Does a 22/45 Mark II really need a new trigger?

[bczrx]

I have the 22/45 mark II [2001] and was wondering how much better the trigger gets with either the Volquartsen or Clark trigger/sear package?

Is it really worth it, or should I just enjoy as is?

I use it some, but I have a lot of other toys too, and I'm not into hard-core target competition. Hitting cans, clay pigeons, targets, etc is enough for me.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I would say no, just enjoy it as is.

Why would you need the extractor? Are you having extraction problems? It will do nothing for accuracy.

I got a MkIII Hunter a couple of months ago and decided I "needed" the VQ sear, trigger, and springs. So I have $50 worth of stuff that doesn't do much. My advice is to save your money.

The sear makes no appreciable difference. The spring it comes with is probably too light, and causes reset issues in my gun. Next time I have it apart I'm putting the stock sear spring back in.

The trigger is, as far as I can tell, useless. It has a pretravel adjustment, but if you try to adjust out the pretravel, the sear doesn't reset. The mechanism has a spring and plunger arrangement to maintain some slack in the trigger; You cannot adjust that out, so you're always going to have pretravel in this design. Adding any pretravel adjustment on the trigger of mine causes sear reset failure.

The stock trigger already has a formed-in lump on it to act as an overtravel stop (at least mine did). If you attempt to adjust in any extra overtravel stop with the VQ trigger, guess what? The sear won't release!

The one positive point with the trigger (or the whole "upgrade", from my perspective) is that the VQ trigger shoe is a tad wider than stock, and I like wide triggers. Oh, and the hole drilled in the face for the OT screw isn't as annoying to the fingertip as others I've shot.

My opinion is that Volquartzen made big bucks making 10/22 parts, and decided to expand into the pistols without putting a lot of thought into parts that were actual improvements.

Don't waste your money on the titanium disconnector. I can't even imagine what that material is supposed to buy you in that application, other than relieve your wallet of excess cash.

If you're interested there are a number of threads over on RimfireCentral.com discussing the VQ upgrades, including at least one with a masked expletive in the title, if that tells you anything...

Lastly, I am very happy with the MkII bushing I put in my MkIII, thus eliminating the mag disconnect, and improving the trigger quite a bit. This obviously isn't a problem for the OP, however...

-- Sam

 

[bczrx]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm checking out rimfirecentral!

 

[CajunBass]

I suspect that if you're a good enough shot to tell you need a "better" trigger, you know it. If you're like me, I can't really tell a "good" trigger from a "bad" one, unless I break into a sweat tring to pull it.

I say just shoot it and enjoy it. If you ever need a new one, you'll know it.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I suspect that if you're a good enough shot to tell you need a "better" trigger, you know it. If you're like me, I can't really tell a "good" trigger from a "bad" one, unless I break into a sweat tring to pull it.

I say just shoot it and enjoy it. If you ever need a new one, you'll know it.

There's a lot of truth to that. People run out an try to turn their gun into something that a top-ranked Olympic (or Camp Perry) shooter might see their final .05% of performance gain in, but the majority of us are still struggling to keep all the shots in the black. Sure, it's nice to have the best you can afford, but you don't need a $10K guitar to learn how to play that, either.

-- Sam

 

[bczrx]

I suspect that if you're a good enough shot to tell you need a "better" trigger, you know it. If you're like me, I can't really tell a "good" trigger from a "bad" one, unless I break into a sweat tring to pull it.

I say just shoot it and enjoy it. If you ever need a new one, you'll know it.

Good advice.

What about the 'blast shield'? Is it worth it, or does it just make it harder to clean the trigger when you DO clean it?

 

[bczrx]

If you have A 22/45 and shoot regulary like us folks in the woods who can shoot right here on the land, you will have a few failure to extract occurances. The Volq. extrac. puts an end to that- period.

A fellow who resides in the burbs who has to go to a range to shoot a .22 might not shoot enough to experience it.

You are making me jealous!

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I would say no, just enjoy it as is.

Why would you need the extractor? Are you having extraction problems? It will do nothing for accuracy.

-- Sam

If you have A 22/45 and shoot regulary like us folks in the woods who can shoot right here on the land, you will have a few failure to extract occurances. The Volq. extrac. puts an end to that- period.

A fellow who resides in the burbs who has to go to a range to shoot a .22 might not shoot enough to experience it.

I am humbled by your obvious vast experience.

I'm glad you know how much I shoot. Please tell me, as I haven't been keeping track.

In case it's not obvious, I'm being sarcastic. Mr. Lamplighter has no idea how much I shoot, and therefore his inference is the height of arrogance. I put thousands of rounds through my first 22/45 without any extraction problems. I haven't had my MkIII long enough to shoot that much out of it, but haven't experienced problems there, either.

You generally don't replace parts until they need them, and certainly not if you can't articulate why you're changing them. Oh, "IMO", of course...

-- Sam

 

[Fox Mike]

Never had any extraction problems so see no need to fix it if it isn't broken. I have added a Volquartsen bargain bin trigger to both my Mk IIIs. It has taken lots of trial and 'oops' but I have almost no pre travel and have also no problems with them as far as sear engagement is concerned. It may not have changed the actual trigger pull but 'feels' smoother.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

How do you define "pre-travel"? Are you saying you were able to make it so there was no takeup at all? The sear engagement point is "right there" when you put your finger on the trigger?

Based on the trigger plunger and spring, and how it all works together, I don't see how this could be the case with the MkIII trigger. But I admit I don't "know" and that anything is possible.

My T/C Contender has a trigger with no takeup or overtravel. The whole movement is something like 1/32". That's what I was hoping for with the MkIII, but so far the VQ trigger and sear have not delivered.

-- Sam

 

[Fox Mike]

How do you define "pre-travel"? Are you saying you were able to make it so there was no takeup at all? The sear engagement point is "right there" when you put your finger on the trigger?

Based on the trigger plunger and spring, and how it all works together, I don't see how this could be the case with the MkIII trigger. But I admit I don't "know" and that anything is possible.

My T/C Contender has a trigger with no takeup or overtravel. The whole movement is something like 1/32". That's what I was hoping for with the MkIII, but so far the VQ trigger and sear have not delivered.

-- Sam

If you read my post again you will note that I said 'almost' no pretravel (or takeup if that is what you call it). I cannot see any trigger with NO takeup OR overtravel. It HAS to move some to disengage the sear.

 

[RADAR]

My new MKIII Target had stovepipe issues out of the box with both mags that came with it. I smoothed the undersides of the feed lips and this went away. I also had an occasional FTE, where the spent round would extract but not eject. I added the VQ extractor, and removed the metal tab from the LCI and this eliminated that problem.
The trigger had about 3/16" pre-travel, and was a little heavy and gritty before the break. I added the VQ trigger, sear, and MKII bushing(to eliminate the mag safety) and the pre-travel was reduced to 1/16", and pull weight and break rivaled my SA revolvers. I then experienced some trigger reset problems, which were related to the disconnector interaction with the new sear and trigger. I put in the VQ titanium disconnector, and put the heavier original trigger plunger spring back in. The VQ disco, was cut a little differently than the original and worked perfectly with the new trigger and sear.
All these mods ended up costing a little over $100. Time and trial, but now my pistol runs like a sewing machine with whatever I feed it.

I could have left the gun alone, with the exception of the stovepipes, but I'm a 1911 guy, so tuning is not new to me.
I hope your pistol runs well.