Reverse (Release) Trigger on a Benchrest rifle

[Denzik251]

Has anyone used a reverse trigger on a benchrest rifle. By reverse I mean the firing pin remains back when the trigger is pulled and the firing pin is released when the trigger is released. Personally I think there could be benefits to using such a setup.

Has anyone had experience with them?

Are any manufactures making them?

Are they illegal in any sanctioning bodies?

Am I just off my rocker and over thinking this whole thing?

 

[tim]

Has anyone used a reverse trigger on a benchrest rifle. By reverse I mean the firing pin remains back when the trigger is pulled and the firing pin is released when the trigger is released. Personally I think there could be benefits to using such a setup.

Has anyone had experience with them?

Are any manufactures making them?

Are they illegal in any sanctioning bodies?

Am I just off my rocker and over thinking this whole thing?

What earthly benefit could there be over a trigger requiring all of 1 1/2oz. pull weight?

 

[Denzik251]

That's what I am wondering? Could there be an advantage?

 

[karls42]

The lawyers would love it. With all the accidental injuries - property damage, the resulting lawsuits would be an absolute gold mine.

If you decide not to fire the shot what do you do with the gun?? walk around with your finger holding the trigger back for the rest of your life?

 

[Denzik251]

The lawyers would love it. With all the accidental injuries - property damage, the resulting lawsuits would be an absolute gold mine.

If you decide not to fire the shot what do you do with the gun?? walk around with your finger holding the trigger back for the rest of your life?[/QUOTE

We are talking about competition benchrest rifles that haven't got a safety I don't think there would be an issue with accidental discharges. As for deciding not to shoot the gun, I think it would be as simple as opening the bolt.

 

[Roger T]

Release triggers USED to be a big thing in shotguns (Trap),but I haven't seen one in use now for many years. Safety was the big issue.

 

[Bill Leeper]

Trap shooters are known to embrace some pretty silly concepts from time to time and the release trigger was one. The idea was that it would reduce flinching. I can't think of any reason, even a poor one, for using one on a BR rifle. Regards, Bill.

 

[Rflshootr]

Bill I've heard that a release trigger, since it works opposite, reverses the barrel harmonics in the X & Y plane and makes it much easier to tune. lmfao
Oh an only if you use VLD type boolits

 

[tim]

Seriously, the best triggers seem now to be driven by greater simplicity through fewer parts. One only has to witness the elegant simplicity of the new Bix'Andy. I doubt you could design a release trigger without more parts .

 

[Randy Perkowski]

"Release Triggers"

15 years ago I spent a good deal of time at a local trap range. Release triggers were not the norm, but they were use by about 5% of the competitors. Putting one on a current generation benchrest rifle would not be practical. The release trigger works on a system that bypasses the sear until a secondary can be engaged and then releases the primary sear. When the trigger is released the gun fires. This works with break open shotguns, pump guns, and even automatics that can cancel out the shot if necessary. Also with the shotgun you are dealing with a maximum range of about 90 yards as oppose to more than a mile. Trying to manipulate a bolt during an emergency cease fire would be next to impossible. The other issue would be the force required to 'set' the release trigger. With the bag setups being used, the amount of force required would move the rifle off target or out of the bags. Trying to adopt shotgun pointing tactics opposed to aiming and steering a benchrest rifle are on two ends of the spectrum in the shooting sports.

Randy

 

[Wilbur]

Once upon a time...somewhere...

My trigger broke and became a release trigger. I foolishly continued and did pretty good considering the reverse method. Did not consider what I would do if there was an emergency cease fire that found me holding the trigger as I don't know what would have happened if I tried to open the bolt while holding the trigger. As it turned out, James Messer and Alan Hall fixed my trigger and I was able to continue in a safer manner.

Folks do funny things after driving several miles.....wish I had that back....

 

[SGJennings]

Former AA/26 yard/AA trap shooter here (and five gun AAA skeet shooter - better at skeet).

Shooting trap, especially handicap, is as close to shooting a rifle as can be with a shotgun.

People sometimes develop a flinch, not because of recoil, but because their mind refuses to accept the sight picture when they otherwise want to touch it off.

The release trigger worked because it was A: A different movement than before and B: It was relaxing the tension versus applying tension.

People could get as good as they were before the flinch, but a release trigger generally never helped anyone otherwise.

Now, I'm just a duffer benchrest shooter, but I've been around the block a couple of times. With what I understand about both games, I do not see a release trigger helping beyond the excellent triggers that we have available today.

Changing the topic slightly, if you go over to the benchrest airgun sub-forum and search around a bit, you'll find a big dust up about the use of electronic triggers in general and also, more specifically, about those that are "remote". Basically, a fellow that's physically disabled finds it easier to use a remote electronic trigger.

I wouldn't want to try it myself, but perhaps an electronic trigger with the "trigger" being a button on the joystick or similar would be an advantage.

Just stirrin' the pot. Not enough "spirited debate" lately.

 

[Bill Ohio]

Has anyone used a reverse trigger on a benchrest rifle.

Am I just off my rocker and over thinking this whole thing?

I think the answer to the last question is "probably".

A release trigger can be helpful in trap shooting, esp. if the shooter has developed a flinch or other bad habits. And quite a few competitive archers use a back tension release, which provides some of the same, um, benefits (?).

But considering that most benchrest shooters employ the free recoil technique or something close to it, and that a trigger is 1.5 ounces (typically), I think you should get back on your rocker and ponder how to read wind flags better.

 

[skeetlee]

release triggers are defiantly not a thing of the past in shotgun sports. they can be very beneficial in fact. I don't see a need in benchrest though. lee

 

[Hombre0321]

release triggers are defiantly not a thing of the past in shotgun sports. they can be very beneficial in fact. I don't see a need in benchrest though. lee

As skeetlee says Release Triggers are defiantly still being used in ATA Trap, they have not even gone away in that sport. I know at least 25 shooters that I shot with on a regular basis that use them, and at the Nationals there were probably a hundred minimum in use.

As far as I know there only purpose was recoil control. I know many shooters were recoil had become such a problem that the release trigger is the only thing that allowed them to continue to shoot. Now with that said they are a safety issue, imagine standing at the line ready to call for your next target and you pull the trigger and hold it before you call for the target. If for some reason you have to dismount the shotgun you must open the action to disengage a release trigger. Not to bad with a top break Trap Gun, and doable even with a pump ( almost no pumps used today in Trap) but a serious problem with an automatic. I have never ever seen an automatic with a release trigger, not saying there isn't one but I doubt it.

The NRA ( I believe ) does not allow the use of a release trigger in any game they shoot, and I believe the rules state this as well. The Sanctioning bodys for Benchrest, I do not have a rule book for ( should but just never got one), I would think speak to this, I would be surprised if they didn't, and even more surprised if they were allowed.

Roland

 

[dalewoolumjr]

Well I am a release trigger shooter in shotgun sports. When I decided to shoot more to get better my coach said minimum 200 targets a day. Well after 7 months of that I came to the line and I could not pull the trigger one day. There was a gentleman there that had a spare Perazzi release so I borrowed it. After dry firing about 10 times went to the line and broke 25 the next 130,000 targets have all been with a release. I have a release in every shotgun I own now even my 391 Beretta. I hunt with them as well there as safe as you want them to be. To make safe the 391 there is a little button under the follower when it is pushed rearward all you do is cycle the action and the hammer resets. you would be surprised at how many people shoots releases in shotgun sports. My wife even shoots one. I must say though the hardest thing to learn was shooting a double release for doubles. As the release / pull was so fast.

Dale