"Easy Triggers"

[BillSWPA]

Jeff Cooper was once criticized for showing up to teach a class carrying a 1911, because it was "unfair." His reply was that perhaps the first requirement of a fighting handgun is that it be unfair.

When I teach a new shooter, I am always going to start them out on the easiest gun to shoot that I possibly can. Once they have mastered this, then I start increasing the difficulty level with more recoil, heavier triggers, different sights, etc.

Although I see value in doing at least some of the one's practice with a heavier trigger, such as a double action revolver, when I select a gun for competition or for mor serious purposes, an select the one that is easiest for me to shoot well.



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[Randy Harris]

In teaching basic pistol classes I have them shoot at IPSC/IDPA targets with an 8 1/2 x 11 paper covering the chest and with a 3" shoot n see target in the center of the paper. Most of the shooting is from from 4-5 yards. By the end of the day most everyone is tearing out the 3" target. I then move them to a "walkback" drill using a 1/3 size IPSC steel target. That size target essentially covers from my chin to my diaphragm and inside the nipples (vital zone). This is simply an exercise in proving to them that sights and trigger control is the same whether it is a small target up close or a bigger target at distance. Also acts as a big confidence builder as they see that if they focus on trigger and sights they can deliver vital zone hits at "across the parking lot distances".

We start at 15 yards and work back to 25-30. Which incidentally the front sight covers about as much of the ipsc steel at 30 as it does the 3" target a 4 yards. If they can hit one they can hit the other. Most have no problem whacking the steel at 15 . But as we back up, the folks with heavy triggers (and tiny guns with heavy triggers) tend to struggle. If a student is struggling to hit the 1/3 size IPSC steel at 25 to 30 yards I will offer them my "magic" pistol (Glock 34 or 17 with minus connector) and more times than not they start scoring hits. Full size guns with lighter triggers are simply easier to hold steady through the trigger press.

It may be a crutch, but if I ever have to take a shot with a populated background that is longer than the typical car length gun fight distance I'd rather have that crutch than not have it.

[Mr_White]

I definitely believe that the time I spent with a NY1/standard connector (10.5lb trigger pull weight by my measuring) was very well spent. I think maybe I should revisit that again sometime. I do think that I still ultimately get better accuracy at speed with the modestly nice pull produced by the minus connector and 5lb striker spring, which I very much see as a compromise trigger. I don't think it's holding me back much for pure performance, though I certainly could be using something easier. And I'm ok with it for a self-defense gun, though I don't think I'd want the trigger much shorter/lighter.

[Tamara]

It never made sense to me that Glock is the only brand of pistol that has a curved trigger face.

wat?

[spinmove_]

wat?

Not curved as in from top to bottom, I mean curved as in from side to side.

Example: M&P trigger shoes are ridiculously curved from top to bottom. Laterally, they're flat.


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[Duelist]

Not curved as in from top to bottom, I mean curved as in from side to side.

Example: M&P trigger shoes are ridiculously curved from top to bottom. Laterally, they're flat.


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Radius. And literally every pistol and revolver in my safe has a radius on the trigger face. The most radical one is on a British revolver that dates to c.1870.

[spinmove_]

Radius. And literally every pistol and revolver in my safe has a radius on the trigger face. The most radical one is on a British revolver that dates to c.1870.

More radical than a smooth Glock trigger shoe? The rest of my pistols and long guns have a fairly flat radius.


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[Duelist]

More radical than a smooth Glock trigger shoe? The rest of my pistols and long guns have a fairly flat radius.


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Oh, yes. Much, much more radical. It's basically a handmade gun, and there is some good machining and radical artistic curves. I'll see if I can get a pic later.

[afang]

In response to this subject, consistent training on the fundamentals of shooting is the key not the trigger. An instructor for Executive Protection I had twenty years ago was showing the drill we were supposed to shoot to qualify. He used a custom 1911. A student in the class who was not able to shoot the qualifiers who was using a Glock said that if he had the same type of pistol the instructor had he could qualify. The instructor gave the student his pistol who in turned failed to qualify again. The instructor promptly borrowed each of the students pistol, Beretta 92's, Sig P220's all TDA and promptly shot the piss out of those Guns accurately. That left a strong impression on me that the gun is only as good as the shooter. My first PD job we were issued Beretta 92D's DAO with 8lb triggers and when I joined the Feds I was issued a Ruger GP100. 357 that I became very proficient with. Basically shoot with what you have, when you get to a certain level of understanding the fundamentals you can shoot any pistol accurately.


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[Tamara]

Not curved as in from top to bottom, I mean curved as in from side to side.

Example: M&P trigger shoes are ridiculously curved from top to bottom. Laterally, they're flat.

S&W wheelgun "combat" (smooth, as opposed to "target" serrated) triggers are heavily radiused.