Why are triggers curved?

[MikeDVB]

Yeah, what he said!

It's another way of saying 'ergonomics'.

 

[BIGKAT9]

Looks like she's wearing a meat overcoat,good question on the shape of the trigger

 

[toyotaslave]

I think Tophat is on to something. A flat trigger on a hinged mechanism (assuming a guard is present) would be nice if dragging the finger along the guard to get the best leverage. A 1911 style trigger is different and can be pushed straight back.

Maybe the question is why do 1911 pistols have a curved trigger ever?

Above citing aside, I can't imagine the finger wear after a long session of shooting say my M&P40 while dragging on the trigger guard with a straighty would be in the least comfortable.

I guess in the long run, my best guess is comfort.

 

[Hookeye]

Curved= more finger contact (larger surface area), probably makes the trigger feel lighter.

 

[cmc589]

My experience with flat triggers was on our rifle teams anschutz rifles. The trigger pull on these is so minimal that simply tapping the trigger is enough to fire the rifle and a straight trigger is much easier to control with that light of a trigger pull.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Triggers are curved because that is the style at the time.

Curved triggers on firearms became the style as of the early 1600s with the "English lock" (aka "Dog Lock" or "Jacobean Lock"--a dog because of the piece that could hold it at half cock). Before the English Lock you did see curved triggers but they were not common (guns built by individual masters one at a time).

With the advent of repeating firearms, some maintained straight triggers especially in Europe (e.g. Needle Fire revovlers, Tape Primer guns, Pin Fire, etc.) while some makers went to curved triggers. Curved triggers became "the style at the time", especially in America, and thus became what the end user expected, so makers put curved triggers in guns.

The market wanted/expected it so it became industry standard.

 

[esrice]

The market wanted/expected it so it became industry standard.

Thanks for the info Kirk.

Although my experience has been extremely limited at this time, I'm finding the flat trigger thing interesting. If we have curved triggers simply because "that's what we're used to", it makes me wonder if there isn't something better out there. Trigger control issues account for the vast majority of accuracy issues when shooting handguns so maybe its time the industry starts looking at better alternatives. Or perhaps we as gun owners are too mentally invested in curved triggers to accept a change?

Like cmc589 said, I find that having slightly less contact with my trigger finger means I am more sensitive to its movement, while not compromising my ability to reliably and repeatedly pull it.

Will need to research this more.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

People find flat triggers because they are "different" and thus hipper and cooler and even, God help us, "more tactical". This is yet another example of the conductive property of gear (i.e., my gear is cool, thus I am cool, thus people put all that crap on the AR-15 or must have the latest plastic wonder pistol).

Everyone focuses on the sword instead of the repititions necessary to use the sword. I've been around too long.

 

[LEaSH]

I was just saying the other day, "Kirk has been around too long".

 

[esrice]

People find flat triggers because they are "different"

Well. . . . exactly. I picked the flat one because it was different and I like trying new gear. So of course I'm naturally curious if flat is preferable to curved, which got me to wondering why we have curved triggers in the first place. Hence this thread.

If everyone accepted the ways of the past then we'd never build a better mousetrap. Certainly there is a balance to be struck but I don't see anyone upset over indoor plumbing.

Everyone focuses on the sword instead of the repititions necessary to use the sword.

I'd never suggest that, no matter how fun new hardware is, that it's more important than the software necessary to use it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I was just saying the other day, "Kirk has been around too long".

You and a phone book full of ex-girlfriends.

 

[LEaSH]

 

[Snizz1911]

I can't answer your questions with certainty, but I can say its somewhat like everything else in the shooting world; personal preference.

I had never shot a flat trigger then a buddy let me shoot a 1911 and AR that both had flat triggers. At first it seemed very awkward but quickly grew on me. I would now not be opposed and will likely put a giesele flat trigger in my AR for 3 gun

 

[sloughfoot]

if you are wearing gloves, you can feel the curved trigger much better.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I just held my hand up and my fingers are curved

 

[KoopaKGB]

I own one firearm with a flat trigger. When I first handled the French Berthier Carbine model 1892, I thought to myself "what a odd trigger" I don't care for it very much. Also pictured is a PF-9 trigger shown for comparison.

I figure triggers are curved just to fit our round fingers better. Thats all.