Ghost Rocket Install - Review/Range Report

[jhearne]

Installed the Rocket today.

Pros on my gun.
Noticeably better Overtravel

Cons
Trigger is only marginally better from using Stock Connector
Weird stacking feeling if I creep the trigger til it breaks, like the bump others mention.

Installation wasn't difficult at all. I know my way around the SR9 enough that if I need to get into the internals I could almost do it blindfolded. I did the install at work so I'd have access to our good heavy duty bench grinder. There wasn't a good way to hold it while grinding so I found a part that was used as a clamp that had square sides and was saw cut and fit the connector into. Clamped it down and bam, instant grinding fixture. I made only one decent cut. I knew about where it needed to be but the cut was on an angle and it needed to be squared up. I probably took off another .0075 or so trying to square up the corners. Overtravel isn't bad at all, it's much improved, but there's still some there because I did go over the sweet spot. It's a good addition to the connector for those seeking an overall better trigger. It helps the SR9 in this regard.

As for the pull weight, it's really kinda meh to me. I installed it and got it working right and really didn't feel anything different from the stock one. Was sort of a let down. Almost everyone else was talking up the difference being worth the almost 1 year wait to get it. All I seemed to get out of it was a glorified self cleaning overtravel stop. I even swapped back to stock at the range to try and find a difference. I dry fired it left handed at home, nothing. With my weak pinkies....nothing. Maybe my trigger pull was already decent enough from wear or constant tear downs that there wasn't going to be any noticeable difference. I'll bring home a Trigger Gauge and see what I find on it maybe Thursday and compare it to the stock pull.

If it's shows to be a heavy number (over 6) I might give Ghost a call back and see about another connector, I'm really not impressed with the weight and the more I seem to dwell on it, the worse it seems to get.

I did put 200 rounds through it without any problems. The guide rod that I put in is holding up well after shooting some noticeably hotter loads (WWB - NATO marked).

Will see about going back out there this weekend and see if the range owner wants to try it out or something and put it through another person's perspective rather my own.

Josh

 

[Anonymous]

I think I'll wait to install my trigger to see about breaking it in some more. I'd hate to mess up a good thing.

 

[jhearne]

I didn't say it was a step backwards or that it got worse. Just my experience with it wasn't as definitive as other members here have claimed. I'm withholding further judgement or decision until I get a gauge on the trigger and compare figures.

Remember that no SR9 trigger is the same and that I've had my gun apart (internal assemblies) more than most anyone else here. I'm not sure that would effect it though in realistic terms.

May need to see if I can arrange a shoot date with TXGunner and shoot his SR9 with both connectors installed and compare on his vs. mine.

Josh

 

[Anonymous]

I understood what you meant, I just meant, I'm just going to wait for a bunch of people to have it for a while. I'd like to see some long term usage. Worst case scenario, I still have it sitting in my safe in 6mo to a year and go to install it then.

 

[jhearne]

Got ya, and that's perfectly understandable. 200 rounds is all I had on me that wasn't from my SD stash. I couldn't afford to stockpile ammo like some folks seem to do. I should though, I'm hoping my friend gets a pistol so I got a range buddy. Sucks living in the city limits. I'd love to just go out the back door and let loose. Might pick up some more and head back out this weekend. Not too bad a thing that the range owner recognized me lol.

Josh

 

[sp1history]

did you have your stock connector polished jhearne

 

[jhearne]

Yup, been polished for over a year now....about the date I posted up the How-To in my sig.

Josh

 

[sp1history]

im wondering if that might be why you didnt feel a whole lot of difference in your trigger. id be curious if you had a stock non polished connector in there and switched to the ghost if you would then feel any kind of difference

 

[jhearne]

It's something I haven't ruled out, I might give Ruger a call and see about a new one and then compare again. Not like installation is a pain

Josh

 

[gotime]

Any chance it's just not "broken in" yet? You did mention to me that Ghost suggested a few hundred rounds for such a thing, but maybe you just meant on the Ultimate?

I'm literally sitting in front of the computer with my SR9 field stripped in front of me with the Ultimate to the left, a dremel to the right (for polishing other bits of the FCH), and all the needed tools in front to do this thing. Josh I'm going to be watching your youtube vids for the rest of the night. haha

 

[jhearne]

Lol, you should be fine, mine is well broken in, even with my not so high 2000ish round count for 2+ years of ownership. Just polish the internals except for the connector and the contact between the connector and trigger bar. Let that wear in.

Good luck with the polishing, and it's not at all difficult. Just requires a semi steady hand and patience. Don't rush it and take your time. Probably best to install the ghost first then try polishing after you gather your opinon on it. Atleast make sure it dry fires like you want, then go back in and polish a bit. That way you can try and isolate any issues that may arise if any at all. Just a precaution, a measure twice and cut once sorta thing.

Josh

 

[Grendel]

Hopefully, yours will improve with use, J.

Mine did feel lighter after I first installed it, but not 3.5lbs. There was a slight bit of an odd kind of stacking right before the break, but that's worked out. My SR9 trigger feels very nice now.

My only problem now is getting used to the new trigger feel. I used to have to expect and prepare for the heavy trigger, and really concentrate on the gun not moving during my trigger press. Now, I have to practice enough to overcome that, as the trigger breaks much more lightly and cleanly.

-JT

 

[jhearne]

I've got the trigger gauge now, going to try it out tonight and see. Luckily he kept it in his toolbox since we use it more at the shop than he does at his house lol.

I called Ruger this morning about 945 my time, said they were closed and I left a message. Odd that they said they were closed, they're open from 8-5 MWT (-1 hour from me) so when I called it should've been 845. We'll see.

Josh

 

[jhearne]

Great Customer Service.

Called on lunch and got ahold of someone. Asked for the Trigger Reset Bar, said they'd ship it @ No Charge . Only a $2 part. Ghost's making a killing if they can produce these quickly. Hopefully it comes in and I'll put a video of me comparing pull weights between them up onto YouTube probably next week.

Josh

 

[elkhunter62]

Great Customer Service.

Called on lunch and got ahold of someone. Asked for the Trigger Reset Bar, said they'd ship it @ No Charge . Only a $2 part. Ghost's making a killing if they can produce these quickly. Hopefully it comes in and I'll put a video of me comparing pull weights between them up onto YouTube probably next week.

Josh

that would be great josh cant wait to see the diff. and i have watched all your vids and did all the polish i could possibly do and mine is so darn awesome now the pull on mine after shooting about 300 rounds is 4lbs i had put in the ultimate. Im sure yours will do the same i did buy mine this year in feb. and its the new numbers if thats any big diff dont know.good shooting
Lee

 

[Sonnytoo]

I put in the 3.5# Ultimate in my SR9c. The pull hasn't changed much, IMO. It's probably about 5 lbs. I don't know if I would say it's worthwhile. The trigger bar has about 250 rounds with it installed.
I did polish the safety and it now works fine. I polished the slide-release and it now works...but with great difficulty. Maybe after a bit, it'll be easier.
Sonnytoo

 

[Strange]

Hopefully, yours will improve with use, J.
My SR9 trigger feels very nice now.

My only problem now is getting used to the new trigger feel. I used to have to expect and prepare for the heavy trigger, and really concentrate on the gun not moving during my trigger press. Now, I have to practice enough to overcome that, as the trigger breaks much more lightly and cleanly.

-JT

I agree.. The trigger feels sweet now..Don't know if its 3.5 lbs or not but definitely lighter then before the mod. I recommend it if your using it just for the range.. Don't know if I would want a light trigger as a carry weapon. Just my opinion.

 

[Grendel]

Over 100 rounds today at the local IDPA match with my Ghost Rocket installed in my SR9. Not one single hiccup, and the gun felt great.

-JT

 

[Supercharged86]

Hey Guys, Like many of you, I too love this pistol but was very dissapointed with the gritty, etc. trigger. So with that being said I followed Josh's polishing recommendations and amazingly enough, it's 1000% better. Thanks Josh. Furthermore, I also have waited eagerly for the new Ghost trigger parts hoping for some vast improvements. I am curious though about the claim for a lighter trigger??? Overall, I would consider myself fairly mechanically inclined, however, I'm having trouble understanding how this part could/can reduce the trigger weight. As I sit here staring at the internals and move the trigger bar back and forth, I'll be damn if I can figure out how on earth the trigger bar reset could reduce the weight. The way I see it, as you pull the trigger the back end of the trigger bar (where the ramped up portion) pushes against the striker tab, forcing it backwards until it reaches the "break". It would seem logical that most of the trigger pull weight should be directly related to the striker spring tension itself (since this is the only other part moving other than the trigger and trigger bar). So if someone could be so kind and briefly explain to me as to how the trigger bar reset (a part that doesn't move) could possibly control the pull weight, I would be more than grateful. Cheers. Steve

 

[Supercharged86]

Well I think I've answered my own question, initially I didn't reallize how the end of the trigger bar engages the trigger reset bar. I now see how the top of the trigger reset bar cams (forces) down the trigger bar so that the top "ramped" up part will break off the striker tab. Likewise, I've received the Ghost Rocket 3.5 TCT and when you compare these two parts side by side it becomes ubundently clear how the redesigned part by Ghost, incorporates a "shallower" angle of the trigger bar contact point. Therefore, the reduced angle equates into less resistance between these two parts; less resistance means less effort, ie. lighter pull weight. My particular TCT came in at .341" before modifying and after several trial fits and many dry fires, ended up at .290". It's without question a lighter feel but I'm currently undecided whether it's any smoother or not. It does break crisply without any overtravel. It will be off to the range to see if cycles and operates properly. Cheers. Steve