The "best trigger I have every felt" cliche

[southfloridasixshooter]

Well I'm in the market for a new 3 inch 686, and I have notice that they are hard to come by in my part of the USA. This lead me to look at gunbroker , and though I'm still looking for that 686, at some point during my search I get distracted and start looking at other smith revolver auctions. Everytime I'm on these types of sites I feel like a fat kid at IHOP on all you can eat pancake day, drooling on my computer screen at all the classic smith revolvers for sale. I could not help but notice that many of these revolvers are described as having the "best trigger that I ever felt." Is there a general standard that all revolvers have meet to be considered to have "the best trigger." Now, I'm not an expert shooter, but I have been shooting revolvers longer than most people my age (most 22 year old shooters i know are into polymer wonders), so I know what I like. It doesn't have to be the lightest, smoothest trigger in the world, hell it could be a 14 pound trigger, as long as it has a predictable break. I have tried revolvers with light triggers that have a straight follow through during the trigger pull, but no predictable break. I just don't care for this set up. I aslo like to think that at the end of the day, the shooter ultimately adapts to their firearms (and their triggers). So my questions for you guys are, 1. What would the "best feeling trigger" feel like to you? 2. How often has a revolver that you bought online described as have the "best feeling trigger" meet your expectation? And 3 how many of you would not buy a firearm if the seller describes it with such a cliche. And don't get me started with what I think when I see revolvers described as "minty".
I hope people respond to this thread, looking forward to reading other peoples perspectives.

 

[Ashlander]

I have a 19-3 6" target model. It's single action trigger is the best I've ever felt. But with it's wide target trigger, it's a little awkward in double action. I also have a 65-3 3" whose double action trigger is the best I've ever felt. I have a 686 plus 3" just as good. I guess all that is to say if S&W makes really good triggers and they are consistent, then they may well be the best we've ever felt -- all of them!

 

[Kilibreaux]

A great DA revolver trigger should be smooth of course, free of grittiness with a slight "stack" just before it lets go. I would cap the pull weight at 12 pounds, with 9 being about ideal. At the point of release the trigger-hammer relationship should be fine-tuned to prevent as much as possible, that little, lateral "hitch" that plays hell with accuracy from DA strokes.
A DA revolver SA pull should be CRISP with ZERO movement.

Whatever one might say against an S&W, one can NEVER say they don't make the best all-around, across the entire line, DA/SA pull...

After years of shooting autoloaders when I began the trek home to my revolver roots I was - and still am, surprised by the crisp, almost thought-like SA break on ALL of my X-frames...their triggers all have the exact same DA feel, and SA break! (Now if S&W would only be so obsessed with setting their BC gaps identically!)

The DAO pull-through on my 642-1 is very close to perfect out of the box and has only smoothed up with use...it has a slight over-pressure on initial pull, then rolls smoothly back with another slight stack just to let you know it's about to go happy...a GREAT compact-carry trigger!

 

[southfloridasixshooter]

I forgot to mention single action pulls in my opening post. I rarely shoot single action in any of my double action revolvers. It was the way I was taught. When I was a child learn how to shoot, all of my father's revolvers had the hammer spurs ground off, learning how to shoot like that really teaches great trigger control.

 

[Kilibreaux]

Actually there are many good reasons to practice the lost art of thumb-cocking a DA revolver! A skilled shootist can thumb-cock and fire a DA just as fast as anyone on Earth can DA stroke-through, and the thumb-cock method provides a crisp let-off...not what is currently popular, but back in the day it was a very fast, reliable technique that yielded excellent accuracy.

 

[southfloridasixshooter]

I sure plenty of people are quick with the SA trigger, the one person that comes to mind is the late great Bob Munden. Though most of his shooting was with a Single Action Revolver, he was probably faster than 99.9% of people shooting semi autos. I just reserve my SA for when I'm shooting silhouette type targets.

 

[625 Shooter]

Actually there are many good reasons to practice the lost art of thumb-cocking a DA revolver! A skilled shootist can thumb-cock and fire a DA just as fast as anyone on Earth can DA stroke-through, and the thumb-cock method provides a crisp let-off...not what is currently popular, but back in the day it was a very fast, reliable technique that yielded excellent accuracy.

I find that interesting.

"As fast as anyone on earth" - including Jerry Miculek and the crop of skilled DA shooters that are so close to Jerry's skills?

Has there been any objective/definitive tests/comparisons?

I know competition single action shooters are FAST. Very fast. At the upper levels of competition, they must modify their SA revolvers to handle beating the revolver takes from shooting at that speed. Correct?

Interesting subject, for sure!

 

[jtcarm]

A skilled shootist can thumb-cock and fire a DA just as fast as anyone on Earth can DA stroke-through, and the thumb-cock method provides a crisp let-off...

Average shooter DA vs expert SA? Maybe.
SA vs fastest DA shooter in the world? I don't think so:

Jerry Miculek fired 12 rounds DA, including reload, in 3 seconds.
Ed McGivern fired 5 rounds DA from 15' into a group that could be covered by a hand in .4 seconds.

For comparison, McGivern's best time fanning 5 rounds from a Colt SA was 1 second.

OK, best trigger for me: my 24-3. Breaks like fine crystal at 1.9 lbs. I've never measured DA, but I'm guessing 7.5 and smooth.

 

[Engieman]

Comments made around 'best trigger ever felt' are purely subjective. If a guy has only one gun....it's the best trigger he's ever felt. Also, different strokes for different folks. Some like light, some not so light; two stage trigger or single stage. Grittiness, unpredictability and heavy pull are what you don't want, the rest is conjecture and up to you and your preference. Not someone else.

 

[b_san]

How about the worst trigger that I've ever felt... that was in the Taurus PD Poly that I finally got rid of. Felt like I was pulling it through a bag of uncooked rice and, while surprises are sometimes nice, never knowing just when that trigger was going to break wasn't so much fun. I'll never own another Taurus that's for sure.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

You are forgetting one huge fact,It is the SELLER telling you it is the best.All he wants you to do is buy his Gun,The next Gun he sells will also have the best trigger he has ever felt.....

 

[Frizzman]

I sent my 625 Mountain Gun back to Smith and Wesson for a warranty issue last December. I got it back about two weeks later and it now has the best DA trigger I have ever had on a S&W revolver. I think it got some action work while there but there was no mention of it on the work order. The pull is lighter and very very smooth with no staging. I have had many Smith DA revolvers over the last forty or so years but this one has the best trigger...Second best is my old M-28 made in 1968.

 

[oger]

I have a 624 that was done many years ago by a since retired gunsmith. The double action is right at 8# and smooth as glass, that said a friend has an early 29 the Bob Chow did that makes mine feel like a piece of junk. I really don't think it needs to be that lite but double action shooting sure is easier.

 

[kaaskop49]

attn kilibreaux

Miculek is super-fast, but can he do it in a gunfight? I knew an NYPD cop many years ago who was involved in 7 documented shootouts, shot 6 BGs, 3 of them fatally. His service revolver was a Colt OP and he never fired DA. I once asked him why he fired SA. He replied: "I want to be more accurate."

As to the original question, I absolutely adore the DA trigger of any Model 10.

 

[Ranger514]

Miculek is super-fast, but can he do it in a gunfight?

I dare say Miculek would win a gunfight firing DA. Lord knows he's had enough practice and honed muscle memory. Would you want to go up against him in a gunfight? Studies and practical experience says we revert to our training when involved in a SHTF situation.

 

[southfloridasixshooter]

Miculek is super-fast, but can he do it in a gunfight?

I dare say Miculek would win a gunfight firing DA. Lord knows he's had enough practice and honed muscle memory. Would you want to go up against him in a gunfight? Studies and practical experience says we revert to our training when involved in a SHTF situation.

Only if he was blindfolded and I was in an armored tank.

 

[Gunsnwater]

Defending yourself with the sa mode of a da smith is not a good idea. It's too light for all the adrenaline pumping going on. Jerry Miculek had things done to his guns to slow him down as he can out strip the gun. He is a solid guy, you aren't going to shake him up, so yes he can do that in a gun fight. Don't p him off . Thumb cocking is different than fanning and is not equall in speed to double action, not that you couldn't become some what fast and accurate at it, but why? Put your effort into learning double action trigger control and you won't be sorry.

 

[rwsmith]

S&W revolvers

S&W revolvers generally have fine triggers. My personal guns, the model 10 and the 686 both have very good triggers without any trigger work. I tell people that I don't want to get any trigger jobs because I'd be afraid they'd mess up my guns. Anyway I can speak for the K and L frames, they are usually great.

 

[kaaskop49]

attn vipermd, brucev et al...

Glad I sparked a little friendly controversy here without any rancor or vituperation.

Hey vipermd: Find any Faberge eggs lately?

Hey brucev: Ya like those fancy words?

Best wishes to all and thanks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
___________________

Best $1.80 I ever spent!

 

[snubbyfan]

Lest we forget the late great Bob Munden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7HN7THecwg