Backpacking with a Binary – Franklin Armory BFSIII Trigger
Sam.S 08.10.21
Recently I had been given the chance to get to know the Franklin Armory BFSIII AR-C1 and fortunately, do a full review on it which is available here. It proved itself to me in that review to be a decent upgrade for someone who values faster more accurate follow-up shots. That made me think of situations that may apply to me and my coworkers. One that stood out in my mind was the idea of backpacking in general. That can apply to hiking, hunting, or camping. I decided to take a walk down this rabbit hole and I invite you to walk with me. Let’s go!
Note: I would like to mention that this addition to a firearm may not be for you and may make you uncomfortable if you do not fully understand or respect it. This obviously can lead to unsafe firearm practices and I encourage you to look into it before purchasing or installing it. Be safe out there.
Also, the firearm used for the photos today is a Springfield Armory Edge PDW, and since the PDW has unique raised indicator positions the Franklin Armory Binary sticker could not be attached for long so I opted to leave it off. Rest assured as you can see the trigger/selector is installed.
Understanding Capability: Backpacking with The BFSIII
There is the myth about how all binary triggers are always “stuck” or forced into only the binary mode, but that is not true. Whether it is deployed in your primary hunting firearm (Ex. Whitetail deer), secondary/backup firearm (Ex. backup gun while black bear hunting), or as a tertiary weapon for defense (Ex. area in the south prevalent with pigs where you could be charged or area up north with wolves). With the Franklin Armory BFSIII AR-C1, the trigger can always be engaged in Safe, Fire, or Binary. Somewhat more importantly you can even decide in the middle of the binary fire to switch to Fire or Safe to cancel the follow-up shot.
Firepower When it Matters: Backpacking with The BFSIII
Binary affords you firepower semi-auto cannot aptly replicate when you need it most. AllOutdoor’s editor has told me about a few times he has been charged and almost repeatedly gored while pig hunting. Most of the time you are hunting pigs it is in areas of low lying, dense brush where you cannot easily spot or see pigs coming. You don’t have the ability to take any high ground or at worst even climb a tree. Therefore, having the capability of binary to genuinely put down a rapid succession of rounds as suppressive fire for defense could be invaluable. Yes, you may not even be hunting for something like pigs or dangerous game in general, but nothing is stopping the dangerous stuff from hunting you.
Similarly, if you are in an area of wolves, you do not want to become encompassed by a pack of wolves in a remote area out of cell phone reception. Worse yet, it is illegal to shoot wolves unless you are physically attacked. There needs to be some comfort between merely seeing a wolf in the distance and negotiating what to do because one is biting your leg! So, again, if wolves are encircling you a binary succession of rounds into the dirt could get your point across before things get any hairier. Pun intended.
Better to Have and Not Need: Backpacking with The BFSIII
It is better to have and not need than need and not have. – It is one of those old sage adages that many outdoorsmen pass along from one generation to another. Why do you carry a multi-tool? We’re only going for a quick 30-minute hike? Refer to the sage adage. Why do you have a water filter within your pack when we’re carrying water? Refer to the sage adage. Why do you have a binary trigger in your backpack gun? Refer to the sage adage. It is better to always be over-prepared at no additional weight to your hunting or hiking load-out when possible. This is one of those examples where a binary trigger gives you more capabilities without the extra burden of more weight in your pack.
Final Thoughts: Backpacking with The BFSIII
In closing, the BFSIII binary trigger is a suitable addition to a “backpack gun.” It would be a great option for sketchy hunting situations where prey decides it would rather be a predator or even where you are not hunting them, to begin with, and they are hunting you. Yes, this is not a common situation, but I bet that having this would ease someone’s mind that has experienced it. I hope you enjoyed this article discussing the pros of equipping this trigger system in your hunting, camping, or hiking arsenal. Take care and safe backpacking out there!
I want to say thank you to Franklin Armory for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their BFSIII AR-C1. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that this uplifting upgrade is worth spending your money on? Would you take this out to the range? Would this be your go-to competition accessory? Let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
