Any recommendations for a trigger weight gauge?

[Rustam Bana]

Have come across three versions - Gehmann's, the RCBS spring gauge and the Lyman Digital gauge.

I have used the Gehmann very briefly but it does not have as broad a measuring range as the other two.

Would appreciate user comments on the above as well as any other recommendations.

Thanks.

Rustam

[F. Paul in Denver]

Rustam,

I've only been to a very few international matches where trigger were weighed. In every case, triggers were weighed with actual weights and not electronic or spring devices.

The ONLY method I would be comfortable using on my guns to check them at home before a match is the same protocol I know they will use at a match.

F. Paul

[Rustam Bana]

It's the same here, Paul. However, I have found that the LP10P that I use does need to have it's trigger weight reset about twice a year at the very least. As far as possible I would prefer to have a constant 300 gram and 250 gram split for the first and second stage respectively.

I use a friend's Gehmann gauge but this is only possible once a year when we meet at the nationals.

However, the Gehmann's are more or less event specific which would mean having to buy all four or five of their gauges and they aren't exactly cheap.

Rustam

[deleted1]

I think that the Lyman gauge is only useful for "ball park" figures---there are too many issues with this gauge and "sensitive" trigger weights. I would speak highly regarding the Gehmann set.

[Rustam Bana]

Thanks Bob. Will just have to buy the Gehmann's in stages if they are the only reliable one's around.

Rustam

[mjfa]

Check first with our host Pilkguns, if they don't have it then you may try Champion's Choice. I know the latter has a set that includes the rods and several weights for ISSF and NRA rifle and pistol events for around $85.

[David Levene]

Check first with our host Pilkguns, if they don't have it then you may try Champion's Choice. I know the latter has a set that includes the rods and several weights for ISSF and NRA rifle and pistol events for around $85.

I got the impression that Rustam was after the dial type gauges (to set up a 2 stage trigger) as opposed to simple weights. It is worth remembering though that for ISSF equipment control you must use weights.

[Guest]

Did mine for less then $5.00.

1. Take a can and drill two holes opposing each other through the can.

2. String 18" of a ligth gauge wise (like that used for haning piuctures.

3. Take two rolls of pennies, nickels and dimes along wiht the can/wire down to the post office to use their scale (measures in grams and oz.).

4. Add change until you get to 500+ grams (I set mine at 515 to be safe).

Or you can spend $85.00.

Jim

[Rustam Bana]

Jim,

Your method isn't too far off from mine. ;-)

For a 'pan', I use a plastic lid from a large jar with some holes around the rim for the thread that needs to go through. Saddlers thread is used to suspend the 'pan' from the trigger blade. For weights I use pellets as their weights are known.

However, this method is relatively more time consuming.

Rustam

[Rustam Bana]

I got the impression that Rustam was after the dial type gauges (to set up a 2 stage trigger) as opposed to simple weights.

That is correct.

I suspect that the state of our roads and the differences in indoor and outdoor temperatures may well be why my trigger setting changes so often.

Last year I had checked the trigger weight with the club's official weight just before going to a comp in another city and was amazed to find that it failed the test and all this in a matter of days. Worth noting that the city I visited has an average temperature that is at least 10 deg. Celcius more than where I come from.

Rustam

[RJP]

For inexpensive weights, I use a full tin of pellets. 500 pellets x 0.5gm = 250 gm total weight. Suspend the correct number of tins from a bent coat hanger or some other suspension arraingment and you have a really cheap, reasonably accurate metric trigger weight guage.

[guest]

I use 3" spiral framing nails. Amazingly consistent at 4.80g each (check the case lot number to ensure consistency :-). I put these in an old water bottle with a coat hangar through the lid (Water bottle with 12" lenght of coat hangar weighs 35g). I also have the lyman guage, but find that with it I can pull through the trigger, to sometimes get a higher reading than actually works the trigger.

[mitty]

The only problem with cheap weights, and I am a bonafide cheapskate, is that you have to know how much they weigh. They are only as accurate as the scale you used to measure them with. So if you want to go really nuts:

In the U.S., you will find government people called "Weights & Measures." Start at http://www.ncwm.net/statewmdir.pdf These are the folks that make sure you get ten gallons when you pay for ten, six ounces when you pay for six, etc. (In Europe, there is an "Organization for Legal Metrology" that goes by "OIML" but I do not know anything beyond that. In Canada, the national organization is "Measurement Canada.")

If you contact one of these offices and ask for someone in "metrology" they will probably be very helpful in suggesting inexpensive ways to get your weights checked. I have worked with W&M in the gas pump arena and they are uniformly (1) underappreciated and (2) great guys. At the state level, they are usually part of the Dept. of Agriculture, but there are county and city W&M offices in some places as well. I know a number of the state directors and any of them will be happy to talk to you, or their staff will be happy to direct you.

[Southpaw]

I used coat hanger wire to suspend the weight fashioned after the guage in the Gehmann catalogue (almost free), and a chocolate syrup can (enjoyed a few delicious sundae's first) to hold the weight and used cast rifle bullets for most of the weight and #7 shot for fine tuning the weight. Luckily I have an old balance beam postal scale, so I have now prepackaged the weight in plastic bags so I can add or subtract weights to scale AP (500g) and Sporting rifle (1000g) and so on. OH, also used some electrical shrink wrap on the part that rests on the trigger shoe.
Looks make shift, but works great. Never get surprised at a match.
Regards,
Southpaw

[scout18]

Howdy, I made a weight from a 3/8" ubolt from ace hardware. I weighed a 3/8" nut on the stores certified scale, and multilpied by how many I needed, and threaded them on. 1.11 pounds for AP for about 4 dollars. I could take a photo and send it if you like.

[Rustam Bana]

Thank you. Some very ingenious solutions indeed! :-)

Rustam

[Mark Briggs]

We all have our recipes for homemade weights. Mine consists of a 1/4" diameter brass rod which has been shaped to replicate the Gehmann or other official weights (including a "knife edge" filed into the area that mates with the trigger). I then used reclaimed pellets which were melted in a small tin can to make up the remainder of the weight required. The brass rod is threaded to mate with a nut which is cast into the lead weight. This makes as near a duplicate of the "official" thing as one can get. By casting new weights I can very inexpensively have a weight for each discipline I choose to shoot. The added bonus is that one can slide 1/4" washers onto the brass rod, thereby increasing the total weight in handy increments. My air pistols will all lift my 500 gram weight, plus two washers (9.2 grams each) so I know I've got at least an 18 gram margin of safety.

Since I have a Co2 powered air pistol I also have an accurate digital scale for filling my Co2 cylinders. This is also very handy when it comes to verifying the weight of my trigger tester. And I've double-checked its accuracy against the certified scale in our local post office. In this manner I've got as close to a certified weight as possible, for a net investment of only about $5.00

[funtoz]

The only problem with cheap weights, and I am a bonafide cheapskate, is that you have to know how much they weigh. They are only as accurate as the scale you used to measure them with. So if you want to go really nuts:
************

The easiest way to check your weights is to visit someone who reloads for center fire rifle or pistol. Most will have a beam balance scale that is more than sufficient for making trigger test weights.

Larry