Troubleshooting Freedomsmith "Sport" Trigger in Rival SFX

[fbzero]

I e-mailed Freedomsmith for ideas too, but thought I most post on here to see if anyone else has seen this and might know what to do as well.  I recently ordered a "Sport" style trigger for the Rival SFX and installed it, which was fairly simple.

 

When racking the slide, trigger not depressed, the striker is cocked and everything seems fine.  If I rack the slide(using normal pressure) with the trigger still depressed, however, it does not cock the striker.  I've noticed that if I rack it very hard with the trigger depressed, it will sometimes cock the striker.  Some online posts suggest something about a bent trigger bar, but if I put the stock trigger back in, everything works fine - so I doubt that is the case.  Working with a stock Rival SFX.

 

Anyone have any ideas what might cause this and/or how to resolve it?  TIA

[fbzero]

I did end up receiving a response from Freedomsmith pretty quick, suggesting that a bent trigger bar was the most likely culprit and offered to refund the trigger.  I wasn't really convinced, but had a second Rival SFX in the safe, so I moved the trigger bar from that one into the one I had put the Freedomsmith trigger in, and it did end up working.

If it's bent, I can't tell where or guess how it got that way, but I did notice when putting the "problem" trigger bar into the second pistol that it only seems to function with the trigger shoe it came with.  The shoe from the second Rival SFX gives the same results as when I had the Freedomsmith trigger installed initially.

Short story, bent...out of spec somehow, who knows?  It is definitely related to the trigger bar, so if anyone experiences these symptoms, you can take the offered refund or buy a new trigger bar for $15.  Kudos to Freedomsmith for the fast response, good customer service, and sound advice.

Edited August 13, 2023 by fbzero