I know this subject has been beat to death but this is a new one on me. A gentleman who works for Briley was camping next to me and we were discussing triggers. I asked why we do not see more true mechanical triggers. He told me we don't because they won't pass the "4 foot drop test". Apparently a loaded shotgun must not discharge when dropped from a 4 foot height. True mechanical triggers will not pass this test.

Will someone with a $10,000 over under please try this test and report back.

B. S. And I am not going to drop my BSS to check. I did get into a 'discussion' about this issue relative to 870s once on another board. I put an old beat up stock with no recoil pad on my Wingmaster and dropped it approximately 20' on to a concrete slab. Bounced much higher than expected and I did catch it. It was still cocked.

I’d guess it’s because of cost and complexity.


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I was told the same thing several years ago. Filed it in the 'interesting information, but wonder about its veracity' file.

I figured in reality it was more likely that making reliable, safe, similar trigger pull weights, etc. mechanical triggers was just too expensive for low to mid-priced guns. I suspect the trigger group in a Krieghoff is probably worth more than a new in the box Beretta 682.

I'm not sure why a gun with a mechanical trigger would be any more likely to go off than one with an inertia trigger. If they're cocked (which they would be if loaded), in both cases a spring-loaded hammer is restrained by a sear. The chance of the sear being jarred so that it releases the hammer seems to be more of a function of sear design than how the trigger is set.

In any case, what a gun does when dropped from 4 feet will never be a factor for me in choosing one over another.

Mechanical or inertia has to do with how the gun resets the trigger mechanism for the 2nd shot. It has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING related to drop safety, in fact, mechanical and inertia triggers work EXACTLY the same when firing the first barrel (trigger lifts sear, sear releases hammer, gun goes bang).

The REAL reason is that generally speaking inertia triggers are easier to design, easier to manufacture, and easier to (generally speaking) make run reliably, mechanical triggers can be more finnicky, and are a necessity for a VAST minority of shotgun shooters (they are basically an asset ONLY to subgauge skeet shooters).

A little further research found this:

5. Drop Test
5.1. Applies to: Rifles, Shotguns and Handguns
5.1.1. This test simulates the abusive dropping of the firearm.
5.1.2. With the firearm in the "Safe Carrying" condition, the firearm shall be capable of
passing the below test criteria for drop testing from a height of four (4) feet (1.22
m) onto a 85±5 Durometer (Shore A) rubber mat, one (1) inch thick (2.54 cm),
backed by concrete. The mat and concrete shall be large enough so that when the
gun is dropped it will fall and come to rest without interference within the perimeter
of the mat. The drop height shall be measured from the surface of the rubber mat to
the center of gravity of the firearm. The center of gravity shall be determined to an
accuracy of ± one (1) inch (2.54 cm) by any recognized method for finding the
center of gravity of an irregular shaped object. The firearm shall be re-cocked and
reset in the "Safe Carrying" condition after each drop or a separate firearm may be
used for each drop. As an alternative to free dropping, other methods may be
substituted if they provide equivalent impact characteristics.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/20 ... 4-2016.pdf

My best guess is this is what the person was referring to. Nothing about mechanical or inertia triggers. Plus SAAMI is a completely voluntary organization. Like I said before, there is zero difference in functionality between mechanical and inertia triggers when it comes to the first barrel, so based on that alone neither design, in and of itself, would have any impact on drop safety.

Voluntary, but imagine what a lawyer would have to say in a product liability suit if the gun could not pass such a test. That's why it appears to be that lawyers for the manufacturers have been setting the trigger pulls on guns. Some rifle triggers are designed as fully adjustable, however the pull weight spring is captured so that lightening beyond a certain point the adjusting screw loses contact with the spring and does absolutely nothing. You think they're not concerned with product liability?

The Ruger Red Label O/U shotguns had mechanical triggers.

My Winchester 101, a late 80s Japanese field grade, has mechanical triggers. Not much, if any advantage when shooting clays, but can and has saved me a few lost opportunities when hunting.

I have 3 shotguns with mechanical triggers. K-80, Winchester 101 xtr lightweight and Browning 725 field. The K-80 is the really only expensive gun, the 101 was 800.00 new in the 80's the 725 was 2100.00 in 2016.

Okay, Skeet_Man just let us in on a major fact, I guess.
He gave us the source of the 4 ft BS.

One thing I have figured out in my life is, that almost
everything people believe is actually not true. We are
given endless BS telling us how the world is, yet everything
just keeps on going on and results bring bad results often.

Triggers for a double barrel can be made pretty cheap and
be absolutely excellent. This was done years ago by
Remington with the model 3200. Yet others keep doing
it different. This will just keep going on. Triggers will be
made however the makers want to make them.

The best solution to figuring out who makes the best trigger
on an O/U is this. Buy an auto. Yea, just skip figuring out
who makes the best trigger for a double, and get a good
auto, then have the trigger worked over if you are not satisfied
with it.

In current market, at least some models of the CZ huglu shotguns have mechanical triggers - $675+

Edit saw 12ga cz drake with $675 msrp.

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Not exactly true. All triggers are mechanical, for starters. Cheap mechanical triggers are prone to doubling. Jarring off of a sear has nothing to do with so-called mechanical, inertia block enhanced mechanical, or variations thereof. A quality trigger has ample sear engagement and will not easily jar-off.

There is no inertia block in any pump or semi-auto, yet the drop test isn't any area for concern.

This guy that worked for Briley was kind of full of his self. Came across as "I know everything about shotguns". I doubt that he does.

I have been shooting a Krieghoff K80 for over 10 years. It has the best triggers ever.

I have back problems and can't shoot high targets.

After about 10 stations the K80 feels like it weighs 50#.

So I could keep shooting I bought a Beretta A400. It really helped but I think it has the worst trigger of any gun I have ever owned. A great friend of mine give me a Cole trigger.

It helped a lot.

I'll throw in my two cents.

I think the trigger on my Blaser F16 is probably the best out of any shotgun I own.

That being said, I can't really tell the difference between any of my shotguns triggers while I am shooting at birds, whether they be live or the clay variety .

I know all the gunsmiths at Briley. I never heard that from any of them. They have somewhere around 100 employees, so there are bound to be some that don't know what they are talking about.