Air Pistol Electronic vs Mechanical trigger

[svensta]

Is there an advantage to having an electronic trigger in terms of maintainence?
If something goes wrong is it a lot more expensive to fix or for long term durability
would a more traditional trigger be a safer, more maintainable bet?

[David M]

Maintenance required on either trigger is minimal if the triggers are set up well.
Keep both clean and the moving parts lubricated maybe every 12 months.
Trigger weights should not change much over a year, but check before each
big match.
One warning with electronic triggers and the greatest cause of damage is
leaking batteries. Check and change the batteries often, within 12 months and with
very good quality batteries.
Do not leave in a pistol for a long time unused to go flat and leak.

[Misny]

I don't consider maintenance a factor in choosing a trigger on an air pistol. As has been said, there is little maintenance involved with either. I like the consistency of an electronic trigger. I don't consider a mechanical trigger to have any safety advantage over an electronic. It is rare to have problems with electronic triggers as long as the batteries are kept somewhat fresh. Like all electronic equipment, if you aren't going to use it for an extended period, remove the batteries.

[conradin]

There is not a whole lot of cleaning to do with an air pistol anyway, and that usually involve shooting a cleaning pellet. Just make sure the electronic board is clean, and don't leave your battery for too long a period to avoid leaking.

[sillymike]

Personally, I like mechanical triggers. Even though the 'electronic' might offer a gain in performance.


My 2cents
I've been working in IT for the last 20 years... Seems like all electronics have built in obsolescence. I don't mind replacing my 'obsolete' electronic devices every few years, they are tax-write-off... Not so with my AP.. but I wish it was ;-)

If something goes wrong with a mechanical trigger. I can have a look at it. Might be able to fix it or at least know someone who can fix it (or make the broken parts if needs be)... Not so with electronic triggers.

I know electronic triggers have come a long way in the last few decades... But I cannot help but think of the Walther FP 'situation'...

[Rover]

Words of wisdom from Conradin.

I don't know, but having friends who Electrical Engineers, I suspect that electronic triggers are not difficult to repair if you have a friend at Radio Shack.

[BEA]

I do not own an electronic trigger of any sort, not that I wouldn't love to. I see the main issue as this...if you have a problem with a mechanical trigger, you can simply replace a part. If you have a problem with an electronic trigger, you probably have to replace the entire module, which I imagine is much more expensive than a mechanical part.The old springer FWB air pistols that we started with required only slightly more maintenance than a screwdriver. As the technology has increased, so has the required maintenance. When we moved from the springers to the CO2, they too were very extremely durable, only occasionally requiring a seal...more often than the springers. The new breed of compressed air types definitely need more maintenance, but it is not due the electronics but rather due to the high pressure these pistol contain and control. Personally, any type of air pistol that I have ever had, I could shoot the crap out of it with no issues, and I think you will find this to be the case with any of the new ones. But, due to the high pressure, the seals will require service more often...not the trigger, regardless of which trigger you have. I did a lot of shooting at the national level for a long time, and it seems that the shooters that had the most trouble with their equipment were the ones that continually monkeyed with it...thinking they could monkey their way to good scores. So, decide what money you have to spend, then see what is in your range. If you like electronic, buy one. There are lots of top shooters using them. If you decide you like mechanical, buy one. There are lots of top shooters using them. Trigger likes and dislikes are very subjective, so shoot something before you buy if possible. If you don't have the opportunity to try all of them, buy the one you think is the best looking. If it is one of the top brands, trust me, it will serve you well. The highest score I ever shot was with a FWB 2, and it was a pretty darn good score, one that I never equaled despite moving on to newer and more sophisticated models. Currently, I am shooting a Pardini K12 and absolutely love it. I loved all the others too, but truthfully, to love shooting your air pistol, you are going to have to love the way it looks too. If you are proud to own it, you will shoot more, and if you shoot more, you are likely to shoot better.

[David M]

Most electronic triggers I have repaired are either simple broken wire,
broken switch or battery box connectors.
Major repairs are board replacements caused by battery failure (leaking).
My first electronic trigger Morini was 1985 (I think), the only repair was
a broken solenoid wire (fatigue) resoldered and this pistol is still
being used.

[sparky]

After reading the horror stories of Walther free pistols with electronic triggers that were no longer supported, I'm hesitant about electronic triggers. Worst case scenario with a mechanical trigger, you can make (or pay someone to make) a part, probably relatively cheap. Folks are using S&W revolver trigger return springs and paperclips to successfully keep TOZ-35s going. If a pre-printed circuit board goes out and nobody is printing them anymore, you have a very expensive paperweight.

[NanoZ.]

In my city humidity is very high, this affects many things, not only electronic.
A team mate has a morini 162ei that has stopped working, because of humidity.
If you buy a pistol (air or free) and live in a city like this, where there is no technical service of any brand, you can only go by mechanical trigger.