 10 oz it's not so light just normal.
 
In benchrest shooting , my rifle has a 10 ounces trigger , once you get use to shooting a 10 oz it's not so light just normal.
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That may be, but there is no stock handgun trigger I know of that comes in at 10 oz. I'm not even aware of an aftermarket company that advertises going that low on a handgun, nor if that's well achievable while still having springs that would reliably function the pistol. You'd have to modify the heck out of the pistol and at that point I do think it would potentially be noticeable to an investigator. Will it matter in court? Maybe, maybe not. But why take that chance when at typical self defense ranges a stock trigger is certainly adequate? You're not talking taking a shot into the wind at hundreds of yards.
 
All good thoughts. I doubt if anyone in California will have an opportunity to hold, much less shoot, a P365 for at least a year and then it will be difficult for cops. If you don't know our state government in its wisdom doesn't let us harm ourselves with unsafe handguns, which means we can't have the latest and safest designs. Still I may get an opportunity to check a p365 out on a trip out of state.
 
TunnelRat

I was talking benchrest 308 Cal. It's a Jewell trigger , and a benchrest rifle only. Not a handgun.
 
Right, but what does that have to do with this thread? I took it as you saying very light triggers aren't an issue for a carry handgun, which is what this thread is about.
 
You brought up 10 ounces on a handgun , just didn't want you to think I was talking handgun . As far as light trigger on a SD carry firearm , I don't think it's a good idea . Target handgun used only for target shooting then yes , lighter is better . Talking accuracy in a carry gun , nothing better then shooting the gun , alot of range time.
 
dreaming said:
If I wanted Glock leg I would buy a Glock
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Nice asinine statement there. I guess the million of people who carry Glocks on a daily basis (present company included) are just waiting for our turn.

With that out of the way, I believe that the trigger on a carry gun has to balanced between preventing accidental discharges (hair triggers) and not so heavy it prevents accurate shooting. I know that there are plenty of stats that claim armed encounters occurs at very close distances and only involve a few shots. I'm going ot prepare for above that and carry 2 spare mags and have an "improved trigger". I installed the Ghost Pro trigger on my GLock 43 and it is much smoother, slightly lighter, and have very little over travel. I use the Glock 43 for practical shooting (like PPC but not a competition) and the Ghost Pro is much easier to shoot well with.

I'm sure a case can be made if a full on competition gun with a hair trigger was used, but even then a justifiable shoot is a justifiable shoot.
 
dreaming asked:
My question for comments is given this is for defense purposes, in which case if ever actually needed I will likely be stoked on adrenalin, do you think a half decent shooter may be better off with the long heavier DA trigger or the more easily shot with accuracy lighter trigger?
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Assuming one is a half way decent hand gunner with adequate trigger control, has a modicum of finger strength and doesn't have painful arthritis in the joints of the trigger finger, I find that trigger pull weight for me personally has no bearing on the accuracy potential of a handgun. Especially not "combat accuracy". As long as it is relatively clean with a decent break, I'm good with it. For instance, I actually like the trigger on my S&W SD9VE - it's a little mushy and a bit gritty, but it's alright. It's probably around 8 to 10 lbs, doesn't bother me in the slightest. And for a self defense gun, I prefer to keep it over 4 to 5 lbs anyway. Doesn't have to be perfect. I will say that a trigger with a jerky, rough break (regardless of pull weight) is difficult for me to shoot with any sort of accuracy. I'll take a clean S&W DA revolver trigger at 12 lbs (or even that "acceptable" SD9 trigger) over a crunchy, rough, entry level 6 lb 1911 trigger anytime.
 
I think that, to be even safer, we should shoot for a 14-18#, long trigger. That way we can press pretty hard on the trigger when we don't mean to shoot, and not have the gun go off.

:)

Larry
 
I use two pistols for carry, a Shield .45ACP and a SIG p232, depending on clothing. The one not on my person is in the car. Two entirely different systems. Before putting one in use, I do a lot of practice with it and then practice at least monthly afterward. My only requirement for a trigger on a carry gun is that it is smooth and that I have strength to pull it. A trigger I found noticeable, even though it was smooth, was on a HK Mark 23. In DA mode it would wear me out after 10, or so, rounds. Of course, it wasn't a carry gun for me. Obviously, I'm not an operator.
 
That way we can press pretty hard on the trigger when we don't mean to shoot, and not have the gun go off.
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What happened to "Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot?

There are only FOUR Rules.

It's not hard to remember them.
 
Yeah, every time somebody starts proposing that a heavy trigger is 'safer', I tend to go on a skreed regarding trigger discipline, and the concept that 'if you're touching the trigger when you don't want to fire, NO trigger is safe.'

Having done that a bunch of times, I finally just decided to be sarcastic and, hopefully, a bit funny.

Larry
 
Well I'm an old guy & i'm used to S&W revolvers & 1911 pistols . I've carried both for years , know them inside out . When I was younger weight didn't bother me & I'm large enough that a Gov't size 1911 , S&W K , L or N frame are concealable depending on season / dress . For me a handgun has to fit my hand , have a decent trigger , usable sights & reasonable accuracy . I'm fairly recoil tolerant & have carried 45acp , 357 SIG , 357 mag & 41 mag . With the new ammo I'm considering something in 9mm & physically smaller / lighter , but have yet to find something that suits me . Thing is that everything I like is the same size / weight of my old friends . Majority of the polymer pistols just don't fit my hand & have triggers you could pull a hog out of mudhole with . Been spoiled I guess as all my 1911's have 4.5lb triggers with no creep & S&W all have 3 1/2 lb SA & 8lb DA pulls that are glass smooth with no creep .
 
boatbum....Wilson Combat and others make a variety of 1911's in 9mm...

Wilson Combat has their new EDC models that might be attractive to you ...or their traditional models - something like their CQB Compact model in a 4"...or the Bill Wilson carry model in a 4" with an alloy frame...

My carry gun is a Wilson, Protector model ( old version without the rail), in a 5", all stainless, in 9mm....full size.../ ...don't give up on 1911's buddy !! ( there is no soul in the plastic wunder-whatever stuff ..).:D
 
there is no soul in the plastic wunder-whatever stuff ..
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Absolutely true. That's why I still have 1911s, Star pistols, K frame revolvers. That said, I don't care if my carry pistol has a soul. Of course it doesn't have to be an either or situation to be fair, but at the end of the day it's a tool. Certainly some polymer pistols with better triggers than others for those that are more discerning, but even my stock Glock hasn't hindered me.
 
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