Trigger pull observations and questions

[MidRoad]

Hi folks, I recently aquired my first (cheapy wheeler) trigger pull gage. Needed something to add to my cart on bass pros website (had gift cards as gifts) to get free shipping, so I said what the hell. Pretty cool thing to have . But I have a few questions.

1) measure the pull center of the trigger and parallel to the barrerl correct? Seems like the most common sense way to test so that's what I did.

2) Is there a "general" correlation between factory double action pull and single action pull weights with stocks springs (in regards to rugers)? For example a 12lb da pull usually has around a 6lb SA pull? I ask this because the Gage i picked up only goes up to 8lbs,and I'd like a general idea of the da pulls of my sp101 and gp100. The gp100 was 4.5lbs (bought it's used and have no idea what springs are it) and the sp101 was 6lbs (new last year with a few hundred rounds and a fair amount of dry firing).

3) Was impressed with the trigger pull on my 44 special flattop blackhawk. It's new,has about 100 rounds through it and about as many dry fires. Yet the trigger pull was 3.5lbs and crisp,very happy with it. Before buying it I looked into the poormans trigger jobs incase I wasn't impressed with the trigger but after shooting it, 3.5lbs seems ideal for general shooting and hunting side arm.

4) In regards to my father's TC contender. We took it shooting for the first time a couple of weekends ago. I oh my ....that thing has a scary trigger. My dad picked it up on gb used and grabbed a couple of barrels too while he waited for the judge to add it to his permit....44 days....thank you Albany count!.... Anyways, it had the lightest trigger I have ever used other than a set trigger. And me like a kid on Christmas just wanting play with my new toy I went over to his house to measure the TC's trigger... It measured .5 -.75lbs when pulled at the tip of the trigger and between 1lbs and 1.25lbs mid trigger.it was way too light for both of our tatses and this just reinforced our thoughts. Its was easy to just brush the trigger and have it go off while aquiring the target( heappened to both off us ). And no way it could be used for hunting which is why he bought he gun in the first place. Gloves + super light Tigger or cold finger + super light trigger could result in an unintentional discharge and wounding a critter.

Is it easy to make the weight of the TC trigger heavier? Assuming you need to replace springs. I have no idea about them and we'd like to get it fixed up and practice more before the season is here.

 

[Japle]

When I was shooting IHMSA silhouette, the T-C Contender was the most popular gun for Production and Standing. I started using a section of ball-point pen spring as a trigger return spring and easily got trigger pulls under 1 lb. This was especially handy in Standing, where you wanted to get the shot off as soon as you had a good sight picture, so your eyes didn't get blurry, you didn't run short of air and you didn't start to shake. Word of my little trick got around and became pretty popular. Maybe the previous owner of your Contender did something like that.

 

[MidRoad]

When I was shooting IHMSA silhouette, the T-C Contender was the most popular gun for Production and Standing. I started using a section of ball-point pen spring as a trigger return spring and easily got trigger pulls under 1 lb. This was especially handy in Standing, where you wanted to get the shot off as soon as you had a good sight picture, so your eyes didn't get blurry, you didn't run short of air and you didn't start to shake. Word of my little trick got around and became pretty popular. Maybe the previous owner of your Contender did something like that.

You are a brave soul! Lol. Very possible this the case.

 

[Kano383]

2) Is there a "general" correlation between factory double action pull and single action pull weights with stocks springs (in regards to rugers)? For example a 12lb da pull usually has around a 6lb SA pull? I ask this because the Gage i picked up only goes up to 8lbs,and I'd like a general idea of the da pulls of my sp101 and gp100. The gp100 was 4.5lbs (bought it's used and have no idea what springs are it) and the sp101 was 6lbs (new last year with a few hundred rounds and a fair amount of dry firing).

The SA trigger pull depends on sear/hooks geometry and surface finish, return spring, and trigger group parts fit and finish. The DA pull depends on the hammer/hooks/sear/trigger geometry, and on the mainspring, in addition to the SA components.

In short, SA just disengages the sear from the hooks, while DA fights the mainspring through levers of various lengths and quality.

So you could have a very heavy and gritty DA pull while still having a decent SA pull. No definite rule here.

 

[DWFan]

So you could have a very heavy and gritty DA pull while still having a decent SA pull. No definite rule here.

Dan Wesson revolvers are evidence of this. From the factory, the DA pull is heavy and takes getting used to. Better than Ruger, not as good as S&W. The SA trigger pull, however, is second to none.

 

[Varminterror]

1) Yes. Mid-shoe, parallel to the barrel. I like to hang the gauge by a string and use a lever at the end of my bench to be sure I don’t over-stroke and pull the gauge against the backwall and give myself a false, overweight reading. Especially important when measuring long Travel DA’s.

2) Yes and no - almost. Despite the theoretical rhetoric such DA & SA designs are dependent upon different internal leverages and angles, it’s plain and simple fact any given Ruger model is mass produced, such the relative weights aren’t so different, within reason. Empirical info is out there, we’ve all done enough spring jobs to have a healthy online repository of before and after weights. If your SA break in a Ruger GP or especially SP is 6, I can say with certainty the DA break won’t be less than 9lbs. However, if any action work was done which may have affected the sear angle, all bets are off. The biggest culprit causing variability from one Ruger trigger to the next is the hammer dog, which effectively controls the length of the DA sear relative to hammer position. If these were more consistent (much, much more costly), the triggers in the fleet would be more consistent. Do some digging. You’ll find info from others out there online with a similar SA pull, so you can know your DA pull is similar to theirs. Or you can clamp the revolver in a vise, hang a water jug on the trigger, and start filling. Weigh the apparatus when it breaks. Then you know.

3) SAO revolver triggers are easy. I don’t like mine quite that heavy, but to each their own. That quality of trigger isn’t easily duplicated in DA revolvers.

4) Possessing the knowledge of the weight of the trigger doesn’t change whether it was safe before, or not. Yes, a spring change should add weight, and give you the power to get yourself where you want to be. Like others mentioned, I expect the former owner did a spring job for bench purposes.

 

[someguy2800]

Yeah the contenders will go well into the ounces if you want them to be. Mine is probably 10 ounces. It takes a different trigger discipline than most people are used too. I always have people dry fire mine before actually shooting it so they know what to expect and don't lob one over the berm.

Here are some instructions on adjusting a contender trigger. Note in step 8 they are replacing/modifying the trigger return spring. You can order a new factory return spring and put it in, or experiment with a bic lighter spring to find the weight you want. A factory spring should bring it back to 2 lbs or so. You could also try just backing out the engagement screw (step 10) a half turn or so. This will increase the pull weight slightly make it a little less prone to bumping it off.

http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/Articles/sp40.pdf

 

[thomas15]

3) Was impressed with the trigger pull on my 44 special flattop blackhawk. It's new,has about 100 rounds through it and about as many dry fires. Yet the trigger pull was 3.5lbs and crisp,very happy with it. Before buying it I looked into the poormans trigger jobs incase I wasn't impressed with the trigger but after shooting it, 3.5lbs seems ideal for general shooting and hunting side arm.

I assume that this is in single action?

 

[MidRoad]

I assume that this is in single action?

Yea, don't have any other choice only comes in that flavor, being a Blackhawk.

 

[beag_nut]

Got any SCUBA lead weights? To exceed your 8 lb. capacity you could add weight to the trigger, in parallel to your gauge. Add 5 lb. to another hook hanging off the trigger, then do the pull test (with your gauge). If it "breaks" at an indicated 5 lb., then your actual pull is 10 lb. Get it? It's sort of like doing the test without the gauge, as in the old days.