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Thoughts on over-travel stops...


Justin M

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Admittedly, I'm new to revolvers, but I have settled on not using over-travel stops - at all - for the time being.  I do not use trigger based (like what comes on the "Pro Shop" guns) screws/pins, pins in the rebound slide, or frame mounted stops like the old guns (I suppose I could modify the frames if there was some sort of specific benefit there).  

 

Is there a generally agreed upon consensus on over-travel stops?  Good, bad, indifferent, etc.  

 

I'm coming from a far more modern handgun, the 1911.  On that, I settled on about .050" slack, a sub-2lb trigger, and damn near no over-travel.  I'd just slap the trigger and it all worked out pretty well.  

 

 

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This should be an interesting conversation. i can't wait to hear everyone's opinion.

 

My opinion? There's way too much going on with shooting a revolver in action matches to even know if I have a stop in my gun. 

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I like to have an over travel stop on my match guns. I feel it gives better trigger control. When you are shooting DA and the trigger is being pulled with 6 - 8 pounds of force, then suddenly released, there is a greater tendency to pull the gun off the mark If there is additional movement, then a sudden stop. This occurs at a critical moment in the firing sequence as the hammer is falling. With a proper trigger stop, any movement after the sear releases is minimized and you don't get the little jerk at the end of the trigger pull (just the big one holding the gun).?

 

I like to set the stop so the trigger will fall with 2 thicknesses of paper, but not 3. Usually the single action won't cock with this setting. If you want to set the single and double action to the same stop, set the DA first, then stone the SA spur on the trigger to be short enough for the hammer to cock back all the way. The SA should fall with 1 sheet of paper, but not 2.

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Toolguy, I like what you're saying (...because I seem to agree with it and anyone who agrees with me must be a genius...).  Are there any issues or concerns with using the "rod inside the rebound slide" method?  

 

The only argument I have for no over-travel (...or massive over-travel, I suppose) is that if you're trying to keep the trigger/cylinder moving the whole time, it buys you some wiggle room so you're not "bouncing" off the hard stop.  I'm not sure if I'm articulating that idea well or if I buy into it, but it's floating around and I'd appreciate thoughts on that.  

 

Like I said, new to this whole revolver thing, so I apologize if I'm asking questions that have already been discussed or if there's dogma already established.

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FWIW... I like to just 'roll the revo'. Once the trigger starts back for the first pull, it never stops moving. It's either moving back to trigger the shot, moving forward to reset, and moving back to trigger the next shot. If the trigger is smooth, and within a reasonable 6-8 pound DA pull... it just becomes a matter of timing and rhythm to get the trigger to break when the sights are on target. It needs to be practiced... transition drills are great for that. But, I never really feel a 'positive' trigger stop. The trigger doesn't stop moving once it's started. Just MHO.  

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I just roll the trigger through too. No staging for me. The trigger stop on my guns only stops the excess overtravel AFTER the sear releases the hammer. There is no bounce, either, it just comes to the end, you release to reset and go again. 

 

As far as the rod inside the rebound slide goes, I have done them before. Getting the length just right is VERY finicky, and I have bent the pin that holds the spring in on one gun, so quit using those. The factory ones are all way too short to do anything. I just throw them out.

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I had one on my 625 but  not on my 627 from a shooting on the clock in USPSA ICORE standpoint I don't see a difference.  

 

a super easy non destructive way to see if you like on is to put some epoxy putty on the back of the trigger and then when cured file it to the size you need to set your over travel. if you don't like it just pull the trigger and soak in some acetone then should be reasonably easy to clean it off. 

 

 

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I have grown to like them on DAO guns, and it does help with precision shooting in my experience.  I was shooting at 100 yards every week for a while and the difference was noticeable.  I usually set the stop a few strokes past break with a stone, and use the pin style inside of the rebound spring.  If you're used to a 1911 with trigger stop it may feel much more natural to you. 

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I do like an over travel stop. Fit properly you will notice a reduction in the total trigger movement as you stroke the trigger.

 

I install a roll pin in the back of the trigger like the performance center guns. I do not like the pins inside the rebound housing, they can bend the pin that supports the rebound spring.

 

 

 

 

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I'll be honest, if I had my way, I'd mill the frame under the side plate like the older smaller frames.  The issue I see is the off-center "load" on the trigger for that particular stop.  For now, though, I'll likely just go with the rod in the rebound slide.  If it works (for me) and I don't have any issues with the rebound slide stud bending, it'll be the end of it.  If it works (for me) and the rebound slide stud bends, I'll explore other methods.  

 

I'm only 41, I grew up on Glocks.  I went to war with Glocks.  (Well, there was a brief period as a contractor when they handed me a BHP, but that was soon rectified with $200 and a shady Iraqi police officer...) I always thought the 1911 was a relic for old men clinging to the past.  It wasn't until I started shooting them did I realize that they're not as clumsy or random as a Glock.  An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.  I got stuck in A class with the 1911 which took a bit of the joy out of it.  I took last year off and only shot a few matches for the social aspect of it all.  This year, I committed, or should be committed, to revolver.  I have honestly never had more fun.  I used to joke that shooting Single Stack was like shaking hands with Jeff Cooper, I suppose shooting revolver is like shaking hands with Jack Weaver (or Jordan or Keith or whoever... choose one).  I abhor the less than practical aspect of USPSA - especially in the limited capacity divisions like Production and Single Stack.  I had a TRR8 in the safe, so I put some decent sights on it, did a trigger job, slapped on a Jerry grip and went to town.  Well, not quite, it didn't carry up on about five charge holes from the factory and the headspace was like .080" - so I fit a new hand and set the headspace back (oddly related, right?!).  I had no interest in the current hotness or the equipment race. I settled on shooting .38 Long Colt cut down to .38 Super length.  Everything was going just fine.  Made A class in a few months and then it happened... practicality went out the door.  I just picked up a 929 and ordered a full race rig from DAA.  I could always argue that a 5" 1911 wasn't that different from the 4" CCO 1911 I carried at the time.  Now, I can't make the argument that the 929, complete with 6 1/2" tube and big butt stocks, isn't that different from the 3" 629 I lug around every day now.  Long story, but the point is revolvers should come with a warning that they're a rather addictive endeavor.  It would take a better man than me to resist.

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4 hours ago, Justin M said:

I'll be honest, if I had my way, I'd mill the frame under the side plate like the older smaller frames.  The issue I see is the off-center "load" on the trigger for that particular stop.  For now, though, I'll likely just go with the rod in the rebound slide.  If it works (for me) and I don't have any issues with the rebound slide stud bending, it'll be the end of it.  If it works (for me) and the rebound slide stud bends, I'll explore other methods.  

 

I'm only 41, I grew up on Glocks.  I went to war with Glocks.  (Well, there was a brief period as a contractor when they handed me a BHP, but that was soon rectified with $200 and a shady Iraqi police officer...) I always thought the 1911 was a relic for old men clinging to the past.  It wasn't until I started shooting them did I realize that they're not as clumsy or random as a Glock.  An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.  I got stuck in A class with the 1911 which took a bit of the joy out of it.  I took last year off and only shot a few matches for the social aspect of it all.  This year, I committed, or should be committed, to revolver.  I have honestly never had more fun.  I used to joke that shooting Single Stack was like shaking hands with Jeff Cooper, I suppose shooting revolver is like shaking hands with Jack Weaver (or Jordan or Keith or whoever... choose one).  I abhor the less than practical aspect of USPSA - especially in the limited capacity divisions like Production and Single Stack.  I had a TRR8 in the safe, so I put some decent sights on it, did a trigger job, slapped on a Jerry grip and went to town.  Well, not quite, it didn't carry up on about five charge holes from the factory and the headspace was like .080" - so I fit a new hand and set the headspace back (oddly related, right?!).  I had no interest in the current hotness or the equipment race. I settled on shooting .38 Long Colt cut down to .38 Super length.  Everything was going just fine.  Made A class in a few months and then it happened... practicality went out the door.  I just picked up a 929 and ordered a full race rig from DAA.  I could always argue that a 5" 1911 wasn't that different from the 4" CCO 1911 I carried at the time.  Now, I can't make the argument that the 929, complete with 6 1/2" tube and big butt stocks, isn't that different from the 3" 629 I lug around every day now.  Long story, but the point is revolvers should come with a warning that they're a rather addictive endeavor.  It would take a better man than me to resist.

 

 

CAUTION.  I strongly recommend that you stay away from 10 shot 617 and DS10 speed loaders.

 

Edited by GMM50
clarity
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14 minutes ago, GMM50 said:

 

 

CAUTION.  I strongly recommend that you stay away from 10 shot 617 and DS10 speed loaders.

 

 

Well, damn.  I was just considering picking up one of those and a Allchin scope mount for a Delta Point that happens to be laying around.  I was thinking it would be a blast for Steel Challenge and great for the kids.  If you insist, I'll put it out of my mind...

 

Regarding over-travel stops, is there a consensus from the "big name" gunsmiths like Bowen on how they should be implemented?  

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I have many revolvers with and without trigger stops and honestly I couldn't care either way. I tried them just because I could but found that they made no difference at least for the run and gun games. Maybe for a slow fire bullseye shooter but I have no experience it that game, maybe when I can't move anymore. :-)

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I shoot PPC match and at 50 yards and to a lesser extent 25 yards a trigger stop is a definite aid if you want to shoot 10s. At closer range shooting faster? Doesn't matter.

Edited by AusPPC
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ATTENTION REVO SHOOTERS

 

CHECK YOUR INTERNAL OVER TRAVEL STOPS

 

Yes, those all caps were for a reason.  This discussion prompted me to take a look at my main match gun, and sure as s#!t the pin that supports my rebound spring has noticeable wear from the internal over travel stop I installed.  It's not bent but has been peened from the pin constantly hitting it. I encourage all of you with internal pins to check your guns.  I'm pretty sure this gun has less than 20k rounds with the internal over travel stop installed.  I will check my 625 shortly.  After dry firing with the over travel stop pin removed I agree with others that it makes no difference for fast shooting.  I don't think it would help me inside of 30 yards with slow fire either.  

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