Trigger pressures: What's typical ranges
- Thread starter TXAZ
- Start date
My Savage (benchrest) is adjusted to 1.5 lbs.
Triggers of many rifles shot off a bench are measured in ounces.
Reason? Few of us have an absolutely perfect trigger press- meaning perfectly parallel to the bore/straight to the rear. There is always a tendency to "pull" left or right slightly- and the heavier the pull weight, the more susceptible our muscle control- and the rifle becomes to this. It's why you don't see 8 lb pulls on target rifles.
Of course, things like a crisp and predictable break are most important still, having an 8 oz. trigger for which you can't predict the break would be worse than a 4 lb trigger that broke like glass for me.
JMO, YMMV.
Triggers of many rifles shot off a bench are measured in ounces.
Reason? Few of us have an absolutely perfect trigger press- meaning perfectly parallel to the bore/straight to the rear. There is always a tendency to "pull" left or right slightly- and the heavier the pull weight, the more susceptible our muscle control- and the rifle becomes to this. It's why you don't see 8 lb pulls on target rifles.
Of course, things like a crisp and predictable break are most important still, having an 8 oz. trigger for which you can't predict the break would be worse than a 4 lb trigger that broke like glass for me.
JMO, YMMV.
g.willikers
New member
An extra light trigger like that can be unpredictable.
During a rifle silhouette match, a friend handed me his super duper single shot competition gun to try.
Right after loading it, the danged thing went off when the barrel tapped the bench as I was laying it down.
Good thing it was pointed downrange.
Didn't even get a scoring hit, either.
I gave it right back.
He had been shooting it all day and was used to it.
Doubt if I ever could.
During a rifle silhouette match, a friend handed me his super duper single shot competition gun to try.
Right after loading it, the danged thing went off when the barrel tapped the bench as I was laying it down.
Good thing it was pointed downrange.
Didn't even get a scoring hit, either.
I gave it right back.
He had been shooting it all day and was used to it.
Doubt if I ever could.
I have been shooting competition rifles for decades now. My M1a, which I earned my Distinguished, had a lower weight limit of 4.5 pounds. That was primarily due to the mechanism. A lighter trigger will cause the hammer to over ride the sear.
When I switched over to bolt rifles, I found that a trigger less than 1.5 pounds, I would trip the thing during sitting rapid or prone rapid fire. Moving the trigger finger off the bolt handle into the trigger guard, under time, and occasionally I would not feel the trigger and boom!
I am now shooting Small Bore Prone and using triggers from 8 ounces to 1 ounce. The one ounce trigger is a set trigger. One ounce is just at the edge of my sensitivity. My finger can hover over the eight ounce trigger, but the one ounce trigger, I don't dare touch it till I am ready to shoot.
When I switched over to bolt rifles, I found that a trigger less than 1.5 pounds, I would trip the thing during sitting rapid or prone rapid fire. Moving the trigger finger off the bolt handle into the trigger guard, under time, and occasionally I would not feel the trigger and boom!
I am now shooting Small Bore Prone and using triggers from 8 ounces to 1 ounce. The one ounce trigger is a set trigger. One ounce is just at the edge of my sensitivity. My finger can hover over the eight ounce trigger, but the one ounce trigger, I don't dare touch it till I am ready to shoot.
Having a light trigger contributes greatly to good shooting. However, the weight of the trigger pull also has to be appropriate for what you are doing with the rifle.
And, as mentioned, you get used to the trigger. You hand the rifle to someone else and they often have trouble with it.
I own a few 10/22s equipped with Kidd, two stage drop in triggers with a trigger pull wight of 8 oz. I use them for Appleseed shoots as well as a local offhand match. I have been shooting them for years and I am used to them. I have let other people shoot them and they consider the trigger pull to be too light. Just remember that one of the basic rules of firearms safety is to keep your finger off the trigger unless the sights are on the target. So, if you are following the basic safety rules you are good.
In most of my ARs, I use a Geissele SSA-E trigger, which is a two stage trigger designed to break at a total weight of 3.5 pounds. I use this trigger on all of my ARs other than the one set up for service rifle competition which breaks at 4.5 pounds.
Since I shoot these rifles all the time, anything heavier seems really difficult to shoot well. I am spoiled.
And, as mentioned, you get used to the trigger. You hand the rifle to someone else and they often have trouble with it.
I own a few 10/22s equipped with Kidd, two stage drop in triggers with a trigger pull wight of 8 oz. I use them for Appleseed shoots as well as a local offhand match. I have been shooting them for years and I am used to them. I have let other people shoot them and they consider the trigger pull to be too light. Just remember that one of the basic rules of firearms safety is to keep your finger off the trigger unless the sights are on the target. So, if you are following the basic safety rules you are good.
In most of my ARs, I use a Geissele SSA-E trigger, which is a two stage trigger designed to break at a total weight of 3.5 pounds. I use this trigger on all of my ARs other than the one set up for service rifle competition which breaks at 4.5 pounds.
Since I shoot these rifles all the time, anything heavier seems really difficult to shoot well. I am spoiled.