I recently acquired a Model 60 no-dash with a serrated trigger. I prefer a smooth trigger and am thinking of removing the lines. Anyone have an experience doing this? Should I just buy a smooth trigger instead? (Or just leave it alone?)
Anyone sand the serrations off a trigger?
- Thread starter gwalchmai
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You can buy a smooth trigger but it is a fit part so it may or may not drop right in. To grind the grooves off your trigger it would be nice to have a belt sander to hog the material away and then go back and buff the surface to make it smooth. If you find someone who can do the job correctly it only takes a few minutes.
tomcatt51
Member
The ridges on the forged triggers are really hard and a PITA to get rid of nicely. I prefer to drop in a .400 wide smooth trigger and slightly reshape it. A new MIM trigger almost always drops in. You'll need an MIM style hand spring and trigger lever also to complete the trigger "assy".
HEADKNOCKER
Member
Your M60s trigger will be flash chromed unless it's one of the very first made, then it would be stainless, this would be RARE & shouldn't be ground on IMO..
Once you remove the serations you'll have a piece of carbon steel in the white, you might be able to get away with leaving it this away or cold blue it..
Here's a small video that Midway USA has were Larry Potterfield shows the process on a S&W revolver..
YouTube - MidwayUSA's Channel
You should note that on older guns as the one He's working on the hand spring is captive in the trigger by a pin but on the newer MIM triggers the hand spring will fall out once the hand is removed..
A couple of stones, sanding drum, & polishing stones & you'll be set up..
A picture is worth a thousand words...
Good Luck with the Mod..
Gary/Hk
Once you remove the serations you'll have a piece of carbon steel in the white, you might be able to get away with leaving it this away or cold blue it..
Here's a small video that Midway USA has were Larry Potterfield shows the process on a S&W revolver..
YouTube - MidwayUSA's Channel
You should note that on older guns as the one He's working on the hand spring is captive in the trigger by a pin but on the newer MIM triggers the hand spring will fall out once the hand is removed..
A couple of stones, sanding drum, & polishing stones & you'll be set up..
A picture is worth a thousand words...
Good Luck with the Mod..
Gary/Hk
I agree that if it is an early all-stainless gun, I would buy another trigger rather than grind that one.
Removing the serrations with a die grinder, stones, and various grits of fine paper in the 120 and finer range is a simple job. Back when police officers still carried S&Ws, I must have done two dozen of these. We were not in the gunsmithing business and the department had no armorer. I always did it gratis and believe me I got more thank yous for those little jobs than you can imagine.
While you're at it, you might very gently radius the tip (extreme lower edge) of the trigger and polish that area too. Once the face of the trigger is smooth, that will be the next area the shooter will complain about.
Flash chrome does provide corrosion protection, but I doubt the face of your trigger will corrode if polished very smooth. I wouldn't mess around with trying to apply any sort of finish. Polish it like a mirror and let it go. Be careful how you hold the trigger when you are working on it. It could be damaged by excessive clamping force.
Removing the serrations with a die grinder, stones, and various grits of fine paper in the 120 and finer range is a simple job. Back when police officers still carried S&Ws, I must have done two dozen of these. We were not in the gunsmithing business and the department had no armorer. I always did it gratis and believe me I got more thank yous for those little jobs than you can imagine.
While you're at it, you might very gently radius the tip (extreme lower edge) of the trigger and polish that area too. Once the face of the trigger is smooth, that will be the next area the shooter will complain about.
Flash chrome does provide corrosion protection, but I doubt the face of your trigger will corrode if polished very smooth. I wouldn't mess around with trying to apply any sort of finish. Polish it like a mirror and let it go. Be careful how you hold the trigger when you are working on it. It could be damaged by excessive clamping force.
It really isn't that difficult. If you are comfortable with popping the side plate, and removing the trigger. Don't try it with the trigger still installed, or you will most likely wind up with some "grind" marks inside the trigger guard. Once removed, put in a padded vise and using a dremel tool with a medium stone grind out the serrations being very careful to not touch any engagement surfaces. Once the groves are gone, use a cloth backed emery paper about a 100 grit or so, and polish the surface. Then I use a rag wheel on my bench grinder with a light polishing compound, and it will get to a mirror slick finish. Clean well and reinstall. I've had a couple I've done over 25 years ago (one a wide target trigger) and have never had any problem with tarnish or rust. It makes double action shooting much more pleasant, especially if you are shooting PPC.
I just did a 60 no dash (flash chromed trigger), a couple weeks ago, and it took me less than a half hour start to finish.
I just did a 60 no dash (flash chromed trigger), a couple weeks ago, and it took me less than a half hour start to finish.
tomcatt51
Member
Interesting. I round the upper edge which becomes a pinch point between the trigger and frame when the trigger comes forward. Usually only an issue when shooting heavy loads fast, DA.
Aussie44
Member
tomcatt51
Member
My finger definitely doesn't start there but running fast DA it becomes an issue. Seems to be a trigger return/recoil interaction. There's a callous on my finger there. Doesn't show up as a problem shooting SA or slow DA but run a couple hundred rds with hot loads DA with fast split times and and it shows up.
You could install a trigger shoe, but it will leave marks if you remove it later.
mikelain
US Veteran
I just "smoothed" the trigger on my model 10-5 2". I got a spare trigger off Gun broker for 12 bucks total, and took the dremmel too it. Did the polishing with the dremell also. I was afraid of it, but using all the info here it was worth a try. I have the original trigger to reinstall if ever needed. I could not find a smooth trigger for less than 50$ but serated ones were plentiful.
I used a stainless trigger to avoid the white metal factor. Overall I am very pleased with the results. It took about an hour to do.
I used a stainless trigger to avoid the white metal factor. Overall I am very pleased with the results. It took about an hour to do.
Pisgah
Member
Thanks, guys. I'm leaning toward learning to love the serrated trigger.
Setting aside concerns of collector value (and I agree that if I had a valuable piece I would probably save the original trigger, and get a replacement to polish), a serrated trigger can be made a great deal more comfortable without grinding it completely smooth-faced. Using very fine abrasive paper or crocus cloth (maybe 400-600 grit) you can buff the face of the trigger with a technique like you'd use when shining shoes and get a very comfortable trigger face in a few minutes. All it does is lightly break and smooth the extreme edges of the ridges, and this makes it much nicer for DA firing while leaving a decent non-slip surface for precise SA shooting. And don't forget the sometimes-sharp very tip of the trigger while you're at it.
Babalooie
US Veteran
I've done many of my guns. It's a minor inconvenience to do, but well worth the effort.
Vulcan Bob
Member
I have a four inch blued 25-5 that has the target trigger and hammer. I do just about all of my S&W shooting double action so that wide serrated trigger had to go. Removed trigger and ground it smooth with a right side radius and polished it up. I already goofed this one up with a new taller front sight anyways, but it shoots to the sights now and is much easyier to shoot with the smooth trigger!
tomcatt51
Member
Very good way to maintain the original appearance while making the trigger not "eat" your finger during casual shooting.
Sounds like an excellent compromise. Thanks!
I long ago gave up on totaling smoothing ridged triggers. As suggested,
I usually just "break" the tops of the ridges and that seems to be enough
while still leaving a good non-slip surface.
On later model Smiths, I always "round" the top of the triggers because
of the sharp edges where the trigger meets the frame. The older triggers were rounded but somewhere in cost cutting production it was
easier to square the tops.
I usually just "break" the tops of the ridges and that seems to be enough
while still leaving a good non-slip surface.
On later model Smiths, I always "round" the top of the triggers because
of the sharp edges where the trigger meets the frame. The older triggers were rounded but somewhere in cost cutting production it was
easier to square the tops.
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