Triggers and how they affect accuracy

We all have heard it before. “First thing I would do is a trigger job.” This is usually in response to a conversation about improving the accuracy of your rifle. Many people swear by it and others wonder how doing a trigger job can improve the accuracy of their rifle. Many also wonder just what is involved with a “trigger job”. We thought we would take some time to talk about triggers and how, and if, they really make a rifle more accurate. Along the way we will touch on what is typically involved with a “Trigger Job”.

To put it simply, the trigger is the interface between the shooter and the rifle. It is the mechanism by which the shooter tells the rifle to go “bang”. Because of this, it is a critical component in the marriage between the rifle and shooter. Obviously, this importance means it deserves some of our attention, but can it really make the rifle more accurate? The short answer is no, it does not make the rifle any more accurate. Ultimate rifle accuracy comes from the chamber, the barrel, the bedding and the bolt to chamber interface.

So, if that is the case, then why do people swear by trigger jobs and how they make your rifle more accurate? The reason is because it is a misunderstanding of what happens with the trigger and the rifle. While an improved trigger-pull does not make the rifle more accurate, it does indeed make the shooter more accurate! As a marksman applies pressure to the trigger, it is the last voluntary action that the marksman does before the rifle fires. It happens at a time when he or she is trying to align the sights with their intended aiming point. But this pulling of the trigger takes effort and muscle movement which can be detrimental to shooter accuracy. The more effort from those hand and finger muscles that is required, the more chance that rifle has to move or not be perfectly aligned on the desired aiming point when the rifle discharges. If it takes eight pounds of force to release the trigger, chances are very good that the shooter will not be able to hold the rifle perfectly on target. If it takes only eight ounces, then the likelihood of the aiming point being perfect is greatly enhanced.

It may not sound like much, but it is true and is the reason why a shooter is more accurate shooting their rifle after they have had a good trigger job. A trigger job used to be a much more involved process than it typically is today. Before the Remington 700 came along with its self contained “Walker” trigger, triggers were a series of parts with edges, surfaces and springs. For a basic example, think of the AR triggers today. A trigger job would involve polishing those surfaces and sharpening those edges and possibly replacing those springs. All to lower the trigger weight and sharpen the release, or “break” of the trigger. Today many, if not most, rifles have gone to self contained trigger units like the Remington. So a trigger job consists of buying an after-market trigger and replacing the original with the new one and then setting the weight of pull with a tiny set screw on the trigger. Triggers from makers such as Timney, TriggerTech, Rifle Basix, Jard, and many others are now available and all typically provide a better trigger than the one from the factory. It should be noted that Remington recently contracted with Timney to provide the triggers for the Model 700.

As a part of the trigger selection process, the performance of the trigger is important. Including the weight of pull (with most now being adjustable), as well as creep, over-travel and how clean it breaks. Creep describes the amount of “take up” or “Creep” that happens before the trigger breaks and releases the firing pin. A two stage trigger actually has a first stage that is essentially a purposely long take-up/creep stage. But then there may still be creep as the second stage is engaged and before it breaks. Over-travel refers to the amount of travel the trigger has after it breaks. In regards to how a trigger breaks, this refers to how “crisp” it is when it releases. You will hear terms to describe this as “breaks as sharp as glass” and things like that. You do not want a mushy break, rather you want a clean and sharp one that happens in an instant to again help minimize rifle movement.

A part of the trigger that is sometimes overlooked, but is important to the feel of the trigger, is the design of the trigger shoe itself. The shoe is the part that the trigger that your finger actually touches and pulls. Some are wide, some are thin, some are curved, some are straight, some have groves on them, some are smooth. There are many designs, but since this is the actual part of the trigger that interfaces directly with the shooter, pay attention. Some here at SC love the feel of a wide trigger shoe with vertical grooves on it, others do not. Everyone is different which is why manufacturers offer different options.

What about the weight of the trigger? If lighter is good for making a shooter more accurate, shouldn’t we just make them as light as possible? If you are a competition shooter in a controlled environment, then yes. If you are a sniper or hunter in the field, then the answer is no. A trigger that is too light can be dangerous when being used in the field. Accidental discharges have taken many innocent lives and hair triggers do not belong in the field. For snipers, there is also the added need for a confirmation that the sniper does indeed want to take that potentially life altering shot. Requiring several pounds of force means the sniper has to make that conscious effort to pull the trigger fully. An eight ounce trigger will go off with just a slight touch. For field rifles such as sniper rifles, we typically recommend 3 – 3.5 pound trigger weight. Some shooters will go with 2.5 and that is about the bottom of what we would consider acceptable. A four pound trigger is starting to get a bit heavy for accuracy work.

Just how big of a difference does a three pound trigger make versus a five or six pound trigger? Actually, quite a bit. You can still be accurate with five pounds, but you would be surprised of just how much improvement a nice three pound trigger can make.

Triggers are a vitally important part of any rifle system and time should be devoted to selecting the right one for you and then having it adjusted to your desired specs. The good thing is that they are typically easy to change and can make a big improvement.

Sniper Central