2026 Cold Bore Challenge Q&A Thread

[Nine Banger]

And that, my friend, is why two stage triggers suck. (Yes, this is a hill I will die on!)

I'm that guy that has to try everything.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

You guys know that you don't yank a 2 stage trigger back from the start, right? They can prep your mind through anticipation management for a precise trigger press once you apply pressure and bring it back to the second stage, or wall. I know they’re not for everyone, but it just seems hard to believe that they would make someone flinch or jerk. What do I know though haha.

 

[Nine Banger]

You guys know that you don't yank a 2 stage trigger back from the start, right? They can prep your mind through anticipation management for a precise trigger press once you apply pressure and bring it back to the second stage, or wall. I know they’re not for everyone, but it just seems hard to believe that they would make someone flinch or jerk. What do I know though haha.

Give me any kind of trigger and I can screw it up.

This last shot I didn't flinch or jerk, but watched the reticle move after I had already committed.

It's easy to look for a scapegoat. I only have about 100 rounds on this trigger versus an eff ton with the factory trigger.

 

[HandgunHTR]

You guys know that you don't yank a 2 stage trigger back from the start, right? They can prep your mind through anticipation management for a precise trigger press once you apply pressure and bring it back to the second stage, or wall. I know they’re not for everyone, but it just seems hard to believe that they would make someone flinch or jerk. What do I know though haha.

I am intimately familiar with two stage triggers from my time in the military and going through an AR phase.

It’s a bit hard for me to describe, but ultimately as I start through the process of the trigger pull my mind essentially goes into a “are we there yet?” mode. My mental preparation happens before my trigger touches the trigger.
Maybe it was too much time behind competition guns, or shooting a trigger style release for archery. I don’t know. What I do know is that my process is 100 times smoother with a single stage than a 2-stage.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I am intimately familiar with two stage triggers from my time in the military and going through an AR phase.

It’s a bit hard for me to describe, but ultimately as I start through the process of the trigger pull my mind essentially goes into a “are we there yet?” mode. My mental preparation happens before my trigger touches the trigger.
Maybe it was too much time behind competition guns, or shooting a trigger style release for archery. I don’t know. What I do know is that my process is 100 times smoother with a single stage than a 2-stage.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your thought process.

 

[RocketRob16]

Got my first shot posted in the challenge thread. This is my first year taking part in it. I have a rifle elk hunt lined up this year so I’m planning on doing more positional practice shooting leading up to that hunt.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Got my first shot posted in the challenge thread. This is my first year taking part in it. I have a rifle elk hunt lined up this year so I’m planning on doing more positional practice shooting leading up to that hunt.

Nice shot.

6.5 Creed, I assume based on the load data.

I like the little chuckle at the end of your video as well.

 

[RocketRob16]

It never gets old! Thank you for pointing out that I missed one of the most important details, I was trying to type it out with a 2 year old jumping all over me

 

[Sponge]

In.
This and the cold bow challenge have been great!
Day 1 may have revealed a bit of a zero issue. will shoot day 2 tomorrow, and check zero after.

 

[Formidilosus]

I am intimately familiar with two stage triggers from my time in the military and going through an AR phase.

It’s a bit hard for me to describe, but ultimately as I start through the process of the trigger pull my mind essentially goes into a “are we there yet?” mode. My mental preparation happens before my trigger touches the trigger.
Maybe it was too much time behind competition guns, or shooting a trigger style release for archery. I don’t know. What I do know is that my process is 100 times smoother with a single stage than a 2-stage.

You have an “anticipation/commanding the gun to go off” problem.

Two stage triggers get the slack taken out immediately- not slowly. Once the wall is hit, there is absolutely no difference between a two stage and a single.

 

[Nine Banger]

You have an “anticipation/commanding the gun to go off” problem.

I'm stewing in this right now.

Since I made my first entry I've done no shooting other than a cold bore shot daily, except for a 3 shot zero check about 2-3 shots in.

I'm flinching.

My brain wanted to blame it on the sticks or the new 2 stage trigger.

I think it's a first round of the day thing and not a chronic problem.

I'm thinking I'll load 1-2 live rounds with 3-4 dummies in a 5 round mag and keep popping the daily cold bore shot until it smooths over; even if all that happens that day is a dummy strike.

It's taking discipline because I want to shoot more than once a day but it's important that I get it together instead of sweeping it under the rug and moving on to fun stuff without addressing the problem.

 

[Nine Banger]

Thanks! It’s the Onglass adapter. Then I have the MagSafe backer and tab for my iPhone. First time I’ve used it. Super easy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I got one.

It's like a new set of problems but the images and movies are so much better.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

While today was a miss on the 10” gong I had a ton of fun setting up this shot at 913 yards.

Little coues deer target measuring just 34” from the ground to the top of the back. His other antler broke off during the jeep ride out.



From the shooing position he was quartering towards and facing downhill on a slight angle. He had some brush about 300 yards in front of him obscuring but not affecting the shot. Sun was blaring into me requiring a jacket to be placed over my head to be able to see the deer through the scope.




Shooting across a wash bottom up to the knob and it just felt exactly like a shot on an animal in the mountains. Awkward, different wind at target versus shooting position, bad lighting, animal blending into terrain, animal facing downhill and not perfectly broadside, rocks digging into my belly…

It was an awesome practice shot and while the gong wasn’t hit, it’s likely a mortally wounded coues deer.

 

[Marty]

While today was a miss on the 10” gong I had a ton of fun setting up this shot at 913 yards.

Little coues deer target measuring just 34” from the ground to the top of the back. His other antler broke off during the jeep ride out.

View attachment 1088173

From the shooing position he was quartering towards and facing downhill on a slight angle. He had some brush about 300 yards in front of him obscuring but not affecting the shot. Sun was blaring into me requiring a jacket to be placed over my head to be able to see the deer through the scope.

View attachment 1088176


Shooting across a wash bottom up to the knob and it just felt exactly like a shot on an animal in the mountains. Awkward, different wind at target versus shooting position, bad lighting, animal blending into terrain, animal facing downhill and not perfectly broadside, rocks digging into my belly…

It was an awesome practice shot and while the gong wasn’t hit, it’s likely a mortally wounded coues deer.

View attachment 1088177

I like that wood cut out!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I like that wood cut out!

Thanks man!

I’ve made these before and folks are always shocked that mature mule deer are more than twice the size of mature coues whitetails. It’s easy to see when the deer cut out targets are side by side.





My wife paints these targets including the 10-12” gongs “deer color” and then I take them out and set them up ahead of time on training days. It’s fun to guide shooters into them. Great training tool for finding animals and working on good terrain and direction call outs.

It really shines the most when working on coming off binos, setup for shot, re-find and re-range if by yourself, elevation call, wind call, get into the gun/scope and refinding the “animal” in the scope etc. Folks don’t realize just how atrocious we are at this without regular practice and especially on a critter that doesn’t want to be seen.

It’s also a hell of a lot more humbling getting your reticle in the “right spot” versus a bright or high contrast chunk of steel.

 

[Marty]

Wow, I haven't appreciated the size difference until you shared this photo. Neat!

Thanks man!

I’ve made these before and folks are always shocked that mature mule deer are more than twice the size of mature coues whitetails. It’s easy to see when the deer cut out targets are side by side.

View attachment 1088259

View attachment 1088266

My wife paints these targets including the 10-12” gongs “deer color” and then I take them out and set them up ahead of time on training days. It’s fun to guide shooters into them. Great training tool for finding animals and working on good terrain and direction call outs.

It really shines the most when working on coming off binos, setup for shot, re-find and re-range if by yourself, elevation call, wind call, get into the gun/scope and refinding the “animal” in the scope etc. Folks don’t realize just how atrocious we are at this without regular practice and especially on a critter that doesn’t want to be seen.

It’s also a hell of a lot more humbling getting your reticle in the “right spot” versus a bright or high contrast chunk of steel.

Awesome integration into target identification and target talk on training! I feel like I need to make a lightweight foldable animal sized targets I can pack into the mountains. Great training aid for new hunting partners, kids, or simply refreshing skills.