Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Two-stage triggers?

I didn't express myself clearly I guess. Let me re phrase...there is no advantage to a 2 stage on a hunting arm. On the other hand, a well tuned 2 stage is no handicap at all to shooters who take a little time to acclimate. The two stage, to me, is just one more step in getting off a clean shot...when practiced enough, muscle memory takes over...and I just don't have to think about taking up the slack. If I had a choice, I will always favor a set trigger, zero creep, adjust it to pull weight preference...and go make meat. Even though it supposedly increases lock time.

I've hunted all my life with single stage triggers. However because I'm a Service Rifle competitor, I started competing with the M14's two stage trigger and continued with the AR two stage trigger. I've not thought to mix the two!

In service rifle competition, we're shooting deliberate, precisely aimed shots. The M14 design two stage (which the AR two stages are based on) allow for full sear engagement during the first stage (for safety's sake) but gets you to a hairs edge 2nd stage where your engagement is minimal and allows for a crisp and lighter release.

I've never thought of how that would translate to hunting because there are so few after market options for my preferred M700 and M70. I have a Medesha for the M70 that sits uninstalled because it requires irreversible grinding to install...and it turned out to not be what I call a "true" military style two stage where it doesn't appear to have greater sear engagement on the 1st stage (I think Scott designed it for Service Rifle shooters moving over to a bolt gun and were ingrained with the 2 stage).

I'd say it depends on your hunting style and the design of the trigger. If you're still hunting or there's a chance you'll need to shoot quickly...you might not be happy with a 2 stage trigger. If it's a design where the sear engagement is the same in both stages, for myself, I'd worry about the safety as I adjusted it to a finer break.

I have three bolt action guns with factory 2-stage triggers, along with various semi-autos. Most of my other rifles have single stage triggers. I've really not run into a problem with the 2-stage for hunting scenarios and greatly prefer this design over a single stage with a trigger paddle like the RAR or Savage if a manufacturer wants to put a "safer" trigger in a factory rifle while still offering a fairly light pull weight.

Will be interesting to see what the Trigger Tech 2S is like, just put a new SS on the rifle, will change it out and see what happens.

To me a two-stage trigger vs a single stage trigger is exactly like comparing an IPA to any good beer........
Will take any good beer 10 times out of 10 over an IPA (bitter and dank with no apparent good qualities that I prefer)

Please list a top-notch beer or three.

Guinness


Can't stand grape fruit tasting hops

I'm more or less the same. I have two stage, single stage, single set and double set on various rifles. I "key in" to the trigger on whatever I am about to use by doing a bit of dry-firing to install the appropriate program in my muscle memory and away we go.

I could hazard that a two stage may offer a small theoretical advantage on a hunting rifle over a light single stage in that even with cold fingers you can find it and locate the appropriate part of your finger on it without actually making it go "bang", but in actual practice I don't know that it makes much difference. Once you take up that first pull on a two stage the second stage should be the same as that of a single stage.

Of course a set trigger's a different creature - once set you only need to give your fingertip the slightest touch on it to fire. I quite like them, especially double set, but YMMV.

I might also say that I know people who are far more fussy about their triggers than me. I've always considered that a bloke should be able to adapt himself to whatever he's got if he's to consider himself truly competent.

We'll see, nothing to lose by giving it a try. Still waiting on the stock from McM so not in a particular hurry.

Once upon a time I did not like them, but now that I'm used to them, they don't bother me at all. The RRA triggers that I have on some AR's work very well, and I'd highl'y recommend them. I have three Howa's with the HACT trigger, a two stage, and after working on them, they are a very good trigger. The key is to use them, a lot.

I missed this yesterday. I am surprised to read that your Service Rifle competition is all deliberate. I had understood it to include snap and rapid serials. It certainly does here, both in civilian Service Rifle competition and in military qualification and skill at arms shoots, in all of which I have participated (the military shoots admittedly a good while ago). We also have double snap (two quick shots on a pop-up target) and movers in all of these.

FWIW I've never found a two stage trigger any sort of disadvantage for these, nor for quick shots when hunting. YMMV.

Hate them. If you are gonna do it, do it. Make up your mind!

I have shot 2-stage triggers all my life. It's not something I think about. I will submit that due to practice, that the process of pressing the trigger becomes muscle memory. Shooting quickly with a 2-stage is the same process as shooting deliberately, only faster. Under stress, I don't want to introduce another variable. And, if you are off a little bit, the outcome in that situation, is the same.

I don’t even think about it. My finger detects which type on initial contact and if there’s slack I take it to the wall. Autos are an interesting problem as the reset lies between the wall and the beginning of the slack and riding it seems to be how you shoot fast. I ain’t very fast…..

I like two stage triggers but not enough to change out triggers on hunting rifles. What I can't stand, though, is double set triggers. I had a Mannlicher M1903 with double set triggers. Without setting the back one, the trigger pull was about 8 pounds. The set trigger made the front one a hair trigger. I had that rifle modified to have a single stage trigger.

Yes likewise. A two stage trigger has its application for a target rifle but I couldn’t see myself using one for hunting.
And I too dislike two trigger set jobs. The last Brno 22 hornet I had was retrofit to a timney sportsman which was a huge improvement.

In NRA/CMP Highpower, we have two "Rapid Fire" stages (10 rounds standing to sitting at 200 yards and standing to prone at 300 yards, each with a reload), but they're more sustained fire with 60 and 70 second time limits respectively. Take a look on Youtube. Realistically only the first rounds out of of the mag are two-stage because many experienced competitors will release the trigger just enough after the first shot to reset the hooks, then its effectively a single stage from there.

We have other disciplines for what I call the "go fast" crowd. Three gun is one that comes to mind. Those folk tend to like single stage triggers.

I have a Weatherby Vanguard s2 which comes from the factory with a 2stage HACT trigger. I really like it.

Nice!