Pistol Trigger Guide

Everyone knows what a trigger is and what it does - when pulled, a trigger activates something. In the world of firearms, a trigger is the last thing a shooter pulls before sending a round down range. It seems so simple that for new shooters, it’s hard to imagine there’s more to this component than simple mechanics. But the truth is totally different. 

How the trigger accomplishes its purpose and the unique design aspects of that trigger can make all the difference in the world in terms of accurate, fast, and even safe shooting. So buckle up, and let’s take a deep dive into the world of firearm triggers and find out how they work and how they can best suit your needs.

A trigger is a device on a firearm that releases a hammer or striker (or electrical impulse) that detonates a round’s primer and launches a bullet out of the barrel. It sounds simple, and conceptually, it is very simple. But by the same metric, golf is easy: hit the ball toward the hole. But the devil is in the details - ask anyone who has tried to pick up golf on a whim, and they’ll tell you precisely how difficult it really is. 

In the same vein, how the trigger functions is an important aspect of what constitutes a good trigger. For that matter, what a good trigger is depends on the role the host firearm fulfills. So, let’s take a closer look at the different types of triggers to understand their function and which ones are best for your needs. Also, for the sake of brevity, we’ll concentrate on just pistol triggers.

Single action only triggers are the simplest firearm triggers in existence. As their name suggests, they perform a single action - dropping the hammer. Nearly every shoulder-fired weapon uses these types of triggers. They are excellent for precision shooting as they tend to be light and have a crisp or clean break.

What is a trigger break? It’s a term used to describe the moment the hammer is released by the trigger to fall on a firing pin, which is then driven into a primer to fire a round. Depending on the trigger’s shape/geometry, the break can be lighter than the take-up (the distance the trigger is pulled back prior to the break) or heavier to give the shooter a precise moment to know when the gun is about to fire.

On repeating firearms, the hammer is reset between shots as the action is rearmed, either automatically with autoloading guns or manually with bolt-action or lever-action firearms. In both of these examples, once the action is primed and the hammer locked back, the single-action-only trigger just drops that hammer.

The most common pistol with a single action only trigger is the venerable 1911. This is part of what makes the gun’s ergonomics so good. The trigger on a 1911 slides straight back to engage a seer, that then drops the hammer. The trigger pull on these guns is typically light, and the break on them is extremely crisp. This, combined with the narrow grip and excellent grip angle, makes these guns naturally point well and shoot accurately.

Another benefit of single-action-only triggers is that their trigger pulls are always identical. Since accuracy with a firearm is actually a measurement of consistency, the more consistent a gun’s controls and operation are, the more accurate it is in the hands of a competent shooter.

The downside of these triggers is that they require extra training for use in combat or self-defense because they can break unexpectedly easily for novice shooters. That’s why most experts recommend single-action-only triggers for competition use, like bullseye shooting and three-gun matches. Also, all modern single-action-only trigger firearms must have a manual safety to prevent potential mishaps.

Double-action-only triggers perform the same action as an SAO trigger but also prime the hammer at the same time. These triggers are heavier and have a much longer pull than a single-action-only trigger. 

These triggers are most commonly found on revolvers, but some manufacturers make DAO variants of auto-loader guns like SIG's DAO P226. A DAO trigger provides an extra layer of safety against negligent discharges for inexperienced shooters and a consistent trigger pull every time.

On revolvers, the trigger also rotates the cylinder to the next chamber as it cocks the hammer, but it’s still considered double-action. The biggest drawback of a DAO trigger is that it requires a tremendous amount of training and practice to shoot accurately. 

That’s because their trigger pulls are so long and heavy that firing them quickly is extremely difficult. Why? Because all that extra trigger pull distance provides more opportunities for a shooter to accidentally pull the gun off-target. 

Double-action-only triggers function best in self-defense or law enforcement roles, where high-stress moments can lead an inexperienced shooter to fire their weapon preemptively. However, I would personally suggest more training over a mechanical solution.

Double-action/single-action triggers were developed to add an extra layer of safety for combat or service weapons in the 1930s. On DA/SA triggers, the first trigger pull of the gun is a long, double-action one where the trigger both retracts the hammer and then releases it. After that shot, the rest of the trigger pulls are single-action-only. 

The thought behind them is that having an extra heavy first trigger prevents an inexperienced shooter from accidentally (or negligently) discharging a weapon in a stressful environment like a police shooting or military engagement. But then allows more accurate, rapid firing with subsequent shots. 

Nearly every DA/SA gun features a manual decocking lever that safely lowers the hammer after the firearm is chambered. Some designs, like the SIG P220 series of handguns, have a dedicated decocking lever, while other guns, like the Beretta 92FS, combine the safety lever with a de-cocker that automatically decocks the gun when the safety is turned on. 

DA/SA triggers were the most prolific type of triggers on police-issue semi-automatic handguns until the widespread adoption of Glock pistols. 

The disadvantage of these triggers is that they don’t provide a consistent trigger pull every time. Typically, the DA trigger pull is substantially longer and heavier than the subsequent single-action pull, leading to many inexperienced shooters missing their first shot.

This was such an issue with police departments in the 1980s and 90s that some departments taught officers to “throw away” their first shot by simply pulling the trigger as fast as possible to set up later shots with a better trigger. This is obviously a very bad idea, as shooters are responsible for every round they fire.  

Striker-fired triggers are technically just a variant of double-action-only triggers. They both partially prime the striker - a device that acts like a hammer on a standard firearm - and release it to fire a shot.

They differ from DAO triggers in that they are vastly lighter and shorter since they don’t have to physically move a large hammer back. The most common striker-fired handgun on the planet is the Glock. Regardless of model or caliber (with the exception of the .22lr Glock), all Glock handguns have a striker-fired trigger. 

The benefit of a striker-fired trigger is that it is very consistent, like an SAO trigger, but heavy enough to prevent accidental discharges. Also, the trigger's overtravel is much shorter than that of traditional double-action pistols. For the longest time, people complained about the original Glock’s triggers for two reasons—they felt spongy and were uncomfortable for some shooters. These issues were partially due to the materials used and partially because the original Glock frame was very large—too large for shooters with smaller hands. 

Unfortunately, these issues were erroneously presumed on every striker-fired gun that came out for a long time. Most guns didn’t deserve the hate, while a few, like the S&W Sigma, totally did.

Newer striker-fired guns are capable of having excellent triggers. Advances in material science and polymers have gone a long way to elevate striker-fired guns to on par with their SAO and DA/SA brethren. 

Electronic triggers are by far the least common triggers on the market. For the most part, they’re relegated to high-end target handguns in rimfire calibers. They function by using an electronic switch that, when activated, releases the hammer and fires a round.

The biggest advantage of electronic triggers is that they are very light and can be totally customized. The problem with them is that they aren’t nearly as reliable as traditional mechanical triggers. 

This is because they rely on an electronic signal and, thus, some form of power. As such, a sharp blow or too much moisture can render them inoperable. This is a very big problem on a military or self-defense weapon where a shooter may have to rely on the gun to save their life.

As with all things personal, it depends. If you’re looking for a self-defense pistol, any of the triggers listed above, except the electronic ones, will serve a shooter well. Alternatively, if you’re a long-range precision shooter, you will want a very light, two-stage trigger to maximize your accuracy. Three-gunners might want a light, short, single-stage trigger.

But remember, there’s no perfect solution - No matter which trigger your preferred gun uses, you’ll need to practice thoroughly with it to become proficient enough to rely on it for serious use.