Trigger Pull

[Jeff Peters]

What is the best way to measure for trigger pull?

Thanks,
Jeff

[490roundball]

are you talking length of pull  - or weight?

the best way for length is a try gun,  a dummy gun with an adjustable stock.  Peter Alexander's book show a real simple one made of a couple pieces of plywood with a sliding joint near the wrist.

for a rifle, this is not as critical as in a fowler or especially a modern shotgun.

after thought - if you have the chance to handle several guns, you can get a very good idea of what feels right. And pay attention to the cast off if any.

I have heard it said that many try to make a rifle stock too long.  my rifles are much shorter in length of pull than the stocks of my upland bird hunting shotguns.

[Jeff Peters]

Length of pull
I have a dear freind who would like me to build a long rifle for her son for christmas
I want to have it fit him. But don't want to give away the suprise by messuring him.
His mom will get the demension, I'm just asking for help on getting the right one.
The son is 24 years old and has stopped growing so that is not a concern

I recall it might be from the inside of the elbow to one of the knuckle joints?

Thanks,
Jeff

[billd]

My way isn't the correct way, but it works for me........I just ask them to measure the LOP of their favorite gun and make the new one the same.

Bill

[BrownBear]

Same here, but I'm even more devious.  I just ask for the make and model.  Factory specs are easy to delve.

[Swampwalker]

Jeff, it's not just pull you have to worry about, but drop at comb and heel as well.  Is he of average height, 5'10" to 6'?  If so, you could make the rifle to average dimensions.  I'm 5'11", and like a pull of 13 5/8".  Drop depends on the type of gun to some degree, as well as the build of the shooter - a strickly offhand gun has more drop than a bench gun, a heavy caliber has less drop (generally) than a light caliber.  Barring measuring a gun that fits him well, it will be difficult to make a gun that fits him without having him measured.

[Don Getz]

If he's an adult, and I guess he is, I would copy the Isaac Haines rifle that Jim Chambers or Wayne Dunlap sell.   We designed this gun many years ago and have found very few people that it doesn't fit..............Don

[David Rase]

If he's an adult, and I guess he is, I would copy the Isaac Haines rifle that Jim Chambers or Wayne Dunlap sell.   We designed this gun many years ago and have found very few people that it doesn't fit..............Don

I am building an Isaac Haines kit right now and Don is right.  I plan on having it available as a loaner gun but it fits me so well that I might just have to 'loan' it to myself to shoot once and a while.
DMR

[Jeff Peters]

He is an average young fellow about 5-10, 175lbs
The Isaac Haines is something that I will look into

Thanks all for the advice

Jeff

[Keb]

Old rule of thumb on trigger pull:
With your arm bent at a 90° angle, measure from the inside of your elbow to the 1st joint from knuckle of your index finger that is also bent 90° in the fashion as it is squeezing a trigger.

Transfer this measurement to the gun by measuring from the trigger back to the center (comb/toe) of the butt plate.

[J.D.]

Old rule of thumb on trigger pull:
With your arm bent at a 90° angle, measure from the inside of your elbow to the 1st joint from knuckle of your index finger that is also bent 90° in the fashion as it is squeezing a trigger.

Transfer this measurement to the gun by measuring from the trigger back to the center (comb/toe) of the butt plate.

Depends, Some folks have forearms like a gorilla, so that "old standard" doesn't always work. For me, that measurement gives a LOP that is about a half inch too long, so using that measurement is really a $#@* shoot.

IMHO, the best way to find one's LOP is to take that measurement off of a gun that is comfortable for the new owner to shoulder and shoot.

IMHO, for most people, a 13 1/2 LOP is about right.

God bless

[roundball]

Depends, Some folks have forearms like a gorilla, so that "old standard" doesn't always work. For me, that measurement gives a LOP that is about a half inch too long, so using that measurement is really a $#@* shoot.

IMHO, the best way to find one's LOP is to take that measurement off of a gun that is comfortable for the new owner to shoulder and shoot.

Amen...I wear 38" sleeve lengths and have paul bunyon hands & fingers so the old elbow thing is way off...14+1/4" is my average LOP, give or take 1/4" depending on drop variations...find a gun that fits and there you go

[northmn]

 I to err I would want to do so on the side of too short than too long.  I made most of my earlier rifles for shortsleeve shooting in the summer.  They have a pull about 1/2 -3/4 inch too long for use in the fall with a coat on.  It is more difficult to shoot them with a coat than to shoot a rifle a little shorter in a summer shirt.   Most rifles are built with a pull between 13 1/2 to 14 inch which seem to fit Mr. Joe average.

DP

[Darkhorse]

If the rifle is going to used for fall & winter hunting please take Northmn's advice to heart. A favorite .54 of mine was built to be comfortable with short sleeve shirts (what was I thinking?) and it works fine like that. But when winter comes and the layers go on that LOP can become too long quickly. While it may still feel alright in the classic shooting pose, if you have to twist the other way you will be reaching for that trigger.
I have been resisting the urge to go back and shorten that stock ever since that first hunting season. If I could only convince myself the finish will turn out as good the second time around.......

[Benedict]

The solution is to build a "summer" and a "winter" gun with pull set for each season.

Bruce

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

The solution is to build a "summer" and a "winter" gun with pull set for each season.

Bruce

Whaaa.........Doesn't everybody???       Nobody can build just one anyway!!

[jwh1947]

My 2 cent generalization...I like a 13 3/8 pull as measured from the center of the butt plate.  Interestingly, if you check an M1 Garand or '03 Springfield you are looking at about a 13 1/2" pull, so gun designers way into the 20th C. settled on this length.

[roundball]

if you check an M1 Garand or '03 Springfield you are looking at about a 13 1/2" pull, so gun designers way into the 20th C. settled on this length.

They build to averages of course and the majority of people are small and short...to use my Garand comfortably, I increased the LOP an inch by sliding on one of those slip-on rubber recoil pads

[Jeff Peters]

Thanks to all for the advise
Jeff

[coutios]

  I'm 5'7" 175#... anything over 13 in pull length begins to be a stretch for me.. Wrist can't be to short either.. Just shaped funny I guess...

Regards
Dave