Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: No Powder on March 19, 2023, 02:49:08 PM
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I believe all of my flint lock rifles have double lever - double set triggers. I think that means I can fire the rifle with or without using the set trigger. I cannot get used to using the set trigger. I have always been a trigger squeezer. I've often read that you should be surprised when your gun fires. By using the set trigger, the light trigger pull using the front trigger, prevents me from being surprised when the gun fires. So I don't use the set trigger. Am I a minority, or are there others who feel the same as me ,and don't use the set trigger? I realize I'm sometimes dealing with a 5-6# or more trigger pull . I just lower the gun and start over if it doesn't go off the first time. Sometimes I will raise & lower the gun several times before I get it to fire.
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I've got them with and without set triggers / and I'll admit that I like a lite pull.
I have never wanted to be "surprised" when my firearm fires - as I want to know exactly when it will fire in the trigger pull process... :bl th up
Many say (back in the day) that the Trade Guns were notorious for a heavy trigger pull, and the trigger itself was designed to use two fingers... Some say the big trigger was designed to accommodate someone wearing gloves - (which I don't buy into because most folks wore mittens / not single finger gloves back in those days...) The Trade Gun Locks have huge heavy pull main spring!!!
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I have rifles and pistols in either configuration. I tend to like set,but after a few shots, it really doesn't matter. My un-set triggers are still pretty light.
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I've got them with and without set triggers / and I'll admit that I like a lite pull.
I have never wanted to be "surprised" when my firearm fires - as I want to know exactly when it will fire in the trigger pull process... :bl th up
I agree 100% with Joe! :hairy
Since I have NEVER had a "rock steady" hold when shooting off-hand, I like a trigger pull that will trip the sear EXACTLY when I want it to. :bl th up :)
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I'm with Ohio Joe and Rollingb. I'll take a double set trigger every time.
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Except for my Derringer and trade gun, all mine have set triggers whether single or double set.
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I have a rifle with a set trigger, not sure what that type is called but you have to set it to fire. I wish it had a regular single trigger instead. It works ok, but no better for me than a regular one. The only triggers I don't like at all are ones with "creep". That make it hard to manage.
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Been there and done that Jim . Know what you mean about creep. Well in addition to being a member of two clubs (dry ballers & ramrod shooters ), now I'm a member of three minorities (brass shiners, touch hole liner removers, and trigger squeezers). I guess I answer to a different drummer. Perhaps he should be fired.
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I have had several rifles with set triggers and I like them fine.
But, mainly I have rifles with just a single trigger but things internally are polished to the point where it takes little pressure to fire. I prefer those, so I don't have to mess with setting the trigger.
I have never attached a trigger pull scale to my SMR, but with it set, it has to be maybe an one ounce trigger pull. It is light.
John (Bigsmoke)
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No Powder, I wouldn't worry about any of those clubs you say you're in, 'cause I bet many of us here have done some of those same things at one time or another. I would add that if you are comfortable with your trigger pull - don't mess with it, 'cause you seem to know your rifles really well, and how they shoot! And that's what matters most!!! :hairy
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During the years I did competitive shooting I had the set trigger set so I just applied side pressure to the front trigger and it would release, maybe 1-1 1/2oz. Of course I set it just before shooting and never when hunting.
Worked quite well for me.
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Thanks guys. I sure enjoyed all the info you've shared on this trigger squeeeezzzzeee issue. You know I think I'll be learning about these front stuffers as long as I can shoot em or kick the bucket, whichever comes first.And I don't think there is a better place to learn than right here. So keep on sharing your opinions and wealth of knowledge with others who are trying to learn about this great (except the cleaning) past time . I just wish I was smart enough to build those beautiful works of art like you guys do. Then I could join in on the conversations about the building end of it. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to have one of you guys to build me a fine rifle. Y'all offer a senior citizen disc. right?
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The Hodgepodge rifle had the CVA set trigger, and while I have had several of those, I never really cottoned to them. With the Hodgepodge I ended up removing the rear trigger and polishing the internals of the lock. Then a while back we had a discussion here and I took another look at what I could do to lighten the trigger pull. With a little judicious filing and drilling another pivot pin hole about 1/4" back from the original hole I ended up with a very usable, light trigger pull. I LIKE my single triggers!
~Kees~
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LOL! I had to check my CVA Squirrel rifle! They will all fire either way. I'm in the "I wanna know perzakly when it's gonna fire" group.
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Thanks guys. I sure enjoyed all the info you've shared on this trigger squeeeezzzzeee issue. You know I think I'll be learning about these front stuffers as long as I can shoot em or kick the bucket, whichever comes first.And I don't think there is a better place to learn than right here. So keep on sharing your opinions and wealth of knowledge with others who are trying to learn about this great (except the cleaning) past time . I just wish I was smart enough to build those beautiful works of art like you guys do. Then I could join in on the conversations about the building end of it. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to have one of you guys to build me a fine rifle. Y'all offer a senior citizen disc. right?
One of these days you could just build a fine rifle for yourself. “Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle” is a book that comes to mind to teach basics. Any rifle you build yourself is a “fine” rifle even if it’s a kit. It’s like a new baby, if it’s yours it’s beautiful.
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If you have a properly hung single trigger, you can easily have a crisp 2.5-3# trigger pull. Much preferred for a hunting gun. When I started building for North Star West, Matt called me and told me to stop making the trigger pull so good, as people weren't used to, or expected a good trigger pull on a trade gun.
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If you have a properly hung single trigger, you can easily have a crisp 2.5-3# trigger pull. Much preferred for a hunting gun. When I started building for North Star West, Matt called me and told me to stop making the trigger pull so good, as people weren't used to, or expected a good trigger pull on a trade gun.
Would you care to do a tutorial on making a good trigger pull on a TG?
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I normally use a set trigger for all shooting. But I have three rifles that have front triggers that have simply very nice pulls unset. Whether I want to know when the rifle fires or be surprised by it depends on the type of shooting I'm doing. Back when I deer hunted about half or more of the shots were on moving animals; and they often had a habit of disappearing fast. I often had to very quickly shoulder and fire in 2-4 seconds. Running deer required an especially fast response and careful aiming was sometimes impossible.
But for all other shooting it was usually aim carefully and pull the trigger just at the right instant. But there are times when I stand a better chance of scoring if trigger break is a surprise. That is it's difficult for me to claim one way or the other; it just depends.
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IMO:
Set trigger = precision target shooting
Unset trigger = hunting/game shooting
YMMV :toast
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Well fellows, I 'm not surprised with the difference of opinions on the trigger pull issue. I believe the squeezers are outnumbered a bit.But that's allright.If it feels good, do it. And I think squeezing feels good . Nowhere is it written in stone that either way is right, wrong, or otherwise. I'm glad Hanshi and PetahW offered their opinions and I know there are many more opinions out there. So don't worry about being in the minority, and tell us how you do it. And check out the other threads and chime in.
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I vastly prefer a plain simple single trigger, one that pulls 2-3lbs tops. It's all about trigger geometry with regards to the lock's sear bar ....
(https://i.imgur.com/HllGGEx.jpg)
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I have single triggers on all my guns. If a single trigger is properly hung, they have a pull of around 2.5#, and are crisp. Set triggers in cold weather hunting or shooting are not a good thing, in my opinion.
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well, isn't this an epiphany? Where's that damn Pedersoli of mine? the one with the 8# pull! I've got work to do now that I know what I'm doing!!
Thanks for a clear picture of the geometry, Rob!!
:yessir:
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On a previous re-build, the previous owner installed a set of double set triggers and a new lock. If/when I get around to re-building it, the rifle will get the lock replaced with a flintlock, and the triggers returned to just a plain ol' trigger. Set triggers have lost much of their attraction for me over the years.
Now that I think about it, I also need to plan on replacing those stupid tacks that look like flowers, and replace the cheekpiece inlay (currently a 1900s silver dollar won as a prize in a state match long ago, by someone I never knew).
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The T-C Pennsylvania Hunter I now have came to me bedecked with tacks, albeit small, round-headed tacks. I used diagonal cutters to pull them but still had the problem of filling the holes where the tacks had been. I used the clothes iron over a damp wash cloth to close them up (partially successful) but the filler didn't work out too well. So, if you look for them they are visible, but not too bad. No other inlays so I'm good to go.
~Kees~