The simplest trigger weight tool

horseman2

horseman2

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A length of brazing rod bent accordingly.

Hang a shopping bag on the big loop and add boxes of bullets or whatever until the trigger breaks. Holding the barrel totally vertical gives the best accuracy.
The picture is in the vertical just as one would weigh their triggers.

Then weigh everything. An old postal scale goes to 22 pounds for RCMP handguns, an OHAUS 2610 gram triple beam scale or the GemPro.
Some might even have access to a kitchen scale and in most cases great accuracy is not required.

This rod weighs 61 grams or 2.15 oz.

My 40XBR seemed to be getting a little heavy so it was inconsistently around 7 oz. After cleaning with lighter fluid and aid it was back to 4 oz.
 
Horseman's suggestion works.

For calculating the pull weight of especially light triggers, replace the metal rod (brazing rod or coat hanger) with fishing line to eliminate adding the weight of the rod to the equation. Tie one end of the line to the trigger blade, the other to a lightweight container. Here it's possible to use a small plastic container with a jury-rigged fishing line handle. You may have to experiment to find a good way to balance the container.

Use a shot glass to add water, an ounce at a time. Count how many ounces of water are needed to have the trigger go off (with a snap cap or something similar in the chamber). If you have a kitchen scale, you can get a more accurate measure by removing the container with the water and weighing it.
 
For the DCRA matches I used a jug of water, used a pretty good digital luggage scale and adjusted the water weighing the whole rig (jug and rod). 1 liter of water weighs 1 kg at 39.2 C
 
I did that with a piece of rope that had no flex, and a tin can. Weighed it before looping it around the trigger, and just add weight/pellets till the trigger broke. Then just weighted the total.
 
grauhanen said:
Horseman's suggestion works.

For calculating the pull weight of especially light triggers, replace the metal rod (brazing rod or coat hanger) with fishing line to eliminate adding the weight of the rod to the equation. Tie one end of the line to the trigger blade, the other to a lightweight container. Here it's possible to use a small plastic container with a jury-rigged fishing line handle. You may have to experiment to find a good way to balance the container.

Use a shot glass to add water, an ounce at a time. Count how many ounces of water are needed to have the trigger go off (with a snap cap or something similar in the chamber). If you have a kitchen scale, you can get a more accurate measure by removing the container with the water and weighing it.
Click to expand...

Water would be the most accurate weight. By definition, a litre of water weighs 1 kilogram, and there are 1000 grams in a kilogram.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
Water would be the most accurate weight. By definition, a litre of water weighs 1 kilogram, and there are 1000 grams in a kilogram.
Click to expand...

And there are 1000 mL in a Litre. Therefore, 1 mL = 1 gram. Add the water drop by drop with a syringe :d Then I can weigh on my drug... er I mean brewing scale... to a resolution of 0.01 grams :)

horseman2 said:
I have one of those too but it starts at 8 oz.
Terribly inconsistent and only goes to 8 lb.
No good for the RCMP pistol!
Click to expand...

The RCMP pistol is 22 freakin pounds on the trigger? Goodness... Those officers' fingers must be jacked! Say hello to Ahnold!
 
Since this is turning into a physics and chemistry lesson, We measured 1 ml in drops in Chemistry 101. IIRC 20 drops of water = 1 ml.

BTW, since I use a plastic shopping bag to hold my weights I will pass on the water . . . but in 'Merica one pint of water weighs one pound.

About the temperature of the water, why did we ever switch. There are 180 degrees from freezing to boiling water Imperial but only 100 degrees metric therefore the Imperial system is more accurate.
 
And a quart of pure water weighs exactly two and one half pounds,therefore an Imperial gallon of pure water weighs exactly ten pounds. 160 ounces in an Imperial gallon and 16 ounces in a pound so yep Grauhanen,as usual youre correct. I was startin to have a flashback to grade school when the metric system had to be learned. I have custom triggers in almost all of my rifles,yet I couldn't tell you the trigger weight of any of them. No creep or overtravel and breaks the same every time,thats my perfect weight. I have them set differently for different purposes and all are tested to be safe. I whack the back of a cocked rifles bolt with a wooden counter broom or small rubber mallet. Of course the chamber is empty with a snap cap inserted.
 
horseman2 said:
About the temperature of the water, why did we ever switch. There are 180 degrees from freezing to boiling water Imperial but only 100 degrees metric therefore the Imperial system is more accurate.
Click to expand...

An oversimplified way of looking at it. Yes, per one whole unit, and Imperial degree represents less temperature change compared to one degree Centigrade. We do have the technology to measure a degree Centigrade to a precision of 0.###. What makes 0.04C less accurate than 32F? Realistically, the accuracy of temperature measurement is dependent on the equipment used, not the unit of measurement itself.
 
I made mine with a Mason jar and a bent piece of ready rod. Drill a hole in the jar lid and bolt the bent ready rod through the hole. Place it on an empty kitchen scale and add lead shot to get the desired test weight. 1000g for issf .22 and centerfire 500g for air pistol .Adjust as required.
 
I suppose you could use a piece of string tied to a plastic bottle. Add water until the trigger fires and the measure how much water is in the bottle. Plus the weight of the water bottle.
 
Just get your shooting buddies together and buy a quality trigger guage. OOOPS most of us are eccentric individuals so that's not happenin. Don't all go actin surprised as ive shot competitively in almost every discipline and the greats are all eccentric. Its what MAKES THEM GREAT. Why care about your trigger weight other than too make weight restrictions? I have custom triggers in nearly all my bolt guns but couldnt tell you the weight in any of them. Don't care as long as there is no creep or overtravel and they break like dry twigs the same everytime. Id be willing to bet most couldn't tell the difference between a poor 6ounce trigger and a great 1.5 pound trigger. I also test all my bolt guns with a cocked gun and whack the back of the bolt with a wooden counter broom or a small rubber mallet. Of course they are unloaded with a snap cap in the chamber.
 
For factory guns with hunting or lawyer triggers, I'll weigh the entire firearm on the scale, then with the trigger finger try to rest the gun pointing down and suspended at the trigger. If it doesn't release with the weight of the gun on the trigger, then you have a minimum baseline pull weight. You can then slightly lift up with your trigger finger and if it releases then you know it's an additional few ounces.

For example, with the factory 10/22 trigger, you can easily hold the 5 lb gun up with the factory trigger. With the Marlin 336, on mine you could hold it up on its own weight ~6lbs unscoped. Factory pull must have been 7-7.5 lbs, and after adjusting a few springs it'll break just with the slightest lift of the trigger finger when hanging vertically with gravity. So I'd say it's now ~6lbs.
 
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