Handgun Trigger Reach Measurements

[Jaywalker]

Walther PPQ with small backstrap in place:

2.83" - trigger and safety blade fully extended
2.54" - slack removed and before firing pressure

Note: The difference in this case is more akin to a two-stage trigger than simply "slack," and the longer figure determines whether a person is comfortable with the reach on this firearm.

 

[PITT5150]

Wow. I didn't know the length on the PPQ was longer than a Glock.

 

[Jaywalker]

PITT5150: Wow. I didn't know the length on the PPQ was longer than a Glock.

I don't think it is. Glock says G19 Gen4 trigger reach is 2.73", but... That measurement appears to be based upon where the trigger exits from the receiver, not where you put your finger on it. As the trigger curves forward from there, the actual reach with your trigger finger is longer than the official measurement.

The actual measurement with my calipers depends upon from where on the trigger you measure - just down from the top of the safety blade it's 2.91," with slack.

Call it 2.76" slack out.

As for the intangible "feel," the PPQ feels much shorter and more manageable.

 

[Jaywalker]

NecroPost - Adding a trigger reach measurement to the H&K VP9...

Surprising me, the VP9 trigger reach I measured at 2.817 inches. Measurements varied as I was attempting to measure without depressing the trigger safety tab, so that measure could be a little shorter still. That makes it a shorter pull than the PPQ, and that's a good thing for folk with shorter fingers. (I don't know what side panel it had on, but for me it felt much shorter than the PPQ.)

 

[Worc]

You need to set up some standards from where exactly the measurements need to be taken from. Like the center of the trigger to the center of the back strap or it's shortest point along the back strap.

 

[Mak One]

Standard 1911 has a nice short trigger reach for smaller hands.

This is why my wife like's shooting it. And yes you should take into account the width at the grips. A circumference measurement would probably be the most useful. Double stack vs. single stack and polymer vs. metal with grips make a big difference.

 

[lamarw]

Haskell JS-45 = 2.651

U.S. Govt. Property Colt M1911 (Mfg. Date 1918) = 2.682

Remington R1 1911 = 2.644

Sig Sauer P220 ST = 2.973

Sig Sauer P220 Nitron = 2.910

Sig Sauer P250 Full Size .45ACP = 2.860

Beretta 92FS Inox = 2.860

NORINCO Model 213 = 2.631

Sig Sauer P250 Compact (9mm) = 2.847

Sig Sauer P250 Sub-Compact (9mm) = 2.698

SCCY CPX-2 = 2.985

Beretta Cheetah 85F = 2.869

Beretta Model 3032 Tomcat Inox = 2.819

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Just interested in the measurement from the face of the trigger to the rear of the backstrap with calipers. There seems to be alot of measurements for the width of the grips but not so much for the LOP.

I don't think that's a valid measurement. You can't ignore the width of the grip frame and grips.

Allow me to explain, using the 1911 as an example. If you cut a horizontal cross-section through the grip area of a single stack 1911, basically you get a fairly smooth oval -- sort of lozenge shaped. Then you have double stacks, like the Para-Ordnance pistols, Their grip frames are much thicker. They make up for it to an extent by using thin grip panels, but cut that same horizontal cross-section and you don't get an oval -- you get a rectangle with radiused corners.

The reach of the trigger finger is measured from the base of the Vee at the web between the thumb and the trigger finger. Typically, this point lands at the center of the backstrap when holding the pistol in a firing position. So if you start your measurement at the center of the backstrap and use a flexible tape measure to measure around the grip and then to the trigger, the length for a double stack Para will be greater than the length of a single stack Colt -- even if both are equipped with triggers of the same length.

 

[Jaywalker]

worc: You need to set up some standards from where exactly the measurements need to be taken from. Like the center of the trigger to the center of the back strap or it's shortest point along the back strap.

It's the minimum distance I can find between the middle of the safety tab (when present) to the back strap.

 

[Jaywalker]

Aguila Blanca: I don't think that's a valid measurement. You can't ignore the width of the grip frame and grips.

It's not perfect, but it's indicative, particularly when it gets to the long end of the measurements. I've found it a pretty good metric for my hands, particularly when I'm measuring like widths, such as double-column magazines. It's less good when comparing single-column to double-column.

The problem I have with short fingers is that these are the measurements that the manufacturers generally don't provide, and when they do, half the time it's misleading. (Glock, for instance.)

 

[Worc]

Jaywalker wrote:
It's the minimum distance I can find between the middle of the safety tab (when present) to the back strap.

OK, thanks. I'll post some measurements tonight.

 

[Cyanide971]

Cheating since I don't have calipers or a soft tape measure. My apologies for the excess shadows and glare.

CZ 100:

Beretta PX4 D:

Steyr C9-A1:

Grand Power P1 Mk7 (Single Action & Double Action):

 

[Worc]

Measured some tonight. TUC will mean "Take Up Compressed" or where the take up has been removed.

Walther PPQ: 2.806" tab out, 2.788" tab in, 2.547" tab in/TUC. Medium back strap.

Steyr L9-A1: 2.828" tab out, 2.638" tab in, 2.570 tab in/TUC.

Sig 226: 2.986" DA, 2.880" DA TUC, 2.668" SA, 2.464" SA TUC. West German fatty trigger with E2 grip.

HK P-30: 2.867" DA, 2.802" DA TUC, 2.663" SA, 2.380" SA TUC. Medium side panels and back strap.

Sphinx SDP: 2.984" DA, 2.910" DA TUC, 2.984" half cocked, 2.796" half cocked TUC, 2.622" SA, 2.409" SA TUC. Large grip module.