K frame factory adjustable trigger stop

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Dhs The IV

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Hi I had a couple of K frames with the trigger stop, it’s my understanding these weren’t very popular and were often removed especially in defensive pistols. The literature with my 66 mentions it’s there and that you can adjust them...but not how. I’m not really looking to fiddle with them but if I were how would I go about that?
 
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These inserts sit in a slot behind the trigger and, after adjustment, are secured in the frame with a screw. The screw threads into the body of the stop itself, not the gun frame. Early ones were shaped sort of like a football, with the screw hole off center, and were prone to coming loose and interfering with the trigger's movement rearward. Because of this, they were often removed by armorers to prevent this from happening, particularly in duty guns.

Interestingly, the screw used to secure the stops is the flat-head screw used in the tang of the old rear sight assemblies. I have accumulated a slew of them over the years.

Carter




 
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I'm going to try to stay in my lane here. If you remove the side-plate of the revolver, you will see that the trigger stop is held in place with a small screw. The stop is not perfectly round. By loosening the screw and rotating the stop it is possible to have the rear of the trigger contact the forward-most portion of the stop at a point where the trigger "breaks" but travels beyond that point very little.

You are correct as relates to removal of this stop. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and police officers carried revolvers, I recall reading in law enforcement periodicals of the time that some agencies opted to take delivery without this stop or had armorers remove same fearing that the stop might become loose and prohibit full rearward trigger travel with attendant inability to fire the weapon. To be fair, I never heard of this happening but it nonetheless was a concern.

Someone more well versed in this subject will be along shortly to add to this.

HTH.

JPJ.
 
My M 19-3 came with a trigger stop. I had it back to the Springfield Service Center not long after (back when officers could bring Smith's in and drop them off for service) and the gunsmith removed it. As a matter of policy they removed them from LEO guns because they could shift and keep the gun from firing.

The part itself is a simple tab held in with a single screw and is adjusted by trial and error. It only functions in single action firing (thumb cocked) and has to just touch the revolver frame just as the sear releases... which may be different for each charge hole. In that time period, it went from standard equipment to optional.

It's more likely to cause you trouble. If you decide to shoot a single action course of fire as a Master class shooter... maybe PPC... you'll want a custom gun, with a perfect ratchet, and a screw adjustable stop.
 
Thank you for the info gentleman. I just thought it was interesting that they seemed to be a feature that they mentioned in marketing for awhile and then seems to disappear. I’m no competition shooter was just curious.
 
I have noticed on the mod #29 and#57 that I bought back in the 70s that they also had a trigger stop. It took the form of a metal pin approximately 1/2 inch in length and about 3/32 in dia., that was placed inside of the trigger return spring. Then the pin was filed to stop the rearward movement of the trigger as needed. I bought a few of them and find it to be a fool proof system. No screw to come loose. Anyone else notice this setup?
 
If you have one of these installed be advised that you may have a problem reassembling the gun. You need to fully pull the trigger back to install the hammer. The stop may not allow the trigger to be pulled back far enough to allow you to drop the hammer in place. You wouldn't want to FORCE the hammer into place just because of this useless part.
 
Triggerman66 said:
I have noticed on the mod #29 and#57 that I bought back in the 70s that they also had a trigger stop. It took the form of a metal pin approximately 1/2 inch in length and about 3/32 in dia., that was placed inside of the trigger return spring. Then the pin was filed to stop the rearward movement of the trigger as needed. I bought a few of them and find it to be a fool proof system. No screw to come loose. Anyone else notice this setup?
Click to expand...
Yes I did, way back when! My recollection is that they were only present in N frame revolvers, which is how I remember them: I was surprised, the first time I "opened up" an N-frame, well after I'd become comfortable doing so on K-frames, and found this extra pin inside the trigger return spring. I wonder if they continued using those?
 
These seem to be more trouble than they're worth, whether you want them or not.

Years ago (late 1970's), when I shot PPC matches, certain classes did not allow these trigger stops. We worked around it in the service revolver class, because the rule was written to exclude factory-type stops. We cut the round eraser off a pencil and glued it to the back of the trigger, trimming it so that the trigger would pull within a millimeter or so of the hammer breaking when you pulled the trigger back so the eraser bumped the inside of the trigger guard. Then you solidified your aim, and gave a little squeeze to compress the eraser the final bit until the hammer broke. it worked great, and was easy to remove
 
Trigger stop

Years ago the trigger stop got loose on my Model 15 during an IDPA match. Very embarrassing! "Six for sure," someone shouted at me, laughing. Had to go get a Model 10 to finish the match.

When I got home I removed the stop and tossed it. Thinking about it now it seems like a solution to a problem that never existed. With the trigger stop gone I noticed absolutely no difference in the performance of the revolver, which I bought new.
 
Probably like the rod inside the trigger return bar, sometimes it's there, mostly not and useless maybe too.
 
I was my dept armorer and did receive a letter from S&W armorer’s school instructing factory trained armorers to remove the stops from all LEO guns due to the possibility of the stop slipping forward in recoil and preventing the trigger to be pulled.
 
The slot remained long after they quit furnishing them with new guns, and this came in the box with the gun---


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I bought a few K frame revolvers that had the slot but not the stop. Since they were intended for range use only as target revolvers, I added the stops. And I used just a trace of blue Loctite on the screw threads. No problems experienced and I like the almost imperceptible overtravel.
 
Had mine on my my 4" 19 swivel and lock the trigger one day while attempting to shoot a coon on a hunt. I swapped ends with it grabbing it by the barrel and reared by to throw it into the swamp. my B I L hollered "Don't do that!!!". I didn't. And immediately upon returning I took out and through it away.
 
just plain joe said:
I'm going to try to stay in my lane here. If you remove the side-plate of the revolver, you will see that the trigger stop is held in place with a small screw. The stop is not perfectly round. By loosening the screw and rotating the stop it is possible to have the rear of the trigger contact the forward-most portion of the stop at a point where the trigger "breaks" but travels beyond that point very little.

You are correct as relates to removal of this stop. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and police officers carried revolvers, I recall reading in law enforcement periodicals of the time that some agencies opted to take delivery without this stop or had armorers remove same fearing that the stop might become loose and prohibit full rearward trigger travel with attendant inability to fire the weapon. To be fair, I never heard of this happening but it nonetheless was a concern.

Someone more well versed in this subject will be along shortly to add to this.

HTH.

JPJ.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we had a policy that they had to be removed. Instead of doing that, I'd set mine out as far as it would go, and file fit it so it could no longer interfere with the trigger stroke.
 
In the early 70s, I received a packet from Smith & Wesson which thoroughly explained the issue, and which had drawings and detailed instructions on how to remove the trigger stop. They redesigned it so the problem would not occur and if I remember correctly the newer one was more of a long oval rather than a football shape as described by Carter. Even after the redesign, they only put the trigger stop into revolvers with adjustable sights and longer barrels, but not 4-inch or shorter barrels. I removed trigger stops from a bunch of different duty-length and concealment-length revolvers at the time.
 
My 6" 19-3 has one. Never gave it a second thought. I guess i should look at the 4" and 2-3/4 " ones. But them these aren't self defense guns for me so maybe I wont worry about it.
 
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Ok, you made me go and look at a couple of K frames.
1970 M19-3, 2 1/2” has one
1973 M66, 4” has one
1971 M17-3, 6” has one
1976 M10-5, 4” does not
I don’t know if this helps or just muddies the water.
 
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