So how important is a custom trigger?

[badchad]

Hello. I shoot Limited with a Glock 35. I’ve only been competing since May but I’m taking it pretty serious. So far my gun has Trijicon night sights (came with the gun and I’m reasonably happy with), a Dawson Ice magwell, a Glockmeister tungsten recoil rod, Trugrip, 140 mm mag extensions, and a standard mag release. I’m pretty happy with my progress in the sport, but would say that long range accuracy is my weakness, and I still sometimes pull my shots to the left. With regards to the trigger I have only done the 0.25 trigger job.

I’ve been reading a lot of past threads and it seems most here do get a custom trigger job. My question is: am I really handicapping myself if I don’t, or can I get just as good with my regular trigger. I carry a glock 23 as my protection gun and have other Glocks so I would like to be fast and accurate with the standard trigger, and I’d rather not have to worry about reliability issues that sometimes comes with a custom trigger work. However, I want to shoot as well as I can in competition too. So will just practicing be enough or do I really need to fork out for a nice trigger?

[EZ Bagger]

do a search on the 25 cent trigger job. That is as much as anyone needs right off the bat.

Hint: All it really is is a polishing job....

If you have problems with the search function, track down SA Friday or Flex.

[atmar]

you can do what sevigny does, i think all he does is a reduced power striker spring, 3.5 lb. connector and 15lb. recoil spring...thats it and he has won a lot....a lot...

[SA Friday]

If you want to play around, then play. I like to learn what does and doesn't work in my guns for me, but thats not for everyone. If you like the feel of the trigger and more importantly the reset, then go with it.

Not everyone gets a custom trigger in their Glocks, but many do. I really think is neither here nor there. Whats more important is to be comfortable with the set-up you have, ensuring its reliable, and practicing with that set up until the trigger feels like an extension of your finger.

If you want an inexpensive custom trigger option, get a Ralph Sotelo trigger kit from triggerkit.com. It's essentially a drop it system; pull the OEM parts out and replace with the parts provided. Its about $70.

If you want to get a little more crazy and since you are shooting Limited, you can really change the feel of the trigger with Lightning Strike parts, Wolfe springs, a Lone Wolfe 3.5 disconnector, and a dremel.

If you want to get insanely crazy, look for posts from Joe4d in the Glock section. He has post on how to move pins on the trigger itself to remove pretravel from the trigger, and if I remember right also addresses adjusting the reset spring hole on the back of the trigger bar (This is already done on the Sotelo trigger kit, BTW).

So, its really up to you what you want to do. As always, you can never go wrong with a reliable set-up and just shooting more ammo, but for some of us, playing around with some basic gunsmithing is fun too.

[00bullitt]

I've experimented with all the slicky boy triggers out there. I've pretty much gone back to the basics. I've used the Vaneks and his is really the only one I'll endorse. My trigger runs the 5 pound firing pin spring because I like to feel the reset and have guaranteed ignition. I still run the Vanek trigger bar becasue it takes up so smooth and it is already in the gun. I have a factory Glock trigger return spring installed in the new hole higher in the trigger bar that Vanek drills in it. Lightweight firing pins springs don't last. When they fail.....they fail quick. Mine failed on me at the nationals this past year on a short quick stage. I put the 5 pound in and have shot the gun better than ever before and now its dead nuts reliable. Sevigney resprings his with XP trigger return spring and a Wolf 14 pound recoil spring and 3.5# connector.

I suppose there is a reason all those GM Glock shooters run pretty much just a factory trigger. Bill Munier runs a bone stock trigger/factory recoil spring and all. Rob Vogel runs pretty much a stock trigger. FlexMoney runs pretty much a polished stock trigger. I have reverted back to pretty much a stock trigger. My advice is to shoot what feels right to you. As your skill level and time with the Glock increases....I expect you'll probably revert to.

[Flexmoney]

I used to like the "balance a dime on the front sight" trick (dry fire) to get tuned into releasing the trigger without disturbing the sights/hold.

[btroll]

I'd also recommend a kit from triggerkit.com. Inexpensive, easy to drop in, and works great for $75.00

[Micah]

I used to like the "balance a dime on the front sight" trick (dry fire) to get tuned into releasing the trigger without disturbing the sights/hold.

I love this trick! It sounds like you just need more practice. Even a stock Glock trigger can make headshots at 60 yards.

[Loves2Shoot]

The only reason I would think you need a real fancy Glock trigger is if you mostly shoot something else. I have the hardest time swithing to a Glock because I can't "prep" the trigger the same as I do with the other guns I shoot. If you shoot it all the time, it should not be that big of a deal. I shot a Glock match a couple weeks ago and ran into a couple times where I was wondering why it wasn't going off, but it was because I just wasn't slapping it like you have to (I shot a single stack match the day before.) For me I rip on the Glock triggers and gently ride the 1911/CZ/Tanfoglio/Springerized XD triggers.

[00bullitt]

I will say that Ralph Sotelo's triggerkit is a value at $75,but its still not a Vanek drop in for $125.

[glockrocker]

How important is a custom trigger? Depends on you. A custom trigger was not important to me at all, nor had it ever even occurred to me to get one at all....until I tried one on someone else's Glock. That someone else happened to be Charlie Vanek at our local range. Prior to firing his gun, I had no idea that my trigger sucked. It was kind like an instant awakening. At that moment a custom trigger became very important to me. Would I be handicapped without one? No, probably not. Have my scores improved specifically because of my trigger? I like to think so, but there is no way to know what my scores would have been had I left it stock. Point is sometimes we make mods because it just feels better or makes us feel better. Doesn't always make us shoot better. That comes from within you. I would not trade my Vanek trigger for anything else and I will never own a Glock used in competition without one. But that's just me.

[Paul Burtchell]

How important is a custom trigger? Depends on you. A custom trigger was not important to me at all, nor had it ever even occurred to me to get one at all....until I tried one on someone else's Glock. That someone else happened to be Charlie Vanek at our local range. Prior to firing his gun, I had no idea that my trigger sucked. It was kind like an instant awakening. At that moment a custom trigger became very important to me. Would I be handicapped without one? No, probably not. Have my scores improved specifically because of my trigger? I like to think so, but there is no way to know what my scores would have been had I left it stock. Point is sometimes we make mods because it just feels better or makes us feel better. Doesn't always make us shoot better. That comes from within you. I would not trade my Vanek trigger for anything else and I will never own a Glock used in competition without one. But that's just me.

+1 on the Vanek triggers. Nothing like 'em.

[dagz]

Vanek trigger kit is the best one to date.

More power Charlie!

[Glshooter]

I think switching from a stock trigger helped me a bit. It didn't make me a grand master obviously but I noticed my shooting improved somewhat. I currently use the trigger kit from Ralph Sotelo. It was actually too light for me so I put the factory trigger spring back in. It made it a tad heavier but I was more comfortable with it. I also like the Lone Wolf connector better than the Glock 3.5 connector. It is less mushy feeling.

[hayes45]

I put a ghost rocket 3.5 connector, Lone Wolf spring kit and lightly polished all metal sufaces that rub. I think it made a huge differance.

[Suburban Commando]

I've got 2 Glocks that I use for competition.

My competition only G17 has a Vanek trigger. This pistol is easy to shoot well. I've tried to replicate what he did, but I either get doubling or the feel just isn't nearly as good.

My comp/carry pistol only has a mirror polished trigger bar, the rest is stock, 5 lb. connector and all. This one still shoots well, and maintains all reliability. I tried 3.5 connectors, but I didn't like the extra creep that I got without the Vanek treatment.

[the duck of death]

Or you can learn how the Glock trigger works and do the trigger job yourself. My last trigger job on a Glock 34, using OEM parts, cost-- ZERO, results--a minimum take up 2lb trigger.

[vluc]

You have to play around with it and find what works for you.

I started out stock, went to a lighter one, then played with springs and other things. I've moved from a desire for a light trigger to a crisp trigger, regardless of the trigger pull. Now my trigger is heavier than before, but crisper. But along the way, I learned a great deal about my gun, how it works, what does and does not work, what bullets it likes, what loads, etc. I think isolating only the trigger and focusing on it causes you to lose sight of the rest of the gun and how it operates.

As you evolve as a shooter, I think you end up returning very close to the basics.

Edited October 29, 2007 by vluc

[Odie]

I shoot 34's and 35's. I take out the 3.5lb connectors and replace them with 5lbs. I do a little polish job on the metal contact points and that's pretty much it. Everything else in the trigger works is stock. Everybody likes something different, so if you know some folks with a little of everything, try a little of everything. Just don't mod stuff to the point it makes a Glock unreliable.

[Jman]

Gaston Glock's OEM trigger on the G35 is, oddly enough, better than 99% of us will ever need IMO. Especially after it's been

dry and live fired about 7000 times. Stick with your .25 cent job and replace the trigger after it disintegrates.

Jim M

[badchad]

Thanks for the advise thus far. I'm going to try and stick with my stock trigger for now.

On close/fast stages I do really well, but on the longer stuff I suffer a lot due to poor accuracy. I just got a membership at an indoor range, so I can do a lot more live fire practice, so I will see how that works. The funny thing is my rapid fire groups are often better than my slow and controlled fire groups. 2 nights ago, my slow fire groups all pulled left, but my rapid fire stuff was well centered. Last night the slowfire groups were more centered but still large. I'm not sure why that is as I have been dryfireing a lot and the nickle on the front sight drill is pretty easy for me.

[Short Bus]

I consider myself to be an accomplished shooter and I've observed that a good trigger can make a significant difference in performance. It will not make a 70% shooter into a 90% shooter but, I believe it can make the difference between 90% and 95% (arbitrary numbers, not scientific fact...).

Some people say to dry-fire or shoot 'x'-thousand times/rounds to condition your trigger. In the end, you'll still have a well-worn, mediocre trigger. I'd rather spend the $130 for a Vanek trigger kit and shoot with a fine trigger from the start.

[MPrimo]

Has anybody tried the GlockWORX trigger? I put one in my G34 and can't believ how great it is but I honestly don't have much to compare it to. Just wondering what others have experienced ...

[proraptor]

Ive tried the glockworx trigger and they are amazing....Ill probably pick one up pretty soon

[badchad]

Update. I caved and bought a Vanek trigger a couple of weeks ago. There was a guy in the lane next to me talking about the custom trigger he got on his 1911, my shots were still pulling to the left, etc. etc. so I ordered one that night. So far it has about halved my group sizes, and my freestyle shooting has centered up on the bullseye considerably. I still pull my one hand shots to the side with the trigger but less than before. So my conclusion is that at least for now a custom trigger is pretty important.