Installing A New Trigger On An Sti

[austinkroe]

I will preface the question with the statement that I have no actual gunsmithing knowledge. I also did a search and found nothing to answer this question.

I have an STI 2011 that I would like to put a new trigger in. I am thinking either the SV insert type or the STI gunsmith blank. I want to try a flat trigger. However my gunsmith is quite far away from me and I dont really want to have to search out a new one close to me that I have to learn to trust.

Will I need to take it to a smith to have it installed or can I do it myself?

Would a new trigger affect the weight of the pull?

What all adjustments need to be made to a new trigger to make it work besides the usual overtravel stop(I can do that)?

Any additional comments that I might not know about to facilitate this idea?

Any reccomendations on STI vs SV trigger system (keeping in mind I only want to change trigger shape)?

TIA

[Jaxshooter]

If you can completely strip your gun down and put it back together you can change the trigger. Make sure the new trigger moves freely like the one you are taking out. It should not change the trigger pull.

My preference is the SV trigger with the insert. You can swap inserts without taking the gun apart.

[AZ38super]

Jaxshooter,

Actually you do need to take it apart to change the insert as there is a set screw holding it in place. I just went through that a couple months back as one end busted and I had to install the replacement.

You may want to check yours out if you can swap it out on the gun without pulling it out to get at the set screw...

[Matt Cheely]

In my expierence, the SV trigger bow is often longer than the STI bow. This can cause a problem if the trigger can't slide far enough forward in the grip and replicate the position of your old trigger bow. You might have to either bend the bow to the desired shape, or put the SVI trigger on the STI bow.

On the other hand, a STI gunsmith blank should drop in with a little tweaking to the pretravel and overtravel.

[Josh Biondi]

In my expierence, the SV trigger bow is often longer than the STI bow. This can cause a problem if the trigger can't slide far enough forward in the grip and replicate the position of your old trigger bow. You might have to either bend the bow to the desired shape, or put the SVI trigger on the STI bow.

On the other hand, a STI gunsmith blank should drop in with a little tweaking to the pretravel and overtravel.

Hi Matt,

I have hear what you told some time ago and I trought that was no good idea to buy a SVI trigger to use on STI cause the bow... but although I bought a couple and with my big surprise when I check the bow with a digital caliper I got the same identic measure of the STI bow, plus while the STI trigger need to be fit to the grip with a very fine job with a file to avoid to wast it, contrariwise the SVI trigger "slip like on ice" into the grip. The only difference I found was on the short trigger (or SVI insert) because the short insert (SVI) is just a little bit longer than the short trigger (STI). This was my experience.

[Paul B]

You will know pretty quick if the new trigger fits or not. It should just drop in the slot and move freely.

Some things you may have to do are polish the trigger bow with a dremel polishing point and take a little off the top and bottom of the trigger itself if it is too tight. Be very careful and only do a little at a time.

One other thing, if your trigger job is very light changing the weight of the trigger could make for some real problems like not returning as fast, and even doubling so be sure to test before the match. I always weigh the new trigger and try to stay close to the one I was using. If your trigger job is over 3 lb this probably makes no difference.

[n2ipsc]

In my expierence, the SV trigger bow is often longer than the STI bow. This can cause a problem if the trigger can't slide far enough forward in the grip and replicate the position of your old trigger bow. You might have to either bend the bow to the desired shape, or put the SVI trigger on the STI bow.

On the other hand, a STI gunsmith blank should drop in with a little tweaking to the pretravel and overtravel.

There's a thread in here somewhere (sorry, couldn't locate it - maybe somebody has the URL ready to hand) on this topic, with some useful pictures showing the differences between the SVI and STI bows. They ARE different.

YMMV, but I just gave up on trying to coax an SVI to work in my STI frame - could not clean up a (tiny) bit of creep that was driving me bonkers (the original STI trigger was a bullseye-quality break). Yanked the SVI trigger, dropped in an STI gunsmith trigger, and haven't looked back.

I'm sure there's a long and expansive diagnostic behind this, but - one worked, the other didn't, I'm a simple guy, case closed...

[Josh Biondi]

In my expierence, the SV trigger bow is often longer than the STI bow. This can cause a problem if the trigger can't slide far enough forward in the grip and replicate the position of your old trigger bow. You might have to either bend the bow to the desired shape, or put the SVI trigger on the STI bow.

On the other hand, a STI gunsmith blank should drop in with a little tweaking to the pretravel and overtravel.

There's a thread in here somewhere (sorry, couldn't locate it - maybe somebody has the URL ready to hand) on this topic, with some useful pictures showing the differences between the SVI and STI bows. They ARE different.

YMMV, but I just gave up on trying to coax an SVI to work in my STI frame - could not clean up a (tiny) bit of creep that was driving me bonkers (the original STI trigger was a bullseye-quality break). Yanked the SVI trigger, dropped in an STI gunsmith trigger, and haven't looked back.

I'm sure there's a long and expansive diagnostic behind this, but - one worked, the other didn't, I'm a simple guy, case closed...

What to tell more? My STI and SVI bow has te same measure. Perhaps I'm a lucky man or not... who knows but mine are the same... its all! if i got time I'll place a pic of both the bow in the next week....

[00bullitt]

Due to the differnt shape of the front of the trigger bow on the SV trigger,it ends up being about .020" longer than the STI. The front of the trigger bow can be reshaped but it is difficult to do correctly. The rear of the bow can also be bent inward. Sear engagement can be affected by the longer trigger and the pretravel is noticably less. I personally like pretravel in my triggers. I have an SV trigger that I reshaped the bow on and it wasn't the easiest thing to get right. I prefer the STI triggers in the STI frames.