Uberti 1858 trigger too light?

[180pilot]

I've seen all the complaints about too heavy triggers on 1858, my new one from Uberti has 1.5 lb. trigger pull. tightening trigger/bolt spring screw does little but increase bolt tension against cylinder...And running main spring screw in did not change it either. I suppose I could take T/M spring out and put more of a bend into trigger side of spring. But, wonder how long that would last. Would like at least a 3# pull for a recreational revolver like this, without excessive bolt pressure making deeper drag marks on cylinder.. any experience here appreciated...

 

[Artificer]

Have to say I'm surprised that screwing in the mainspring set screw did not increase the trigger pull?

I don't mean to criticize you, but that is the screw on the front of the grip frame just a bit up from the bottom of the grip frame. Is that the screw you tightened and found it did not increase the trigger pull weight?

Need this info before we can go further.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

BTW, here is a link to a disassembled parts diagram that may prove useful to what screw/s we are talking about.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/TheRealHobie/Firearms/Remington/RemingtonArmyNewModel.jpg

Gus

 

[necchi]

Anyone consider it might be a worn notch on the hammer?

 

[Artificer]

Might be. May also be a chipped sear on the trigger, worn or broken trigger and cylinder stop spring, worn or overly modified mainspring and other things. But we won't know where to start until the OP answers.

Gus

 

[hawkeye2]

The trigger/bolt spring screw should be tight holding the spring up firmly against the frame. It isn't used for adjustment. It's doubtful you can bend the trigger spring but fairly certain you can break it. The mainspring tension screw doesn't seem to have much effect on the trigger pull in my experience and the screw is so small that it can be bent by screwing it in too hard. That said, I did manage to lighten the trigger on one of my '58's about 3/8ths. of a pound by backing that screw out, the only time I have ever seen a worthwhile change.

 

[crockett]

Necchi- that was my first thought. In many instances if you have a heavy trigger pull and want it lighter, you modify the engagement so there is a "hair trigger" if you want to use that term. You put a shim in the notch to move the top of the trigger forward. So... I'm thinking a too light trigger might be set too far forward or the angle of engagement is wrong. Some gunsmiths have a slight undercut (if that is the proper term) on the trigger so in pressing the trigger you must overcome this angle. If the engagement was in the other direction the trigger pull would be light and possibly dangerous if the engagement angle was wrong.
Years ago I bought and rebuilt a side by side double barrel shotgun where the sear noses engaging the hammer notches were rounded. When I disassembled the gun and saw the condition- I felt like donating the thing to a hunter safety class as an example of how dangerous a worn gun can become.
So, I'd rap that revolver and see if it can fire while cocked.
Probably some trigger work is needed. Might need a new trigger, sometimes you can peen hammer the sides of the nose to lengthen the area and square off the top and case harden. Might want to have a pistol smith look at it.

 

[Bear Rider]

Take out the cylinder so that you don't damage the nipples and are absolutely certain that the weapon is empty. Cock the hammer. Now rap the butt sharply on a padded surface several times, then hold the revolver with the barrel vertical and repeat. If the hammer doesn't fall, there is no mechanical safety issue. It becomes a matter of personal preference.

 

[180pilot]

I know my part names, brand new gun, so worn sear, hammer not in my thinking, If trigger/Bolt spring screw tightened all the way just makes bolt make deeper gouges in cylinder,has I said. It was not tightened all the way from factory, so appeared to me as some kind of adjustment. Polished bolt head, already did the rap thing, no hammer fall. Quess I'm stuck with light target trigger....

 

[180pilot]

If I tighten T/B screw all the way in the tension on bolt is at least 3 times that of any of my other revolvers, single or double action..it was 1/2 turn out from full tight from factory, and still has a little bit more tension then my other revolvers. I do not think it is going to jump out of time. However, if spring starts to get weak, there is some adjustment left. From 1/2 out to full tight does not change 1.5# trigger pull. And it is a very good trigger; no creep, no grit, crisp break, guess I should not complain...

 

[M. De Land]

What's wrong with a 1.5 pound trigger if it is safe.
Folks pay me good money to lighten their trigger pulls on hand guns and rifles from over five lbs. some times, to a pound or two.
If it cannot be jarred off full cock it is just as safe as a three pound pull in my opinion. Mike D.

 

[180pilot]

As a hunting companion, drawn in haste, perhaps with gloves on,.........1.5# ??? My target 1911's are there, but range guns only..Carrying a SA with such a trigger does not bother me enough to leave it at home. Although cocking any pistol or revolver with my finger outside trigger guard is my religion, why does doing it with a single action with a heavy hammer like the 1858, feel so goofy..?? Watch many youtube vids, shooters with finger in guard while cocking......

 

[M. De Land]

My thought is that heavy triggers are a liability as trusting in a heavy trigger pull to keep the gun from discharging accidentally is misplaced.
On the other hand if all your triggers are light crisp and safe no such false notion is born to precipitate an AD (accidental discharge).
And hunting or target work is best accomplished with a bear trigger finger. One mans opinion. Mike D.

 

[180pilot]

Lots of views on that:
http://www.handgunsmag.com/2012/08/23/whats-the-right-trigger-pull-weight-for-a-carry-gun/

 

[Rick Son]

Had that problem once,my mountainman buddy very carefully filed that trigger notch a little deeper #19 in the schematics?And cleaned up the trigger sprue,he used a tiny little file to do it.

 

[Artificer]

First of all, one cannot rule out problems on even new guns from the best makers. Humans make mistakes and sometimes even brand new guns have problems.

The reason I was asking so specifically about tightening the mainspring tension screw is that if you see NO difference in the trigger pull weight between the point when the screw is all the way out and not putting any pressure on the mainspring to where it is screwed in all the way to where it is putting the most pressure on bending the mainspring, THEN the only things that would explain that are pretty darn rare ”“ unless someone worked on the pistol and made some rather drastic modifications.

The first thing is the spring itself was not properly hardened and annealed and shaped to give correct spring tension even though it may look perfectly serviceable with no discernible wear. If the spring was hardened and annealed properly and shaped properly, it HAS to give heavier spring tension when the tension screw is tightened and thus a heavier trigger pull, because the spring is being bent more giving more spring tension. So when it is not giving more spring tension as you screw in the tension screw all the way in, then that is a problem you have with the mainspring itself or something else acting against it to hold the mainspring in the most tension curved position even when the tension screw is not putting pressure on it. Now IF the spring was made too long (and I have seen this in some revolvers over the years) then the spring would already be bent further than what the tension screw can bend it. Thus no difference in weight as you screw in the mainspring tension screw. If the mainspring was not hardened and tempered correctly, one may feel no or so slight of increase in tension that it feels like no added tension when adjusting the mainspring tension screw.

So when there is no appreciable difference in trigger pull weight when the mainspring tension screw is loose to when it is screwed all the way in, it often is the best thing for folks to replace the mainspring. That should give you a full power mainspring that will lessen lock time and properly set off the caps each time.

More to come.
Gus

 

[Artificer]

Had that problem once,my mountainman buddy very carefully filed that trigger notch a little deeper #19 in the schematics?And cleaned up the trigger sprue,he used a tiny little file to do it.

Good point. A full cock notch that is not deep enough will give too light of a trigger pull. However, if the angle on the notch is too far forward, it doesn't matter the notch is deep enough or not, because the sear (on top of the trigger) will slip down into less than correct contact of the sear and notch.

Further and to a lesser degree, if the angle of the sear is not correct or rounded, it will not go as deep into a correctly made full cock notch and cause too light of a trigger pull.

Gus

 

[AZbpBurner]

I wouldn't file any engaging sear/trigger surfaces

The reason being that, I'm not well versed in re surfacehardening after filing, and once you file thru the hardened engaging surfaces, you have soft metal accelerating wearing on both surfaces.

 

[crockett]

Sorry, my oversight on the brand new gun aspect. Do all the edges look crisp? Are there any machining burrs, etc. that might be reducing trigger engagement and resulting in the light pull?

 

[180pilot]

Have feeling it is trigger/bolt spring problem, too heavy on bolt side, too light on trigger side..

Will talk with Taylor and Co. Smith..