TargetTalk

Many ask about how to set the second stage weight. In example, with the air pistol, is it better to set the second stage at 200 grams, or at 150 grams, or at 100 grams? I'm trying to elaborate my personal philosophy about all that. That is "set the second stage at the *lowest* weight you can *easily* and *consistently* control." But ... is it correct?

Obviously it will be different for different people, hence why its adjustable. There is no "right" or "wrong" second stage trigger weight.

Whilst there is no right or wrong. There are suggestions.

To light of a 2nd stage travel may cause you to jerk the last little bit and cause poor shots.

To much weight may cause you to anticipate the shot release and again cause poor shots.

It took me a lot of fails in competition to discover the ideal 2nd stage weight for me. It isn't really something you can come up with in training. Everything works when there is no pressure on.

Good luck.

Because of the way your hand hand has the tendons arranged, the tension in your fingers can only be varied by a small amount to each other.
You cannot hold a firm grip with lots of tension and have a very light trigger, you loose fine feel of your trigger finger.
With this in mind, the grip tension of a Airpistol is not excessive but you need to hold it, unlike a free pistol where the grip usually hold you (full wrap around).
So you need to be able feel the second stage while having a good hold.
If the second stage is too light you will have shots that will break too soon or grabbed. If the trigger has too much second stage you will move the sights with the trigger.
I find that I need a weight that I can feel on the second stage (pull thru the fat on the finger and sit firmly on the bone), settle the hold and squeeze the shot off. I set about 200-220gm on second stage.
A small amount of rolloff second stage travel will make a heavier second stage feel lighter.