Trigger drop test

[turbo_guy]

What is the height that most use when doing a drop test for trigger safety? I put in a new trigger and dropping ~8" off the floor, the trigger is fine. If I go ~12", it'll trip. This is not a hunting gun. Just used at the range.

 

[jelenko]

It shouldn't trip, period.

 

[1911nut]

It shouldn't trip, period.

If the safety is on .. ?

 

[jelenko]

I thought the trigger shouldn't trip, period. The safety is backup safety measure and, hopefully, keeps it from firing if something unintentionally presses on the trigger.

 

[Ggmac]

Well , its a toss up . When working on a customers gun , it can not trip , period . If its mine and not a hunting gun , I change the rules . I cant sue myself .

 

[1911nut]

Turbo guy said ”just used at the range”

As a wannabe benchrest shooter, my bench guns have 1.5 - 2oz triggers and no safeties. I think if I farted hard it would set off my rimfire bench gun.

 

[DaveTooley]

I tap on the bolt shroud with a plastic hammer. They HAVE to hold or I start adjusting.

 

[boltfluter]

35 feet is the magic number for me!! What Dave said.

Paul

 

[B Nettesheim]

Isn’t this just simple inertia? The trigger shoe weighs something so when it’s dropped high enough off the floor it’s going to trip itself once the spring weight is overcome

 

[Will Henry]

I just make it a rule to never look down the muzzle while dropping the rifle on the floor and I figure I'll be OK. WH

 

[Carl S]

Set it so it don't trip full stop.one doesn't want a lawyer/solicitors letter in the post.

 

[GenePoole]

Isn’t this just simple inertia? The trigger shoe weighs something so when it’s dropped high enough off the floor it’s going to trip itself once the spring weight is overcome

The trick is to offset any inertia. The trigger should be designed so that the part above the pivot and below the pivot have the same moment of inertia, that way any tendency for the trigger shoe to want to move in response to a drop, etc. is offset by the same amount above the shoe. Of course, it gets more complex if the rifle is spinning when dropped or tumbling down a hill. Try not to do that.

 

[Will Henry]

The whole drop test thing came into vogue because the Model 70 trigger, pre-MOA, has all of the weight of the trigger below the pivot and will fire if you smack the butt or drop it on the floor. Add a trigger shoe and it is even worse. The MOA trigger was designed to fix this non-issue.
The real cure is to not use your Model 70, while loaded, as a walking stick. WH

 

[spitfire_er]

35 feet is the magic number for me!! What Dave said.

Paul

I unintentionally tested this once and survived. Was in a tree stand, shotgun loaded with a slug for deer season, about 20 feet up, I stood up to reposition and I had my shotgun resting on my stand butt pad on the platform and barrel against the tree. I bumped it, fell straight down and hit the ground almost perfectly vertical and pointed directly at me! luckily I had the safety on and it WORKED! If it would have had a failure, I would not be typing this today!

Any hunting firearm I do for anyone gets tested several times to make sure it functions as intended.
#1 trigger shouldn't fire unless you want it to on any gun.
#2 safety should work perfectly every time if it's present.

 

[jackieschmidt]

In Short Range Benchrest, where we use 1 1/2 ounce or less triggers, I suppose this is of no concern. But then, the only time we have about in a rifle is at the firing line, under the command of “insert bolts, commence fire”. When time is up, the command is…..”cease fire, remove your bolts and make the line safe”

Not to start an argument, but there is no such thing as a true “Safety” on a loaded bolt action rifle. The only true safety is removal of the bolt. Granted, that is not practical in a field hunting scenario, but at the range it should be the rule.

 

[INTJ]

The whole drop test thing came into vogue because the Model 70 trigger, pre-MOA, has all of the weight of the trigger below the pivot and will fire if you smack the butt or drop it on the floor. Add a trigger shoe and it is even worse. The MOA trigger was designed to fix this non-issue.
The real cure is to not use your Model 70, while loaded, as a walking stick. WH

My experience has been that it takes around 3.5 lbs for an old style factory M-70 trigger to keep it from bouncing off when dropped. An old style factory Rem 700 needs around 3 lbs. That is all give or take a half pound....