All of my muzzleloaders except one have double set triggers. Yesterday I took out my single trigger gun which I haven't shot in years. Using a set trigger is drilled into me. With the rifle raised and on target, my finger usually enters the rear of the trigger guard, moves forward, locates the set trigger and pulls it before lightly settling on the front trigger as I focus on the sights/target preparing to fire.
More than once yesterday I had to remind myself that there is only a single trigger on that gun. As I mentioned above, with the gun raised and on target, my finger automatically enters the back of the trigger guard then moves forward to locate the "set" trigger. I didn't realize how ingrained in me this is until yesterday.
That got me thinking about an incident related in a mountain mans journal. Two men had their rifles leaning against a tree when a grizzly suddenly charged them. One gun had a single trigger the other had a double set. In their rush they each grabbed the wrong gun. The "single trigger guy" was pulling on the set trigger with no result. The "double set guy" pulled what he thought was the set trigger, firing the gun before he was ready. I've read too many journals over the years and don't recall right now who wrote about this.
I've heard some pass this off as a "tall tale." I'm inclined to believe there's some truth to it. In a stressful situation you will perform the same way you train. To me it makes perfect sense that both men would not be able to operate guns they weren't used to effectively in a life or death situation. At the range yesterday I was calm and still caught myself several times automatically seeking out the set trigger. If I were being charged by a grizzly (which is a possibility here) I would almost bet that I would have fired that gun before I was ready.
I'm sure some will reply that you wouldn't use your set trigger in that situation. Of course you wouldn't need to use the set trigger. I would bet most people who use double set trigger guns would automatically use it without even realizing it. As I mentioned above, in a stressful situation you will perform the same way you train. I've seen this myself many times and know of other incidents that back it up.
More than once yesterday I had to remind myself that there is only a single trigger on that gun. As I mentioned above, with the gun raised and on target, my finger automatically enters the back of the trigger guard then moves forward to locate the "set" trigger. I didn't realize how ingrained in me this is until yesterday.
That got me thinking about an incident related in a mountain mans journal. Two men had their rifles leaning against a tree when a grizzly suddenly charged them. One gun had a single trigger the other had a double set. In their rush they each grabbed the wrong gun. The "single trigger guy" was pulling on the set trigger with no result. The "double set guy" pulled what he thought was the set trigger, firing the gun before he was ready. I've read too many journals over the years and don't recall right now who wrote about this.
I've heard some pass this off as a "tall tale." I'm inclined to believe there's some truth to it. In a stressful situation you will perform the same way you train. To me it makes perfect sense that both men would not be able to operate guns they weren't used to effectively in a life or death situation. At the range yesterday I was calm and still caught myself several times automatically seeking out the set trigger. If I were being charged by a grizzly (which is a possibility here) I would almost bet that I would have fired that gun before I was ready.
I'm sure some will reply that you wouldn't use your set trigger in that situation. Of course you wouldn't need to use the set trigger. I would bet most people who use double set trigger guns would automatically use it without even realizing it. As I mentioned above, in a stressful situation you will perform the same way you train. I've seen this myself many times and know of other incidents that back it up.
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