Triggers - flat or curved

[700 LTR 223]

Have a P365 with curved trigger and P365X with flat trigger. I shoot the P365X better but that is due having a red dot sight on it. I could switch slides next time and shoot the P365X slide on the curve trigger frame of the P365 but I doubt there will be any noticeable difference in accuracy as these are not target pistols.

On a gun like my P226 there is no way I would want a flat trigger with the DA capability. From shooting revolvers the curved trigger just feels right to me.

 

[Treel98]

I'm very picky honestly. Striker fired pistols round, DA round, SA flat, ar15s flat or round.

 

[MrSmitty]

I like my triggers like I like my wife, curvy, and light to set off........

 

[kjdoski]

It depends on the platform.

-In a 1911, a flat trigger lets you be sloppy in where you place your finger, without affecting accuracy.
-On a DA or Striker fired pistol, I find that they generally increase trigger reach, and lead to a longer arc of pull.
-I am not a fan, at all, of Sig's flat triggers.
-I generally don't do aftermarket triggers in carry guns, but I've tried a bunch on my "range/competition" Glocks over the years, and the only one that I still own is the PolyDAT.
-S&W's new flattish trigger on the Shield is very nice, and the flattish trigger on the P10C seemed like a nice upgrade from a Gen4 and earlier Glock trigger.

 

[fzd]

For AR platform I'd go with single stage flat triggers or two stages curved triggers.

 

[russc2542]

I think we need to know the OP's gun. There's more to trigger ergonomics than just flat/curved.

Curved on everything for the various reasons already stated (fit, reference point, consistent placement for consistent leverage, consistent angle). Within moderation though, I'm not a big fan of super curved triggers like old style CZs (the ones shown above are CZ85 and newer) and most revolvers.

I've shot flat triggers on occasion and was just meh. I could see it on a 1911 or similar gun where the trigger travels in a line rather than pivoting because then there's no change in leverage.

 

[Lost Californian]

I think we need to know the OP's gun. There's more to trigger ergonomics than just flat/curved.

Curved on everything for the various reasons already stated (fit, reference point, consistent placement for consistent leverage, consistent angle). Within moderation though, I'm not a big fan of super curved triggers like old style CZs (the ones shown above are CZ85 and newer) and most revolvers.

I've shot flat triggers on occasion and was just meh. I could see it on a 1911 or similar gun where the trigger travels in a line rather than pivoting because then there's no change in leverage.

Been reading lots and lots of articles and opinions about this, and still not sure what or why different guns would use flat or curved triggers.

Anyways, I have two S&W M&P M2.0 pistols, .45 full size and .40 compact. Both triggers cause pain after a range session. Most likely going to go with the curved triggers, just because I have no flat triggers on anything.

 

[cedartop]

It depends on the platform.

-In a 1911, a flat trigger lets you be sloppy in where you place your finger, without affecting accuracy.
-On a DA or Striker fired pistol, I find that they generally increase trigger reach, and lead to a longer arc of pull.
-I am not a fan, at all, of Sig's flat triggers.
-I generally don't do aftermarket triggers in carry guns, but I've tried a bunch on my "range/competition" Glocks over the years, and the only one that I still own is the PolyDAT.
-S&W's new flattish trigger on the Shield is very nice, and the flattish trigger on the P10C seemed like a nice upgrade from a Gen4 and earlier Glock trigger.

Saved me from typing it out.

 

[Virch]

I recently picked up a P320 and while I liked the trigger pull, I was dismayed by how far left I was shooting it. Especially because I was able to switch to a Glock and a 1911 and be dead on, like I normally shoot. I was so frustrated that I went to trade the gun in. At the show, though, I struck up a conversation with the owner and some of the employees. One mentioned that he has short fingers and with a Sig, he always needs a flat trigger to not shoot to the left. We compared finger size and we pretty much have the exact same hand/finger size. I picked up a Sig flat faced trigger and viola, back on target. It shocked the hell out of me. I think it's due to the wide palm swells the standard 320 grip has.

All this aside, I have curved triggers on almost every other firearm I own.

 

[russc2542]

Been reading lots and lots of articles and opinions about this, and still not sure what or why different guns would use flat or curved triggers.

Anyways, I have two S&W M&P M2.0 pistols, .45 full size and .40 compact. Both triggers cause pain after a range session. Most likely going to go with the curved triggers, just because I have no flat triggers on anything.

Those have the top/bottom hinged safety trigger, right? Could be the seam is biting you or acting as a pressure point. I tend to have a very high grip and accordingly my finger rides high on the trigger and on occasion with the M&Ps, could even ride so high as to not activate the safety half as designed which is why I don't have any M&Ps.

curved vs flat leverage:
Largely it's marketing. It's not the traditional thing so it must be the hot new thing which means it must be better.

Physics wise, it has to do with how the trigger moves. Most guns have a pivoting trigger. There's a pin that acts as a fulcrum above your finger, you touch the long end of the lever and the short end of the lever is connected to the rest of the trigger mechanism. If you put your finger high on the trigger, you get less distance but more effort. Put it low and you have more distance/less effort. All thanks to leverage.

Pictures may help. Point A is the trigger pivot pin, B is where the linkage attaches. Distance E from A to B is fixed but the length of the arm your finger makes is variable. If you ride high at point C you have a short length F wheras if you position it low at point D you have a longer lever G. the ratio of E to F and E to G is different so you could have a different force and distances involved so in my mind, a pivoting trigger is better when curved to more consistently place your finger. Put it too high or low and it slides down the slope to the bottom of the curve. With a flat trigger, there's nothing to "encourage" the same placement.


On a 1911, the trigger travels straight back rather than pivoting. No pivots so no leverage so it doesn't matter where on the trigger your finger is placed, it's always the same pull weight and distance thus curved or flat is irrelevant.

 

[hANNAbONE]

I am a Velocity Trigger guy for all my AR's

This is pretty much heaven shooting my 5.56's & .308's