Author Topic: "Poor man's trigger job".........anyone read it? (Read 2147 times)

Jim101 · « **on:** August 16, 2004, 02:49:35 AM »

Has anyone read this and what do you think about the procedure?..
Before I do it....

http://www.gunblast.com/Poorboy.htm

Thanks,

Jim

Prof. Fuller Bullspit · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2004, 06:42:26 AM »

I've read it. It's ok but I'm not sure about pushing on the back of the hammer while pressing the trigger.

I prefer to clip about 4 coils off the hammer spring and bend the legs of the trigger spring instead of taking one leg off the post.

epochelyptikal · « **Reply #2 on:** August 16, 2004, 07:10:31 AM »

I've used the poor man's trigger job on my 357 vaquero and on my .22 single six. I take it pretty easy on the job and have not personally had any problems with either pistol. Alternately you could take it apart and shine the parts up with a dremel polishing cloth wheel (take it REAL easy here) or take it to a gunsmith, but I've never bothered with either. I think you'd have the same smoothing of action if you just put a couple thousand rounds through it!!

I've also placed a 17 pound hammer spring and reduced power trigger spring (from brownell's) on my vaquero. It breaks cleanly with a light pull and the hammer doesn't drop from rapping on it like I've been warned about.

I've taken a leg of the trigger spring off on my .22 and it seems to have nicely reduced the trigger pull. I've not had any problems with that change in the .22 to speak of. The hammer spring remains as shipped at 23 pounds simply because I haven't gotten around to adding the 18 pound replacement yet.

Don't be too agressive.

Tom C. · « **Reply #3 on:** August 16, 2004, 08:22:48 AM »

I have to confess I do trigger jobs the old fashioned way: I take things apart, polish surfaces, trim springs, put things back together and try it. If it doesn't satisfy me, I do it again until I am satisfied. It usually takes a while to get it just the way I want it, but I have the time and I enjoy it.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #4 on:** August 16, 2004, 12:55:13 PM »

ill go with Tom on this ive seen guns that the hammer would push off with a small bump after dropping a leg. and i wont cut a spring or put low power springs in because you give up hammer hitting power by doing it. Alot of polishing some CORRECT work with stone on the sear and bend the trigger return spring just a tad and you can have a safe crisp 2lb trigger. NOw for honesty. I have a buddy that does them for me. As i would surely ass it up.

Quote from: Tom C.

I have to confess I do trigger jobs the old fashioned way: I take things apart, polish surfaces, trim springs, put things back together and try it. If it doesn't satisfy me, I do it again until I am satisfied. It usually takes a while to get it just the way I want it, but I have the time and I enjoy it.

Steve P · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2004, 03:47:16 PM »

Good reply Tom.

I feel like I wanna puke everytime I hear of this 'poor man's trigger job'.
If someone is so nmad poor, sell me the gun before you ruin it!!

Steve

Camel 23 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2004, 04:23:25 PM »

Well I would rather have someone ask the question than ruin their gun even if it makes Steve puke! I don't think its a money issue for people who ask this same question. Not everybody has the time and/or knowledge to do it properly but reading the "poorman's trigger job" I feel just about anybody could give it a try. At least the question was asked before hand.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2004, 11:03:00 PM »

I really dont think it would every hurt a gun usless you have a hammer that is a little soft. Ive had a few that were but there pretty rare. I dont do it because like i said i can get them done right for free. But i know for a fact that even Taffin does it and im sure if it was going to hurt something in one of his guns he wouldnt be doing it.

tubbythetuba · « **Reply #8 on:** August 18, 2004, 03:32:56 AM »

Well, puking is a little rude and harsh

I would not drop a leg, but I've done a little bending and that lightens the trigger quite a bit, and you can put it back if it gets too light. Gently forcing the hammer while pulling the trigger helps smooth things out. I completely fixed a 9422 mag this way......all of a sudden the burr comes off and you have a trigger again. BTW on the subject of breaking in a new piece. Do it at home, with out ammo of course, but dry....no lube! That lets the action break in quicker and the metal to metal parts get used to each other much quicker. Lube up before firing, tho. TTT As always, JMTC

palgeno · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2004, 04:30:50 AM »

Yesssir, Tubby----I did my SBH Hunter just the same way you described and it worked beautifully. The dry pushoff then lube seemed to smooth things out a lot---probably not as good as stoning, but then the error factor is not as great ang you can always stone after 500 or so rounds and see better where to smooth out the surfaces. That trigger return spring just needs a little tweak on each side. I think that is better than removing one leg which results in an unequal force. Also did two Encores and one G2 with the dry pushoff then lube method which dropped the trigger weights by a little over half (in about 15 minutes time) for each frame. :wink: Gene

Camp Cook · « **Reply #10 on:** August 18, 2004, 06:58:46 AM »

I have done this to both of my s/s Ruger Bisley Vaquero's in 45 Colt and it has worked very well. When I'm cowboy action shooting I leave the one side of the spring off and when I'm carrying in the bush for protection I pop the spring back on.
Cam

oso45-70 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2004, 09:28:07 AM »

Camel23,
I've done every thing that has been mentioned here and have found that
what ever works for a person is the way to go. # 1 Not all guns respond to the same treatment so you do what ever works. I hope this post don't
make you Regurgitate. Have a good day Sir and stay safe......Joe........

Camel 23 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 20, 2004, 12:50:24 PM »

Sorry if there was any confussion, I have no problem in any way if people want to use this technique! I was responding to a previous post where a member said it makes him want to puke. I am glad the person who started this tread asked the question to start with.

Steve P · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2004, 03:51:01 PM »

Sorry if my upheaval in the prior post was a little over done. Hope no-one was made sick by my out-flow.

I have done triggers on many of my Blackhawks, and I have a lot. I know what the sear engagement on the hammer looks like and what is happening when you are pushing on that hammer and then forcefully pulling the trigger. Yes, you may be grinding one surface against the other, but you are also stressing a lot of other parts. Is this the proper way to remove a machining burr? Not to my thinking. It it works for you, and makes you happy, by all means, go for it.

I have seen those internal parts and have replaced broken ones, that did not go thru this type of stress. I would not feel comfortable depending on one of these to protect myself or my family.

Get the Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly and Disassembly Part 2 for revolvers. Learn to take your gun apart and put it back together. Learn how it works. See how the parts engage. Do a little polishing on the sear engagement. Remove a little if too much creep. Work on it, go shoot it, go work on it again. After about 4 tries, you will likely have what you want. Then you will have the comfort in knowing you have done your own trigger job, and you will not have stressed any parts doing it.
If you don't want to spend the $16 for the book, go read it in the library and copy the pages you need. Do it right, not ruined.

One again, sorry if I made you puke on your shoes.

Steve

P.S. to the poster on the G2. I don't have one, but if it's anything like my contender, the trigger and sear engagement cannot be helped by pushing on the hammer. :wink:

myronman3 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2004, 04:36:48 PM »

i think for alot of us it is more an issue of not having someone accessible to us that we can trust to do a good trigger job. i wish i had someone who could teach me. books are great, but i learn better by doing under the watchful instruction of someone in the know. i guess the day i find a book that illustrates enough detail i will attempt it. i just havent found that book yet, you can bet i will look into the one named above. thanks for the lead.

Steve P · « **Reply #15 on:** August 23, 2004, 04:08:13 PM »

I can understand someone not having a pistolsmith close. I can also understand not having the money to spend. I have been there on both accounts.

I was sooo frustrated with some of my guns when I was younger. But with wife, two young kids, and living paycheck to paycheck, it was hard to spend money on things that may or may not work. I have a couple guns that I actually consider ruined because someone's idea did not match mine and my gun came back from the gunsmith a piece of crap. Paying too little has it's drawback also.

I learned by doing it myself. I went to hawk/pawn shops, gun shows, etc and bought the ugliest mistreated filthy things you could imagine. Run a patch down the barrel, check the bore, feel the action and check for function. Bought them for a song, purchased how too books, and learned how to remove and fill stock dings, bed actions, refinish stocks, take guns apart, clean them, lube them, see how they work, etc. The first semi-auto 22 i purchased I cleaned it up, touched up some bluing, refinished the stock and bedded the action. Traded it on another gun. Made a $1 profit on it. Yep $1. But....I learned a whole lot and made the shop owner very puzzled...until I brought that next gun back in to trade. A $125 .30-30 brought me $275 toward a model 94 made in 1912. Yep. $150 profit by taking a truck window hanger and refinishing the faded out sunbleached stock and touching up some bluing and polishing a few parts to smooth the action. Learned lots there also. Even used it to take my first deer.

Countless guns later, I have learned a lot. I have made some mistakes that I hope others will not. If you want to learn, run out to Big 5, or other local gun shop and purchase an old military rifle. There are lots of manuals out there to show you how to clean them, fix the dings in the stock, touch up the bluing, etc. Nothing smells better than hoppes and linspeed oil. Nothing shoots better than your own sweet looking old mauser 98. I did a British .303 about 10 years ago. $100 gun. Tore it down, did some stock repair, cleaned it up, polished and blued some parts, refinished it, then gave it to my dad for Father's Day. He treasures it. What a sweet shooter.

If you do some reading, you will find a plethora of knowledge out there on gun repair. Some of it is very useful. Some of it is best used for fire starters or emergency potty paper. After a while you will learn to question those who's information does not fit in or does not make sense. It may fix one thing, while harming another. Like doing the poor man's trigger job. You may remove a burr, or make the trigger seem better, but what did you acutally do internally to your gun? Do you actually know? When I stone a hammer sear engagement and polish some of the internal parts in a Ruger, I know exactly what I am doing to each part.
I have confidence in the gun when I put it back together. To me, this is more important than just having a trigger that feels a little better.

Just another nickles worth. (even a plug nickle)

Steve