Trigger pull weight

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Drvred

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I just bought a used SW22 Victory to use as a plinking, fun pistol.
Right now the trigger pull is about 3.5 lbs.
Tandemcross claims to get less than 2 lbs with their Victory trigger and hammer.
My question is how light is too light.
I used to have a High Standard pistol that I got because the previous owner was scared of it because the trigger was crazy light.
That is what I am looking for.
 
You should get a ton of opiniions on this but the ultimate decision will be yours. Just how careful can you be and just how light do you want to go. I have a Ruger MKII slabside that I target mostly but will take out for squirrels sometimes and the trigger on it is about 1 lb. Some of my CZ .22 rifles that are target only are 10 oz or less.
 
For just a plinking, fun pistol, I would probably be happy with a 3.5lb trigger. I would want that extra weight due to the general fun shooting that would be going on, and having an extra level of safety. I would not need super light, like I would want for target shooting. My pistol target shooting is never as light as my target rifle either.

My bench rifles are a different story. I prefer single digit ozs on those, and my last CZ was around 4oz.
 
Drvred said:
I just bought a used SW22 Victory to use as a plinking, fun pistol.
Right now the trigger pull is about 3.5 lbs.
Tandemcross claims to get less than 2 lbs with their Victory trigger and hammer.
My question is how light is too light.
I used to have a High Standard pistol that I got because the previous owner was scared of it because the trigger was crazy light.
That is what I am looking for.
Click to expand...
I think anything under 3 pounds is dangerous in a semi auto pistol.
 
If you have a good grip and good control of where you leave your finger, pull weight can be as light as is comfortable.
On the other hand, I handed a first time shooter a P99as (that has a 4.5lb pull) with only 3 shots in the mag and she managed to bump fire all 3 of them. It would have been a cool trick if she had done it on purpose, or even knew what she had done.
 
DrScaryGuy said:
If you have a good grip and good control of where you leave your finger, pull weight can be as light as is comfortable.
On the other hand, I handed a first time shooter a P99as (that has a 4.5lb pull) with only 3 shots in the mag and she managed to bump fire all 3 of them. It would have been a cool trick if she had done it on purpose, or even knew what she had done.
Click to expand...
I’ve been at a local indoor range when someone with a light trigger kept pulling the trigger after each recoil. One of the employees also told of how a former NASCAR driver was shooting up the ceiling with his handgun due to control and reduced trigger pull. But he’s a nutcase anyway.
 
IMO, If someone can't use a trigger under 3lbs, it is because they are incompetent/inexperienced with them, not that the trigger is unsafe.

Triggers can be and are safe far below those weights. This is not to even mention other important factors like over-travel and pre-travel that affect a triggers character. Finding an arbitrary number and declaring anything below that "unsafe" seems shortsighted.
Triggers don't cause people to "shoot up a ceiling", lol. Come on man.

Just sayin.
 
My first experience with "too light" of a trigger was with an Anshutz Model 64 Target. I think it was about a 2lb trigger, but the take up was about 1.5lbs. You were forever pulling through and discharging the gun when looking for "the wall". And it wasn't just me, everybody did it. For bench it might have worked with enough practice, but for an off hand gun it was problematic. Too much muscular tension supporting the gun while trying to maintain a light touch on the trigger. And therein lies the issue with too light of a trigger. Is it safe? Is it so light that you ever discharge the gun unexpectedly, before you were ready? Of course that's going to depend on what the gun is used for and how you're using it. At the range, target shooting, light grip, you can work a very light trigger. in more dynamic environments a heavier trigger might work better. It takes a certain amount of muscular tension to grip and aim a gun correctly. This can interfere with the dexterity of the trigger finger.
I prefer feeling a solid wall that breaks cleanly over lightest weight. Light enough that is doesn't disturb my sight picture to discharge the gun, but not so light that sometimes I can't always tell where the wall is. Generally, I like around 3.5lbs or a little lighter for most guns for my kind of shooting. It varies. A defensive gun definitely needs a slightly heavier trigger.
Then there's mechanical safety. I knew some PPC shooters whose triggers were set so light you could tap the cocked hammer and they would fall. Or some auto's that would drop the hammer or release the firing pin if you smacked the gun with your hand.
 
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NKD said:
IMO, If someone can't use a trigger under 3lbs, it is because they are incompetent/inexperienced with them, not that the trigger is unsafe.

Triggers can be and are safe far below those weights. This is not to even mention other important factors like over-travel and pre-travel that affect a triggers character. Finding an arbitrary number and declaring anything below that "unsafe" seems shortsighted.
Triggers don't cause people to "shoot up a ceiling", lol. Come on man.

Just sayin.
Click to expand...
Says a good shooter with gun skills. You have to admit a lot of crazy firing has been committed at ranges. I’ve seen it. Inexperienced shooters are known to handle a gun with their finger still in the trigger guard. Couple that with a light trigger. There is a reason people recommend double action as a more safe option for newbies.
 
georgel said:
My first experience with "too light" of a trigger was with an Anshutz Model 64 Target. I think it was about a 2lb trigger, but the take up was about 1.5lbs. You were forever pulling through and discharging the gun when looking for "the wall". And it wasn't just me, everybody did it. For bench it might have worked with enough practice, but for an off hand gun it was problematic. Too much muscular tension supporting the gun while trying to maintain a light touch on the trigger. And therein lies the issue with too light of a trigger. Is it safe? Is it so light that you ever discharge the gun unexpectedly, before you were ready? Of course that's going to depend on what the gun is used for and how you're using it. At the range, target shooting, light grip, you can work a very light trigger. in more dynamic environments a heavier trigger might work better. It takes a certain amount of muscular tension to grip and aim a gun correctly. This can interfere with the dexterity of the trigger finger.
I prefer feeling a solid wall that breaks cleanly over lightest weight. Light enough that is doesn't disturb my sight picture to discharge the gun, but not so light that sometimes I can't always tell where the wall is. Generally, I like around 3.5lbs or a little lighter for most guns for my kind of shooting. It varies. A defensive gun definitely needs a slightly heavier trigger.
Then there's mechanical safety. I knew some PPC shooters whose triggers were set so light you could tap the cocked hammer and they would fall. Or some auto's that would drop the hammer or release the firing pin if you smacked the gun with your hand.
Click to expand...

Im glad this thread was started. Manufacturers test for safety and reliability. If Glock feels 5 lbs is the safest minimum trigger I would think they know better than me following extensive research. Do I own a Glock with a 5 or 5.5 lb trigger weight? No. They have all been changed by a connector. Was it the right thing to do? Probably not but I like it for the range. It was most likely better at 5 lbs IF I pulled it from a holster with a decision to fire or not fire following that reaction. Range and defensive reactions are entirely different models. Much like shooting plates at a match. It’s just different.
 
BlackGun said:
Says a good shooter with gun skills. You have to admit a lot of crazy firing has been committed at ranges. I’ve seen it. Inexperienced shooters are known to handle a gun with their finger still in the trigger guard. Couple that with a light trigger. There is a reason people recommend double action as a more safe option for newbies.
Click to expand...

I start newbies on a Ruger Mark 3 with a trigger just over one pound.

There are many factors and scenarios involved and different things to consider with trigger weight.

But ultimately, a 2lb trigger in an AR or 2011, for example, is not unsafe.

A new shooter with no skills or knowledge can definitely be unsafe, we can agree on that.
 
georgel said:
My first experience with "too light" of a trigger was with an Anshutz Model 64 Target. I think it was about a 2lb trigger, but the take up was about 1.5lbs. You were forever pulling through and discharging the gun when looking for "the wall". And it wasn't just me, everybody did it. For bench it might have worked with enough practice, but for an off hand gun it was problematic. Too much muscular tension supporting the gun while trying to maintain a light touch on the trigger. And therein lies the issue with too light of a trigger. Is it safe? Is it so light that you ever discharge the gun unexpectedly, before you were ready? Of course that's going to depend on what the gun is used for and how you're using it. At the range, target shooting, light grip, you can work a very light trigger. in more dynamic environments a heavier trigger might work better. It takes a certain amount of muscular tension to grip and aim a gun correctly. This can interfere with the dexterity of the trigger finger.
I prefer feeling a solid wall that breaks cleanly over lightest weight. Light enough that is doesn't disturb my sight picture to discharge the gun, but not so light that sometimes I can't always tell where the wall is. Generally, I like around 3.5lbs or a little lighter for most guns for my kind of shooting. It varies. A defensive gun definitely needs a slightly heavier trigger.
Then there's mechanical safety. I knew some PPC shooters whose triggers were set so light you could tap the cocked hammer and they would fall. Or some auto's that would drop the hammer or release the firing pin if you smacked the gun with your hand.
Click to expand...

Personally, my triggers are used in practical and action shooting. So, running around complex courses of fire in a dynamic environment. Shooting over, around, and from inside obstacles.
The guns I use for this range from 1.5-2.5lbs trigger weight.
I don’t put my finger on the trigger until my muzzle is on target and I am prepared to fire.

I would expect a good bench gun to be well under 1lb. Would be measured in ounces.

Just trying to point out there is no magic number threshold where a trigger becomes “safe”. Safe gun handling and respect for the four rules is what keeps us safe.

Just my opinions.
 
An inexperienced shooter will bump fire a light trigger because they lack proper grip/grip tension, and lack of any recoil management.


Insurance coverage for manufacturers dictates alot of what is deemed "safe". Manufacturers always lean toward giving themselves a buffer when mitigating risk of their products.
 
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