Double Trigger questions

[NCrebel2533]

ok i am a newbie to BP and dont really understand the double trigger system. i like the single trigger look but i want to know which one is better.

 

[tv_racin_fan]

Better??? Guess it depends on the use you have in mind.

The double trigger allows one to have a "hunting" trigger and a "target" trigger on the same gun. Hunting being you cock the hammer and the front trigger is now active at the "normal" pull, pull the rear trigger and the front trigger is now set as light as you like for "target" work. I once set mine so that all I need do was bump the stock lightly to fire when I was testing to see just how lightly I could "safely" set it. There are single set triggers out there and I can not explain how they work in any fashion as I have never touched one.

 

[NCrebel2533]

so is it necessary to pull the rear trigger to fire the rifle or can i just pull the first trigger?

 

[Rogue River]

All the ones I have all you have do is pull the the cock all the way back and pull the front trigger if you are hunting. If you are target shooting then you pull the cock all the way back, pull the rear trigger to set the front trigger for a more sensitive release. Between the triggers is a set screw that the more you screw in the more sensitive the front trigger gets.

 

[Zonie]

If your gun is a commercially made gun you do not have to "set" the rear trigger to fire the gun.

Just cock the hammer to full cock and pull the front trigger. That will drop the hammer (or cock if it is a Flintlock).

If you want a very light trigger pull, you can do like tv racing fan said and pull the rear trigger to "set" the triggers. The rear trigger by the way is actually just a way of cocking a heavy spring inside the trigger assembly.
With the rear trigger "set", a very light touch on the front trigger will release the rear trigger which will cause the cocked hammer to fall.

All is not free however.
The general design of many set triggers makes firing the gun without "setting" the rear trigger and using the front trigger only a fairly heavy trigger pull.
In other words, firing the gun using just the front trigger often has a long heavy trigger pull.

A word about "Half-Cock":
There is a special little device inside your lock that allows it to work with these Set Triggers.
It is called a "fly".

The thing you need to know about it is that once the hammer is fully cocked you cannot just pull the front trigger and lower the hammer directly to the half cock position.
If you do, the hammer may seem to stop at half-cock but it is not really at half cock.
The internal parts of the lock may "hang up" on the fly and any bump can cause it to fall to the fired position.

The way to get around this is with the hammer fully cocked and your thumb holding it, pull the front trigger and allow the hammer to gently move down to almost the fired position.
Then, raise the hammer until you hear the distinctive sound of the lock going to the "half-cock" position. In this position the front trigger should not be able to release the hammer.

Another thing you need to know about your double set triggers.
With the hammer in the fired position you may set and fire the triggers as many times as you wish to.
This is handy for practicing firing the triggers from a "set" position and giving you a good feel for using the gun.
The thing you must never do is to set the hammer in the half-cock position and then set and release the triggers.
Doing this may break the locks sear or tumbler or both.

I hope this helps.
Have fun.

 

[NCrebel2533]

ok thank you for your comments. i understand it completely now. does anybody know any good beginner kits? i looking at the Pedersoli pennslyvania in 50cal from dixiegunworks.

 

[Zonie]

IMO, Pedersoli's guns are usually of quite high quality. Unfortunately they are also usually quite high priced.

I've read some pretty good things about their Pennsylvania but I don't own one. I'm sure someone else will chime in before long.

As for your term "beginners kits" if you are speaking of the things needed to shoot your gun you would be better off buying the individual components rather than buying a "kit".

As the Pennsylvania comes in both Flint and Percussion I would advise waiting until you order your gun so you will know what you will need to get.
Let us know and we can tell you what you absolutism must have to shoot your gun. I'm sure you will also hear about a lot of things that aren't absolutely necessary but would be good to own.

If you are speaking of "kit" as in a semi finished rifle they can provide a lot of fun just building them. These kits from Pedersoli (and Traditions and Lyman) are semi finished guns that require a little hand fitting of the metal parts, a lot of sanding and then applying the final oil type finish. They are a good place to start if you want to build your own gun.
Check out the Gun Builders Bench on our forum. It is designed for folks just like you who are new to building a gun and are willing to ask questions.

Speaking of Flintlocks, you need to know that they don't work well at all with the modern synthetic black powders like Pyrodex and 777.
They need to use real black powder and most gun stores don't carry it.
Call around in your area and ask the gun stores, "Do you sell real black powder?". If one says "yes" be sure to remember them.
The real black powder works far better in all muzzleloaders so if you find it, buy some.

OH. I almost forgot to mention that I see in the Dixie Catalog they also carry the Pedersoli "Kentucky" which is a little shorter and about $100 less expensive.

 

[NCrebel2533]

ok, actually i was looking for a kit to build over the winter

 

[michael dismukes]

Hey Buddy. My first BP gun was exactly that model from Dixie in kit form. The quality was great for the price and a novice should have no problem completing it.
It should arrive fully assembled, with the stock in the white and 100% inletted (for barrel, lock, trigger, ramrod and the furniture), but very rough. You will need to sand it to desired shape, stain and finish it. The metal will not be finished either. You can either brown it or let it patina naturally. I used Laurel Mountain stains, permalyn finish and barrel brown and it still hangs proudly on the wood valance in my dining room. Sparks reliably with English grey flints (my personal faves) and shoots very straight. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
PS- I agree with the other gentleman here, stay away from synthetic powders and use GOEX.

 

[NCrebel2533]

was your kit 50 caliber or 45?

 

[michael dismukes]

50 cal. flinter

 

[NCrebel2533]

does anybody know if you can change the double trigger out for a single trigger?

 

[MercerLake]

:v You may simply use the front trigger a heavy single trigger. Or there are numerous aftermarket/replacement triggers available. Also several shops have the necessary parts to construct a replacement trigger. Have fun! :v

 

[Deadeye]

Yes, you can do that or there's also a single set trigger, a single trigger that can be pulled normally or pushed forward and then will be set for a very light pull. For accuracy the set trigger offers a big advantage.
Deadeye

 

[smokymtnsmokepole]

Don't know why anyone would want to switch it for a single-the set trigger gives you a lot more accuracy IMO. And I don't understand the hunting/target analogy-hunting is when I really want to use that hair trigger. It doesn't matter much to me if I hit a paper bullseye, but it matters very much to me whether or not I hit a deer exactly where I'm wanting to hit it. I'm personally much more accurate with a set -trigger gun, anyway.

 

[J.D.]

ok thank you for your comments. i understand it completely now. does anybody know any good beginner kits? i looking at the Pedersoli pennslyvania in 50cal from dixiegunworks.

IMHO, I would shop around for a better price. IMHO, Dixie can be outrageous in their pricing.

God bless

 

[Zonie]

does anybody know if you can change the double trigger out for a single trigger?

That depends on the gun and what your level of skill at gunsmithing is.

With many of the guns on the market, it's not a simple as just taking one trigger out and installing another one.
The trigger plate (the metal plate on the bottom of the gun that the trigger(s) are often attached to) serves more than one purpose.
It often is the "nut" for the tang bolt that holds the barrel onto the stock. With guns that use this method one cannot just throw away the old plate without replacing it with a new one made for the simple single trigger.
A competent gunsmith could make a new trigger plate and install a simple single trigger without a problem.

There are some custom double set triggers made to replace the factory triggers but that does not eliminate the rear "set" trigger.
That rear "set" trigger by the way is not really a trigger. It is a cocking device to "cock" the trigger so that just a slight pressure is required on the front (the real) trigger to fire the gun.

If you buy a gun with a double set trigger assembly I suggest that you try it out before you give serious thought to replacing it.
Many have found that these two trigger, double set triggers are easy to learn to use and they can provide two different methods of firing the gun.

 

[NCrebel2533]

ok thank you for your comments. i understand it completely now. does anybody know any good beginner kits? i looking at the Pedersoli pennslyvania in 50cal from dixiegunworks.

IMHO, I would shop around for a better price. IMHO, Dixie can be outrageous in their pricing.

God bless

do you know a better place that sells the same gun or similar gun? i am open to opinions

 

[tv_racin_fan]

As I recall the hunting/target thing was how it was explained in the manual I had. The second point I would make is you can cock the hammer back quietly but you can not set the trigger quietly, at least that is what I recall. I do however agree with you in that I want my "set" trigger set to a light hunting level and not a light target level since a target level is generally much to light for hunting.

I'd look everywhere I could find them, Midway, Midsouth, Cabela's, Bass Pro, everywhere...

 

[J.D.]

Off hand, I don't know of another supplier offering that kit, but if Dixie is offering it, someone else is likely to have it too, and probably for less.

Jim Parker does decent work at a reasonable price, so he might make an in-the-white rifle comparable to the Ped, using higher quality components. I suggest that you ask for an appropriate Chambers lock to be installed on your gun, should you decide to have Jim build one for you. He can, and will install a simple trigger with a good let off and little creep, at your request.
http://www.parkerfirearms.com/main.html

Tip Curtis might have something comparable too.
Tip Curtis Frontier Shop
P.O. Box 203
4445 Jernigan Rd.
Cross Plains, TN 37049
(615)654-4445

IMHO, I prefer to steer folks to American makers, using higher quality parts than the European mass manufacturers. With today's pricing, many American makers can match the price of foreign made guns, but offer higher quality parts and workmanship.

There are several good makers on the forum that might supply an in-the-white "kit" for about the same price or a little more, as the Ped, but with higher quality.

Set triggers can be set very quietly using the same basic technique of cocking the hammer quietly.

Personally, I haven't experienced any problems while hunting with set triggers, and always set them before the shot.

God bless