1911 Trigger

[Weerd Beard]

My 1911 has a trigger with a pretty long travel. Most of this is just taking up the slack before you hit the sear.

I'd like to drop in a trigger that will have very little to no "slack" on it. Is this possible, and if so, could you recomend some good triggers?

-Weer'd Beard

 

[Executive]

Chip McCormick makes nice 1911 stuff, and so does Wilson's.

 

[tele_mark]

I'm wondering what's up with your 1911 now. I remember the long pull on it, but I just bought a S&W 1911, and it has a characteristic short, light trigger.

 

[Weerd Beard]

I'm wondering what's up with your 1911 now. I remember the long pull on it, but I just bought a S&W 1911, and it has a characteristic short, light trigger.

Well you're is probably a LOT newer than mine. As far as I can tell mine is a 1st gen S&W1911 and it has a lot of hardware that isn't found on current production models.

I'm hoping a new trigger will make mine short and light like yours.

offtopic what model did you get?

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard

 

[tele_mark]

I got a used 1911PD from Carl last weekend:

 

[Weerd Beard]

I got a used 1911PD from Carl last weekend:

I wanna shoot it!

Arrrrrr

 

[Len-2A Training]

I have heard very good things about the Videki style triggers and they are short money, $16.49 at Brownells (without discounts).

Look here:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20228

 

[adweisbe]

We need to get our terminology straight here, a new trigger will not change the pull weight or cure creep. You will need to adjust it for pretravel if you want to eliminate slack. You can accomplish this by carefully fitting the trigger so it cannot move forward past the reset point by leaving enough material on to stop it. This assumes there is material on the frame to allow this and this assumes that you can find a trigger that is oversized in YOUR gun. I have had 3 S&W 1911s with trigger tracks ranging in size from .92 to .94. The Videki trigger linked is .92, Greider makes them up to .94 but you have to order directly from them and you can't get all styles.

Lastly, the Videki/Greider trigger does not have any pretravel adjustment. One gunsmith I know cuts the trigger bow out to add pretravel adjustment tabs. Another option is the Dlask trigger which comes with the tabs cut, you just have to bend them out.

If you have a 1st gen S&W 1911 you may already have a trigger that is adjustable for pretravel, take it out and photograph it. I just bought a S&W 1911 Target model from Howie and it had what appeared to be a Dlask trigger with pretravel and over travel adjustments. The pretravel adjustment was not set. I did not bother to set it as it doesn't bother me.

[EDIT]The trigger in that 1911 might no be Dlask, I thought it was made by him, but I checked and it isn't. Still has the tabs for pretravel adjustment.[/EDIT]

 

[Weerd Beard]

I have heard very good things about the Videki style triggers and they are short money, $16.49 at Brownells (without discounts).

Look here:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20228

I'm looking at the Wison Combat trigger thats the same price. So Len, is what I'm talking about the "long trigger" you complain about on 1911s? Or are you talking about somthing different?

-Weer'd Beard

 

[GTOShootr]

The STI trigger in from Brownells is a good one. It has the pretravel tabs to adjust take up and the set screw for overtravel. The trigger is physically lightweight, but like Adweisbe said, that isn't going to give you a light or crisp pull.

There is long in terms of travel of the trigger, take up and overtravel, adjustable by the tabs and set screw of a match trigger. There are also dimensionally long and short sized triggers. That refers to the part you see outside the gun (the shoe) and is a matter of fit to your hand/fingers. Stock 1911s come with a long, curved trigger shoe.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Weer'd,

Just to make sure that we are on the same page . . .

"Long trigger" means a long reach to the trigger. "Short trigger" means a shorter reach (for smaller hands).

A look in Brownells (just as an example) or the Mfrs of said devices webpages will show you this difference.

If you are referring to the slack in the trigger take-up prior to firing, that's another whole can of worms and I'm not knowledgeable enough about this to answer the question of how to eliminate/minimize this. Here's some info however (use caution and use at your own risk!):

Brownell's info on 1911 trigger work (not all is suitable for a carry gun!):
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/NewsletterArchive.aspx?p=0&t=1&i=349

More info on Triggers:
http://www.blindhogg.com/gunsmith/triggers.html

Performing Trigger job:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=157286

HTH

 

[PistolPete]

You should buy the tuned trigger job from Brazos. I swapped out the trigger components on my SV with it and it is one of the best triggers ever. Here is the link:

http://www.1911store.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=166

 

[Scrivener]

A "trigger group" that contains no trigger?

If you need to change trigger length, you may also wish to look at the SVI trigger, which has inserts permitting different shapes and lengths:

www.sviguns.com

Go to the Tri-Glide trigger system.

 

[howie]

1911 triggers

Hi
it sound like you want to take out the play in the trigger? my first sw1911 had alot of play(take up)
and a very long trigger like the one in the pic. that i will post. some of the factory trigger were badger ordnance and in my 2 cents is they are junk( i am not a gunsmith or play on tv) but i always have 6 or so in my safe (they are not for sale) and have been shooting 1911 for over 20 years .i like short triggers i buy them from ted yost. all in did was replace the crap stock trigger with a good short trigger and the (take up ) when away. and on the target model i sold it came from the factroy with a cmc trigger
my 2 cents
howie

 

[matt]

My 1911 has a trigger with a pretty long travel. Most of this is just taking up the slack before you hit the sear.

I'd like to drop in a trigger that will have very little to no "slack" on it. Is this possible, and if so, could you recomend some good triggers?

-Weer'd Beard

I'm a little late on this thead, but I just wanted to say I just made this adjustment on my 1911 (actually the very one adwiesbe refers to above). If you have an adjustable trigger (with the little tabs in the front of the trigger bow) it is real easy. (see here for an example)

You'll likely have to file a little off the stub on the grip safety that block trigger travel, but if you go slowly with many iterations you should be fine. Warning: If you file back too much, the grip safety will be useless. If you file too little, you may be able reasemble everything and have things look like they work fine, but the grip safety may not reliably reset. File slowly, one stroke at a time, until you find the middle gound. Install the grip safety after each pass of the file and try it out.

You can get an idea how much you will have to file back by (with safety off and unloaded of course) pressing the trigger without depressing the grip safety and comparing that position to where the trigger action starts to engauge the sear. On my pistol it was about 1/8th inch that I had to take off.

I really like the feel with almost no take up in the trigger. Next thing will be to work the sear and hammer, if I get the nerve up. Need to do a little more reading before that though. (I wouldn't do my own trigger job on a carry gun though).

Disclaimer: I'm not gunsmith, even remotely. If you are even a little uncomfortable doing this, send your pistol to one of the fine pistol smiths around and they will do a better job for surprisingly little money.

Matt