Singlestack Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 How much trigger pull do most of you use on a limited gun? Mine is set for 2 lbs. Too light? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 SS, I've seen everything from out of the box crap down to a pound or less. I have mine at 2 1/4-2 1/2. It holds the first but not the higher weight. Smooth with no creep is the most important. It mainly comes down to what YOU like. I don't think a D or low C should be running around with anything real light. Once you get some experience you can drop the weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 I shoot about 2 1/4 lbs with no take up or over travel. The problem is that some 'smiths bend the sear spring a bit to fine tune the trigger pull and you can end up with a situation where the pistol will slam fire when you strip a round from the mag. This can happen as the spring fatgues and/or from spring memory. It's an easy fix but it is the pits when you start a stage with the pistol on the table unloaded, slam a mag home, slingshot the old slide and "BANG". Safety first...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 I feel like my pistol is very safe. I've been shooting it for 1.5yrs and never had a problem with hammer follow. It has a very smooth and crisp trigger built by Rusty Kidd. I was just curious to see what you guys used as most people who handle my pistol freak when they feel the trigger. Ron, I have never shot a 1911 with no takeup. How is that accomplished? Why do you prefer it? (Edited by Singlestack at 2:54 pm on Aug. 10, 2001) (Edited by Singlestack at 5:01 pm on Aug. 10, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 A lot depends on how much you handle your piece, how long you've been shooting, personalty type, and technique. Also do you share or lend your gun out? If you share it with say a spouse who shoots little, you may want it higher. I run my guns at under a pound, usually about 14 - 15 oz. But I can't lend it to anyone or let them try it. I handle guns everyday so I'm familiar with when to expect it to break, I also 'tap' the trigger so my finger is never on it except to fire it. If you handle once a week, I would want 1.5 to 2 lbs. Less than that, 2.0 lbs and up. If you ride the trigger, your finger rests on the pad before firing, go with a heavier pull. When in doubt, go safe, better to learn with a heavier trigger than have an accident. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 I've got multiple STIs with SV Tri-Glides, built by the same gunsmith, and the triggers are all different. The newer guns feel much alike and break at around 2 pounds, but the oldest gun's trigger is lighter and sweeter and gets better with age. (FYI, the old gun with the best trigger gave me my greatest match successes, but I haven't won anything bigger than a club match with the newer Limited gun. Hmmmm... Have I become a Trigger Queen?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 My Wilson gun came from the smiths with a 3-1/2 pound trigger pull. On another gun, I've shot 2-3/4 pounds down to 1-1/2 pounds at matches, safely. However I've never felt any real need to tweak the Wilson's trigger lower; this is also my carry gun, and 3-1/2 pounds seems to me a good compromise between ease of fire and safety for a carry/match piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Trigger Queen!....I like it Trigger weight preferance is a trap, isn't it? Honestly boys, I don't know about y'all, but I can wank a half-pound trigger as easily as I can a 5 lb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Ok......... what the heck is a "trigger queen"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Norris Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Travis, I've noticed a lot of my problems seem to stem from putting 15lbs of pressure on a 3lb trigger.... Usually anything under 5 feels decent to me. However, it must be crisp. I've felt some positively horible 2lb triggers. Just as an observation, has anyone else notice Kimber polymers all seem to come with light yet "hitchy" triggers. Every single stack Kimber I've had my hands on has been decent, but the polys are something else. (Edited by Kyle Norris at 9:05 pm on Aug. 10, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 My STI Limited gun trigger runs at 1 1/8lb or 18 oz. I have shot my other Limited guns for years with 2-2 1/2 lb triggers. The STI was about 2lbs until I put the Tri Glide in it and it went to 18 oz. I dry fire 6 days a week and have had the same gun for almost 4 years and handle it profusely and I think this is what makes if safe for me, because I'm used to handling it. It has a little take up or pre travel which is what I prefer, I like having that little take up when I prep it for tight shots. I also have very slight to no overtravel. Travis, I agree, it doesn't matter if it is 1 lb or 5lbs, I can yank it all the same. I also agree, trigger weight, pre travel, overtravel, reset and everything else are all individual. Kevin/IPSC Supercop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Quote: from Kyle Norris on 7:04 pm on Aug. 10, 2001 Just as an observation, has anyone else notice Kimber polymers all seem to come with light yet "hitchy" triggers. Every single stack Kimber I've had my hands on has been decent, but the polys are something else. (Edited by Kyle Norris at 9:05 pm on Aug. 10, 2001) Excellent observation Kyle. I noticed the same thing with any polymer gripped frame. I think it has something to do with the "stiction" between the trigger bow and polymer bow slot. With a steel grip there’s no stiction and it’s more slippery. My Dad turned me onto the SV titanium trigger for the 1911 - great feel and problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Schwab Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Do you guys with the 1-1.5 lb triggers have to get regular tune-ups? I shoot 2000-4000 rounds a month, currently shooting a 3.5 lb trigger, and want to drop down to 2-2.5 lbs but I don't want to have to drive to the smith <who's 1+ hours away> every other month. Suggestions? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Bill, You’re shooting a lot, enough that it would be worth it for you to start experimenting and studying the action job yourself. If this is a 1911, there really is no reason you need to be that heavy. Realize that there are other factors that control which weight you can run: mainspring and recoil spring weight for example. I have a factory Infinity hammer and sear that dropped in at 17 oz, and it’s been that way for a while (this is with a 15 lb. ISMI mainspring: your results may vary). A very consistent pair is the Koenig hammer and the EGW hard sear. It seems that you can consistently drop these in untouched, and get at least a safe 1.5 lb. trigger. Now, if you’re a "Trigger Queen" you’ll still stone it. If not (resist becoming one: it never ends and even an 8 oz will feel too heavy to a Queen eventually), it would be a good way for you to cut your trigger weight in half - you’ll need to adjust your sear-spring of course. BE knows triggers like Bo knows Diddley: I recall him saying he may produce a trigger-job video or book (?) This is something we should all have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Norris Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 How much would that affect the thumb safety operation? Do those tend to drop in with out mods to the safety, or does it usually have to be welded and refit? (Edited by Kyle Norris at 9:44 pm on Aug. 11, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Depends on the parts used but yes replacing the sear with another make may require the safety to be refit. On my Caspian my trigger was perfectly fine with a 1-1/2lb to 1-3/4lb pull and I was happy with it. I got the trigger on my STI so light because of the hitchyness of the feel, it never felt consistant until I got it down to under a pound. I think I've now boosted it to 1-1/4 lb and it still feels good so I may leave it there. I've polished the hell out of the sides of the trigger bow to get it more 'slick' feeling and we'll see what happens. My current gun is now more of an experiment platform as my new SVI should be here this week. Its apparantly in the country now. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Schwab Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Travis, Thanks a bunch for the advice...today I ordered some materials, and will be borrowing a book from a friend. I guess my only worry is that I don't know of anyone in my area who could tutor me.... Brian, Is there a trigger job book or video in the making? Bill Schwab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Bill and TT, I don't have plans for a trigger video or book in the near future. I've been told that if I make a video, the first one should be a shooting video because I am known as a shooter, not a gunsmith. I guess, for ahwile, the mysterious art of the perfect trigger will have to live on via oral transmission. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Whoops, thanks for the correction BE! This is how rumors get started Definitely a shooting video…that would be great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Brian, Also would love to have a trigger job book/video too. I had my gunsmith tell me a story once of a trigger and tri glide system when they first came out. The gun just didn't want to take the tri glide system and work and he sent it finally to Brian and it came back a miracle. Travis, Thanks for the info on triggers. Quick question, I've always wondered how the recoil spring weight plays a part in the trigger pull? Kevin/IPSC Supercop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Kev, Yeah, BE is *the* man, no doubt! It seems that the heavier the recoil spring, the more it "rocks" the hammer/sear engagement - making it more prone to follow. The lighter recoil spring seems to allow a lighter trigger. And the lighter mainspring seems to exert less force on the engagement (it also makes it easier to rack the slide on those stages where you start unloaded). I neglected to mention that the 15 lb. mainspring will lighten your primer hits substantially. You may find it necessary to install an extra long firing pin. I’ve broken two of these pins at the step, so I recommend that you smooth that out and reduce the overall length as much as possible, while retaining a solid hit. Limcat makes one that is "cryoed", and I’ve yet to break that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave pasos Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 TravisT, when you install (drop in) a hammer and sear in a gun how can you be assured that there is equal contact with the hammer hooks onto the sear? Isn't better to make sure and to correct the problem if need be? And how would you do this? And wouldn't all this make someone a "trigger queen"? (Edited by dave pasos at 10:41 am on Aug. 13, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisT Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Here’s the cheap way: mark the sear with a permanent marker, install and dry-fire several times, remove and insure that you have equal engagement on both hammer hooks. I was merely attempting to provide those with no local gunsmiths, a way of acquiring a nicer and lighter trigger on their own. As far as the "Trigger Queen" comment, I’ll let you figure that one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave pasos Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 TravisT, if the engagement is not equal then what? I like being a "trigger queen" thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 My advice to guys who are going to try going to a lighter trigger on one gun while still having a heavier trigger on another gun that they shoot often is to practice with the lighter trigger gun when going back to that gun for a match. Case in point. My open/limited gun has a 2lb or so trigger. When I had to borrow a friend's limited gun for a match he told me the gun had a 16oz trigger. I took it out to practice a day before the match and had a bunch of ED's(early discharges). That gun scared the crap out of me and I didn't shoot it at the match. Nothing wrong with the gun I just need to LEARN the trigger. As far as mainsprings I have found the lightest I can go with variables such as my trigger set up and the way I reload ammo is 16lbs. (Edited by John Thompson at 9:33 pm on Aug. 13, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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