Author Topic: handy rifle trigger fix (Read 1840 times)

couesman · « **on:** December 12, 2011, 03:19:15 PM »

howdy all
i got my first h&r handy rifle last saterday in 204 ruger .test fired a few rounds and it has the potential to be a real tack driver except the trigger is awful heavy ! what can i do to help the trigger pull ?

Ihateflyers · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2011, 03:42:35 PM »

type in handi trigger pull in search, has been some discussion about this..
Richard

tacklebury · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2011, 03:54:59 PM »

Welcome Cousman. I'd highly recommend you review the FAQ section http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,26264.0.html
Many questions you have will be answered within this set of links. Specifically in your case, search for the "TRIGGER IMPROVEMENT BY PERKLO" to get the data you want.

Use the control key + the F key to get the search box open.

JB White · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2011, 06:02:02 PM »

Mine was terrible when I first bought it. I flushed a bunch of factory crud out of the action along with metal filings. Wood removed I used Kroil to loosen things up. After about 20 minutes I flushed with brake parts cleaner and compressed air. I then soaked it with Break-Free and let it stand on end for a week to let most of the excess drain. After I worked the action again I noticed a vast improvement. No more grit and a trigger that's still a couple pounds heavier than ideal but it breaks like glass. I plan to leave it that way and use it some more to see if the cleaned surfaces mate a bit better with some honest wear.
Now for the other part of the truth

I did start to do a trigger tune per the instructions at the link provided above. Set it on the block of wood per instructions and promptly mushroomed a brass punch. Selected a steel punch of the proper size and did nothing but flat spot the first pin. It wouldn't budge without a lot more force so I figured I had better stop and reconsider before I scratched something. That's when it was decided to try flushing instead of disassembling to get the 'fish hooks' out of the action.

The FAQ's list is long but there's a lot of good reading in there. I've read most but not all yet. Only disappointment is many of the older threads have lost some key pictures along the way.

Ihateflyers · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2011, 09:00:42 PM »

j.b good to know a good cleaning will be my first priority when i get the new handi thanks R W

watkibe · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2011, 02:28:35 PM »

When I sent mine in for a new barrel, I asked if they are still doing their "free" trigger job, and if so, could I have one, please. It came back with the trigger maybe slightly lighter, but definitely smooth and crisp, quite an improvement. The invoice said "trigger job - no charge".

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2011, 02:38:38 PM »

H&R may or may not charge for the trigger job, depends on what the weight is at the time they receive it, see Ilion's Policy on Trigger Pull in the FAQs.

Tim

Selkirk · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2011, 06:04:09 PM »

Quote from: watkibe on December 13, 2011, 02:28:35 PM

When I sent mine in for a new barrel, I asked if they are still doing their "free" trigger job, and if so, could I have one, please. It came back with the trigger maybe slightly lighter, but definitely smooth and crisp, quite an improvement. The invoice said "trigger job - no charge".

Just received my gun back today from a fitting. I included a nice little note asking if they had time to check my trigger. Not sure if they made it much lighter but they sure cleaned it up.
Really smooth and crisp. They whole process was first rate, and no charge on the trigger.

ratdog · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2011, 10:26:02 PM »

my new 357 was a little hard more than some of my others .i pulled the hammer all the way back then put a very small dab of gunslick on sear with a very small screw driver or tooth pick works .worked it back and forth about 20 times what a difference did the same to all my handy's. dont just squirt a bunch in there takes just very small amount works on my ar 15 too.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2011, 04:13:41 AM »

When I got my .223 the trigger pull was horrible. Seeing that I didn't want to mess it up by trying to punch out the pings, I settled for the cheap option.

I put a heavy leather glove on my left hand and used my left thumb to stop the hammer fall when I dry fired it. I dry fired it about a thousand times or more without adding any lube. After awhile the trigger pull was nearly doubled, at that point I flushed it out with Ed's Red and it was like it had a trigger job. It's not as light as I'd like but it breaks very clean and crisp.

BTW, the original plan was to send it back for another barrel or 2 and have the trigger looked at at the same time. it's about 9 years later and I still haven't done that...

Tony

cwlongshot · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2011, 05:27:41 AM »

Doin trigger with handiwork may seem daunting. But take the time to read the FAQs Tim has worked so hard to assemble for us and you will be armed with the knowledge to easily accomplish the task. Just be sure to make up a slave pin and you will find its really not hard at all. The couple snafoos are explained with pictures and explications. If all else fails post up your question and one of the guys will quickly have an answer for you.

Good luck and Merry Christmas,
CW

ratdog · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2011, 08:39:10 PM »

one of these days i will break one of mine then i will have to take it apart then i will try the trigger fix but for now mine are fine.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2011, 04:57:16 AM »

Hi JB!
Glad you are spending some time here, this is a good bunch.
The pins are splined on the left side, so out right to left. When I reinstall I use a soft jaw pliers to rotate that set of splines to find where they want to slip together best, then tap in.
Ive tried marking the pin head/action for re-indexing, but always seem to end up wiping it off in process.

JB White · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2011, 06:38:51 AM »

Quote from: gcrank1 on December 15, 2011, 04:57:16 AM

Hi JB!
Glad you are spending some time here, this is a good bunch.
The pins are splined on the left side, so out right to left. When I reinstall I use a soft jaw pliers to rotate that set of splines to find where they want to slip together best, then tap in.
Ive tried marking the pin head/action for re-indexing, but always seem to end up wiping it off in process.

Hi Gcrank!
I lurked here for quite a while before coming onboard. Seemed as though any Handi info I searched for always brought me to this site. After reading a while I figured this is the place to be

I noticed the splines right off when I was checking for possible tapered pins before going to the trigger job page to find out the sequence. Mine are in very tight. Since I can live with the trigger as it stands perhaps it's best to leave it alone for now. As they say: If it isn't broke there's no point in fixing it 'til it is.

I'm sure I'll need to open the action someday. If not this rifle then perhaps one of the next. I already have three more in mind. Nice little basic single shots and they can be worked on without worry of ruining any serious antique value. What's not to like?

Cheers,

JB

gcrank1 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 16, 2011, 09:21:31 AM »

You've got that right!, sounds like you are about as hooked as the rest of us

.
Ive kinda got that same attitude, someday I'll get into this one or that for something and do it all up. Most of mine have become better over time, and a bit heavy, but crisp break, works fine for me (as long as I dont shoot a set trigger gun first in the session!). All in all, the triggers are better than many of the mil-surp vintage rifles anyway. Perspective is a wonderful thing.

JB White · « **Reply #15 on:** December 16, 2011, 10:20:20 AM »

Quote from: gcrank1 on December 16, 2011, 09:21:31 AM

.....as long as I dont shoot a set trigger gun first in the session!.....
Quote
...... Perspective is a wonderful thing.

Triggers...You've got me thinking about that now. Definitely something to keep in mind before selecting the days choices.

Perspective: Yeah, I imagine you're spot on there!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #16 on:** December 16, 2011, 10:35:06 AM »

Triggers jobs are easy to do once you get the first one under your belt, the fear of doing them is the greatest obstacle to overcome, I've done dozens of them, the first was the hardest. Having good steel cup point pin punches makes a big difference, specially on the small pin, brass will work on the 3/16" pins, but it's hard on punches.

Tim

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=656/Product/CUP-TIP-PUNCHES

JB White · « **Reply #17 on:** December 16, 2011, 10:50:03 AM »

Quickdtoo, you just hit on a spot where I've come up lacking over time. Cupped punches (along with roll pin punches) I still have a few but naturally in the sizes that rarely get used. It's tough to do on a retirement income but it sure looks as though I need to bite the bullet sometime soon.
I won't tell anyone if you won't (looking around) but good nail sets have cupped tips too. shhhhhh...

Being a retired carpenter I have plenty of those around. OK for getting a pin started to move but the tapered shank will ruin a gun if they go too far.

couesman · « **Reply #18 on:** December 16, 2011, 11:28:31 AM »

thanx for the advice regarding the trigger . after reviewing the perklo site i decided to hand the job off to a gunsmith (sometimes when i take guns apart i have trouble putting putting them back together again) . so i checked around tucson and found 1 shop that would do the job but it was going to take soooo long that i sent it to an h&r repair shop in california . J&G gunsmithing . they quoted me 80 bucks and a two week turn around .I,ll let you know how it turned out when i get it back !

quickdtoo · « **Reply #19 on:** December 16, 2011, 11:37:36 AM »

Ilion would do it for $20 plus shipping at the most, turn around time may be longer than 2 weeks, but not by much, from the FAQs...

Ilion's Policy on Trigger Pull

gcrank1 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 17, 2011, 03:30:42 PM »

'A man's got to know his limitations'..........I seem to jump in; sometimes its been over my head, but I bob up eventually.........
H&Rs seem easier to get back together than my 1st capgun I took apart, though maybe Id do better on it now too, it kinda got me started to where I am.
I gotta admit, though, that spring in the transfer bar assembly had me goin' for a while.

eye shot · « **Reply #21 on:** December 17, 2011, 05:35:51 PM »

I can't understand why the same trigger the one in my USH is so crappy and the one in my Sidekick is one of the best factory triggers I've had. I spent 8 hours of in and out with th USH trigger and didn't gain much. The sears acctually had little hunks out of the suface, not safe in my opion. Now I just switch back and forth with the Sidekick trigger.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #22 on:** December 18, 2011, 12:06:00 AM »

Quote from: eye shot on December 17, 2011, 05:35:51 PM

I can't understand why the same trigger the one in my USH is so crappy and the one in my Sidekick is one of the best factory triggers I've had. I spent 8 hours of in and out with th USH trigger and didn't gain much. The sears acctually had little hunks out of the suface, not safe in my opinion. Now I just switch back and forth with the Sidekick trigger.

Why not just buy and install new parts?

Brownells has them as does Gun Parts Corp.

Be careful grinding on these parts, go slow and easy try to polish morethan remove metal as the parts are soft and altho you will get a good trigger it will change and eventually become unsafe.

CW