The “adjustable” trigger stop is a part of the S&W revolver world that seemingly never gets discussed. I recently bought my first 27-2 and was surprised to find no trigger stop on it. So I fished my 27-5 out of the safe and there wasn’t one on it either. My 6-inch 66-2 has one. I believe that my 14-3 has one.

And these trigger stops can only be adjusted if you go under the side plate — which I cannot imagine that S&W ever intended the end buyer do.

I have heard that some LE organizations would have their armorer preemptively remove these, just in case.

So what is the untold story of the trigger stop? Why do some have them and some do not? Does anyone have theirs adjusted to any benefit?

The adjustable trigger stop is a feature of the various K-Target models, K-38, 15, 28, 19, etc. only. The N-Frame trigger stop consists of a small solid rod of fixed length which is installed inside the rebound slide spring. The N-Frame stop is often missing because many disassembling an N-frame gun for the first time don't notice it snd have no idea what it is, or where it goes in the gun, or simply lose it.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Apparently, a trigger stop on a K frame LE gun came loose and tied up the action. Smith did not install trigger stops on LE guns after that and many departments removed the ones on guns already purchased. This would have been back in the early 70s.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Found a little rod on the table the other day after taking a 29 apart. My wife said "What is that?" I haven't put it back together yet so no extra work involved. As for the frame mounted over travel stop, I have adjusted a couple in the past, just for grins. The concept of quick rebound for follow up shots seems a little over blown in normal use. I suppose speed in certain competitions could be a factor, but that tiny distance gained before reset is not enough to justify the work involved. Not for me any way.

As noted within this thread, the trigger stop was only on K frame guns. It is true that LEO had trigger stop loosen and move forward thereby preventing a gun from firing. Departments with S&W trained armorers did receive a letter requesting all trigger stops be removed from LEO guns.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

Why was the trigger stop only on K-frames? A 27 with an 8-3/8” barrel would certainly be useful as a target gun, no?

A lot of early target shooting was one handed. I don't see most folks shooting a 8 3/8" M27 one handed.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I installed trigger stops on a couple of K frames that I own that are used strictly for target shooting or plinking. I degreased the tiny set screw and hole for it and used just a trace of blue Loctine on the screw and then put it down good and snug.

The trigger stops have never moved and I really like the practically zero overtravel when shooting single action.

For anything that might EVER be used as a defensive tool, take it out and throw it away!

I really enjoy the trigger stop present on several of my K frame targets. The trigger pull and let off just feels so positive.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

I started the thread mostly because this seems like a mysterious subject that rarely gets discussed. For me, truly, I won’t be toying with any of mine.

I love my revolvers a lot but I’m actually more in to the semiautomatic pistols, and I’ve got MANY of them with overtravel stops. In my hands, adjusted properly, they make a massive difference in trigger feel and the improvement is very noticeable to me.

Of all my revolvers, the 460XVR is the only one I regularly shoot in single action. So the trigger stop on my S&W revolvers is really of no consequence to me, for my needs.

But it’s still an interesting subject.

My M48-4 had a trigger stop when I bought it. The first thing I did to the gun was remove it.

There are much better trigger stops to be had, if you want one. We (PPC shooter) used a pencil eraser glued to the back of the trigger about halfway down its length. Use an emery board to file away the eraser until when you pull the trigger in DA, it stops the trigger just before breakover. Then a slight squeeze and, bang. When you get tired of it, just pull it off.

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If that wedge shaped stop (the one held in place by a screw) comes just loose enough it will play hob with the action. IMO it needs to be removed from any gun that your hide might depend on. That could even be a .22 revolver if it's used to control venomous snakes or other vermin.

The fitted round rod in the rebound slide is unlikely to ever cause timing issues or a gun stoppage; I leave them in.

The pencil eraser trick does work until it comes unglued and falls off. Simply to replace.

Like the last post indicates. There were TWO kinds of trigger stops.

The adjustable stop blade in the rear of the trigger guard on K-Targets

See photo of the stop in my 1952 K-22

and later a straight piece of rod that went inside the spring in the rebound slide

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

Responded to Retired W-4 by PM.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

I tried just that with my 8-3/8" Mod 27 in bullseye matches in the 70's. I found I got better scores with my 8-3/8" Mod 14. I didn't do extensive testing, but it seemed the Mod 14, with a shorter cylinder than the 27, and therefore less bullet jump distance, grouped better with .38 caliber ammo, especially the target load wadcutters we were using for matches.
They were just 30 round matches, so the 27 being heavier didn't seem to matter, but I think it would be fatiguing for a longer course of one-handed fire compare to a Mod 14.

I think we may not be on the same page regarding the purpose or real world benefit of a properly adjusted trigger stop. It’s not got anything to do with the travel distance for trigger reset, it’s absolutely about nearly zero excess movement that follows when the trigger has a longer path before it stops.

This is much easier to feel in real time than it is to try and describe via the written word.

Further on this discussion…
Given the way a S&W revolver is designed, if you were to affix a trigger stop that was perfectly adjusted for use in double action, this adjustment wouldn’t even allow you to cock the revolver in single action, let alone actually fire it.

It’s truly not about the shorter travel distance gained for trigger reset.

I see little to no use for the adjustable trigger stop in "normal" use. It allows the shooter to pull double action up to the point of trigger sear break, and then hold that until the aim is steady and finalized, with a final slight squeeze to fire. In normal use it's more practical to just pull the hammer back to its SA position.

I haven't shot PPC since the early 1980's; there were required sequences of double-action fire, so many rounds in so many seconds. The eraser-type stop was allowed because it was not a part of the firearm, technically, so it didn't exist. It was also much easier to fine tune by filing a small amount at a time and testing the final squeeze each time, until that squeeze was as light, or even lighter, than the SA break. You could then shoot the DA sequences like you would a SA, but you didn't pull the trigger back with your thumb on the spur, which took more time and generally created more muzzle movement between shots. Your grip did not change at all. You simply pulled the trigger until it met resistance, then held it until you finalized aim. Some guys could do 6 shots in 5 seconds into a nickel sized hole with a 4" barrel on a stock M18 or M19 at 15 yards. It was just as handy on extended fire sequences, like 6 shots in 20 or 25 seconds.

Not me, though. I could do a quarter sized group at 7 yards, but that was long ago and far away.

This was my experience with a brand new privately purchased M-19. The police armour removed it for the reason stated above.