Does the argument against a shorter, lighter trigger really hold up?

[Alaskapopo]

I believe the safety should come off as your clearing leather and rotating the gun to a horizontal position because you may have to shoot up close and bad breath distance. Muscle memory being the key. You're draw and when you take the safety off should not depend on the situation. It should always be the same.

[YVK]

The most prolific 1911 competitive shooter of modern times on this subject https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKzf...ature=youtu.be

Various Special Forces instructors teach the same, PMac spends a considerable amount of time on this subject. Safety comes off when gun is referenced on the target. If you using sights, when sights are on. If you are shooting from retention, when you are about to shoot.

[Kain]

Just got done arguing with a guy who was insistent that a .3 pound trigger pull, yes, .3, as in a like a quarter pound was what he felt was required for anyone to shoot a pistol, or any gun accurately. Of course he was also arguing when I brought up IDPA and USPSA that he shot it with an anschutz with a .3 pound trigger and that was what he and real competitors used, so......

On light triggers for handguns, or anything, barring something dedicated target shooting, once you start going much below maybe 4.5 pounds I think you are pushing the range that you are safe for most shooters(Now, what we want to consider most can be argued, but a pound or so difference in a trigger should not be making or breaking you). I say that from shooting as a far bit combative type shooting, as well as running various models, Striker fired, DA/SA, and even revolvers running them straight DA. I can't tell the damn difference if I am threat focused or focusing solely on the slights. I would personally say that as long as the trigger is smooth, and I've shot well with crunch-chewity, triggers as well, but smooth, and consistent, and decent sights I can stack rounds under time and stress. A lighter trigger wouldn't have made enough difference to notice. As far as short trigger, within reason, I don't see where they are of huge benefits, because again at speed, under time, under stress, I don't see myself trying to shoot from reset. Again, I would rather have a smooth trigger that is consistent in a reasonable range of 4.5-5.5 pounds with sights that I can exploit. I am of course looking solely at combative or defensive type shootings.

[Spiffums]

Just got done arguing with a guy who was insistent that a .3 pound trigger pull, yes, .3, as in a like a quarter pound was what he felt was required for anyone to shoot a pistol, or any gun accurately. Of course he was also arguing when I brought up IDPA and USPSA that he shot it with an anschutz with a .3 pound trigger and that was what he and real competitors used, so......

I'll make sure to pass this along to The Beard and Ben Stooger and Vogel as I'm sure they are unaware since they use a 1911 and a Stock 2 and a Glock respectively.

[Kain]

I'll make sure to pass this along to The Beard and Ben Stooger and Vogel as I'm sure they are unaware since they use a 1911 and a Stock 2 and a Glock respectively.

Please do. And if you can find out what 9mm or .45 Anschutz he was using, cuz I got nothing that I can come up with as far as he was claiming to use, let me know that too.

[jimjc]

I believe a 5# trigger is to light for a defense gun. Frankly I believe a double acton 8/9# double action trigger is important to protect for un-wanted firing.

It doesn't matter to me about you have to keep your finger off the trigger because in the heat of your defense and probably the only time in your life you'll may be in this situation, you simply don't know what you'll do. so the trigger is the only thing you have to count on and a 8/9# trigger is not to much by far..

I believe the double/single striker fired trigger will be the new trigger that's safer to use, there are a few guns out now, more to come.

[Doc Safari]

I took my Gen 4 Glock 17 with the "old" trigger to the range this weekend ("old" trigger as opposed to the lighter Gen 5 trigger).

After shooting 100 rounds or so, I'm ALMOST ready to say that even the older trigger is too light for a stressful situation.

That's why I'm not opting to join the Glock Gen 5 crew.

[ghostly]

I took my Gen 4 Glock 17 with the "old" trigger to the range this weekend ("old" trigger as opposed to the lighter Gen 5 trigger).

After shooting 100 rounds or so, I'm ALMOST ready to say that even the older trigger is too light for a stressful situation.

That's why I'm not opting to join the Glock Gen 5 crew.

The gen 5 triggers I've gauged were 6.5 lbs compared to about 6 lbs for Gen 4s and 5.5 lbs for Gen 3 guns. I think the Gen 5 gets praise for the lack of a wall and that it smoother throughout the press.


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[Kain]

I believe a 5# trigger is to light for a defense gun. Frankly I believe a double acton 8/9# double action trigger is important to protect for un-wanted firing.

It doesn't matter to me about you have to keep your finger off the trigger because in the heat of your defense and probably the only time in your life you'll may be in this situation, you simply don't know what you'll do. so the trigger is the only thing you have to count on and a 8/9# trigger is not to much by far..

I believe the double/single striker fired trigger will be the new trigger that's safer to use, there are a few guns out now, more to come.

I agree and disagree. I do think DA/SA is kind of making a bit of a come back. I know *runs off and grabs nomex flight suit* the glockmafia will flame my ass for that, but you know what, there is something to a good DA/SA trigger. Operative phrase being "good." And while for quite some time I was against the LEM trigger, recently handled one, and wow, I was actually pleased with it. That said, I will reiterate the point that a smooth trigger makes more sense to me than a light or short trigger. I mean, I just went out the other week with my old Colt .38 and running it DA stacked. STACKED. a cylinder into like one hole at 10 yards. Without trying too much. A nice smooth consistent trigger is NICE! But, for all practical purposes, I unless I am needing to make a very precise shot, the slightly larger group with my 19 isn't really a huge issue, and I am not even convinced that the trigger is the difference in group size there, I wouldn't be surprised if it is the difference in sights, and just mechanical accuracy.

That said, I've been in a few situations where adrenaline was basically getting mainlined into my ass and guns were getting shoved in people's faces, ears, eye sockets, and I can say that even in situations where I seriously thought someone was getting shot. I managed to keep finger out of the trigger until I either made my decision to shoot, or the event came down and the gun went into holster or away. That ain't the trigger it the training. If the concern is we need a heavier trigger to some an ND or AD or Bill from shooting anything and everything, then you end up going down the path that well, 8 pounds ain't enough, so lets go to 10, then 12, and then 14, then 18, and then you end up in a situation where you stop ADs, or NDs or whatever via trigger pull weight, but ability for your average shooter to hit dick goes out the window, and possibly even the ability to pull the ****ing trigger in a bad situation. And legit, I've been shot in the hand, more a frag situation really, not serious, but like I said frag, think someone taking a hammer to your hand as far as what it felt like, but I've been hit in the hand that was sucky. Could I still pull the trigger after getting hit? Yes. It took some mental fortitude and a high pain tolerance, but I don't know if I would have been able to easily, or even at all, run a long DA trigger in the 12 pound range, 8 pounds might have been iffy. A 5 pound trigger was doable and hits could still be made, I can say that because I did it. Now, in defense, yes, shoot off hand, but considering, and this is a legit point, most people don't shoot nearly enough to be proficient with their strong hand, forget their weak hand and ****ing forget being able to shoot one handed. Yes, we train with it, and most here could run a single action revolver better with a couple weeks of training and shooting, better than 94% of most shooters could run their carry or defensive gun of choice.

Point I get to, train, train, train, shoot, shoot, shoot, and learn to run the gear. Also, we as a group, generally, are not trying to outfit an entire group, and armament by committy is what is likely to happen with any force, and trust me, chances are whatever they get it will be made to the lowest bidder.

On a side note, I shoot a mil spec trigger in my AR better than most guys I see at the range with their Geissele* or match grade triggers. Actually, I shoot better groups with a milspec trigger and M193 and iron sights than most shoot with their match triggers of whoever and "match" grade ammo and some kind of optic. Hardware vs software fixes you know.


*For the sake of being open, both my go to ARs have Geissele SSA triggers in them. So......

[Wake27]

There have been some decent responses to this thread, some of which I still want to address directly, but the vast majority of responses have been the practice that is in question.

“I think you need an 8lb trigger pull.”

Cool story. Why? What has shown you that an 8lb pull will prevent an ND when a 4lb would not?


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