doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hunter One Trigger

My "new" Specialty Grade L.C. Smith is performing like a champ and nails box birds with authority as far away as it matters. Thus far, its ignition system, a rear positioned Hunter One, has performed flawlessly. Naturally, I have heard and read the conventional wisdom that the triggers are an abomination. Anyone have any practical experience with the system? I might consider converting it to double triggers (it really does shoot well), but if this system really functions, then why change?

Just dont change the selector and enjoy it. I havent had any misfires with mine (a 3E ST AE with chain damascus).

I have a gun with the same setup. Never had a problem with the trigger. I've changed the barrels selection a few times with no problems. I've had the gun apart to examine the trigger and refinish the stock. I have to say it looks like parts of an enlarged Swiss watch that were copied by Belgian gunmakers.

If it works, it will likely keep working, particularly if you don't use the "selective" feature. If it is broken, it will likely be trouble from now on. There is not much "room in the middle" and men who can fix'em are mostly departed. I know several quite competent double gun smiths who won't touch one with a 10-foot pole. I have two that work great and two others that are an abomination. mike

When I looked at the works of this trigger, it struck me that it needed to be clean to function properly. A guy might be well served to immerse the entire triggerplate and trigger in an ultrasonic cleaner with mineral spirits in it once in a while. I doubt that anything really changes in the trigger other than dirt/rust.

Not all factory Smith single triggers are the post 1903 "Hunter One Trigger". Only the final evolution is the One Trigger and is always marked Hunter One Trigger. The H.O.T. is usually (and mistakenly) credited to golf enthusiast Allen Lard. I am of the opinion that Thorneley deserves the lions share of credit for the HOT. Lards patents faded into obscurity, while Thorneley's contribution went on to effect nearly every successful single trigger design to this day. I have three single trigger Smiths and all work well without any balking or doubling. Usually when someone complains about the woes of single triggers, the very next words out of thier mouth is "do you want to sell it?"...May I suggest that you keep your Smith original and leave the single trigger intact. There is only one other design of single trigger mechanism found on Smiths that is better than the factory Thorneley/Lard HOTs and that the KING of all single trigger mechanisms...the venerable Infallable Trigger. It was an after market trigger produced by Lancaster Arms (Lancaster Pa.) and patented by Alfred Worrest. And yes, the Infallable is also based on Thorneley's design.

I just mailed a check to pay for the engraving on the trigger plate on my Crown Grade. Someone "fixed" the HOT by repalcing it with the triggers and trigger plate from a Field. I'm happy to have the double triggers as this will be my Clays gun. Wasn't happy to spend the money to fix something that probably wasn't broken.
I have a Trap Grade with HOT that I shot about 4-5000 rounds through in the last year. It doubled once. That was because I moved the selector. If I were you I'd just keep shooting.

Well I'm sorry to report that I have an extra Crown Grade trigger strap with an Infallable trigger already installed..

Robert, Wish I had Known. Of course that wasn't the only engraving. Some wayward soul with a buffing wheel had been unkind to the barrel engraving too. I only have one Infallable trigger gun. Will an Infallable stand up to the volume of clay shooting as well as a Miller?

My old side by side friends always told me that the infallable was a POS and only Miller worked well. I have never had an Infallable so I can't give personel experience but I own several guns with Miller Triggers and they work perfect. I donated my Skeet Special with a Lard patent trigger to a museum, dangerous!
bill