ORIGINAL POST MOVED TO GUNSMITHING, but this copy left here for time being!
I have question about trigger stops that I hope someone can shed more light on. I think I may know the answer but I wanted to tap the vast brain trust present on this board - Thanks
I have installed two trigger stops on two S&W revolvers (Model 10 - Wife's) and (Model 646 - Mine). I do this by heating up the back of the trigger (with heat sinks applied via big vise grip) just above the area I am heating. I do this to remove the hardening from the area I wish to drill, without affecting the hardened area where the sear, etc is located on the trigger. Works pretty good and the area I need to drill gets soft enough for the drill bit to get a bite, but the critial working end never gets hot enough to effect the hardening there. It says cool enough to put your finger on for quick 1-2 count. Anyway, I drill a hole just ever so slighly smaller than the trigger stop (small stainless pin about 12mm long) on the back side of the trigger down to about 4mm, or 2/3 the depth of the trigger at that point. The trigger stop itself is just short of 2mm in diameter. I then put a dab of JB Weld bond in the hole, tap in the pin, and hold with a clamp. After drying and cooling (about 4 hours), I then install the trigger and hammer without side plate or springs and work the action manually. I file down the stop gradually until the hammer will go all the way forward. I then remove about another 1/4mm from the trigger stop, assemble the pistol and go about my business. My wife's Model 10 really benefited from this as it moved fairly rapid DA shots from 2" right of slow SA shots, back to almost exatcly where the SA slow fire shots were hitting at 15 yards. Apparently there was so much overtravel on the trigger that the barrel was being pulled slightly to the right when the trigger finally bottomed out, and before the bullet could actuall exit the muzzle. It was even worse when she did the DA shooting - probably because I have maybe 25K more DA revolver rounds down range. Other than that she does great (no flinching, etc.) On my Model 646, I did the same thing, but the trigger stop was almost unnecessary and it only removed about 1-1.5mms of overtravel.
Here is the real question and I am sorry it took so long. Neither of these pistols will now cock to single action mode. I don't give hoot on mine - never use single action anyway, but my wife found it annoying, even though I have instructed her to always fire it DA anyway and never cock it. DA is the mode she would use, or should use, for self defense anyway. If you have ever looked closely at a revolver trigger when you cock it to single action, it actually comes back just a little further than where it rests when it is full cocked, or just before it sets in the sear or catch. These trigger stops are apparently so tight or close behind DA release that it will not allow the hammer to be pulled rearward just that little extra to catch the SA notch. My question is, if I continue to file down the trigger stop until the SA notch will catch, how much of the benefit of the trigger stop will I lose? I have never had to take one out and re-install another. I suspect it could be a real pain in the posterior and one that I hope to avoid. Also, does anyone know if there is a way to construct an internal trigger stop that would work well and avoid this loss of SA capability.
I just know one of you folks has tons of knowledge on this subject - Thanks - TEX
I have question about trigger stops that I hope someone can shed more light on. I think I may know the answer but I wanted to tap the vast brain trust present on this board - Thanks
I have installed two trigger stops on two S&W revolvers (Model 10 - Wife's) and (Model 646 - Mine). I do this by heating up the back of the trigger (with heat sinks applied via big vise grip) just above the area I am heating. I do this to remove the hardening from the area I wish to drill, without affecting the hardened area where the sear, etc is located on the trigger. Works pretty good and the area I need to drill gets soft enough for the drill bit to get a bite, but the critial working end never gets hot enough to effect the hardening there. It says cool enough to put your finger on for quick 1-2 count. Anyway, I drill a hole just ever so slighly smaller than the trigger stop (small stainless pin about 12mm long) on the back side of the trigger down to about 4mm, or 2/3 the depth of the trigger at that point. The trigger stop itself is just short of 2mm in diameter. I then put a dab of JB Weld bond in the hole, tap in the pin, and hold with a clamp. After drying and cooling (about 4 hours), I then install the trigger and hammer without side plate or springs and work the action manually. I file down the stop gradually until the hammer will go all the way forward. I then remove about another 1/4mm from the trigger stop, assemble the pistol and go about my business. My wife's Model 10 really benefited from this as it moved fairly rapid DA shots from 2" right of slow SA shots, back to almost exatcly where the SA slow fire shots were hitting at 15 yards. Apparently there was so much overtravel on the trigger that the barrel was being pulled slightly to the right when the trigger finally bottomed out, and before the bullet could actuall exit the muzzle. It was even worse when she did the DA shooting - probably because I have maybe 25K more DA revolver rounds down range. Other than that she does great (no flinching, etc.) On my Model 646, I did the same thing, but the trigger stop was almost unnecessary and it only removed about 1-1.5mms of overtravel.
Here is the real question and I am sorry it took so long. Neither of these pistols will now cock to single action mode. I don't give hoot on mine - never use single action anyway, but my wife found it annoying, even though I have instructed her to always fire it DA anyway and never cock it. DA is the mode she would use, or should use, for self defense anyway. If you have ever looked closely at a revolver trigger when you cock it to single action, it actually comes back just a little further than where it rests when it is full cocked, or just before it sets in the sear or catch. These trigger stops are apparently so tight or close behind DA release that it will not allow the hammer to be pulled rearward just that little extra to catch the SA notch. My question is, if I continue to file down the trigger stop until the SA notch will catch, how much of the benefit of the trigger stop will I lose? I have never had to take one out and re-install another. I suspect it could be a real pain in the posterior and one that I hope to avoid. Also, does anyone know if there is a way to construct an internal trigger stop that would work well and avoid this loss of SA capability.
I just know one of you folks has tons of knowledge on this subject - Thanks - TEX
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