Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Trigger Pull Weight for Concealed Carry/Night Stand Duty

Last night my local gunsmith contacted me to let me know that he had the triggers on my two Gen 5 Glocks adjusted to 2.5 pounds and they were very smooth and consistent .

This morning I thought I'd check my 1911 Bullseye gun (Colt Series 70) just to satisfy my curiosity and it's trigger is just under 3 pounds and my SIG P210 A is 2.5 pounds .

For many years I carried a stock SIG P226 and later a P229 and never gave the trigger pull another thought and shot them as issued.

I am going to have him set the triggers on the G17 and G19 at 3.5 pounds and shoot them some.

I see a great deal of literature recommending no less than 4 pounds for carry.

I am curious to what others are setting up the trigger pull weight on their carry or nightstand guns ?

Comments are appreciated.

Happy Easter everyone.


StarchedCover

Is it a take up, solid wall, break? My Apex FFS trigger in my M&P 2.0 5" is light, but with a clearly defined wall, then a crisp break.

My lightened Glocks are spongy.

Huge difference. I'd carry the M&P, not the Glocks

On rare occasions, just having the Glock in the drawer next to my bed hasn't been quite as comforting as one actually on top of the bed coverings, but then you have to worry about accidentally firing it while grabbing for it if suddenly awakened by an emergency. In those situations, a double action revolver (or true double action auto) is usually the ticket. Very hard to accidentally discharge one of those under any circumstance, while at the same time a deliberate pull of the trigger is not a problem.

I like light triggers for target shooting and hunting but not for self defense. Too many things can happen during a confrontation and light triggers complicate a situation. I have seen accidental discharges happen with heavy triggers like the Glock 8 lb. trigger. I can only imagine how many more would have happened with a 3 lb. trigger.

BTW I speak with 50 years of experience with a large urban police department and a state agency.

2.5 pounds handgun triggers are great for targets and hunting. I like 4 - 5 lbs. on my carry guns. A fairly crisp 4 - 5 lb. trigger is very shootable and very reliable and gives some feedback to me as I'm pressing it.

I bought a S&W 640-1 from a guy once because he was looking for someone in his house and in all the excitement the gun went off. The 640-1 is a DAO gun for those that don’t know. Adrenaline can do some strange things.

My Glocks have 5.5 lb factory triggers in them and I’m keeping them that way.

You are correct: Carry and use a stock trigger (unless it is WEIRDLY heavy). I'm yet to see anybody who practices with their EDC NOT be able to shoot a factory trigger well enough. People who lighten triggers on their EDC are typically looking to (1) solve a shooter problem that is actually an equipment problem, or (2) be cool.

I've been there with a variety of Glocks. I've installed aftermarket triggers and have polished the heck out of factory triggers. A lighter trigger makes me a bit better in the accuracy department, but with a carry gun, there are more important skills to work on before you ever get to that last 1.5" of accuracy at 10 yards. After dinking around and spending needless money, my current G19 EDC has completely stock internals that I inspected and wiped down with a rag when I first got the gun.

As for a "minimum 4lb trigger," I can't think of any reason for such an arbitrary number. Obviously the proponents advocate it so you're less likely to ND your gun when jacked up on adrenaline, but if if that's the case, then why not 5lbs or 8lbs--you'd be even "safer!" If you're happy at 3.5lbs, go for it. Train with your gun; shoot it a bunch. Try to simulate some stress and see how often (if ever) you accidentally yank the trigger too hard. I think you'll be fine!

Good luck to us all!

A smooth 10# -12# DA trigger pull weight is fine. A 5# SA pull weight is good.

Just a possibility....

Once upon a time aftermarket triggers were marketed as 3.5#. Some agency or unit decides that they don't want fancied up race gun triggers so they require a minimum of a 4# pull to exclude all of those trigger kits. That idea spreads a little and pretty soon you've got an institutional idea that 4# should be a minimum.

Keep your booger picker off the trigger until you are on target and ready to fire......

never checked mine. Whatever they are, is fine with me

The Les Baer concept v I have is a little under 4 pounds. I’m very pleased with this trigger. Hasbeen

I have a bunch of glocks and a cz po7 duty that I consider defense guns. The glocks are all stock parts that are polished and deburred to be smooth as possible. The cz has about 2# when it goes single action and when firing left handed or weak gripping people shoot it, it can get out of control and cause recoil firing......no good.

I like not needing to run a mental checklist to get the shot off. So far my only defense shots fired were a big bear at 10 feet. I killed him with a 10mm 1911 with a proven record and I remember thinking 10k times in under a second "please don't jam".

I'd caution anyone who hasn't been in high adrenaline shooting to look into how your motor skills go autopilot and details get fuzzy. Running the shot process is 100x more important than trigger weight.

High Country, as a 10mm fan, I would love to hear your bear story...

I was planning on shooting this bear with my rifle. I spotted him with my family while picking mushrooms. I stalked in to where I thought it was going and I had to cross a finger ridge. When I popped over to edge he was just feet away. My rifle was shouldered and as he focused on me I was pointing the 10mm 1911. He caught a 200gr xtp and it traveled 16" through the skull and down the spine....dry.

Thanks for sharing that! That was an exciting day for sure. Was that a factory load or handload? Sounds like great performance from that bullet and load. I pack a G20 with Underwood loaded 200 gr. XTP at 1250 fps or a 220 gr. hardcast flatpoint at 1200 fps. I've shot deer and hog with the 200 gr. XTP and had one long stare down with a good size black bear from about 20 yards before he blinked first and walked away.

That was a handload at 1250fps. Had I known I was going to be in that situation, I'd have had a 200gr hardcast in the pipe. I had no intention of doing that on that day.

My Glocks are just the standard trigger from the factory. I haven't found the need to adjust them but I'm used to the way they shoot.

As long as it's safe and functions make it as light as you want.