Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Trigger Freaks

I just watched a good video on youtube by John Lovell who addresses the subject of upgrading your triggers. I am sort of on the fence, because I haven't found an excellent factory trigger on any of my weapons. Some are downright bad. I just upgraded my SD40 with an Apex spring kit, and it comes close to what I would like in a Factory trigger. I am considering my two Shields, but a kit is around $150. My SD kit was only $22. John believes that
unless you are shooting competition, the factory trigger's are generally fine. I sort of take issue with that theory because I don't like a long travel and then a 7 pound pull. I know it's good to have some travel, but some. like my SD was way too much. I don't own a Glock, but I hear their triggers are very good. The best Factory trigger I have is my Taurus Millenium G2. I won't touch that one. I tend to think most agree with me as evidenced by the Backlog that Apex has. They are not accepting guns for trigger work until they catch up.

Soooo, what's the question?




Travis

He wants to know if it's a good idea to get a $150 trigger job for all his $200 guns.

A crappy trigger makes for a crappy handgun no matter what the purchase price was. That being said, Every handgun I have ever bought, and meant to use, has had work done to the trigger. Either lighter springs, a little stoning, or a full replacement with an aftermarket unit will be an improvement over factory.

There are cheaper ways to make them $225.00 guns.

Buy an APEX sear for $30. Polish everything and make the plunger look like a snow cone instead of a manhole cover.

I can't believe APEX can still sell a kit for $150.

I appreciate the OP...... He's filling a void that's existed since Swampman700 and DerbyDude departed.

"The best Factory trigger I have is my Taurus Millenium G2."

Now that is surprising. I read a LOT of reviews on G2's before I bought mine. Complaints about the trigger were the largest issue against buying one. It has a long travel before being striker fired. That long pull makes a second strike possible if a hard primer failed to fire.

I can count the factory triggers I've had that weren't fine the way they came on one hand. A few I improved anyway. But I can't see spending $150 on a Shield or anything in its category to improve the trigger.

I agree on the quality trigger, I just buy good guns and solve that problem...even quality striker models have a decent/good trigger, especially for a CCW.

A competent shooter can easily overcome a bad trigger. The best trigger there is cannot overcome an incompetent shooter.

I'm convinced that the vast majority of money spent on aftermarket triggers would be better spent on ammo/practice , but then that ain't trendy is it ?


Mike

Which striker fired pistols have bad triggers?




Dave

And a good shooter with a good trigger, look the f@#! out

Agreed that spending money are parts does not equate to gaining skills, but for the highest possible performance does require top notch gear. Then again, thousands of rounds down range and 10's of thousands dryfiring has a tendency to smooth out a trigger a bit

When one gets good enough, they proly start getting picky about triggers.

Many handgunners don't hunt or shoot long range, so may find lesser triggers acceptable.
Once one has shot good triggers, it is hard to go back to stuff that doesn't have 'em.

Of course many claims of great triggers are just BS.

And there certainly is a point where things can be "good enough".

Had one guy at shop complain about my S&W factory trigger. Not good enough. That guy never shot IHMSA with his or hit a deer on the mark.
Maybe his stuff had better triggers............unfortunately he saw no benefit from that.

Farthest deer I shot w handgun............150 yards. Bone stock POS Ruger Super Redhawk. Think the sheer weight of that pig made for more consistent trigger work LOL.
Did a thread the needle in woods from a treestand, 51 yds with a Python, that had been to Custom Shop for trigger work yrs before.
Facing away...........I shot him in spine w bullet stopping inside the nose. Will admit the bullet hit an inch or two higher than I wanted. But facing away, I had a line of vertebrae as a zone.

There's a pre warning SBH at local shop, clean. I hate the old grooved triggers, plus springs sucked. I might buy it, if I can get a smooth trigger and better springs.
Had a beater w spring kit, it was IMHO too light. Don't need or want this one to be that touchy.

With good eyes I thought 100 yds quite doable, older, vision not as good, beat up hands..........I probably wont pop a deer past 50 with handgun anymore.
Sounds like a perfect reason for a Ruger 1911 in 10mm Proly a sure bet it will get trigger work.

FWIW my buddy did an Apex in his full size Smith M&P .45 auto and it was waaaaaaay better than stock.
Wish they made a 10mm M&P auto.

On Browning Hi Powers just taking the mag disco out can help quite a bit.

If I get a 340 PD it might get a spring kit, maybe just a polish. Might need nothing. Dunno til I get one.
Buddy has one, stock........it's fine.

I personally think trigger "quality" is way, way over rated.....much of the complaints I see are nothing more than an attempt to solve a software issue with a change in hardware.

Exactly.

Poor Rondrewfromwisconsin struggles to make his gun go bang. Yet worries about trigger poundage.




Dave

Same casual observations I've made at the range over the decades:

Most people are somewhere between poor and terrible shots with handguns and they don't come close to the mechanical accuracy of their gun. Those that do bother to learn how to shoot a handgun well and bother to obtain accurate handguns and ammunition can make shots that most shooters consider "impossible"

For those shooters that are capable of those "impossible" shots, a good trigger will aid in making those shots offhand. And finally, a good trigger isn't as important off the bench if the shooter has skills.

Anybody that complains about the trigger pull of a modern (plastic framed, striker fired) auto is either competing at a high level or full of fugking schit.




Clark