Trigger parts don't add up

[mikee51848]

I bought a .54 smoothbore kit at Dixon's last summer, and am now getting around to worrking on it. I think I bought it from The Rifle Shop? Anyway, the trigger assembly looks like this:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(5...d=20&subId=134&styleId=486&partNum=TR-KENT-HB

But the guard looks like this:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(5...14&SUBID=155&STYLEID=685&PARTNUM=TG-FOWL-SA-B

There's no way these two go together.

 

[Zonie]

Why not?
If you had a double set trigger and tried to use it with that short trigger guard I could see the problem but the short trigger guard is made for use with the simple trigger you linked to.

(Please folks, don't get into another acorn debate.) :rotf:

 

[mikee51848]

Because I think the underlugs of the guard will be in the middle of the trigger plate? :hmm:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Those are what's left of the casting gates and you can cut off the forward ones and use a screw to hold the front of the guard in place. Should work fine--at least it did on one of my guns.

 

[paulvallandigham]

That is what I was going to suggest, only remove the tab just behind the trigger guard, and replace that with a screw into the stock about an inch back, depending on where the trigger plate screw is located, and where any tang bolt may come through. I have seen a couple of beautiful guns where only the rear tab was used to pin that part of the guard to the stock, and screws replace both the forward tabs.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Ditch the trigger plate. It is way too long for a fowler trigger guard. You can make your own pretty easily from sheet brass or steel and make it the correct length. the trigger plate you have is for a rifle.

 

[Stophel]

Those triggers that are pinned in the plate aren't any good for anything anyway. The pin is WAY too low. Needs to be pinned high in the wood. :wink:

 

[mikee51848]

Ditch the trigger plate.

Would it be ok to cut the plate down to size? Or make a trip to Dixon's? I have another guard in my parts box but it's for a double set trigger.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Of course you can cut the trigger plate to size, but that doesn't get rid of the other problems Mike has tried to warn you about. Since you put the trigger into the stock after the:

1. Barrel
2. breechplug
3. lock

Take your time in deciding what you want to do. I don't think you will go wrong following Mike's advice, however.

Some people have to pee on that electric fence to find out for themselves why someone warned them not to do that! We all seem to learn some lessons better by making our own mistakes. :shocked2: :thumbsup:

 

[crockett]

Stophel- tell us more- I always wondered what was the optimal placement of the trigger. I think some of the NW trade guns had a pin cross wise (hidden by the lock plat)- for the trigger. It seems with that arrangement a trigger plate isn't even needed.

 

[mikee51848]

Ok, I can make a trip to Dixon's, no problem. About the trigger guard, perhaps someone can send me a PT regarding the shape/style of it, if you know what I mean... :haha: The gun was billed as a Lehigh Fowler.
Thanks!

 

[Mike Brooks]

Check the building tutorial sticky at the top, I cover pinning the trigger in that.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Ok, I can make a trip to Dixon's, no problem. About the trigger guard, perhaps someone can send me a PT regarding the shape/style of it, if you know what I mean... :haha: The gun was billed as a Lehigh Fowler.
Thanks!

That T guard would be fine for a lehigh fowler. Check the building tutorial sticky at the top of the page, it covers making a simple trigger plate and pining the trigger. No sense in making a trip to buy a factory trigger plate when you can easily make one from a piece of scrap. You can still use the trigger you have, just knock the pin out of it and get rid of the plate.
In fact you could shorten up both ends of the existing plate, knock the pin out and then pin the trigger through the wood. Problem solved with what you already have. :thumbsup:

 

[J.D.]

In fact you could shorten up both ends of the existing plate, knock the pin out and then pin the trigger through the wood. Problem solved with what you already have. :thumbsup:

It probably wouldn't hurt to thin the trigger plate a bit too. Otherwise, :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[mikee51848]

Thanks Mike for the advice. But you sound like my wife( :nono: ), trying to keep me from going to Dixon's, and then Cabela's! :haha:

 

[stumpmaker]

Just the mackanics of that trigger will make for a very heavy pull . Like whats already been said pin it up higher in the top front corner. :thumbsup: Also move the finger part back derrectly under where the trigger meets the sear.... Wish i could draw on this fool thing.

 

[Stophel]

Stophel- tell us more- I always wondered what was the optimal placement of the trigger. I think some of the NW trade guns had a pin cross wise (hidden by the lock plat)- for the trigger. It seems with that arrangement a trigger plate isn't even needed.

It's not needed. I find the triggerplate to be the most irritating piece of useless equipment to install on a gun, but...

All that is really needed is a big nut to put the tang screw into. The rest of the triggerplate is just there for looks.

Wildatheart, You can cut down and reshape the existing plate as necessary, and, as was stated, just put your pin in the wood up high where it should be. You'll have two holes in your trigger, but that won't matter. :wink:

 

[Zonie]

I hear you guys talking and what your saying is fine for a experienced gun maker who knows where to properly drill the trigger pin hole but I get the impression that we are talking to a person who isn't an experienced gun maker and he doesn't know where the hole should be.

If he screws up and drills the trigger pin hole in the wrong place he will either have the choice of living with the error (and the terrible trigger pull that goes along with it) or he will end up drilling several holes thru his stock and trigger until he gets it right. Talk about messing up a nice gun!

I still say that using the existing trigger or modifying it so that it isn't as long (easily done with a hack saw), is the best approach for this build.

As was mentioned, that front gate on the casting that is ahead of the trigger can be removed to clear the trigger plate, or the trigger plate can be shortened to miss it. Either of these would work just fine.
As for the rear of the plate, that can be easily shortened to miss the trigger guards gate.

The important thing for WildatHeart to know is that after the lock is installed into the stock, he should carefully mark the location of the sears arm on the side of the stock.
Then position the trigger plate so that the pivot point (the pin) is about 5/16 to 3/8 of an inch ahead of the sear arm mark he made on the stock.

After doing this, he can see how much of the trigger plate needs to be removed to clear the trigger guards cast gates (which will be used to provide material for the pins that will hold the trigger guard to the stock) to pass thru.

If he locates the trigger pivot as I described the guns trigger pull should be just about as good as a simple trigger can be.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Here's a little ditty on trigger pinning.
TRIGGER PINNING!

 

[brubincam]

-----thanks MIKE very informative---do you pin all your triggers-----