Stacking the trigger-What does it mean?

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 5:03pm

What does stacking the trigger mean?

**SFGOON** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 5:53pm

Where did you hear it used and in what context? That's a new one on me, but if someone asked me to "go bus' a cap in hi' ass!" I wouldn't get that either.

**Pandinha** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 8:11pm

Do you mean, Rocking the trigger?

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 9:35pm

After a bit of Google-Fu, I didn't find anything about stacking THE trigger. However, I did find a description: a trigger which is stacking is one which is inconsistent. It has a hitch where if feels like the mechanism comes to a stop and you have to pull a little harder - like the pull pressure has to "stack up" before the mechanism (probably the sear) will continue the cycle to fire. After the mechanism moves over the "stack", the pull pressure to fire will drop back down again.

A stacking trigger - could this be what you mean?

**SFGOON** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 10:11pm

Oh - the first and second pressures. When you're presicion shooting - what Kagan said. Some shooters want a good measure of first pressure - I tuned mine not to have any at all. It's all about trigger control - snipers have to be very precise about when they fire and cannot afford to "be a little bit surprised" when the round discharges.

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 5/27/2006 10:13pm

Some people refer to "stacking" the trigger when they take the trigger part of the way through the pull--on a double action trigger, the double action will take a longer and heavier pull than single action.
Some shooters train to pull the trigger partway as they confirm their sight picture.
I don't like this in the real world because it seems too easy to fire accidentally, but in competition many people like it.

The perfect trigger would be very difficult to "stack" this way because it would have none of the "stacking" described in the post above. The pull would be smooth and the pressure would build perfectly evenly until you hit the "break" (the point where the sear trips and the round fires.) The break would be instant, like breaking a thin rod of glass, and it would be a total surprise. There should be no sign that it's coming at all.

An inconsistent, "stacking" trigger like the one Tom describes will often lead the shooter to try to guess where the break will be, which translates to moving the gun. If you did a good job of acquiring the sight picture, then moving the gun means you miss.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 5/30/2006 10:16am

Originally Posted by Don Gwinn

Some people refer to "stacking" the trigger when they take the trigger part of the way through the pull--on a double action trigger, the double action will take a longer and heavier pull than single action.
Some shooters train to pull the trigger partway as they confirm their sight picture.
I don't like this in the real world because it seems too easy to fire accidentally, but in competition many people like it.

Oh my. One of the disadvantages of living in NYC is that I don't do anywhere near enough shooting. But, the above strikes me as belonging in the same category as the "don't worry it's not loaded" method of clearing the chamber.

Is this something anyone would even want to consider outside of elite level sport shooting in one of the non-modified categories with a DA/SA or DAO weapon?

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 5/30/2006 1:10pm

I think Don Gwinn is correct, unfortunately I'll never know. Basically, my friend was at the range and one of the range officers complimented him on how he was "stacking the trigger". He asked me what it meant, and I said I have no idea but he described what he was doing and I decided to ask here.