Light Trigger (Y/N)

[Dorky_D]

I recently did some mods to my pistol. The mod made the trigger much much lighter. I can shoot much much better with it, or rather, I do not shoot as poorly with it. I have gotten a 1" 10 round group with it at 7 yards. I am not this consistent always, but I can in one range trip get one or 2 2" groups. I figure that is pretty good, but I do want to get more consistent.

OK, the accuracy improvement is good, and I like that. I also have the feeling that I did not work hard enough (I do still have work to do) on trigger control.

I also saw a video on youtube that for a defensive handgun, you should not lighten the trigger.

What are your thoughts on this? I am a little torn myself. I am all for being safe, including keeping your trigger finger well indexed on the slide until ready to shoot (including in a defensive situation?!?!).

I do not anticipate carrying this as it is full size. I do use it at the range, but if I needed it for home defense, it would be one I would reach for. Thoughts? I do not consider myself seasoned or trained enough to be my only opinion on this, so I am asking for your opinion. Thanks!

 

[IndyDave1776]

Balance is in order. While I would agree with our neighbors on YouTube up to a point, it is only up to a point. I would not recommend a trigger on a defensive weapon which is light enough that the weapon has already fired by the time you realize you put pressure on the trigger Then again, a trigger that is heavy enough that you need to put a cheater pipe on it to make it function is inherently dangerous as well because it is far more difficult to keep on target while you are bearing down on the trigger with unnecessary levels of force just to make it fire. Other peripheral problems can also develop from an excessively heavy trigger. For example, I just had the trigger lightened a bit (by correcting the hammer spring) on my S&W Model 60. I had anticipated the need to round all the square/sharp edges on the bottom of the trigger since it had been biting my finger. Correcting that spring also eliminated the problem with getting bit since I no longer had to apply excessive force which in turn forced my fat finger under the bottom edge of the trigger between it and the trigger guard.

 

[KG1]

Me personally, any firearm I intend to use for defensive purposes I keep the trigger stock for potential legal issues in the event that I needed to use it.

If the stock trigger does'nt feel right to me then I move on to something else.

 

[jayhawk]

How light is light? What type of gun, DAO, DA/SA?

If you're going from 8lbs. to 4lbs. thats a little different than going down to as low as 2lbs and a competition like trigger.

I use the Apex DCAEK in my M&P with lightens the trigger a bit, down to 4.5lbs or so. It seems just right, a good balance as mentioned above.

 

[Iyyobr]

Me personally, any firearm I intend to use for defensive purposes I keep the trigger stock for potential legal issues in the event that I needed to use it.

If the stock trigger does'nt feel right to me then I move on to something else.

+1 I agree 110% for self defense. Always go stock trigger, if you don't like stock look for a differnt pistol. Stock the PPQ has a great trigger.

 

[Iyyobr]

And yes anything less than 4.5 stock or not I wouldn't use for anything other than comp or a toy

 

[yotewacker]

Me personally, any firearm I intend to use for defensive purposes I keep the trigger stock for potential legal issues in the event that I needed to use it.

If the stock trigger does'nt feel right to me then I move on to something else.

+1 Yes always keep a self defense pistol stock.

 

[shootinghoosier]

If a bad guy breaks into your home, your manual dexterity goes out the window and the ability to control a light trigger will be zilch. If you were involved in a shooting, the prosecutor would have you wishing you never even thought about fiddling with the trigger on your self-defense weapon.

 

[iChokePeople]

If a bad guy breaks into your home, your manual dexterity goes out the window and the ability to control a light trigger will be zilch. If you were involved in a shooting, the prosecutor would have you wishing you never even thought about fiddling with the trigger on your self-defense weapon.

Cite? Examples of where that has happened?

 

[eldirector]

I'll throw out an opinion leaning in the other direction.

Is it really any different if you happen to grab your competition gun to defend your family vs. a bone-stock factory handgun? If it is a "good shoot" within the eyes of the law, then the tool you used isn't relevant. There have been plenty of news stories where victims of a home invasion have defended themselves with their "sporting" gun (trap gun, hunting rifle, etc...).

Has anyone ever been prosecuted in Indiana for a too-light trigger? I mean on an otherwise perfectly reasonable self-defense shooting?

 

[iChokePeople]

I'll throw out an opinion leaning in the other direction.

Is it really any different if you happen to grab your competition gun to defend your family vs. a bone-stock factory handgun? If it is a "good shoot" within the eyes of the law, then the tool you used isn't relevant. There have been plenty of news stories where victims of a home invasion have defended themselves with their "sporting" gun (trap gun, hunting rifle, etc...).

Has anyone ever been prosecuted in Indiana for a too-light trigger? I mean on an otherwise perfectly reasonable self-defense shooting?

+1. Now if you were to ACCIDENTALLY shoot someone who didn't need shootin', THEN you might have some trouble on your hands for the lightened trigger, IMHNALO.

 

[Mosinguy]

I love when people make up their own laws. Modifying your trigger will not get you in hot water in court if you are ever in a self defense shooting. I've never seen any court case documents where a light trigger made someone go to prison.

Additionally, how would they know you modified your trigger unless you told them? Maybe that light trigger came from the factory that way? This applies to disabling internal gun locks as well. Maybe the lock didn't work when it left the factory?

You could use the same argument about changing your sights for a better sight picture and changing grips for a better hold on the gun. But the thing is, NO ONE in Indiana has ever been sent to jail for doing any (legal) modifications to their gun in a justified self defense shooting. Let's kill this rumor. It's just as silly as the lifetime LTCH going away.

 

[joshualee49]

As mentioned - fine motor skills go out the window under high stress situations. Don't lighten it up to the point that a mouse fart will set it off.

On the other hand, as long as you follow the basics of safety, the point is moot. Don't point a gun at something\someone you aren't planning on shooting. Don't put your finger on the trigger until you have made the decision to fire. If you go through the mental checklist and come to the conclusion that lethal force is necessary then it should not matter what tool you use to carry the decision out. Regardless, you will be pleading your case in court. if you can convince a jury of 12 that it was a reasonable act of self defense using a fire axe so be it.

If you are using the self defense argument it means you intended to discharge the firearm. Safeties should not have bearing, imo. However, I'm no lawyer.

On the other (other) hand, modifying or "compromising" the factory safety mechanisms (including heavy triggers) of guns would probably come up in an "accidental shooting" case. A competition trigger in this case would certainly not assist you in defense of a fatal shooting "accident".

It's all just speculation on my part. Makes sense to me, but I'm nobody's lawyer...

 

[JettaKnight]

Is it reliable? That's what really counts. The rest is just a bunch of lawyer wannabees - this forum is littered with "don't carry this" and "don't do that" or the DA will send you to the chair if you shoot someone. This stuff is as baseless as the rumors about lifetime LTCH going away.

 

[JettaKnight]

+1. Now if you were to ACCIDENTALLY shoot someone who didn't need shootin', THEN you[STRIKE] might[/STRIKE] have some trouble on your hands [STRIKE]for the lightened trigger, IMHNALO.[/STRIKE]

FIFY

 

[Hookeye]

If one can't handle a light trigger and mess up, then they get what they deserve.

Some people have fine pitch motor skills some do not.

If people are really liberal lawyer worried, why would they even participate on such a forum?

 

[joshualee49]

Some people have fine pitch motor skills some do not

Maybe a war vet. Or a veteran LEO.

The vast majority of people have never been in an exchange of fire and would naturally have very high levels of anxiety. I seriously doubt the average joe would be able to call upon precision muscle memory in such a situation.

 

[KG1]

Yeah you bunch of liberal lawyer wannabes. Get off this forum.

 

[jeremy]

I have never had a Light with a Trigger...

 

[netsecurity]

Well I wouldn't be worried about shooting someone, I'd be worried about negligent discharges. For example, you pickup the gun and think you have your finger on the trigger guard, but really your finger is touching the trigger, and the weight of the gun alone is enough to go bang.