Aftermarket trigger with no vertical movements?

[Bwidpa]

I bought a rock island armory 1911 to play around with and need some advice on aftermarket triggers. The trigger it came with has a lot of vertical play. While searching around on the Internet i've found a lot of post from people saying that their aftermarket triggers have vertical play also in a rock island. Is there a trigger out there that can be fitted to a rock island to eliminate this, I'm guessing rock islands need a slightly taller trigger than other manufacturers. If possible I'd like a trigger that has pre-travel and over-travel adjustment. I don't mind fitting the trigger just don't want to buy multiple triggers to find the right one.

[ParaGunner]

Might have to try the Gun Craft Para triggers.

[Baer45]

I'd sell it and wait until I could afford to buy a used Les Baer or another semi custom fit gun... The cost of a decent trigger job is too expensive when you could start with a good foundation for a gun...

[Alan550]

Try this one.......

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/trigger-group-parts/trigger-parts/triggers/1911-auto-ultralight-match-trigger-prod26350.aspx

Should work fine for your needs. Easy to do the fitting yourself if you know how to detail strip the frame.

Alan~^~

[Bwidpa]

I'd be doing the fitting myself, so I'm not worried about trigger job cost. I Wanted the rock island so I'm not shooting my more expensive guns during rainy matches ( last 2 I shot it poured the entire match). I've tuned the gun the way I like it besides the vertical play in the trigger. If that was gone I'd be very satisfied.

[Bwidpa]

Alan.,

That's one of the ones I was looking at, so thats great. I've been told STI triggers are nice but I think they're polymer and I'm trying to avoid polymer

[ParaGunner]

Is the op talking about a single or double stack 1911?

[robertg5322]

STI plastic version. Easy to fit, looks good and works as well as any other I've tried. They come oversized and as they're plastic, they're pretty easy to fit. Over-travel and pre-travel adjustable as well.

Saw your post about polymer, I can say that it in no way negatively impacts function.The trigger is rigid, looks good and works well.

And they're less expensive than most other name-brand triggers.

Edited May 16, 2015 by robertg5322

[Bwidpa]

if the STI polymer is the same trigger on their Spartan model, I would think it would have a good fit on the RIA since they're both made by Armscor? it might be worth a try

[Steve RA]

2nd on the STI. I've always had to cut them - top and bottom - to fit in anything I've put one in. Use them in my 1911s.

[Bwidpa]

Thanks for all the responses! But, I went ahead and ordered the wilson combat like Alan suggested. Call me old fashioned but, even with STI's great reputation, it makes me cringe to put polymer on a 1911. I'll probably end up down that route someday but for now I'll keep the polymer on my glocks and m&p's.

[jtaylor996]

I tried to solve that same problem in my kimber with the STI trigger and it was even looser

[PatJones]

Plastic triggers weigh less than aluminum. This makes them less likely to cause trigger bounce with light trigger pulls. This is a positive.

[bountyhunter]

I'd be doing the fitting myself, so I'm not worried about trigger job cost. I Wanted the rock island so I'm not shooting my more expensive guns during rainy matches ( last 2 I shot it poured the entire match). I've tuned the gun the way I like it besides the vertical play in the trigger. If that was gone I'd be very satisfied.

I had a thread going on this exact topic a while back with no satisfactory resolution.

I highly recommend you measure with calipers the height of the trigger you have, see how much play there is and estimate how tall the trigger needs to be to get snug fit.

Here's what I found out (the hard way):

Standard 1911 triggers listed as "oversized" run about 0.922" tall. The "drop in" ones run about 0.915". I bought an "oversized" trigger and it was very loose so I ended up fabricating an aluminum shim and bonding it to the top of my trigger and shaving to size.

Oddly enough: the Kuhnhausen manual lists the size of the trigger as 0.930", and I have no idea why it has "eveolved" smaller in size?

Never got any straight answer on that.

[bountyhunter]

Thanks for all the responses! But, I went ahead and ordered the wilson combat like Alan suggested. Call me old fashioned but, even with STI's great reputation, it makes me cringe to put polymer on a 1911. I'll probably end up down that route someday but for now I'll keep the polymer on my glocks and m&p's.

I thought the STI triggers were some kind of fiberglas filled material? Anyway, I am running one and it's a good part.

[bountyhunter]

Thanks for all the responses! But, I went ahead and ordered the wilson combat like Alan suggested.

I doubt if it is taller than about 0.922". My STI was about 0.930 stock size.

[Bwidpa]

I thought the STI triggers were some kind of fiberglas filled material? Anyway, I am running one and it's a good part.

The STI is glass-filled nylon, same thing as the "polymer" used in a lot of guns. It's basically a fiberglass polymer blend. I'm by no means against it, as I own many glocks and such and love them. It's just the nostalgia of an all metal 1911. The vertical movement is on the pre-travel so I'm hoping that by adding a trigger with pre-travel adjustment it will add some tension and help with the play.

[robertg5322]

Careful minimizing the pre-travel. Take out too much and bad things happen.

I believe STI makes an aluminum version of its trigger. Never used it, but if it's as good as the polymer one, that may be what you're looking for.

I installed mine in a Springfield Armory 9mm Loaded Target, not sure if they have loose trigger tracks (everything else on the gun was loose though!!!) but the original trigger was rattling around in there like it wanted to escape. STI needed fitting vertically, but side-to-side it is almost a perfect fit. Had to do a very minor sanding on the sides to get it to run smoothly.

[Bwidpa]

Careful minimizing the pre-travel. Take out too much and bad things happen.

I believe STI makes an aluminum version of its trigger. Never used it, but if it's as good as the polymer one, that may be what you're looking for. .

The way I have my triggers there is only the slightest pre-travel. From what I understand the concern with no pre-travel is the sear not fully seating in the half-cocked notch all the way. Is this correct?

I did find that STI DOES make an aluminum trigger, but I haven't found very many reviews. I guess if the wilson combat trigger doesn't do the trick I might have to give that a try!

[zzt]

If the Wislon doesn't work (and I don't thnk it will), try an SVI trigger. They are definitely taller than the standard 1911 trigger. The shoe and inserts are Aluminum. You may also have to take a smidge off the rear pads to fit the trigger track properly. Be sure to check for that once you get the shoe (without the insert) to start in. BTW, no need for the tri-glide model.

[bountyhunter]

I thought the STI triggers were some kind of fiberglas filled material? Anyway, I am running one and it's a good part.

The STI is glass-filled nylon, same thing as the "polymer" used in a lot of guns. It's basically a fiberglass polymer blend. I'm by no means against it, as I own many glocks and such and love them. It's just the nostalgia of an all metal 1911. The vertical movement is on the pre-travel so I'm hoping that by adding a trigger with pre-travel adjustment it will add some tension and help with the play.

I just went through this on my Trojan. I don't think pre travel has anything to do with vertical play, you can still grab the trigger and wiggle it straight up and down if there is vertical clearance (mine always had too much as well).

[kimberacp]

You are correct...pre-travel, has nothing to do with the movement up and down. I think it better to have a lot of pre travel, if your running a 2.5 or less trigger pull weight. Reason being trigger bounce and during a stage run, when setting up to shoot a target, you don't want to press on the trigger and have the shot fired before you were really ready to fire it! That extra take up can help to, prep the trigger and save you from a AD!

The up and down movement can be remedied with an epoxy like JB weld. Spread some on the part you want to raise or lower, meaning look at the trigger, while in the gun, view it from the side and move the trigger up and down, see where it needs to be filled, so that trigger is level in the trigger frame track. It will usually be on the bottom, to raise the trigger level.

Spread the epoxy and sand it to fit, as you would with a new over sized trigger. Now if you don't like you current trigger for the shape or look, now that's an entirely different issue and you may want to get a different trigger.

But again, if the new trigger doesn't fit right you can always use epoxy to make it fit!

good luck

[bountyhunter]

I got some .010" thick aluminum and made a shim and bonded it to the top of the trigger. The piece was exactly the width of the frame track and full length which is to say I bent it down and glued it to the trigger at the rear. Worked pretty well.

[Yeti]

Try a set screw(s) on the current trigger shoe. Make use of what you have. If you screw up you are no worse off, right?

Drill top and/or bottom and install. File...then stone for a perfect low drag fit. Take your time.