What is the best way to lighten the sear spring? I would like to attempt to lighten the trigger pull a bit on my simple single trigger, I hammered the trigger out from a piece of metal, not much creep, just a tad stiff. This is a large deluxe siler lock. The top of the trigger that contacts the sear is pretty much the same angle as the sear, and pinned high. I don't think I can lighten the pull much by making another trigger. Seems when I shoot, I am concentrating on the trigger pull too much, maybe I would do better if the pull is lighter? Would appreciate any advice on this. I don't want a hair trigger,want to keep the gun safe. I understand there needs to be pressure from the sear on the tumbler notch to be safe. Any advice? chuck
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sear spring?
- Thread starter chuck-ia
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Keb
50 Cal.
I have shortened the end that makes contact with the sear to lighten the pull a bit. Some of those big Chambers locks have a tremendous amount of sear spring force but not so much on any Silers I've tangled with. I don't know how much is gained by doing that though. Some, I expect.
Stophel
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The sear spring can be easily narrowed in width by simply filing it down. HOWEVER...
First thing to look at is the relationship between the sear nose and the tumbler notch. If you're not a gunsmith, and don't know what you're doing, it's best to leave it be and have someone else mess with it. The sear should slide off the tumbler notch without "picking up" the tumbler at all. Meaning it should slide straight off without forcing the tumbler to "cock" a little bit further, which works against the mainspring (likewise, it shouldn't slip off too easily, and the tumbler shouldn't move and lower the cock AT ALL until the sear is clear.)
Oh, and modern sear springs are generally NOWHERE NEAR as heavy as typical 18th century sear springs that I have seen.
:wink:
First thing to look at is the relationship between the sear nose and the tumbler notch. If you're not a gunsmith, and don't know what you're doing, it's best to leave it be and have someone else mess with it. The sear should slide off the tumbler notch without "picking up" the tumbler at all. Meaning it should slide straight off without forcing the tumbler to "cock" a little bit further, which works against the mainspring (likewise, it shouldn't slip off too easily, and the tumbler shouldn't move and lower the cock AT ALL until the sear is clear.)
Oh, and modern sear springs are generally NOWHERE NEAR as heavy as typical 18th century sear springs that I have seen.
:wink:
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Pay heed to what Stophel said about the sear nose and tumbler connection, but you can reduce the spring in width and the thickness of the top leaf. Do both with a taper toward the nose. I use a Dremel drum sander. Have a water can right there close by and dip often. This is a grind a little then try operation. As long as the sear nose and notch are angled correctly, the springs only job is the return the sear to the tumbler in a safe and positive manner. If the trigger is indeed mounted correctly, you may not have to remove much from the spring.
First you need to know For Sure if it is the Lock or the trigger causing the issue.
Take the lock out of the rifle, cock it, close the frizzen & trip the sear just like the trigger would. If it trips as easily as most Chambers Deluxe Silers do, it is not the lock, it is the trigger bar angle. More slope makes a easier pull & longer pull. Chuck Dixon's builders book as a good illustration in it about single triggers & the set up.
If it does trip hard, then I would send it back to Jim & have it look at it. It has a Lifetime Warranty on it. You go messing with it & break something or mess it up, it may void the warranty.
Keith Lisle
Take the lock out of the rifle, cock it, close the frizzen & trip the sear just like the trigger would. If it trips as easily as most Chambers Deluxe Silers do, it is not the lock, it is the trigger bar angle. More slope makes a easier pull & longer pull. Chuck Dixon's builders book as a good illustration in it about single triggers & the set up.
If it does trip hard, then I would send it back to Jim & have it look at it. It has a Lifetime Warranty on it. You go messing with it & break something or mess it up, it may void the warranty.
Keith Lisle
gunmaker43
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How far apart are the tgr. pivot point & sear ? More than say 1/4" and the pull goes up quick. Peter Alexander speaks on this quite a bit in his book. Just a thought. ...Tom
This does sound like a trigger problem more than a sear spring problem doesn't it?
I haven't tried putting the trigger pin 1/4" ahead of the sear arm but I have used 5/16 on several of my guns.
This 5/16 inch distance with a well made lock seems to give me about a 2-3 pound trigger pull on my single trigger guns.
I haven't tried putting the trigger pin 1/4" ahead of the sear arm but I have used 5/16 on several of my guns.
This 5/16 inch distance with a well made lock seems to give me about a 2-3 pound trigger pull on my single trigger guns.
Stophel
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I seem to be the only one who has found that the distance of the trigger pin to the sear screw to be essentially irrelevant to the weight of the trigger pull. It does, however, have a great deal to do with the length of the trigger pull. I remember trying a gun years ago with 1/4" between the pin and screw. Yes, the pull was light, but it seemed that that trigger would NEVER let off! I put them always at 1/2" now and never looked back. Weight is far more determined by sear spring weight and sear nose/tumbler relationship.
The phrase "hard pull" makes me think that the sear is pushing the tumbler forward when the trigger is pulled. But, since it's not in front of me, I certainly can't say. :idunno:
The phrase "hard pull" makes me think that the sear is pushing the tumbler forward when the trigger is pulled. But, since it's not in front of me, I certainly can't say. :idunno:
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I could be wrong, or somewhat wrong, but I pretty much agree. I believe a good pull is from a balance between the pin position, amount of sear contact, angle of sear contact, and spring power. I have three rifles with set triggers, and I was able to get a 2 to 2 1/2 pound pull with minimum to no perceived travel with the triggers "unset", by reducing sear travel/contact, sear spring weight, and polishing. The set pull measures in ounces. The reason I mention set triggers is that they are notorious for a hard pull when unset due largely to "bad" geometry. By doing these things, polishing the triggers, and adjusting their springs, the triggers are very quiet to set, and likewise the lock is much quieter to cock. When doing my trigger work, I start with the lock.
Well.... :hmm: you are 1/2 way there. As I prev. said, you must determine if it is the Trigger or the Lock. Swapping springs made it trip easier. If that makes it shoot OK, then it was a Lock issue. Put the other springs in the spare lock & send it to Jim & he will get it correct.
If the lock trips easy now & you still have issues with hard pull, then you have a trigger issue & will need to play with the trigger.
For me, a longer smooth pull is much better than a short light pull, as I always feel unsafe if the trigger pull is too light. I like them to be around 3#. Have done them down to ounces but they always make me uneasy. I don't want one that it will fire the lock if you bump the stock on the ground. :shake:
You are making progress. :thumbsup: Keep at it. If you go to changing the slope of the triggerbar, remember that a few thousands sometimes makes a Big dif. Look at the angle of the trigger bar when you pull it in relation to the sear arm. As you pull if the angle of that bar is going Uphill as it trips the sear, it is going to pull hard. I like that bar to be slightly sloping downhill as it hits the sear arm & trips the sear, it pulls easier & smoother. If it is sloped too much, it makes the pull to long.
Keith Lisle
If the lock trips easy now & you still have issues with hard pull, then you have a trigger issue & will need to play with the trigger.
For me, a longer smooth pull is much better than a short light pull, as I always feel unsafe if the trigger pull is too light. I like them to be around 3#. Have done them down to ounces but they always make me uneasy. I don't want one that it will fire the lock if you bump the stock on the ground. :shake:
You are making progress. :thumbsup: Keep at it. If you go to changing the slope of the triggerbar, remember that a few thousands sometimes makes a Big dif. Look at the angle of the trigger bar when you pull it in relation to the sear arm. As you pull if the angle of that bar is going Uphill as it trips the sear, it is going to pull hard. I like that bar to be slightly sloping downhill as it hits the sear arm & trips the sear, it pulls easier & smoother. If it is sloped too much, it makes the pull to long.
Keith Lisle
