Fix hair trigger

[eggwelder]

Have an original 1860 Army, refurbished. Has a super light hair trigger, dangerously so for inexperienced shooters. How is that fixed?

There is no obvious wear on any of the parts.

 

[Woody Morgan]

Have an original 1860 Army, refurbished. Has a super light hair trigger, dangerously so for inexperienced shooters. How is that fixed?

There is no obvious wear on any of the parts.

Done with a smooth file and knowing what you're doing. The sear/trigger engagement is what you're working on.

wm

 

[necchi]

Has a super light hair trigger, dangerously so for inexperienced shooters. How is that fixed?

By gaining experience?

 

[david w]

It seems like only a competent gunsmith can replace the parts to the original specifications. I have a 1873 Colt clone by Uberti, and I definitely wouldn't want to "hair" trigger it.

 

[eggwelder]

It was allegedly refurbished by colt, i`ll take that with a grain of salt. It`s also my favourite- just feels right. I keep my finger no where near the trigger until i``m ready to shoot, but it`s pretty touchy.
have an ASM 1851 navy, a 2nd Gen Colt dragoon, and a ruger old army. Considering passing one or two of those along as they do not get fired.

 

[45D]

That '60 is a danger to you and those around you. I won't have any revolver around with less than a 2 lb trigger (with positive engagement).

Mike

 

[Woody Morgan]

That '60 is a danger to you and those around you. I won't have any revolver around with less than a 2 lb trigger (with positive engagement).

Mike

2# is my bottom limit for any shooter.

wm

 

[LME]

If the trigger is as toutchy as your statement led me to believe I wouldn't even load it if I were in a bomb shelter! Being you asked the question ,I would in your case, carry the pistol to a qualified gun smith. I do not know the history of your pistol but I would lay odds that someone screwed with the pistol that didn't know what they were doing?

 

[user 48679]

A super-light trigger pull can be dangerous to experienced shooters also

In most instances, at least the trigger will need to be replaced.

Metal was likely removed from the trigger to achieve a light pull, and cannot easily replaced with weld, then fitted.

Sometimes, bubba will also mess around with the hammer notches and/or the mainspring, also likely requiring replacement if that's the case.

A tear down inspection should reveal the effected parts.

Take it to a real gunsmith (not some AR parts-changer) if you're not up to the job for whatever reason.

 

[hrt4me]

Have an original 1860 Army, refurbished.

What exactly did Colt do to refurbish your original 1860 Army?

 

[eggwelder]

I don`t know what colt did to it. Apparently they refurbed a bunch in the 1950`s, and this is reportedly one of them. I have no proof of that, but the frame and barrel assembly has some light pitting that the rest of the gun does not have. i don`t care that much either about it being refurbed- still classed as antique here up north and therefore no licence required to own it. No requirement for it to be registered as my other cap and ball handguns are Required to be.

i don`t know what the trigger pull would be, just touching it does not fire it, but it takes less pressure to fire than the dragoon, or any of the others.

it needs a gunsmith anyway, need a chamber rethreaded for a nipple. When i find one, i`ll have them look at the trigger as well

 

[William P Sepessy]

I just finished a friend's 1st gen. Colt SAA that had just UNDER a 1lb. pull. Someone had done a trigger job in the past where the full cock notch was cut and the contact point of the trigger sear was filed forward to where it barely stayed in the notch. I was able to the move sear's contact point rearward to the back of what remained of the full cock notch and happily ended up with a 2.8 lb. trigger pull.

 

[No second place]

Just a FYI. Over the decades of NMLRA / NRA national matches attended I have made it a point to ask or try other High masters pistols triggers. Most have under 1# triggers. Some have 2- 2.5 #. Some about 1.2 - 1.7. All measured with electronic gauges. Novice shooters most often call under 2# triggers "HAIR TRIGGERS" ...gasp and oh my how dangerous...Each year many of these under 1# trigger pistol shooters win gold at the nationals and practice all year without incident or accident except from the "O MY it just go`s off " from novices wanting to dry fire a winning match tuned pistol. None of my BP match pistols have ever been shot in a match with over a 10oz. trigger. My non match pistols have 2.5 -3.75 # triggers. To answer the original posters question of "How to Fix" .Many options possible. Stack 2 trigger return springs will gain weight. Heavier main spring. Different triggers and hammers change weight most times. Diamond file metal behind hammer sear to give trigger more purchase...c

 

[M. De Land]

Have an original 1860 Army, refurbished. Has a super light hair trigger, dangerously so for inexperienced shooters. How is that fixed?

There is no obvious wear on any of the parts.

The engagement height and profile square between trigger nose and hammer notch is where I would first look. Secondly I would check hardness of both and thirdly I'd look at trigger spring weight. Usually the first thing a novice wants to do is reduce trigger return spring weight and then cut down the full cock hammer notch height for less trigger nose engagement. Usually then the trigger nose bangs on the half cock notch it no longer clears in cycle and boogers the edge on the trigger nose. The buggered trigger nose then cannot make proper contact with the hammer full cock notch.
This is where I like and often do install a sear lift in the hammer which limits how much of the trigger nose can engage the full cock notch without reducing it's height .
Stoning new angles on hammer notch and trigger nose is tricky and needs to be done on a trial and check bases with spotting fluid so you can actually see and correct surface contact. I use jigs if the pins are parallel but a jig is worthless if they are not. If pin/screws are not parallel then one can lathe turn extended pins and fit the hammer/trigger nose on the outside of the frame taking precaution not to fritz up the case/blue job. I have had to put a bit of lateral angle on both surfaces at times to make them work correctly but they still will tend to crowd the frame toward the out angle.
All trigger work needs to be tested when completed to see if the hammer can be pushed or knocked off full cock with sharp blows to the frame with a rawhide hammer or stick of hard wood. I usually like to hit the trigger guard/frame interface for and aft then both sides of the frame. If the sear/hammer surfaces and return spring tension are correct it will not be pushed or knocked off even if under a pound.
Now having said that I have seen an international free pistol competition gun that had such a light set trigger it could be fired by tilting the muzzle upward. I would call that unsafe but it was set up for an Olympic competitor who may have been able to take advantage of it but I have my doubts.

 

[M. De Land]

I just finished a friend's 1st gen. Colt SAA that had just UNDER a 1lb. pull. Someone had done a trigger job in the past where the full cock notch was cut and the contact point of the trigger sear was filed forward to where it barely stayed in the notch. I was able to the move sear's contact point rearward to the back of what remained of the full cock notch and happily ended up with a 2.8 lb. trigger pull.

I can get along very well with a three pound trigger on a hunting rifle if it breaks clean and doesn't have much over travel although most of my match rfles are in the 1.5 lbs range. In a revolver or pistol I like and need at least a 1.5 lbs to even feel the pressure on my old beat up scare tissue fingers.
Creep and over travel are the real nemesis to trigger control not a reasonable weight., assuming the grip profile and size fits your hand.
I'm getting to the point that set triggers are not very useful to me especially forward firing set triggers. I much prefer rear firing double set triggers that position so as not to have to reach and disrupt my grip.

 

[William P Sepessy]

On the Colt SAA that I earlier referenced with the 1lb pull weight, the owner was concerned because of the arthritic condition in his fingers. I do Cowboy shoots with this gentleman and he was beginning to have a few premature discharges and no longer felt he could safely control that light a trigger pull weight.

 

[45D]

On the Colt SAA that I earlier referenced with the 1lb pull weight, the owner was concerned because of the arthritic condition in his fingers. I do Cowboy shoots with this gentleman and he was beginning to have a few premature discharges and no longer felt he could safely control that light a trigger pull weight.

Yessir, one of those " "HAIR TRIGGERS " . . . gasp" things " . . .

These are things you have to watch out for. You don't want to put "surprises" in customers hands. That is why all my revolvers have a positive engagement and a min. 2.5 lb trigger pull.

Mike