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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Hunting with a set trigger (Read 10697 times)
frosty_bacon
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Hunting with a set trigger
Aug 3rd, 2020 at 5:22pm
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Curious what weight people have their set triggers adjusted to when hunting. Do you use the same weight at the bench and in the field? What about in cold weather?

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Frosty
  
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nuclearcricket
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #1 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 5:54pm
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I have a number of rifles with set triggers, only 2 that I have hunted with. A bolt action and a muzzle loader. Since those are both used in cold weather conditions I have them set as  or about as heavy as they can be. And to be truthful, that isn't really all that heavy. FWIW my target rifles are set on the heavy side as well but thats just me, I kind of like to feel when the finger touches the trigger. I am sure others will have much different opinions. For the most part I think its an individual thing, go with what your comfortable with.
Sam
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #2 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 5:59pm
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I've hunted with several Ballard rifles with double set triggers. I prefer light triggers, and don't shoot with gloves on, so I leave mine set light. Never had any issues with light triggers and hunting, or issues with cold vs. hot weather on my gun's triggers.
  

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JLouis
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #3 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 6:03pm
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I personally would not even attempt to use my set trigger for hunting purposes. It is down to a few ounces and it is just not safe for myself to use in a hunting environment. It is soley meant to be used for benchrest competitive matches and nothing else. For my hunting rifles it would be a couple of pounds with no over travel and a very crisp let off and how I do my own. I also don't care for a two stage trigger or any prior free movement to the trigger when I am starting to squeeze it off.
« Last Edit: Aug 3rd, 2020 at 6:11pm by JLouis »  

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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #4 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 9:03pm
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I have several German Schuetzen rifles with DST set very light, obviously I don’t hunt with them. I have  a couple of hundred plus year old Mauser sporters with DST that I hunt with. The triggers are set light. I hunt from hides so there is generally time to remove my glove. 
Mike
  
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Chuckster
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #5 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 11:14pm
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What is the old saying about opinions?
Hunted for years with set triggers. Would not be without them, but only the two lever type.
Quick shots in the timber, not set, three or four pound pull.
Longer shots, usually prone, kneeling or on a rest, set the triggers.
For a hunting rifle, pay as much attention to unset pull as the set pull.
  
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westerner
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #6 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 11:17pm
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Since the flintlock came into use for hunting, double set triggers have been used. Same with percussion hunting rifles. The Sharps buffalo rifles had double set triggers, German hunting rifles have double set triggers. Ballard hunting rifles like the Pacific have double set triggers. Most hunting rifles have DST. Jeager rifles had DST. 

For hunting I would use double set triggers. Set light, same as when target shooting because that's what I'm used too. 

You cock the hammer and set the trigger just before firing at game, not when you're busting thru brush.
  

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Winchester 71
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #7 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 12:35am
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I go along with Westerner........I'v been a Outfitter for a very long time and if I found a client running around in the brush with a hammer back his hunt would be over............had a USFW agent in my rig with a round in the chamber and the muzzle banging me in the right side of my chest with muzzle up and his undercover hunt was over at that point.............
  
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MrTipUp
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #8 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 3:17am
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Yes, it's nice to have double sets on a hunting rifle; but whether I set them depends on the circumstances.  And I'd bet it was the same 'way back when Westerner was a boy as well.

Bill Lawrence
  
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westerner
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #9 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 4:02am
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I had a German percussion hunting rifle when I was little. Dad let me use it anyway.  Beautifully engraved. Inlaid in gold on the top flat was Kormann. Shot a lot of Injuns on the Zenith back then.  It had double sets. 

My bolt guns all have single stage triggers set very light.
  

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marlinguy
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #10 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 6:12pm
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Set triggers aren't unsafe for hunting. You don't walk around with the triggers set, or hammer cocked, so no difference between set triggers and a single non set trigger until you get ready to fire.
I have to cock the hammer before each shot anyway, so once I cock the hammer, I set the trigger. Then I'm ready to zero in on game, and touch it off. Can't see where the unsafe part of this is?
  

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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #11 - Aug 5th, 2020 at 10:51pm
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I hunt with set triggers. Same a target shooting.
  

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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #12 - Aug 6th, 2020 at 9:30am
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I like set triggers.  I have never seen an issue with them hunting.  I can see that a VERY light trigger like on my old German Schuetzen may be a bit light but I would rather that than an overly hard pull.
  

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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #13 - Aug 8th, 2020 at 2:15pm
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westerner wrote on Aug 3rd, 2020 at 11:17pm:
Since the flintlock came into use for hunting, double set triggers have been used. Same with percussion hunting rifles. The Sharps buffalo rifles had double set triggers, German hunting rifles have double set triggers. Ballard hunting rifles like the Pacific have double set triggers. Most hunting rifles have DST. Jeager rifles had DST. 

For hunting I would use double set triggers. Set light, same as when target shooting because that's what I'm used too. 

You cock the hammer and set the trigger just before firing at game, not when you're busting thru brush. 


Huh, never really thought about it, must have been obvious and always taken it for granted, but you have a very, very good point. 
Cheesy
  
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westerner
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Re: Hunting with a set trigger
Reply #14 - Aug 13th, 2020 at 12:03am
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"Huh, never really thought about it, must have been obvious and always taken it for granted, but you have a very, very good point. Cheesy"

Well, it just stands to reason......

Bill Tyler quote from The Mountain Men.
  

A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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