Trigger job idea.

[Palmaris]

Hello guys.
I am new here and English is not my first language, so please correct me if I say something wrong.
Any way I am mechanical engineer by trade and was in RC hobby for more then 25 years. I designed and built my own engine, including crankcases, piston/sleeve sets, crankshafts, even refining bearings.
So in engineering and as result f it in RC hobby we often use lapping compound to fit parts to each other. Now my crazy idea is, instead of messing with stone to polish engaging surfaces on trigger, sear and other parts, use little bit lapping compound on those mating surfaces, dry fire for 20-30 times and then wash everything-I think it will be safer in terms of loosing important angles with wrong move of stone.
Lapping compounds available in many different grits, including high mirror polish. http://www.mcmaster.com/#lapping-compounds/=h72xpk
Anybody will chime in?

 

[mike7mm08]

The biggest issue would be using something too abrasive. I have actually heard of more than one person using toothpaste to smooth things out.

I have used Flitz Polish to smooth things out through dry firing as your thinking. It is advertised as a nonabrasive polishing compound. Works very well. I would never use or suggest using any lapping type compound in such a matter. Once you fire it a few times there is now telling where the compound is going to end up and what areas you are going to end up lapping.

A polish on any surface inside the lockwork is fine but lapping and actual removing metal on some surfaces is not a good idea. If you you go with any abrasive I would be thinking something no more than about 1200 or 1600 grit if not finer. Only experience I have with lapping compounds is scope rings with 800 grit. I was amazed how quickly that removes metal would never want that on mating surfaces of revolver lockwork.

 

[Palmaris]

Hi Mike.
It is just crazy idea. BTW, lapping compounds are available in grit up to 100000, those are mirror finish level and they are not really taking a lot of material.
The biggest problem I personally see is after "lapping" trigger group it will require really good washing. If any of grit left, it will ruin parts pretty badly.
But personally if I go to do trigger job, I will feel more comfortable to use crazy "lapping" idea then use stone.
Again, I am not gunsmith by any means, this idea just got to my mind after watching some trigger job video. If no intentional altering involve on the parts, to smooth out mating surfaces I fell will be easier and safer. Just keep it reasonable in terms of how much somebody try to polish faces.

 

[mike7mm08]

Without question a complete disassemble and cleaning would be needed after doing this. When you get passed about 3000 grit I tend to think of things as polishing compounds opposed to lapping compounds.

As long as you use something extremely fine grit and clean well afterwards I think this is a safer route than to go at the lockwork with a stone.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Easier: UltraBrite toothpaste.

Not joking (and WAY easier to clean up).

 

[Kevin]

What do you do with the toothpaste? Do you just squirt some in by the hammer and dry fire? Can you really tell the difference? Then to clean it up, use hoppes or other favorite gun cleaner?

 

[DGW1949]

I've heard of folks doing that before.
I'd be worried about rounding-off corners that are suppossed to be left sharp, or maybe the softest parts being lapped-down more than the hardest parts. That, and lapping compound tends to wipe away perty-quick, and migrate around.
I suppose if a guy was carefull though, it might work out alright.
On the other hand, if it worked all that good, everybody would have been doing it for years, eh?

Personaly, I'd use the proper stones.

DGW

 

[caryc]

Here's an easier way. With the gun unloaded and a good western movie on the TV cock the hammer all the way back. Place your thumb in between the hammer and the frame all the way up to the base of your thumb.

Then stick your trigger finger all the way into the trigger guard. Pull the trigger letting the hammer go against your thumb. Cock the hammer back again with your thumb. Keep repeating the process.

You should easily get in 500 dry fires during one movie without any damage to the gun. Doing it this way you have no excessive force on the transfer bar or firing pin. I had a glass smooth trigger on a Vaquero in no time at all doing this.

 

[Danjet500]

What do you do with the toothpaste? Do you just squirt some in by the hammer and dry fire? Can you really tell the difference? Then to clean it up, use hoppes or other favorite gun cleaner?

Listerine :D

 

[BearStopper]

I would think you would have to use an extremely fine compound to avoid binding up the parts. The parts aren't necessarily needing to be "mated" as much as they need exact angles necessary to avoid creep. Polishing is a different story and your idea may work better than freehand for the unskilled DIY person. I would try it on a 1911 first with some cheap aftermarket parts since they are so available and inexpensive.

 

[caryc]

Doing it my way like I said produces a trigger that is glass smooth. When squeezing the trigger for a shot, I can't even feel the trigger move, it's so smooth. I just timed it and I can do 105 dry fires this way in one minute.

I guess that some guys just need to feel like a gunsmith and have that instant gratification though. But I'm telling you, it works. It wears things down naturally the way things were meant to be.

 

[woodsy]

Here's an easier way. With the gun unloaded and a good western movie on the TV cock the hammer all the way back. Place your thumb in between the hammer and the frame all the way up to the base of your thumb.

Then stick your trigger finger all the way into the trigger guard. Pull the trigger letting the hammer go against your thumb. Cock the hammer back again with your thumb. Keep repeating the process.

You should easily get in 500 dry fires during one movie without any damage to the gun. Doing it this way you have no excessive force on the transfer bar or firing pin. I had a glass smooth trigger on a Vaquero in no time at all doing this.

Not only did it work for you, it also worked for me, though I had heard of it someplace else first. When I first took my new GP100 home I could feel a little "roughness" during dry-fire let-off. I began searching the web for advice in taking it apart myself (being an engineer AND machinist in the past), and stumbled across your method, posted by soemone else. Boy, does it work, and with no disassembly! Now, the let-off (in SA) is on a par with my superb Ruger Mark I. And think of all the headaches I avoided by not taking the trigger group apart.

 

[woodsy]

Here's an easier way. With the gun unloaded and a good western movie on the TV cock the hammer all the way back. Place your thumb in between the hammer and the frame all the way up to the base of your thumb.

Then stick your trigger finger all the way into the trigger guard. Pull the trigger letting the hammer go against your thumb. Cock the hammer back again with your thumb. Keep repeating the process.

You should easily get in 500 dry fires during one movie without any damage to the gun. Doing it this way you have no excessive force on the transfer bar or firing pin. I had a glass smooth trigger on a Vaquero in no time at all doing this.

Not only did it work for you, it also worked for me, though I had heard of it someplace else first. When I first took my new GP100 home I could feel a little "roughness" during dry-fire let-off. I began searching the web for advice in taking it apart myself (being an engineer AND machinist in the past), and stumbled across your method, posted by soemone else. Boy, does it work, and with no disassembly! Now, the let-off (in SA) is on a par with my superb Ruger Mark I. And think of all the headaches I avoided by not taking the trigger group apart.

 

[caryc]

Best thing is the more you do it the better the trigger gets and you can't screw anything up.

Takes no concentration, you don't even have to look at it and you can do it sitting on your A$$. Does it get any easier than that?

 

[jules]

Hello guys.
I am new here and English is not my first language, so please correct me if I say something wrong.
Any way I am mechanical engineer by trade and was in RC hobby for more then 25 years. I designed and built my own engine, including crankcases, piston/sleeve sets, crankshafts, even refining bearings.
So in engineering and as result f it in RC hobby we often use lapping compound to fit parts to each other. Now my crazy idea is, instead of messing with stone to polish engaging surfaces on trigger, sear and other parts, use little bit lapping compound on those mating surfaces, dry fire for 20-30 times and then wash everything-I think it will be safer in terms of loosing important angles with wrong move of stone.
Lapping compounds available in many different grits, including high mirror polish. http://www.mcmaster.com/#lapping-compounds/=h72xpk
Anybody will chime in?

There are more trigger jobs done this way then you would ever think.

 

[WESHOOT2]

What do you do with the toothpaste? Do you just squirt some in by the hammer and dry fire? Can you really tell the difference? Then to clean it up, use hoppes or other favorite gun cleaner?

I disassemble and coat the desired parts in their contact locations.
I apply liberally.

After my extended toothpaste dry-firing session I clean conventionally.

 

[stantheman86]

I just shoot them as much as possible and let things break in naturally. The best pistolsmiths say that a good action job simply replicates what the gun will be like after a few thousand rounds.

 

[caryc]

I just shoot them as much as possible and let things break in naturally. The best pistolsmiths say that a good action job simply replicates what the gun will be like after a few thousand rounds.

Exactly, but one doesn't have to do it with live rounds. Of course it's more fun that way.

 

[stantheman86]

I just look for any excuse to go shooting :D

Unless a revolver is really rough, and has a "gag" or hitch in the action I just leave them be. The most work I did to a Ruger was adding vintage Bullseye springs to a Security Six and one of my Speed Sixes.

I actually made one of my GP's "heavier", and it not only made the DA pull more even, but I shoot better with the gun now.

I fitted a S&W rebound spring to this GPNY, because it had a sluggish trigger return, even with the stock weight trigger latch spring. Instead of trying to polish anything, the heavier spring added the snap that I need to the trigger return and also made for a firm but smooth DA pull.