Drop The Hammer

I have often stated the 1911 pistol is the Mr. Potato Head of firearms. Changing the hammer, trigger, stocks, and sights isn’t that difficult and may lead to big dividends. The trigger is one of the most important parts of the handgun as far as control and marksmanship are concerned. Some shooters see the latest adjustable match trigger in the popular press and feel that they need that trigger for their carry gun, yet their skills have not advanced to the point where a match trigger would be of any aid to them.

Others do not realize that a lightweight trigger action may be contraindicated on a carry gun. But other shooters are skilled at what they do and have reached the point that a good trigger that matches their hand size and trigger finger might be a big improvement. The trigger should be comfortable. If not, it is like a floppy holster or a poor belt. A good fit means a lot. The trigger must move smoothly directly to the rear dur- The standard 1911 type trigger action is high lighted. ing trigger compression.

The 1911 handgun is often lauded for its straightrearward trigger compression but not all 1911 handguns are as smooth as others. A catch or loose motion is a detriment to accuracy. If the trigger is too short for the shooter the push that is ideal for a rearward press becomes an arc. The too-long trigger stretches the hand.

A very good shot may be able to control a trigger that doesn’t fit their hand perfectly when firing from the benchrest but when firing off hand and in competition the difference results in missed shots. It is all about accuracy in competition. Personal defense shooters also want to be able to put the bullets in the target where it will do the most good. I find some shooters attempt to match the rifle trigger to the pistol and like the interface with the shooter to be as similar as possible between the two.

At present with available components this isn’t completely possible but I am able to get the two synced in pretty well. The trigger finger should lie on the face of the trigger dead square in the middle of the first pad on the trigger finger. That is simple enough. If working long distance with a gun shipped to the shop without the benefit of the shooter’s hand to demonstrate, an etching on paper or a good photograph helps.

Wilson Combat (Wilson Comb at. com, 8 7 0 / 5 4 5 – 3618) offers a number of good choices in 1911 triggers. While there are worthy competi tors, the Wilson Combat

Wilson Combat options are many. trigger always works out well and is affordable for its first class quality. Wilson Combat triggers differ primarily in the trigger face. There are choices in length as well. A little thought goes along way toward being satisfied with the trigger chosen. The Wilson Combat trigger is designed for light weight primarily and light weight aluminum construction prevents backlash.

Backlash is momentum from the trigger release or trigger jump that may result in the trigger bumping the sear when it isn’t intended. The trigger pad is designed for the greatest comfort with good adhesion but not too much. There is an adjustable over travel screw that is used in final fitting. The trigger pad is skeletonized and the trigger bow itself is high grade stainless steel. The trigger bow sometimes fits right in without any type of fitting but at other times may require fitting.

In my experience, having fitted many GI guns and having worked with Rock Island 1911s and the like, the trigger bow slips in. Handguns with tighter specifications, beginning with the Springfield Mil-Spec and continuing to the various Colt pistols, require some fitting. This is a general observation that has held true for many years. When you look at the price of match grade triggers you can only figure that the competition for such parts has resulted in very good buys on the market.

An aluminum trigger pad with striations for control, a stainless steel trigger bow, and adjustable trigger screw are the marks of a modern match grade trigger. Fitting such a trigger isn’t difficult but takes a little time and patience. After the gunsmith and the shooter decide which trigger to order and it arrives, the work begins. The trigger is fitted by removing material. Most are just enough oversize for a good fit.

I do this work with a file, realizing that sometimes the way to do things correctly takes awhile. As an example, my son took a day to fit up what became my personal carry gun. A simple flat faced file is all that is needed for this. Vertical looseness and slop are the enemy of a true trigger action. Drag on the trigger bow is a sure impediment to a proper action. Carefully file and polish these areas. If the trigger does not fit properly in the beginning, a common reason is the trigger is too tall vertically.

A good trick is to purposely insert the trigger in the raceway upside down to learn what it feels like when the trigger doesn’t fit properly. When you have a trigger that doesn’t fit the raceway on the first shot it does require fitting work but that is actually a desirable thing as the trigger, being oversized, has material to be dressed down. You will now be able to fit and file the trigger by making even cuts top and bottom. The file is begun on the top of the trigger pad and I make every cut going away from me.

While it isn’t difficult to cut aluminum with a file, the trigger must be square when you are done. A steady hand

The author has enjoyed excellent results with these parts. and perhaps a trigger held in a vise will do the business. Some will be able to work by hand without the vise. The novice will often cut the wrong place. The upper and lower parts of the trigger pad are the areas most likely to need adjustment. If you mark the trigger and are seeing drag marks along the trigger body, there is some need for further adjustment.

The secret to fitting a trigger properly is attention to detail and to learn to observe and feel drag and to make friction in these areas less. The key is to mark the trigger with a felt tip marker and then be certain that your observations are correct and that you are polishing and moving the friction away. The raceway itself sometimes may need to be cleaned up; a small jeweler’s file works well for this. Be certain to be careful setting the set screw.

The trigger pad is the area in which drag is most likely; the trigger bow itself isn’t as likely to need filing. An overlooked area is the sides and corners of the trigger bow toward the rear. I usually stop at a spot when the trigger is practically fitted. The trigger should be fitted until it is tight but not perfectly smooth. I try to mark and test the trigger again. With this information noted the trigger may be addressed against to achieve a fit that has no binding, giving the desired tight fit.

There should be minimal up and down or sideways movement. The rule is to achieve a friction-free fit while remaining fairly snug. The next step is to polish the very back of the trigger bow. I also work the inside edge. Use magnification to find any burrs. Marking the magazines to be used with the handgun is a also good step. I lock in an unloaded magazine to be certain that there is no friction against the trigger bow. In some cases the magazines may be tuned to the trigger.

While this is a good option, as a rule Wilson Combat magazines clear the trigger bow, at least they have in every instance I have tried. Over Travel Adjustment The set screws should be adjusted. It is good to back the screw off a half turn from the discovery of any drag. The screw is adjusted until the hammer will not fall, then back it off a quarter turn at a time until the hammer will function. At that point, back it out one full turn.

Once the adjustment is set properly and the pistol is test fired, the screw is given a dose of Loctite and the excess carefully cleaned. The final adjustment of the set screw allows the hammer to travel past the sear with little to no drag at all on the half cock hammer notch. Often enough the screw is set but the hammer, while falling, also allows the half cock notch to draw against the sear on the nose. This will eventually result in the sear nose being eventually worn.

Be certain there is enough travel to completely clear the sear of the hammer when completely back. A final step that is pretty nice but not always necessary sets the job apart. If the trigger face is carefully broken up at the outer edges of each serrated area, the result is a good feel for the pad with the trigger finger. This little bit of extra trouble, done on each side of the trigger face, makes for a nice feel and allows seamless adjustment of the trigger finger. AG