LC9: Making a REAL NO Grit Trigger

[AZshooter]

For those few LC9 owners having a flawlessly smooth LC9 trigger right outta the box --- Congrats!

For the rest of us:

I took my brand new LC9 out to the range & fed about 100 of my favorite handloads thru it with nary a glitch, hiccup or FTF. Load, fire & extract was all flawless.

I had disassembled, cleaned & reassembled mine several times throughout the week, removing the mag disconnector, cleaning out the firing pin channel & generally cleaning out all the manufacturer silt & residue.

I then dry fired it periodically during the week. As with many folks, mine had a slight gritty hitch just before hammer release. I figured that it would work itself out during break-in shooting at the range.

Seems the more I fired, the worse the grit became. It was truly annoying, but I recall reading somewhere that the genuine fix was to remove the firing pin & lightly move the forward 'shoulder' on the flat of the firing pin body with a fine file or abrasive hone.

The cause of the gritty release is the Firing Pin Blocker arm (#32) getting hung up on that forward shoulder on the firing pin. If you can see said shoulder edge thru the firing pin blocker hole in the slide, you will need to file it forward until no longer visible. To do this properly, reinsert the firing pin & spring & secure with a pin punch the same size as the Firing Pin Retainer (#34) since it's easier to handle the punch than that tiny retainer pin. When the FP Blocker no longer binds against the shoulder of the firing pin, you're DONE!

As an added measure, I went over the rear portion of the firing pin (area surrounding the slot) with fine crocus cloth - once you polish it to bare metal, you'll see there's some flashing around the slot & you can remove it without altering the diameter of the firing pin. A high polish on that area will further reduce drag on the FP.

Proceed carefully. If you don't either have a square or rectangular jeweler's file with one flat devoid of cutting surface, or a fine sear hone stone - go get one. This ain't a job for Dremel stones or Daddy's old Mill Bastard File.

It took 3 sessions of hone & reassemble before I was satisfied with my work, and now I have the best Lc9 trigger that it can be.

For you with an already great trigger - Are you sure it's all that good? A little hand fitting may make it even BETTER!

Now, all I need to do is remove the brass smears along the sides of the rear sights & I'm ready to go out to the range again for more break-in & this time for some accuracy / grouping testing.

 

[Docusn]

Great job!

Pictures please!

Mark

 

[Ridge1976]

Nice write up. I second that on the pictures. My trigger pull is gritty also right before the break. It was worse but seems to have gotten better with wear. I have around 600 rounds through her. I'd like to get it smoothed out but I'm a little nervous about tearing the gun down and I'd have to get a few tools.

 

[GeorgeP]

AZShooter...Thank you soooo much for this info. You may have just saved two LC9s from the auction block or gunshow sales. Although mine isn't too bad my buddy's it terrible. When we get back from vacation both are going to my shop for the firing pin clean up. Thanks again!!

And yes, I'll second the request for a picture of the finished firing pin. Please.

 

[cahillc134]

Does the pin holding the loaded chamber indicator need to be tapped out a certain direction? Because I'm having trouble getting it to even budge a millimeter!!!

 

[AZshooter]

Does the pin holding the loaded chamber indicator need to be tapped out a certain direction? Because I'm having trouble getting it to even budge a millimeter!!!

Right to left.

Also, if you don't have actual roll pin punches, make sure you use a punch that is big enough to bear on the edges of the roll pin & not just drop into the center.

 

[GeorgeP]

Today I got a chance to check out the firing pin, as AZshooter suggested. While there I think I found another potential source for gritty feel. The last thing the trigger does before releasing the hammer against the firing pin is move the firing pin block lever (#9) up to press the firing pin block (#32) out of the way. I didn't want to take the block out because it's under the rear sight so I just buffed the contact surface of the lever. I was going to do the same with the block surface but it's slick already. Don't know what might be happening in the block's channel. I'm shooting this Wednesday to see if the AZ's firing pin buff and my lever buff helped any.

By the way, has anyone removed the firing pin block completely?

 

[GeorgeP]

Ding Dong. After reading and re-reading the instructions on how to remove the rear sight so you can get to the firing pin block I broke that way way way undersized plunger. I have one in the mail but I went ahead and left the block, spring & plunger out because I'm going shooting Wednesday. I can tell you for sure that using snap caps the trigger is incredibly smooth and crisp. If it shoots Wednesday like I think it will the block group may not go back in. I have NO fears about ADs from dropping the gun.

However, I did get a chance to see the pin through the block hole and now know where and how much it needs to be filed and buffed.

 

[cahillc134]

Ding Dong. After reading and re-reading the instructions on how to remove the rear sight so you can get to the firing pin block I broke that way way way undersized plunger. I have one in the mail but I went ahead and left the block, spring & plunger out because I'm going shooting Wednesday. I can tell you for sure that using snap caps the trigger is incredibly smooth and crisp. If it shoots Wednesday like I think it will the block group may not go back in. I have NO fears about ADs from dropping the gun.

However, I did get a chance to see the pin through the block hole and now know where and how much it needs to be filed and buffed.

Did the same thing AND broke the first replacement they sent me too. I think the trick is going to be to press up on the firing pin block piece from below while at the same time moving the rear sight back in place. This should give enough support to the flimsy plunger. Nothing like having 3 hands to get a job done.

 

[GeorgeP]

Update. I broke the firing pin block spring plunger (while removing the rear sight) so I put the gun back together for a range visit without the block components. It shot great with a very smooth trigger action. The block may not go back in.

George

 

[Boge]

Don't turn the sight screw more than 1/4 turn!! That is all the clearance needed to knock out the sight.

 

[GeorgeP]

Don't turn the sight screw more than 1/4 turn!! That is all the clearance needed to knock out the sight.

Boge, it didn't work for me. I turned the 1/4, drifted left to right...broke the plunger. On my buddy's I turned the 1/4, drifted right to left...broke the plunger. I have new plungers coming but I really may not put them in. The trigger is just to sweet as is.

George

 

[GeorgeP]

Back on topic...following one's (list member) suggestion I lowered the trigger pull from about 10 lbs to 6 lbs. But to protect agains light strikes I changed the 4.5 lbs firing pin spring to 1.5 lbs. Still plenty of power to hold the firing pin in the ready position. I tried cutting and stretching the original spring but it still retained over 4 lbs. I finally found a spring in an old ballpoint pen that fits perfectly. Wednesday is range day...I'll let you know how it works.

George

 

[Boge]

Moment of truth: I removed my mag disconnect and the grit is gone. However, the LC9 trigger stinks PERIOD. It is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too long even w/o the mag disconnect. IMO it is a truck gun at best. If it only had the LCR trigger!!

 

[dudester]

So is there a way to remove the rear site without breaking the plunger? Maybe removing the firing pin via disassembling the LCI first?

 

[Greg Bunting]

Noob here, first post.
I've read a number of posts regarding the LC9, and managed to bash the rear sight off with a hammer. Took the set screw all the way out to do it. Didn't break anything, though.

Wow, it was tight! Solved that with a stone and crocus cloth. Now I can adjust it fine.

My hammer block assembly was really rough, and it caused a real problem with 'grit' and resistance just before let off. Solved that with the crocus cloth so it slides smoothly.

Big improvement, but slide still lifts right at the end of the stroke, so for now I have the firing pin blocker components removed. We'll see how it shoots. I may clean up the firing pin as well.

I have no intention of carrying it with the chamber loaded in any case.

Surprised at how rough some of the parts are in this gun.

My magazine disconnect got removed as well. Do like the manual safety, though.

Now, does anyone know if there are Tritium sights available?

 

[Greg Bunting]

Follow up. Shot just fine at the range today. No failures on the part of the gun, and I improved toward the end of the 50 rds. Got grouping on and down to about 4" at 25'. That is me working around bad eyes and sore back.
Very pleased with this gun!

 

[Chuck41]

When I purchased my LC9 I tried the trigger on one in the store. Like many have commented, it had a "gritty" feel to the trigger. I finally decided I could get used to it in spite of the gritty trigger feel and said I would take it.

The salesman took the gun and put it back in the case and handed me one in a box. "Whoa" I thought and told him I would have to try the trigger on the one I was actually getting.

I tried it and it was flawless. No gritty feel at all. Just a very long heavy pull with a final release at the absolute end of the trigger guard that all the reviews report. Guess I was really lucky on this one. It will still take a lot of use to get accustomed to that ultra long and heavy trigger pull, but it is smooth. Sights are right on too and after 100 rounds of a mix of everything I could find no FTFs or FTEs. Acts just like I have come to expect of a Ruger.