My "take" on triggers after 40 plus years of shooting, what's yours?

[M1A4ME]

I admit, I like a nice trigger.

But what is nice?

I see complaints of pre travel, over travel, grittiness, dragging, false "walls", heavy triggers, hard to feel reset, long rearward travel for the next shot after reset, etc., etc., etc.

I dislike grittiness, false "walls" and hard to feel reset.

I honestly don't notice the pre travel, the over travel or the rearward travel from reset to the next shot.  My brain and finger just work together, learn the trigger and I do it without noticing it.

I do notice the difference between a really nice 3 lb. CZ SA trigger pull and the Apex kit trigger pull on a 2.0 M&P.  But only when dry firing to get the feel of the trigger.  I don't notice it at the range.  The force applied to the trigger to fire the pistol (3 lbs.) is the same, but the movement is different.  The Apex resets and from that point any rearward movement fires the gun for the next shot.  The CZ does require more rearward movement from reset to hammer release, but I don't notice that at the range.

I don't compete, I don't do mag dumps, I like small groups. 

Just wondering how many other shooters here don't really notice the pre travel/over travel in SA trigger work.

[BarkingAnt]

Pre travel on any trigger doesn't bother me as long as there is a definite wall with a clean creepless break. I have most of my CZ75 pistols Cajunized and two that aren't. I can certainly feel the difference in overtravel and creep between the two and like CGW's lack of appreciable over travel and no creep. Reset on CGW pistols apparently I don't notice either but I know it's shortened compared to factory.

Having said that it's to each his own whatever cranks your tractor. I learned to pistol shoot with a Ruger Security Six shooting it DA mostly, compared to triggers available now it's trigger was heavy. A Cajunized CZ 75 by comparison almost shoots itself.

To answer  your last question, yes I notice the short/lack of overtravel, pre travel no. But again that's with Cajunized pistols.

[SEB2337]

I have a P226 in 40 & a P226 Legion... The .40 i took apart during covid and put a dual adjustable trigger and lightly polished the action & changed out the springs. The trigger is crisp, zero grit, the long pull is great! absolutely zero pre travel, very short reset then a small amount of travel on the second shot. LOVE IT!

Problem is it makes the Legion which was twice as much suck! Been wanting to upgrade the trigger since the first time i took it out but it's always out of stock.

I've been shooting for years and never paid attention to any of that stuff until i was bored as hell stuck in the house and started reading about upgrades and little things you can do to improve grit and what not. Hell just buying a laser round to dry fire and squeeze that thing all day long takes a lot out.

I have a security six. The trigger is definitely heavy but i like that it has zero movement with a long pull or short. I guess that's the nature of a revolver.

[crosstimbers]

I hate a trigger that is too heavy. But in all seriousness, the problem I encounter most often is trigger reach. I have wide hands, but my fingers are on the short side (evidently). Thats why CZ 75 variants have never worked well for me, the double action reach is just too far on the long side, with only the tip of my trigger finger engaging. CZ 82s however are quite comfortable for me.

[skin]

 I have only one pistol that I've reworked the trigger and it's a 1911 used only for the range. After cleaning and break in, I consider all to have a good trigger. Especially the cz's. Rifles are a different story.

[Rmach]

I need to feel the wall and have the trigger break at ~ 3 lbs.  Anything that exceeds those two parameters will definitely throw my shots off target due to anticipating the bang.

[tdogg]

I do compete and do notice the pretravel as it has lead to numerous failures to reset.  I'd argue that a trigger needs a pronounced wall before break, a short (clean) reset, and finally a crisp break in that order of importance. I spent time tweaking my two competition rigs to make them as close to the same as possible but they are different.  One pistol I have to leave a little looser to ensure proper reset.  It took a while to figure that out.

What I need in competition trigger is a solid wall before the break.  I had to upgrade to CGW hammers to get that on my TSO's.  The stock race hammers are too light and vague for my liking.  I actually would like an even more pronounced wall but the CGW hammer is the bee's knee's for sure.  I didn't think I could say this originally but the CGW hammer certainly has a more crisp break over the CZ race hammer.

I've become a trigger snob for sure.  Having a tuned trigger (short reset with no pre/over travel) with a crisp break is nice.  Is it needed in USPSA?  That is debatable for sure. 

I'm moving to Carry optics soon and have an Accushadow II getting milled for an optic as we speak.  The DA is butter and the SA has a nice controllable wall before the break.  Time will tell how I adjust to it coming from the TSO.  I will not have as many premature launches starting with a DA first shot!

Cheers,
Toby

[Joe L]

Ever heard of a "roll" trigger?  Bullseye shooters came up with the term, I think. 

I experimented with very light triggers at first and then settled on around 3lb without a crisp break.  I want a wall to help me steady the gun, and then what some people would consider creep to release the hammer/striker.  I can shoot a .22 with a little less than 3lb but all of my centerfires are 3-3.5, I think.  I haven't measured any pull weights in a few years.  I might do that next time I think of it.  If the trigger is too light, I develop a flinch.  If the trigger is too heavy, the tension in my fingers changes as I try to get the gun to go off, moving the gun off the target a little. 

Joe

[M1A4ME]

We all have reasons for what we like, or what works well for us.

I know I always liked a nice trigger and I "just knew" a nice trigger was one of those steps required towards having a good shooting gun.  Believed that right up to that M&P 2.0 9MM 5" pistol.  Put that darn near $200 Apex trigger kit in it and that trigger is absolutely awesome.  But the groups didn't seem to know how awesome the trigger is.  Took an Apex barrel to improve the groups (and different ammo).

I know the CZ's I own have some forward trigger travel from the reset click/feel until you can pull the trigger to the rear again.  I guess, shooting the way I do, I don't really notice it.  If you do something long enough/often enough your mind/body just start working together and you really don't have to stop and consider what to do next, you just do it.  That's a big reason why I don't carry handguns without safeties or that are DA for the first shot or DAO.  An M&P with a thumb safety is not a CZ with a thumb safety.  But both have slide release levers that work the same way.  Both have thumb safeties that work the same way.  Both have triggers that work the same way (on my end, not necessarily inside).   We really do need consistency when things get to the point we're not thinking as fast as we have to act.  Or there are so many things going on we don't have time to call a time out, grab a cup of coffee and sit down to consider what to do next.

I have two or three pistols with measured 3 lb triggers that are so crisp your finger lies to your brain and tells it the trigger is lighter than it is.  And one (the big Tactical Sport .40) that usually results in me putting a hole in the paper before I'm really lined up well enough to suit me.  That one measures at 1 lb, 7 oz.  No way I'd carry that anywhere but to the table at the range.

I see, on the internet, all the time about how a pistol trigger is too heavy, has too much travel, has no reset feel/sound, etc., etc.  I was just curious how people here felt about their triggers and what they wanted before calling a trigger a "good trigger."

Oh, my best regular CZ hammers are the repro spur hammers I got from CZ USA.  I've got a CZ Custom hammer on a P07 and the SA on the two CZs with the repro spur hammers are better.  It's in the feel.  If I have more CZ75 type pistols, I'd be buying more of those repro spur hammers (and CGW adjustable sears).

[Claymore504]

I don't compete either. I have had experience with many different triggers though. During my 20+ years in the military (infantry) I obviously used standard triggers in the M16, M4, M246, M60, M240B, M9 and now M17. As a new Private most of my expereince was with a 22 rifle with a horrible trigger, so the mil weapon triggers seemed just fine to me and I think they still are. These days for rifles I am just fine using whatever comes stock. For pistols I have evolved though.

What I have learned is I do not like striker triggers with a saftey dingus in the middle of the shoe that does not depress flat with the trigger face (Glock). I really don't mind pre-travel and actually feel having a good amount is a good thing for safety (M&P vs P320). These days though I prefer DA/SA and I don't mind a heavier DA pull as long as it smooth. Reset does not have to be super short for me, but it is nice. I also don't need a glass like break in SA, but it is a perk as well.