Breaking Down Trigger Creep: What It Is and How to Eliminate It

Introduction

There are many aspects of accuracy and proficiency with your rifle; some involve physical skill, and others require knowledge. Today, we will build on your understanding by discussing trigger creep, its importance, and how to address it.

 

Why Trigger Creep is a Problem for Shooters

Before we can discuss why trigger creep is a problem, we need to define what trigger creep is. To achieve this, we must determine the various stages a trigger goes through, from initial contact to the shot being fired.

• Take-up: Also known as pre-travel, refers to the initial movement of the trigger before resistance is felt. It is the slack or play in a trigger and helps to prevent accidental or premature firing.
• The Wall: This is the point at which significant resistance is felt, and the take-up or pre-travel has been exhausted.
• Creep: This refers to any movement detected between when the Wall is reached and the seal breaks.
• Break: This is when the sear is released, allowing the hammer or striker to be released and a shot to be fired.
• Overtravel: any movement of the trigger after the sear has broken and until it reaches a mechanical stop.

So why is trigger creep a problem? Trigger creep is a problem because the longer a shooter has to apply pressure to the trigger, the greater the chance sight alignment will be negatively impacted. This extra movement is especially detrimental during the creep stage, as there is little time for the shooter to notice or correct it before the sear breaks.

 

How Trigger Creep Develops in Rifle Triggers

The most common cause of trigger creep is an imperfect engagement of the sear and hammer. On lower-end rifles, this could be due to poor manufacturing or faulty parts, although in this situation, the excess creep would be noticeable almost immediately.

If your rifle develops trigger creep over time, it is also due to sear and hammer engagement but is more likely brought on by wear and tear rather than faulty manufacturing. Damage to either surface, loosening of the trigger mechanism, or even debris can all result in misalignment of the sear and trigger, which will eventually lead to increased trigger creep.

 

How to Recognize Trigger Creep in Your Rifle

Recognizing trigger creep in your rifle is done through a combination of feel and observations. Most experienced shooters will feel a difference in the trigger after hitting the Wall. Sometimes, this will be a gritty or slipping feel; other times, it can simply feel like it is taking longer than usual to break. In either situation, there is reason for concern and a significant probability that the culprit is trigger creep.

If you think you are feeling trigger creep, the next step is to confirm through observation. With an empty weapon, slowly dry fire and watch (or have someone else watch for you) as the trigger moves through the various phases. Pay special attention to the point between hitting the Wall and the trigger breaking. If there is continued rearward movement between these points, you are experiencing trigger creep.

It is important to note that some firearms have a small amount of trigger creep, even when new. This remains a concern, as even slight trigger creep can be detrimental. However, if additional trigger creep is observed, it is more likely to cause poor performance due to the damage or wear and tear mentioned earlier.

 

How to Eliminate Trigger Creep: Rifle Basix Solutions

The only means of successfully addressing trigger creep is to improve the sear & hammer connection. In some cases, a qualified gunsmith can polish the sear or hammer to improve the surface contact. Some rifle owners will even try this themselves with tools or by repeated dry firing. However, this is a tricky practice as removing material from either surface is likely to improve feel but decrease overall performance.

 For long-term improvement of trigger creep without adverse effects, the answer is the installation of a new trigger mechanism. Rifle Basix offers a wide range of high-quality replacement trigger mechanisms for various rifles specifically designed to deliver optimal performance. Some of these triggers even offer zero trigger creep to provide a cleaner, more precise trigger break.

 

How to Install a Rifle Basix Trigger

Depending on which Rifle Basix trigger you select and the rifle into which it is being installed, the process can usually be accomplished without special tools or in-depth mechanical knowledge. In many cases, the trigger assemblies are designed to be dropped in. This requires loosening a few screws, removing the old assembly, inserting the new Rifle Basix assembly, and then tightening the screws. Everything is pre-assembled.

In other cases, additional work is required, such as removing the stock or assembling the trigger group. All Rifle Basix products come with easy-to-follow instructions; however, if you find that doing so is outside your comfort level, any competent gunsmith can assist you.

 

Improve Overall Accuracy with a Quality Trigger

Whether you are trying to correct trigger creep or want to replace a factory trigger that is simply not living up to your expectations, Rifle Basix is here to meet all your performance trigger needs. The one simple step of replacing an inferior trigger with a Rifle Basix upgrade can improve feel, accuracy, and overall rifle performance.