Ideal Trigger Pull Weight on a Hunting Rifle

guntech said:
The weight is entirely up to the experience of the shooter. I have encountered neanderthals who feel 5 pounds is a light trigger and anything less in their hands is dangerous...

I have set a lot of triggers at a crisp 2 and 1/4 to 2 and 1/2 pounds for many hunters.
Click to expand...


Agree with this ^^^, for hunting a little more trigger weight is not a bad thing as fingers get cold, buck fever etc. 2-2.5 lbs seems perfect for me, at this weight the trigger pull is very deliberate, and with a good trigger seems lighter than that.

For targets ~19 oz. suits me due to an old hand injury.
 
Longwalker said:
I set all my hunting rifles to 3.5 lbs. I have a couple varmint rifles that are a little lighter, and one or two non-adjustable triggers that are heavier. But 3.5 lb. is a perfect compromise for me. I can feel that much weight in cold weather with gloves on, and still find it light enough not to disturb my aim when reaching out to poke a small varmint. I have had more trouble hunting with triggers set too light than I ever had with triggers that were too heavy. Once the rifle fires, you can't call the bullet back. I've missed a couple shots with light triggers, and gloved, cold hands. The trend in triggers is going just like the trend in scopes. Lighter / more power. Great if you are only shooting paper from a bench rest, but for real hunting you can have too much of a good thing.
Click to expand...


I would go with this - too light is not an advantage for hunting rifle - shooting at paper, maybe shooting at small varmints might be different. Growing up, most of our hunting rifles had military two stage - so very robust design - long first stage pull that accommodated half frozen fingers - distinct "stop" at second stage - just overcome that and rifle fires. Many were not set up correctly, in my opinion - I do not think there should be any detectable movement after breaking that second stage. I do believe that I have "hung" on that second stage break for a second or so until sighting looked better. I have received several that someone ground off the second stage hump to make the trigger "better" - is not to my taste - most all were replaced with military two stage - and honed to work as I think they should. The "worst", by far, for me, is the set trigger affair on a Schultz and Larsen Model 61 - that thing has gone off before I was ready a number of times - did not feel or realize that my trigger finger was actually on the set trigger when it fired - much "too light" for me.

I also have had a couple "commercial" rifles that previous owner had honed or set the sear engagement very minimally - I think trying to create a "crisper" trigger break than the device was capable of - as a result, becomes border line "unsafe" - simple jar to rifle - as happens when hunting, sets off that rifle. At same time, many of those had the "sear" blocking safety - so totally relying on that bit of engagement with the sear to not fire. I am aware that there are appropriate triggers designed for very light pulls - I do not think standard "store bought" rifles have those - so people try to make it function beyond it's design parameters.
 
Last edited:
I have a unique weight for all my adjustable triggers at 35 ounces to keep memory in the finger trigger
 
2-3 lbs is good, but it's significantly whatever you get used to. If you are used to it, you can make most any common shot, say under 300 yards with a much heavier trigger, provided you are practiced with it. I just find that with a heavier trigger, for me, it takes slightly more time to build the sufficient pressure. But if you take your time, the shot is still good.
 
It depends on what you shoot the most, how much, and how you manage a loaded chamber during your hunting routine. I tend toward the lighter side of trigger weight, but if you have an AD, it is a total fail, regardless of your training, planning, and personal safety procedures. Lots of risk, little return on a light hunting trigger. Eagle eye nailed it I think.
 
I think for me I don’t mind the heavier trigger in hunting situation(mainly what I do, not a target shooter) and since I do a lot of walking and solo paddling while hunting and using mainly Rugers no1 rifles I usually keep a round in the chamber, the fact that I shot lots of moose from the canoe, I like the fact that I don’t have to worry about touching the trigger and get a shot on its way at the wrong time… maybe that doesn’t make any sense lol!
 
Last edited:
A crisp break is more important to me than trigger weight, that said it’s nice to have both. Coming from hunting with milsurps the first 3-4 years and knowing exactly how they break, any modern factory trigger is an improvement lol. You can get used to just about anything though with enough practice, everyone cries about the stock S&W M&P9 triggers but once you learn to shoot properly you can easily learn where it breaks etc etc.
 
DGY said:
I don’t think I have any rifle under 4.5-5 pounds other than that new to me mauser 98 with double set triggers, and I never had a problem on getting games or shooting moa at the bench!
Some people are really particular with there trigger, not me!
Click to expand...
I agree. That is what I had my smith set all my hunting triggers at and I shoot paper with my hunting rifles as well.
 
I frankly don't know what the actual weight of pull is on my triggers. I know what "feels right". I want to be able to put my finger on the trigger, apply a bit of pressure without it going off unexpectedly, and have a clean break with minimal overtravel.
 
Most of mine are 2-3 pounds. My ####ty Zastava is either 1.5 or 7 pounds,so it's set to 1.5. My XPR was about 4.5, got down to a lovely 2.25 and it was the last "unadjusted" trigger I had on a hunting gun. Had epoxy over the screw so I had to dig out the heat gun.
 
As long as it ain't gritty or unpredictably creepy I really don't care. A GOOD 5 lb trigger can feel way better than a crappy 3lb letoff.

I've never actually weighed one of my own though.
 
If I was always hunting with bare hands/fingers, I might not mind a lighter trigger.
However, it is not unusual for us to hunt at -35º/ -40ºC. That means gloves are
virtually mandatory. A 2.5 lb trigger with gloves on is plenty light. Dave.
 
Eagleye said:
If I was always hunting with bare hands/fingers, I might not mind a lighter trigger.
However, it is not unusual for us to hunt at -35º/ -40ºC. That means gloves are
virtually mandatory. A 2.5 lb trigger with gloves on is plenty light. Dave.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I think pulling a trigger with gloves on is asking for disaster. No way to know when it will let go with your finger insulated with glove padding. If I had to wear gloves for the cold, I'd remove the glove on my trigger hand before putting finger to trigger.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom