Sear (firearm)
In a firearm, the sear is the part of the trigger mechanism that holds the hammer, striker, or bolt back until the correct amount of pressure has been applied to the trigger, at which point the hammer, striker, or bolt is released to discharge the weapon. The sear may be a separate part or can be a surface incorporated into the trigger. Sear mechanisms are also frequently employed in archery release aids.
History[edit]
The sear has been found on early weapons such as the crossbow.[3] The term may be related to the French verb serrer, "to grip", and the noun serre, "claw, talon, grasp."[4] The term appears in Hamlet: "the Clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickled o'th' sear" (i.e. those who have a 'hair-trigger' laugh reaction).[5][6][4][7]