New Season. Time to weigh the triggers

I had a couple of projects this week. I wanted to check all my trigger weights and I had some new trigger parts I wanted to change out. I was using my old RCBS trigger pull gauge and was un-happy with results. They are very touchy feely and make you wonder what your results really are. I kept getting a reading on my wad gun of less than 3.5 lbs. I know that sear springs will weaken over time and this one was very very close last season. I also had a RO that I recently converted from ball to a wad gun and it was still set at about 4.25.
 I watched a set of NRA approved weights go off of E-Bay for 100.00 but couldn't bring myself to pay that much for 4.75 lbs of steel. I "borrowed" my wifes very accurate digital scale and went to work. All you need is a drop saw, drill press, accurate scale and some scrap round stock. I had an old piece of ss shafting and a little 3/16 straight stock so I made mine out of stainless. After the project was completed I adjusted the triggers. The old wad gun really was under weight and had to be tweeked. I should have done this years ago. I turned one over so you can see how I used the drill to calibrate the weights.


Yes, I can be a bit of a cheapskate sometimes.

nothing wrong with saving some bucks for sure if you can do something like that!

I used to use a piece of wire and a baggie with the appropriate number of nosler 185s (plus a few extra just to be sure). Wasn't very much work.

I made something like OldMaster has except having a lathe the weights are turned and faced flat. Slots are milled. Weight and hanger is 32oz., made 24oz., 16oz, 8oz., 4oz., 2oz., and 1oz. slotted weights to add to the hanger. Works great! Though the 2oz. and 1oz. weights look like Swiss cheese, more holes than metal.

Old Master,  want to make a set for me?  Send me a PM if you do

Shooters,

I have an extra set of NRA Official Trigger Weights that I will gladly sell to the first one with $90.

Jerry Lehrer

Shooters,

My price for the NRA Weights is down to $75.

Jerry

This thread really makes me question the "official" weight sets used at matches !!

Tom

The official weights are checked by NRA before they are used.  They don't have homemade weight slices like the ones Len made.

Homemade weights are for test purposes only and not intended to be used to check triggers at a match. They give the shooter a good idea of how his trigger weight is. Actually a Homemade set can be tested and certified. A company I did work for needed a set of weights in 10 pound increments to 100 pounds. I made them, they were sent out to be tested and certified, all passed and had certification stamp on them.

jerry lehrer wrote:Shooters,

My price for the NRA Weights is down to $75.

Jerry

PM sent

Rob Kovach wrote:The official weights are checked by NRA before they are used.  They don't have homemade weight slices like the ones Len made.

I have to chime in here.  In about 30 years of doing this, I've never had my weights checked or verified by anyone in the NRA.  While still on active duty they were certified but that cert is LONG expired.  Do your "do diligence" and try to make sure your trigger weight is correct.  There are many different methods as stated here that all work very well.  It just depends on what you have available.

Shooters,
This simple table provides the conversions between pounds and grains; you can use spare lead bullets in a sandwich baggie and a bent wire coat hanger to make an accurate way to check trigger pull weight. Place the taped hook over the trigger and lift gun slowly. Simple and cheap, dipnet

Pounds	Grains	200 gr. bullets	185 gr. bullets	158 gr. bullets	115 gr. bullets
4.0	28000	140	151.3	177.2	243.5
3.5	24500	122.5	132.4	155.1	213
3.0	21000	105	113.5	132.9	182.6
2.5	17500	87.5	94.6	110.7	152.2
2.0	14000	70	75.7	88.6	121.7
1.0	7000	35	37.8	44.3	60.9

Here is a link to another thread with a type of weight I was thinking about putting together.  Not near as nice as OldMaster's, though.

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t813-home-made-trigger-weight

KC Crawford wrote:In about 30 years of doing this, I've never had my weights checked or verified by anyone in the NRA. 

What I meant to say was the official weight sets that are used by the NRA Referees are checked and certified by the NRA.

My weights or KC's weights are not going to DQ anybody who just set a national record.  Our sets are more to see if we are close.

Rob Kovach wrote:

KC Crawford wrote:In about 30 years of doing this, I've never had my weights checked or verified by anyone in the NRA. 

What I meant to say was the official weight sets that are used by the NRA Referees are checked and certified by the NRA.

My weights or KC's weights are not going to DQ anybody who just set a national record.  Our sets are more to see if we are close.

I got a set of armorer's bench trigger weights many years ago to use in place of my RCBS spring scale. I think it made adjusting the weights of my triggers much easier. It was a great investment and I have had my triggers weighed many times at matches, but not because I set any records. They always passed. Weight is weight and as long as the weights weigh the right amount, it doesn't matter whether they are NRA Official weights or a bag 'o bullets hanging from a bent coat hanger. The important part is that shooters should have a means of accurately weighing their triggers and should check them at least once a year. I was squadded close to a Marine one time at Perry. His trigger got weighed on the line by the NRA referee. His didn't pass. With all the support available to a military shooter, I had little sympathy. I think one thing that needs to be mentioned is that weighing a trigger requires a steady hand and proper technique. Both elbows should be on the bench and the weights at eye level. This is much more important than what kind of weights are used, i.e. homemade, armorer's or NRA Official referee's weights.

Weighing my triggers before each important match is part of my match prep process. The last thing I want to have to do when at a match is adjust my trigger weight. Overkill yes but it's just one less distraction.

- Dave