What Kind of Trigger Does a Glock Have?

From conception in 1979 to production in 1982, Glock dominated the handgun market in less than 20 years- and for good reason. The brand’s simplicity in design, ease of use, and reliability are unmatched- making Glock the most popular handgun on Earth.

Glock “Safe Action” Trigger System

But there is one aspect of the design that seems to keep people guessing, the modular trigger. People frequently ask the question, “Why do Glocks have two triggers?” This is actually part of the brand’s “Safe Action” system. It is a set of three internal safety mechanisms: the external trigger safety, a firing pin safety, and a drop safety.

By pressing down the trigger safety, the shooter activates the trigger bar and the sheet metal connector. Then the firing pin safety moves out of its secured state and into the firing position. The drop safety mechanism directs the trigger bar through the ramp which is activated only when rearward pressure is applied to the trigger.

After the small lever in the face of the trigger is pulled, the trigger becomes free to pull, allowing the three-stage safety system to be disengaged allowing the shooter to fire the weapon.

The first stage of the Safety Action system, the slim lever embedded in the face of the trigger, is the source of some controversy. Its purpose is to make the trigger less likely to be pulled accidentally. In an ordinary trigger, the entire face of the trigger can be pulled to fire the weapon. The Glock method presents a smaller “pull target” on the trigger face with which to activate the firing system.

This first stage of the Safety Action system is controversial because it takes more training for a shooter to become habituated to the unusual feel and trigger pull of the initial trigger release system. Many shooters worry that in the heat of an emergency situation, they may “choke up” on the trigger too far and fail to engage the release. They complain that the smaller trigger release does not lower the trigger profile enough to justify the steeper trigger pull learning curve.

That is a matter of opinion, and Glock owners are free to replace the trigger if they wish to. However, this system makes Glocks both safe and ready to fire at any time. The lack of an external safety lever saves a shooter time in a life and death situation. Most professionals recommend keeping the modular trigger and simply training with the weapon to obtain a high level of proficiency.

Glock Trigger Safety

But the trigger is just one of three components to the Glock internal safety system. The rest serves to prevent the gun from going off if it is dropped. This is one important reason why these weapons are preferred by professional shooters like police and military. The three-stage, internal safety system prevents accidental or negligent discharge.

For police, who have to deal with the public- this is a game-changer. It means their weapons are far less likely to discharge accidentally should the officer have to struggle with a suspect. It also means that military people, who may have to struggle through difficult terrain, have less to worry about as their sidearms are banged around.

The fortuitous result of this modular, three-stage, internal safety system is a smooth and consistent trigger pull that enhances the overall quality of the design and contributes to a host of superior design characteristics that make Glock the most popular handgun in the world.

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