Components of a handgun trigger

[Redneck19]

What are components of a good handgun trigger?

Weight of pull?
Crispness? (i.e.- no mushyness)

It doesn't seem to be as important as a rifle trigger by a long shot (pun intended) because (obviously) you aren't going to be making shots out to 500 yds with it (are you?).

I see a ton of gadgets in terms of aftermarket springs, bars, rods, etc. with legitimate sounding applications, but I want to know what the end goal is.


Thanks!

[Rosco Benson]

Pull weight and crispness are important. Minimal overtravel after the trigger "breaks" is helpful as well.

A short reset that provides good tactile feedback of the trigger resetting is important too.

The "straight-back" trigger movement of the 1911 is ideal, but a good pivoting trigger is just fine too.

I used to think that the length of the trigger pull (like 1911 versus Glock) was a bigger issue that it actually works out to be. Still, less movement is better.

Rosco

[oldtexan]

What are components of a good handgun trigger?

Weight of pull?
Crispness? (i.e.- no mushyness)

It doesn't seem to be as important as a rifle trigger by a long shot (pun intended) because (obviously) you aren't going to be making shots out to 500 yds with it (are you?).

I see a ton of gadgets in terms of aftermarket springs, bars, rods, etc. with legitimate sounding applications, but I want to know what the end goal is.

Thanks!

In a handgun, all the following matter to varying degrees IMO: Weight of pull, consistency from shot to shot, length of pull, smoothness of pull, length of overtravel, length of reset, vigor of movement to the reset point, ease of discerning that the trigger has reached its reset point, and mechanical reliability.

There are probably other characteristics that I neglected to list that matter to other folks.

For me, mechanical reliability is most important, then all the others except for weight are roughly tied, then weight of pull is least important.

I believe that we are creatures of our experience, so for example if you shoot DA revolvers a lot, weight of pull probably won't be a huge issue.

I know that other folks will have entirely different rankings of the importance of these characteristics.

I believe that with determination, proper training and experience just about anyone can master any trigger.

[skyugo]

in a handgun trigger i like a fair amount of take up so i can tell my finger's on it before it goes off, even under stress. fairly crisp break and a short tactile reset is also important. The glock trigger is my favorite, but it's also what i'm most used to.

oh yeah, and consistency shot to shot is very important to me, not a fan of DA/SA triggers.

[SoulLessGinger]

A nice clean break, not too much overtravel, and a positive reset.

I like Glocks and 1911's. I like to be able to feel what is going on in the mechanism through the trigger.

[SoulLessGinger]

Double