Difference in RWS triggers

[lizzie]

So.....
What's the difference in the triggers which have evolved with the RWS air rifles over the years? I read about the T05 and T06, my 34 probably has a pre-T01. What are the characteristics of the various triggers used over the past 20 or so years, and why are some of them preferable to others?

[Mark 611]

Think you'll like the T01 way better than the other 2! the T01 has a ballbearing set up and the T05 and 6 are lever set ups the T01's can be made very smooth! The T01's were very expensive to make so Diana came up with the T05 to cut costs and keep up profits along with adding the plastic parts on the T05 series guns, The T06 trigger evolved probably due to all the complaints over the plastic trigger blades and the T05 isn't all that good of a trigger so they went back to a 2 stage adjustable trigger system with the T06 just my 2ct

[lizzie]

Thanks Mark - I knew you'd be able to tell me. I haven't shot the 34 much since I bought it, but I plan to scope it tomorrow and do some bench time. Looking forward to it.

[Escondido1]

Lizzie

I have 2 t05's and a t06. From my experience, pre and post tune, they can be made to be highly desirable 2 stage, no creep, 1 1/2 lb Rekord act alikes. Put the t05 in the hands of a knowledgeable tuner and you won't be wishing you had a t01 or 6.

My humble opinion......Den

[lizzie]

Lizzie

I have 2 t05's and a t06. From my experience, pre and post tune, they can be made to be highly desirable 2 stage, no creep, 1 1/2 lb Rekord act alikes. Put the t05 in the hands of a knowledgeable tuner and you won't be wishing you had a t01 or 6.

My humble opinion......Den

It's not that I'm wishing I had either. My 34 is 20 years old, and I've read alot about the various RWS triggers. I was just wondering what the differences are.

[Calmark]

I've only shot guns with the T-01 and T-06.  I can say both of those triggers are quite nice, as they can be adjusted fairly extensively.  The gun with the T-01 trigger I have has a nice, predictible trigger, and I know when it will fire.  My 34 with the T-06 I never adjusted and use it like it was when I first got it.  Its already pretty nice too with a fairly light pull needed to fire.

I'm sorry I can't say much about the T-05 except, even with less adjustability than the other two, its still a pretty darn nice trigger, and should far above the quality of the trigger of most typical bargain air guns.  By the way, you can't switch out a gun's trigger unless you also trade out the piston too.  Apparently, each trigger type has a piston, that while very similar, only matches up with its proper trigger type.  So, to fully upgrade you need to buy both, though not that your good ol' gun's trigger needs any upgrading! 

Here's a great place to cruise by if you want to find out a LOT more about Diana air guns.  Its a whole forum dedicated to all-things Diana. 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/184474/

[Nathan]

Lets not forget the T04. That was the non adjustable trigger that Diana put on the M24/M24C and other rifles. Though stiffer in pull weight than the T01/05/06 the T04 isn't that bad. It's not at all like the creepy long stock Gamo/Crosman triggers. My M24C trigger is quite nice after it broke in.

Nathan

[Escondido1]

Lizzie

Maybe this information may be more helpful...it contains some historical and mechanical differences....Den

Comparing the T05 trigger to the T06: Part 1
June 16, 2011 | Author B.B. Pelletier
by B.B. Pelletier




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Now, on to today’s blog.

This will be a difficult report to do, as there is a lot of worldwide support for the new Diana T06 trigger — from people who have never seen it but are ready to spring to its defense if necessary.

I’ve used the T05 trigger that comes on many of the current RWS Diana air rifles and find it to be a great airgun trigger. It’s certainly not as adjustable as Weihrauch’s Rekord trigger, but when something works right why does it need to be adjusted? I suppose I’m less critical of trigger adjustments because of all the different guns I shoot. I can understand why the owner of a single gun would want it to be exactly right. Since I never get that, I guess the importance is lost on me. What I mean is that I understand it in my head but not in my heart.

I selected an RWS Diana model 34P as my testbed. The reason is that the model 34 is very popular, and it’s evolved over the years into a pretty nice spring-piston rifle. I remember the 34s of the 1980s that were crude and rough by comparison to what you get today. The 34P is identical to all other RWS Diana 34 models, except that it has a black synthetic stock.

To test the triggers, I first shot the rifle with the T05 trigger that came standard until I got used to it. Next I will install the T06 trigger and piston that were generously supplied by Umarex USA.


The RWS Diana 34P breakbarrel rifle was used to test both triggers.


The T05 trigger came with the test rifle. The only adjustment screw is inside the trigger blade, and it adjusts only the length of the first stage.

There’s no reason to test the rifle for accuracy or velocity, because the trigger doesn’t affect either of these attributes. If the original trigger had been really bad, there could be an improvement in accuracy due to a more reliable sear release point, but such is not the case. The T05 trigger is crisp and positive in all respects. The T05 is already so nice that the T06 has a lot to live up to.

The RWS Diana model 34 has been in production since 1984, and it began life in a plain wooden stock with the T01 trigger. The trigger blade of the T01 was made of stamped metal. It worked, but it was hollow in the back so it looked cheap. However, the T01 trigger was very adjustable and someone familiar with it could adjust it to a remarkable release.

Sometime around the year 2000, Diana changed the trigger design to the new T05 that had a solid trigger blade that was even straighter than the T01 blade had been. Unfortunately for Diana, they made the new trigger blade — and a couple other obvious trigger parts like the new safety bar — from plastic. Apparently, no one at Diana remembers the hue and cry back in the 1970s when FWB sold their 124 and 127 sporting rifles with plastic trigger blades. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.

Not plastic
The T05 TRIGGER is actually not plastic! The trigger BLADE is plastic, but the blade alone is not the entire trigger. The actual unitized mechanism that is the trigger contains many metal parts. The way the trigger unit is designed, the trigger blade does not touch the sear, though if you listen to all the wounded souls whose lives have been ruined by that “plastic trigger,” you might think that it does.

I remember as a kid our old 1940s Kelvinator refrigerator had a nickelplated metal locking handle on the door. My fridge today, which is three times larger and far more efficient, has a plastic handle and the door is held shut by a magnet. Should I stop eating in protest? What about those plastic bumpers on today’s cars? Should we all walk because we no longer have steel hanging out in front and behind?

The T05 trigger works just fine. The one on the test rifle releases crisply at 2 lbs., 10 ozs. and it’s good enough that I was able to shoot dime-sized 10-shot groups at 20 yards and sub-half-inch groups at 35 yards. Read about it in this four-part report.

There’s only one adjustment on the T05 trigger, and aside from the plastic trigger blade, it’s the focus of most of the criticism. The screw in front of the trigger blade controls how long the first stage is, and that’s all you can adjust. Fortunately, the pull weight and let-off are very nice as they come, but there’s no easy way to adjust them. When people feel they have no choices, they don’t like it.

T06 trigger
The T06 trigger, by way of contrast, has adjustments for the pull weight, the length of the first stage and the sear engagement. The T06 trigger has three adjustment screws. The one in front adjusts the length of the stage-one pull. The screw behind that, which is buried deep inside the aluminum trigger blade, is for adjusting the sear contact (I think) and a screw located behind the trigger blade is for adjusting the weight of the trigger-pull.


The front screw on the T06 trigger blade adjusts the length of the first stage pull. Deep inside the hole behind it is the screw that adjusts the sear contact, I believe, and the screw behind the trigger blade is for adjusting the pull weight.

Thankfully, Diana also replaced the old plastic safety bar with one that looks identical and made from aluminum. I think they got the message about plastic.

The T06 trigger requires a different piston to work. It looks the same as the one in the T05 guns, but the lockup surfaces on the piston rod are different and must be configured to mesh with a T06 trigger. Making the switch isn’t just a matter of replacing the modular trigger unit, but the piston, as well.

familiar with the T06 trigger.

How the T06 trigger differs from the T05
The T06 operates differently than the T05 did. The T05 stopped cleanly at stage two and held there until the instant the sear released. There was no feeling of movement once stage two was engaged.

The T06 also stops cleanly at stage two, but as you continue to pull you can feel the trigger moving through the stage. Normally this is called creep, but it is absolutely smooth with no pauses or hesitations, and it doesn’t fit the popular definition for trigger creep. In fact, this movement becomes entirely predictable and something a shooter can learn to live with.

Something else about the stage-two pull on the T06 — on most triggers, when you pause part way through stage two, back off and then return to it again, as much of it that was pulled through is still gone. You’ve advanced the trigger or shortened the stage-two pull, whichever you prefer. Not so on the T06.

Because the Diana 34P requires so much technique (the artillery hold) to shoot accurately, I found myself stopping several times before the trigger released to take another breath. When I did that, naturally I relaxed my trigger finger as well. Then, I had to settle myself again before returning to the trigger. What I found when I got back on the trigger was that it had reset itself to the start point. The full trigger-pull was restored. This is what I want all triggers to do, because anything else means an unpredictable trigger that could release before I’m ready. From that standpoint, the T06 is a very nice trigger. The T05 didn’t have the problem of pulling part way through stage two, so of course it always acted like it had just been set whenever you came back to it as well.

The bottom line
Diana has made a change with the T06 trigger. In my observation, it isn’t any better or worse than the T05; it’s just different. If you want a metal trigger blade, the T06 has it. If you want adjustments, the T06 has more of them. I wasn’t able to eliminate the travel in stage two, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. I spent all of 30 minutes adjusting the unit. Someone who is willing to put in more time can probably discover secrets that I didn’t find.

The bottom line as far as I see it is the T06 trigger is now here and the T05 is a thing of the past. I alerted you to the difference between the T05 and T06 pistons, so you know they go together and a T01 trigger can also use the same piston as the T05.

The new trigger is nice and predictable. It has the features I’ve mentioned, and they all work well. If you wind up with one on your next Diana airgun you should be satisfied with it. But if you currently own a T01 or a T05 trigger, I wouldn’t plan to change it

T05 trigger
The Panther has the T05 trigger, which is found on most of Diana's spring guns these days. That may not mean much to you, but as the owner of several older T01 triggers, let me tell you that the T05 is better. It's crisper than the older model, but unfortunately it has a plastic trigger blade that offends some shooters. I like it better than the older stamped steel blade of the T01 that was too curved, in my opinion. This trigger is straight and feels much better when pulled. It doesn't swing up as it comes back. I have lived with the use of plastic in firearms for so long that a plastic trigger in an airgun doesn't bother me, but I know there are many who object to one.

The trigger is adjustable for the length of pull of the first stage, which determines where the second stage kicks in. The manual warns that too much adjustment will remove all the first stage, but some shooters really want that. The pull-weight and overtravel are not adjustable.

The safety is automatic and pops out at the rear when the rifle is cocked. It can be applied at any time and simply blocks the trigger from moving. No safety is 100 percent safe, though, and you should always hold the barrel with the cocking hand when loading to catch it if the sear should slip.

[RedFeather]

U b da judge.  I have found most ALL springer triggers to be on the decent side (really cheap, direct sear guns excluded).  Pick up an inexpensive .22 rimfire, especially in semi-auto, and you will experience the dreaded "lawyer trigger", usually breaking crunchingly at around eight or nine pounds.  Predictability?  Yes, it will be predictably mushy, heavy and inconsistent, every time.  FWIW, I see a LOT of air gunners tweaking their sporter triggers WAY under what you would want in a powder burner.  Some seem to think that if you blow on it or blink and it fails to go off, it's a horrible trigger.

The trigger in the 24's which are non-adjustable are direct sear.  I'm not so sure the T04 refers to the trigger, itself, or includes other changes to the 24.  That is, the T series numbers might just mean that the gun has had changes from the previous models.  For example, a different piston along with the trigger.

[pappa]

lizzie,

I'm assuming by this post that you have your 34 back from Umarex with a straight barrel. If so, how is it performing and are you happy with it now?

Don't think I ever mentioned it but the RWS34 was my first air rifle back in the late 80's. Never got too familiar with it because a 'friend' borrowed it and I never saw it again, but as I remember, it was a sweet rifle and I liked it a lot.

[lizzie]

pappa- it's the model 34 that I bought several weeks ago that appears to be brand new, and never even broken in. I haven't sent off the other one yet. Communications with Umarex seems to be a little slow, but I finally got a mailing address and the form to fill out for shipping.

The 34 that I'm talking about on this thread is a '91 model. The one with the barrel that needs straightening is a '95. I'm going to have to build a bigger gun cabinet, lol.