The Benefits Of Over-Travel Triggers: Smooth And Fast Shooting

Trigger overtravel is the movement of the trigger after it releases the sear and the gun fires. On target guns, you probably don't want any overtravel. On some sporters, you also don't want any, while on others, it's okay, or at least not distracting. Overtravel can cause the trigger finger to stop against the end of the pull after the gun has fired, causing the gun to move. It can also cause the gun to jerk to the side when the sear releases and the trigger suddenly gets lighter.

Overtravel reduction mechanisms can be built into the trigger or trigger guard

Overtravel reduction mechanisms can also be added to firearms as aftermarket components. These mechanisms are designed to reduce the amount of "positive" trigger movement following the trigger break. This is achieved by stopping the trigger's rearward motion after the sear releases the hammer, firing pin, or striker.

Some triggers have adjustable overtravel stops, which allow the user to control the amount of overtravel. These stops can be mounted on the rear of the trigger, on the frame behind the trigger, or even on the trigger itself, stopping it against the inside of the frame.

While overtravel reduction mechanisms are marketed towards competition shooters, they are also popular among defensively-focused shooters. The rationale behind these mechanisms is that reducing the trigger travel will make the user a faster and more accurate shooter.

However, it is important to note that reducing overtravel in firearms that are imprecise by design can lead to reliability and safety issues. Aftermarket overtravel reduction mechanisms require precise fitting and adjustment to the firearm, and improper installation can result in the firearm failing to fire or even uncontrollable, unpredictable, fully automatic fire.

Overtravel reduction can lead to uncontrollable, unpredictable, fully automatic fire

Overtravel reduction can lead to uncontrollable, unpredictable, and fully automatic fire in handguns. This happens because overtravel can be reduced to the point that it prevents the trigger mechanism from properly resetting. This results in the trigger bar catching the firing pin engagement surface just enough to load the firing pin spring, but not enough to hold it to the rear, as it normally would.

Because the trigger bar is already positioned to the rear, the trigger, firing pin, and drop safeties are necessarily deactivated, and the partially cocked (but not properly engaged) firing pin slips off of the trigger bar's engagement surface, causing the firearm to discharge as the slide moves into battery. The result is essentially a slam fire, or a series of them — a runaway handgun.

All of the above issues can be exacerbated by fouling, wear and tear, and environmental factors. Any or all of these can impede the movement of the trigger assembly, and reduced movement in a system designed to require a small amount of movement at a crucial point (trigger bar/sear disengagement) is a recipe for trouble.

Overtravel reduction can cause the firearm to fail to fire

Overtravel reduction can cause a firearm to fail to fire. This is because, by design, firearms have loose tolerances within the frame, with very few truly critical dimensions. Reducing overtravel is an exercise in precision, applied to firearms that are imprecise by design. The closer the trigger travel is reduced to zero overtravel, the closer the firearm gets to not releasing the firing pin and preventing reset. This can result in the trigger bar catching the firing pin engagement surface just enough to load the firing pin spring, but not enough to hold it to the rear, as it normally would.

Serious safety issues can also arise from these ill-advised attempts to eliminate overtravel. A common example is found in overtravel reduction products for Glock handguns. Nearly all of the overtravel reduction systems in Glocks can contribute to uncontrollable, unpredictable, fully automatic fire. This malfunction occurs because overtravel can be reduced to the point of preventing the trigger mechanism from properly resetting.

All of the above issues can be exacerbated by fouling, wear and tear, and environmental factors. Any or all of these can impede the movement of the trigger assembly, and reduced movement in a system designed to require a small amount of movement at a crucial point (trigger bar/sear disengagement) is a recipe for trouble.

Overtravel reduction can cause serious safety issues

Secondly, serious safety issues can arise from ill-advised attempts to eliminate overtravel. For example, nearly all of the overtravel reduction systems in Glocks can contribute to uncontrollable, unpredictable, fully automatic fire. This type of malfunction occurs because overtravel can be reduced to the point of preventing the trigger mechanism from properly resetting. As a result, the trigger bar catches the firing pin engagement surface, loading the firing pin spring without holding it to the rear, deactivating the trigger, firing pin, and drop safeties. The result is a runaway handgun, which is an incredibly dangerous situation.

Additionally, any movement impeding the trigger assembly, such as fouling, wear and tear, and environmental factors, can further increase the risk of safety issues. Therefore, it is crucial to be cautious when attempting to reduce overtravel and always prioritize safety over any potential performance gains.

Overtravel reduction mechanisms require fitting or adjustment to the firearm

Overtravel reduction mechanisms can be built into the trigger or trigger guard, or they can be drop-in components. An example of a firearm with a built-in overtravel reduction mechanism is the Beretta APX.

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