Adjusting air rifle trigger pressure

Krabryn

Well-Known Member
I have a small spring air rifle with which to teach youngsters but the trigger pressure is too high.
Can they be adjusted?
Thanks
 
.....depends on the make and model - some have a small screw (often inside the trigger guard) to permit adjustment. If it is a more basic/'lower end' air rifle it may not have this facility and then you're into the realms of sear adjustment - this the domain of someone who knows exactly what they are doing and whilst a heavy trigger for youngsters is frustrating and doesn't aid accurate shooting (been there, done that!!), an overly light - or worse, unpredictable - trigger is a liability that should be avoided at all costs....accident waiting to happen...
 
.....depends on the make and model - some have a small screw (often inside the trigger guard) to permit adjustment. If it is a more basic/'lower end' air rifle it may not have this facility and then you're into the realms of sear adjustment - this the domain of someone who knows exactly what they are doing and whilst a heavy trigger for youngsters is frustrating and doesn't aid accurate shooting (been there, done that!!), an overly light - or worse, unpredictable - trigger is a liability that should be avoided at all costs....accident waiting to happen...

If it doesn't have an anti-beartrap be very careful.
 
Thanks Merlin,
It's a SMK Model 15 Break Barrel Spring

Unfortunately it looks as though the SMK15 trigger is non-adjustable; I have to be honest, I'd be reluctant to try and alter it - and by that, I mean have it altered by a suitably qualified and knowledgeable gunsmith - simply due too the fact that 'aftermarket adjustment' of a non-adjustable trigger will void the warranty, be potentially dangerous as Eddie P quite rightly points out, and could be more expensive than the cost of the rifle.
If the rifle is being used as a 'plinker' to teach kids the basis of safe gun-handling, sharp end vs blunt end, etc, then the trigger shouldn't hamper toppling tin cans; triggers on basic air rifles are better than they were but some are still like trying to squeeze a housebrick unfortunately, which can cause a corresponding lack of accuracy. This can disappoint if you're trying to punch paper, but splatting plums or similar dynamic targets is often far more entertaining for youngsters anyway! Is there perhaps any way you could get the youngsters to wash cars/cut the garden/etc to gain 'credits' towards part-exing the SMK for something with a better trigger in due course?
 
+1 to the above. If you can adapt to shoot well with a crap trigger you can just about shoot anything else :thumb:
 
Thanks all for the great advice, points taken with just one question regarding alternative air rifles, which manufacturers should I look at for better and/or adjustable trigger pressures?
 
Thanks all for the great advice, points taken with just one question regarding alternative air rifles, which manufacturers should I look at for better and/or adjustable trigger pressures?

Hi

You could look at Weihrauch (30 or 50, think they both have adjustable triggers), BSA (supersport), Diana 34, and some of the Gamo models have adjustable triggers (.....and it looks like Sportsman Gun Centre are having a sale of various Gamo models.....)
 
Thank you all for your kind advice. I watched my grandson struggle to pull the trigger on the above mentioned child size air rifle! The trigger pressure is clearly too high for some youngsters in MHO. (It must be higher than my T3!) I am now wondering if I could commission building a bespoke child size air rifle for 5 to 8 year olds that incorporates a variable trigger pressure. So, who to turn to? What platform to look at? Can one commission a small build by an expert? They just love bursting balloons and to hit one of those ducks - Well!
Thanks again, K
 
Some of the probem that your grandson suffers in pulling the trigger are because the stock is too long.

And so he can't get a proper pull with ALL of his strength. If you take an air rifle and have the rear three inches off the butt it will be easier. Also even with that he may be splitting his strength from pulling the trigger to actually holding the thing steady. So he will be better with a shorter and lighter weight barrel weapon.

BSA used to make one, the Cadet, and you'll see them on Guntrader and many long established gun shops will have one somewhere as they aren't that popular. And a really good gun shop will even shorten the stock with a straight and flat cut, fit and finish a pad to that flat cut ened nd keep the cut off part so that it can be put back longer as he grows in size.
 
If you want something built only person I can think of would be John Bowkett it will cost you a lot of money though, I know he built a scaled down female superten for Sammy one of the former owners of MTC optics. If you aren't a purist however the PCPs (pre-charged pneumatics) have much better triggers as the Sears are only holding back a small hammer spring and most can be adjusted stupidly light.

Starting out on a PCP will however take a lot of the challenge out there's no recoil and the things are so accurate most people, including non shooters, should be able to put 10 shots inside a 2p at 30+ yards prone within 10 mins of picking up the rifle if scoped.

The other thing with a PCP is you'll need to buy a pump or air bottle to charge it. Generally the air arms s200 is seen as the universal junior PCP, you can get a 12 or 6 ft-lb version the latter being fitted with diopter sights for 10 metre competition. Not it sure if the trigger is adjustable but if they're not then they're pretty light anyway.

http://www.air-arms.co.uk/products/target/s200-target

http://www.air-arms.co.uk/products/sporter/s200-sporter
 
Last edited:
Learning how to shoot with a crap trigger is time well spent...

Inspite of what I've said above ref PCPs Learning to shoot with open sights on a recoiling Spring air rifle is definitely time well spent. So perhaps look at the weihrauch HW30s, the SMK is really a bargain bin air rifle and somewhat unrefined the HW30s will be much better engineered, more accurate and has a 2 stage fully adjustable trigger the HW Rekord trigger unit is pretty legendary and deservedly so as its really good.

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/weihrauch_hw30s_rifle
 
Last edited:
Learning how to shoot with a crap trigger is time well spent...

If my daughter's marksmanship is anything to go by then this is sound advice.
Her first air-rifle was a little SMK Springer with a stiff trigger. She hadn't used a rifle at all before this, so was starting from scratch. She practiced until she could hit empty 12 bore cases at 20 yards 9/10 times. Now moved on to a good quality PCP and she's putting shot on shot at 35 yards.
 
Inspite of what I've said above ref PCPs Learning to shoot with open sights on a recoiling Spring air rifle is definitely time well spent. So perhaps look at the weihrauch HW30s, the SMK is really a bargain bin air rifle and somewhat unrefined the HW30s will be much better engineered, more accurate and has a 2 stage fully adjustable trigger the HW Rekord trigger unit is pretty legendary and deservedly so as its really good.

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/weihrauch_hw30s_rifle
If the child is big enough to handle one, I'd strongly recommend the HW30. I bought one just for plinking on the garden and it's a fabulous little gun, very accurate. I don't like it though; it's made my Webleys look rubbish.
 
Back
Top