pull weight for a varmint gun

That may be, but that's the user that's dangerous, not the trigger. In that case a heavier trigger is a safety blanket
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While I agree with you 100% I was just answering the question you posed.
I personally have all of my experience with fairly heavy factory trigger systems that have never had a set of stones taken to them to even smooth the feel.
I have fired a couple light triggers in controlled range settings and I am not comfortable in the camp of folks that like the "If it don't surprise you when it goes off, the trigger is too heavy..." mantra.
I have learned to acclimate my shooting to the ruff heavy trigger. I do not take long range shots but I do admit I "pull" my fair share of shots and can usually call it before the bullet impacts or misses...
Brent
 
I can see the gloved hand issue. However if you follow gun safety it should still be aimed in a safe direction. I realize that could cause an inadvertent shot fired. It should still be aimed at the target too. I get really nervous when I see fingers on triggers not pointed at a target with any trigger weight.
 
Personally I feel I shoot best with the lightest trigger I can control which for me is about 2 lbs. If this was a carryy gun I'd go 3
 
Bench rest triggers are frequently 8 ounces, maybe less
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They may not even be holding the rifle which I would think is a different deal than varmint hunting.

A heavier trigger pull is inherently safer. It is totally illogical to say otherwise.

But, a lighter pull may be perfectly safe for some provided they don't break any rules in the excitement and improve their results.
 
I totally agree that a heavier trigger is safer but I think users make lighter triggers unsafe not the weight itself necessarily. That doesn't mean lightest is best. Too light for me means possibly less control.
 
It doesn't take much to get used to a light trigger. In fact, I wouldn't mind having my 13oz trigger a little lighter.

I don't think it's logical to even associate weight of pull with safety. They are not related.

My Glock has a 5 pound trigger and NO safety. My Ruger MkII 204 has a 13oz trigger and a rock solid safety. Which is more dangerous? The answer is neither. They're both perfectly safe, or equally dangerous, depending ENTIRELY on the user.
 
I certainly don't think the average hunter who might be reading these forums needs to get the idea that a super light trigger is the way to go.
For one thing they will have to do it themselves which is another can of worms. The smiths I know aren't going to set one that low.
Then you have somebody who takes the gun off safety, doesn't make the shot, and forgets to put it back on safety.
It happens. As has been previously mentioned gloves can make you lose your sense of touch.
It's not about winning or losing by 1/1000 of an inch in a controlled enviornment.

If you can't hunt with a 2 1/2 pound pull maybe you should spend more time at the range.
 
You're talking about two different kinds of hunting. No one has suggested that every gun should have a sub-1 pound trigger. A one pound trigger on a 12ga shotgun in NY in November makes as much sense as a 3 pound trigger on a varmint gun.

There is ZERO excuse for triggers over 1 1/2 pound on a dedicated varmint gun. If someone can't handle a 1 1-2 pound, or even 13oz, trigger on a varmint gun then they definately need to lay off the caffeine... or something.

Once again, the trigger weight does not determine the guns "safeness". Some pull weights are more appropriate to certain situations but I consider a 3 pound trigger to be MAX on any gun. My shotgun that I use in November and December in sub-freezing weather and with gloves on, has 3 pound trigger.

If the shooter wears inappropriate gloves or "forgets" to put the safety on then they need to rethink their apparel and/or get those safety rules engrained in their minds.

I have never once "remembered" to put the safety on... But every time I check, it's on. Why? Because putting on the safety is habit not memory.
 
The heavier the trigger pull the harder it is to make the gun go off accidentally.
You can tie yourself in a linguistic knot and you can't get around it.
 
The heavier it is, the harder it is to make it go off---period! Well, you're arguing a non-argument. I like my varmint rifle to go off VERY easy. It's personal preference. Don't like it? Guess what---I really don't give a rat's hind-end what you like. I built my rifle. What YOU consider safe, I might not. But it's still opinion vs. opinion. You've beat yours to death, and a few of us don't agree. Get over it.
 
don't think it's logical to even associate weight of pull with safety. They are not related.
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the trigger weight does not determine the guns "safeness"
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The heavier it is, the harder it is to make it go off---period!
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Thanks for agreeing with me.

I suppose there is some difference between you reiterating your point and me? It's not like the hunting forum is going to be overcome with traffic or something.
 
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Seems to me that a guy building a dedicated varmint rifle is NOT your Joe Average type of shooter. IOW, the issue of some particular minimum weight of pull for the trigger is irrelevant to the discussion.

Basically, seems to me we're talking Indy cars, and what's needed for Driver's Ed. doesn't matter.

Generally, deer hunting is not precision shooting. When you consider the adrenalin for many shooters, a three or four pound pull makes sense from the standpoint of safety. But it's sorta hard to get all "adrenalin rushed" over a prairie dog--and that definitely is precision shooting. In essence, then, it's two wholly different worlds.
 
The difference being that you automatically assume "harder to make it go off" is a good thing.

I don't think there's any argument that a heavy trigger is harder to pull. That seems like basic physics. The argument is, one, when is a light trigger better and, two, is a heavy trigger "safer".

Answer one: light triggers clearly and unarguably have their place. All the way down to 8oz and lower. To unequivicably state that they have no place, are never better or are universally unsafe is to deny reality.

Answer two: No, a heavy trigger is not safer. Safety comes from the rules of gun safety, not from the trigger. Never point a gun at anything you're not willing to destroy. Never put your finger inside the trigger guard unless your ready to pull the trigger. So, if you're pointing at something you're willing to destroy and you're ready to pull the trigger then how can a light trigger be dangerous? It can't. WORST case is the gun goes off before you're 100% ready. Would that be less than ideal? Yes, that's why there's a place for 3 pound triggers too. Would it be unsafe? No, it would not.
 
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Well, in the end you have advised the OP, admittedly doing his first trigger job, to go 13 oz.

I may have over done it, but just pointing out the downside to it.

No hard feelings on my part anyway.
 
The OP didn't ask for recommendations. He asked what "you all like". If I was making recommendations then it would be much more than a pull weight.

First of all, "doing my first trigger job" should not actually mean "doing" because that IS dangerous. Buying or installing is one thing "doing a trigger job" is another thing all together. So, my advice to the OP about doing a trigger job is simple: don't. Unless you're being trained by a professional and, if that's the case, then the professional can help you with the proper pull weight. If what the OP means is installing a new trigger then my advice is to buy a Jard trigger and spend the extra $15 on 3 extra springs and try them all until you get one you like. That way you can have 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2 and one pound triggers, all for about $100.

(No hard feelings on my end either. I appreciate an opinionated yet civil discussion. :))
 
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