single trigger on southern rifle

[Turtle]

 I'm building a southern rifle-Gilispie,chambers ketland lock and 50 cal southern classic rice barrel. I know they  usually have double set triggers, but are there any exceptions? If so, is there a trigger guard available that would be appropriate? I don't want to be totally off the reservation, but would like a single trigger.
                                 Thanks,Rich

[Dennis Glazener]

I am not saying there wasn't one made but of all the Gillespie's that I have seen, all had double set triggers (this includes the one bear pistol that Mathew made).

I can't remember seeing any southern mountain rifle with anything other than a double set trigger.

If you properly position a double set trigger you can fire it un-set. I recently installed the set trigger on my Jim Kibler Whitson rifle kit and it has an excellent single trigger pull. Would not hesitate to use that while hunting. I will admit that several of the ones I have installed (most small Davis triggers) either can't be fired unset or have a horrible trigger pull
Dennis

[Mike Brooks]

I'm building a southern rifle-Gilispie,chambers ketland lock and 50 cal southern classic rice barrel. I know they  usually have double set triggers, but are there any exceptions? If so, is there a trigger guard available that would be appropriate? I don't want to be totally off the reservation, but would like a single trigger.
                                 Thanks,Rich

There's a whole bunch of books available out there on the subject, you ought to buy some and study up.

[Turtle]

OK, thanks. I have a small davis set trigger to install, what different set trigger would you recommend to achieve a better unset pull?
                                Thanks,Rich

[Daryl]

Mike - Dennis - were the triggers double set-double throw, or more simply a double set single throw.

[Bob Roller]

OK, thanks. I have a small davis set trigger to install, what different set trigger would you recommend to achieve a better unset pull?
                                Thanks,Rich

The trigger pull is determined largely by the lock.

Bob Roller

[oldtravler61]

Looking in the tutorials should do it. It's not rocket science. If it wasn't for the historical affect. All my guns would have a single trigger. Just prefer them over the other's. Imho  But I prefer hunting over paper punchin.

[Dennis Glazener]

If it wasn't for the historical affect. All my guns would have a single trigger. Just prefer them over the other's.

Totally agree!

Mike - Dennis - were the triggers double set-double throw, or more simply a double set single throw.

Daryl,
The ones I have had out of the stock have all been single lever, have to set trigger in order to fire. I haven't seen any mountain rifle with double lever triggers (fire with/without setting).
Dennis

[Bob Roller]

If it wasn't for the historical affect. All my guns would have a single trigger. Just prefer them over the other's.

Totally agree!

Mike - Dennis - were the triggers double set-double throw, or more simply a double set single throw.

Daryl,
The ones I have had out of the stock have all been single lever, have to set trigger in order to fire. I haven't seen any mountain rifle with double lever triggers (fire with/without setting).
Dennis

The last single lever trigger I made went to Taylor a while back. Before that one is about 50 years of double lever types.
mostly Hawken.

Bob Roller

[Mike Brooks]

If it wasn't for the historical affect. All my guns would have a single trigger. Just prefer them over the other's.

Totally agree!

Mike - Dennis - were the triggers double set-double throw, or more simply a double set single throw.

Daryl,
The ones I have had out of the stock have all been single lever, have to set trigger in order to fire. I haven't seen any mountain rifle with double lever triggers (fire with/without setting).
Dennis

I have almost always used double lever triggers. Untill I built myself a rifle a couple months ago. I figured I never use the front trigger unset anyway so I went with a single lever. Works fine for me. In fact for my own personal guns I doubt I'll ever use a double lever trigger again.

[moleeyes36]

I'm building a southern rifle-Gilispie,chambers ketland lock and 50 cal southern classic rice barrel. I know they  usually have double set triggers, but are there any exceptions? If so, is there a trigger guard available that would be appropriate? I don't want to be totally off the reservation, but would like a single trigger.
                                 Thanks,Rich

There's a whole bunch of books available out there on the subject, you ought to buy some and study up.

Turtle,

William Ivey's book on NC rifles shows many rifles from several NC schools and would be a good place to start.

Mole Eyes

[Ric27]

I'm building a southern rifle-Gilispie,chambers ketland lock and 50 cal southern classic rice barrel. I know they  usually have double set triggers, but are there any exceptions? If so, is there a trigger guard available that would be appropriate? I don't want to be totally off the reservation, but would like a single trigger.
                                 Thanks,Rich

There's a whole bunch of books available out there on the subject, you ought to buy some and study up.

I Would like to read up on that subject. Could you help us out Mike and give us a few titles.
Ric

[Mike Brooks]

I'm building a southern rifle-Gilispie,chambers ketland lock and 50 cal southern classic rice barrel. I know they  usually have double set triggers, but are there any exceptions? If so, is there a trigger guard available that would be appropriate? I don't want to be totally off the reservation, but would like a single trigger.
                                 Thanks,Rich

There's a whole bunch of books available out there on the subject, you ought to buy some and study up.

I Would like to read up on that subject. Could you help us out Mike and give us a few titles.
Ric

All four volumes by Jerry Nobel, Ivey's book, Briggs has a couple books out there, this new book on "hog" rifles Dennis posted on. There must be at least another 1/2 dozen or more books on Appalachia guns out there.

[Dennis Glazener]

Another good place is the ALR library. There are quite a few original southern mountain rifles on display there.
Dennis

[WadePatton]

I have no interest in a single trigger because of all my years of target shooting and I've never pulled a good-feeling single on a side lock gun.  Be glad to try one.  Probably will when the style calls for it.

The thing about Southern guns is that there's an exception to every rule, some where.

[thimble rig]

There are some fine examples on the virtual library.Theres one called the whale rifle from an unknown maker that has a single trigger.Its a fancy tennesse style  has carving,A whale shaped patch box.

[Pete G.]

It can be difficult to achieve a good pull on a set trigger due to the leverage created when the pivot is below the sear screw. The sear rotates around the screw so any time the pivot for the trigger is below it is not only pushing the sear up but there is also a forward vector. Add in a little sliding friction and you get a not so great feeling trigger pull.

Most Southern rifles seem to have a single lever trigger, which is fine for target shooting and a lot of hunting situations also. The problem occurs when you have to bring a lock off of full cock down to half cock. It can be done, but it is not easily accomplished with cold numb fingers.

That said, I have found that with a properly tuned lock and a trigger installed with proper geometry a single trigger can give an excellent light and creep free pull. Incidentally, those commercially available triggers that are pivoted in the plate will never give a good pull, regardless of tuning.

[rfd]

... The thing about Southern guns is that there's an exception to every rule, some where.

that applies to most everything in Life, too. 

[Bob Roller]

I have no interest in a single trigger because of all my years of target shooting and I've never pulled a good-feeling single on a side lock gun.  Be glad to try one.  Probably will when the style calls for it.

The thing about Southern guns is that there's an exception to every rule, some where.

I had a semi military Whitworth long range rifle with a good single trigger. The lock was
a top of the line Brazier with 4 screws to anchor it to the plate and the sear on an axle.
This is a rigid assembly common to English guns.
The American Southern rifle is my favorite long rifle and I don't ever expect to see a
high quality lock on an old one. The Kibler long rifle is THE exception of new ones and
when we recover from a large layout of money we made recently I hope to get one.

Bob Roller