16ga.com ~ View topic - Triggers & Trigger Pull

Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1378 Location: Denver, Colorado

Trigger pulls are a constant challenge, now that liability considerations seem to control every decision a modern corporation makes. In very light guns, they are critical to ensure the gun stays on target during your swing. I had a very light little 28-bore that would almost cant sideways because the trigger pulls were so bad. "To the Trigger" is reportedly the toast made by the gunmakers in England's gun making districts and I can believe it, after seeing the list of guns and trigger pulls just posted here.

Joined: 29 May 2016 Posts: 79 Location: Burke Co, GA

To quote Pine Creek/Dave], "On most American Classic double guns the 2nd or back trigger usually has a 4.2-4.8 Lb trigger pull with little to no creep, this engineering is mostly to make sure that the gun does not double fire from the recoil of the 1st shot."

This is not the reason doubles should be set up with the rear trigger having a slightly heavier trigger pull than the front one, at all. If it were, the lighter pull front trigger would be in jeopardy of jarring out of bent, and firing itself, whenever one shot the left barrel (rear trigger) first, which many like myself do on incoming birds. This is an error that has persisted on these forums for as long as I've had a computer.

The real reason the rear trigger is set up with a slightly heavier pull is the hand/trigger finger position difference between the front and rear trigger. When the "trigger hand" is in the proper position for shooting, more trigger finger extension is required. There is not as much leverage generated, thus the lighter pull weight on the front trigger. When the finger is shifted to the rear trigger the geometry changes slightly and the trigger finger has a little more leverage. Because of this, in actual use, the 3.5# front trigger, and the 4# rear trigger, feel the same.

When the angles on a trigger sear and hammer are cut and stoned properly there is no danger of recoil causing the other sear to slip and fire, even down below 3#.

s Hill,

Yes sir everything you added is also true, however can you explain why the SST in the rear position is set up around 3.5-3.8Lb. If I am incorrect about the doubling factor on the DT, I have just learned even more about trigger pull and I thank you.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man