We all enjoy a good quality trigger. When handling a firearm for the first time, the first thing many of us do (after ensuring it’s empty) is immediately check the firearm’s trigger. Back in my gun store days, the trigger was a constant Goldilocks scenario of the customer trying to find one that felt “just right.” This desire for shooters to find a suitable trigger is understandable though. There is a direct correlation between the quality of the trigger and the capability for precision marksmanship (if the skills are sound) as well as faster follow-up shots.
Recently, I acquired a Zev Pro Flat Face Trigger. During review and testing with this trigger, I felt some noticeable improvements in my shooting. The trigger pre-travel was shorter and the reset was slightly faster. I noted split times (time from one shot to the next) were slightly faster from a factory Glock trigger (.14 seconds) to the Zev trigger (.12 seconds). While I was confident in my subjective perception, objective data provides an identifiable metric for how much improvement a shooter experiences at the hands of their training regimen and equipment upgrades. Thus, with a case of ammo and shot timer in hand, I headed to the range to see just how much of a difference a trigger upgrade can provide a shooter.
Firearm Setup and Testing Metrics
For this test, I stuck with a weapons platform I was proficient in and had extensive experience with — the Glock 17. I’ve lost count of the tens of thousands of rounds I’ve put through a Glock 17 — much less the Glock platform — and have an intimate feel for its factory trigger. The Glock trigger is nothing special but it works. With practice (both live and dry fire), a shooter can master that trigger with surprising competency. As I’ve preached regularly, the performance of the firearm is largely limited to the shooter’s mastery of the basics of shooting skills: grip, sight picture, sight alignment, and trigger control. There are limitations to this as some firearms are, well, just absolute trash.
This test used a Glock 17 Gen4 MOS topped with a Holosun SCS and Surefire X300 Ultra. By shooting these drills on the same firearm with the same setup on the same shooter, the variables should be minimized in the data. The only difference between the two is the triggers. In the past, I’ve tested firearms and equipment in order of the most basic (stock, no optics, etc.) to the most Gucci (e.g. optics, higher cost/quality firearms, etc.). For this one, I decided to do things in a surprising order. I started with the Zev trigger and then obtained scores from the stock trigger. If anything, the stock trigger would provide the shooter (me) with the advantage of being warmed up and not shooting any of the drills “cold”. If anything, the results would err on the side of the minimum difference between these two triggers.
For reference, the Glock factory trigger measured around five pounds while the Zev measured around 3.5 pounds. The Zev trigger was a flat-face style with noticeably shorter reset and pre-travel. The Glock trigger was…a Glock trigger. The trigger limits (or enhances) two things for the shooter: their precision (or accuracy) and speed. Speed is best defined as time on first shot in conjunction with follow-up shots. As in previous tests I’ve conducted here, I set up a series of common drills that isolated the metrics for testing those two skills.
The drills consisted of the Bill Drill, 10/10/10, Mozambique, and the No Fail Pistol drill. Each of these drills varied in importance between accuracy versus speed — two critical components affected by the quality of a trigger. For instance, the Bill Drill requires speed with less stringent requirements on accuracy. The No Fail pistol drill requires impeccable accuracy with a somewhat stringent time component (I have yet to pass this drill, but hope to do so eventually). Drills like the Mozambique require rapid engagement by the shooter followed by a precision head shot. The Bill Drill was repeated three times to develop an average while Mozambique was shot twice to obtain a rough average.
Better Trigger = Better Score
I’m certain this is nothing ground-breaking to anyone reading this. Trigger quality inherently helps the shooter be more accurate and, in some cases, faster. The answer sought today is primarily in response to the question, “How much improvement do I see in upgrading my trigger?” The data suggests immediate hit factor improvement for the shooter in the range of 20% or more between the factory Glock trigger and the Zev. For those unfamiliar with hit factor, it’s your score (5 points per hit) divided by the total time required to accomplish the drill. A higher hit factor relative to others performing that course of fire is considered more accurate with a faster (or fastest) time.
In reviewing the data, the repetition of drills like the Bill Drill and Mozambique could skew the results by providing more weight to those drills in the hit factor overall average. If averaged by each individual string of fire for each drill, the improvement was around 25% from the stock trigger to the Zev trigger.
In contrast, averaging the strings of fire from the Bill Drill and Mozambique resulted in a 21% improvement from stock to aftermarket. While there is a difference between the two metrics, there is significant improvement from stock to aftermarket. As mentioned earlier, split times were a few hundredths of a second faster from factory to aftermarket. The data gleaned from these drills confirms anecdotal observations into quantifiable articulation. Nevertheless, I provide this data as a byproduct of my performance. Other people’s results may vary.
The Liability of an Aftermarket Trigger
Over the years, there has been discussion — and at times prosecution — over the notorious “hair” trigger. When replacing a factory trigger with an aftermarket, this should be at the forefront of anyone’s mind. If this is purely for a range and competition tool, disregard. However, firearms used in a defensive capacity have a different application than target firearms.
The primary issue is liability in installing an aftermarket trigger that resulted in a negligent discharge. There is a distinct difference between changing a trigger with 3/8” travel from five pounds to four pounds and gaining a shorter take-up, cleaner press, and shorter reset versus installing a trigger with 1/8” travel and two-pound pull weight. For triggers, there is a point where the user runs the risk of a negligent discharge because the travel, weight, and sear engagement are not suitable for defensive carry.
When a negligent discharge from an aftermarket trigger becomes a non-issue, the primary concern narrows to when the firearm is used in a defensive capacity. In my carry of a defensive firearm, any modifications to the pistol were performed for two reasons: to more efficiently and safely end the threat while reducing the possibility of missed shots that could result in injury to innocents or property. The grip on my Glock 17 has been modified to provide better purchase and presentation during draw and shooting under adverse conditions. The iron sights were swapped for ones that were easier to see and use with the later addition of an optic for the same purpose. The addition of an aftermarket trigger (mine measured around 4.5 pounds after keeping the factory striker spring) provided a smoother press, shorter creep (or pre-travel), more defined wall, and shorter reset. This reduced (in the real world it rarely truly eliminates it) the likelihood of an errant shot striking an unintended target whereas it meant more precise hits on the intended target. The shorter reset provides faster follow-up shots as many lethal threats require more than one hit to them to appropriately stop their violent assault.
The decision to swap out your trigger for an aftermarket one has pros and cons. A better trigger doesn’t mean an unskilled shooter will necessarily shoot competently. It just means they will shoot better. Nice gear does not equal competency. The shooter needs to decide on what works best for them but also doesn’t exceed their abilities by providing an inherently dangerous trigger (case in point — the YouTube-famous gentleman who shot himself in the leg with a 1911). The benefit of many aftermarket triggers is undeniable. Just keep in mind they’re not a replacement for competency.
