How to reduce trigger weight on a S&W 1911?

Texcut · Mar 16, 2009

Hi,
I wonder if there is a simple way to reduce the trigger weight on a S&W 1911 .45 ACP? Now it´s
4.5 pounds and I would prefer something like 2.5.
I only use it for bullseye type shooting.
Or is the only solution to leave it to a gunsmith for a proper trigger job?

Best regards,
Mike
SWEDEN

Texcut · Mar 16, 2009

Hi,
I wonder if there is a simple way to reduce the trigger weight on a S&W 1911 .45 ACP? Now it´s
4.5 pounds and I would prefer something like 2.5.
I only use it for bullseye type shooting.
Or is the only solution to leave it to a gunsmith for a proper trigger job?

Best regards,
Mike
SWEDEN

john traveler · Mar 16, 2009

The M1911 design lends itself to relatively easy home gunsmith disassembly, stoning, smoothing, and adjusting of the trigger and hammer sear surfaces. The easiest way to reduce trigger pull is to reduce the strength of the hammer and sear tension springs. This involves no more than disassembly and replacing or bending the parts. More advanced work involves reducing the sear engagement surfaces.

If you are not familiar with or experienced doing these alterations, then yes, it would be best to have a gunsmith do the trigger job.

OKFC05 · Mar 17, 2009

wonder if there is a simple way to reduce the trigger weight on a S&W 1911 .45 ACP? Now it´s
4.5 pounds and I would prefer something like 2.5.

Not simple to go that light, and not advisable.
If I recall, in the US, NRA bullseye requires a 4# trigger for .45 service pistol, and a 3 1/2 # pull minimum for .45 1911 semi-auto (any centerfire).
Not sure what bullseye rules, if any, you are following.

canoe on the yukon · Mar 17, 2009

Reducing the trigger pull to 2 1/2 lbs on a 1911 pistol is doable but very problematic.The danger of "follow through" is very real.Follow through is when the hammer drops when the slide slams forward.

Many gunsmiths would refuse due to safety concerns.

shovelwrench · Mar 17, 2009

Its very doable, but is as light as you should go without experience.

You need a trigger scale, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT THIS.

Remove your grip safety, reinstall the mainspring housing W/ sear spring in place.

With a paperclip twisted to your trigger scale, put a small L at the end of the clip. Use this to hook under the individual leafs of the sear spring.

Hook the left spring leaf, measure its weight, just where you can move it off the sear. Slowly bend it away from the sear and retest till it is 1 Lb. NO LESS!!!!!

Do the same to the center leaf.

When you are done, reassemble the gun and "boost" the hammer. This is done by pushing the hammer front from the cocked position by prying against the grip safety and pulling the trigger. This mates the sear and hammer.

This is tried and true, there are other things that can be done, but this is as light as you should try to get it.

TEST FIRING

ONLY LOAD TWO ROUNDS, fire. Repeat. If it does'nt double, you did it right.

If it does double, recheck your spring weights, if they are @ 1lb, add 1/2lb to the center leaf.]

AND GO HERE

http://forum.m1911.org/

Texcut · Mar 18, 2009

Originally posted by OKFC05:

wonder if there is a simple way to reduce the trigger weight on a S&W 1911 .45 ACP? Now it´s
4.5 pounds and I would prefer something like 2.5.

Click to expand...

Not simple to go that light, and not advisable.
If I recall, in the US, NRA bullseye requires a 4# trigger for .45 service pistol, and a 3 1/2 # pull minimum for .45 1911 semi-auto (any centerfire).
Not sure what bullseye rules, if any, you are following.

Thanks for your advice. I made a mistake in my converting from pounds to kilograms. The bullseye rules in Sweden says 1.36 kilograms for a service .45 pistol, and that will be approx 3 pounds.

Texcut · Mar 18, 2009

Originally posted by shovelwrench:
Its very doable, but is as light as you should go without experience.

You need a trigger scale, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT THIS.

Remove your grip safety, reinstall the mainspring housing W/ sear spring in place.

With a paperclip twisted to your trigger scale, put a small L at the end of the clip. Use this to hook under the individual leafs of the sear spring.

Hook the left spring leaf, measure its weight, just where you can move it off the sear. Slowly bend it away from the sear and retest till it is 1 Lb. NO LESS!!!!!

Do the same to the center leaf.

When you are done, reassemble the gun and "boost" the hammer. This is done by pushing the hammer front from the cocked position by prying against the grip safety and pulling the trigger. This mates the sear and hammer.

This is tried and true, there are other things that can be done, but this is as light as you should try to get it.

TEST FIRING

ONLY LOAD TWO ROUNDS, fire. Repeat. If it does'nt double, you did it right.

If it does double, recheck your spring weights, if they are @ 1lb, add 1/2lb to the center leaf.]

AND GO HERE

http://forum.m1911.org/

Thanks for your helpful advices! I will in a most careful way try this. (I certainly don´t want any doubles).

adweisbe · Mar 18, 2009

With a 2.5 pound trigger it is a pretty good idea to switch to a lighter trigger. STI makes a trigger that has a polymer shoe and lightened profile bow.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/...H%20GRADE%20TRIGGERS

The photo shows the aluminum shoe. I think you would be best served by the long curve trigger (polymer shoe).

haggis · Mar 18, 2009

Thia article by Jack Weigand will teach you how to put a safe, light trigger pull on your 1911.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/....aspx?f=bt002005.pdf

Buck

shovelwrench · Mar 19, 2009

Originally posted by haggis:
Thia article by Jack Weigand will teach you how to put a safe, light trigger pull on your 1911.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/....aspx?f=bt002005.pdf

Buck

Thats pretty much what I said without the stoning procedures.
Its a "poor mans trigger job" the problem with the rest of his article is 1: the sear jig 2: he does'nt describe how to get you hooks to .018 without the Jig.

You can do this stuff by hand, BUT..........

A REAL good trigger job on a 1911 is not a job for a novice, the steps I described are the ones to use until you get some more experience with the trigger group.

Texcut · Mar 20, 2009

Thanks. This is exactly what i need, a simple way to reduce trigger pull a little bit. If I then need a real trigger job, I will leave it to a gunsmith.
Mike
Sweden

haggis · Mar 22, 2009

Mike,

If your trigger breaks clean, but is just heavy, Weigand's instructions on setting the disconnector and sear spring leafs (or leaves,take your pick) will let you lower your pull weight. Hammer hook height is less important than most people think. If the sear-hooks interface is square and smooth, there is a lot of latitude. I set competition hooks to 0.020", some people like 0.018", and some go as low as 0.015". I don't go much below 3.0 pounds trigger pull for a competition gun. I set hooks on defensive guns at 0.020"-0.025" with a pull of 4.0-5.0 pounds, depending on the preferences and skill level of the user. I have a Combat Commander with 0.030" hooks and a 5 pound pull, crisp as broken glass. All this is done with a 21 pound mainspring.

I have the Power stoning rig, but I don't use it for 1911's. The interface angles are well defined for a 1911, and I do that interface by hand, and it's not terribly difficult. A little practice doesn't hurt, however.

The Power rig is really valuable for interfaces that don't have well defined angles - Browning Hi-Powers come to mind. I did one of those by hand, and then I bought the stoning rig.

However, there is still a bit of trial and error in setting up the Power fixture. The settings are recommendations, and they usually do need tweaking.

Buck

Eugene · Mar 30, 2009

To say achieving a 2.5# trigger pull is hard and risking doubles is true only if you use crap internals and are not sure of what your doing.

I shoot IPSC and have guns shoot over 120,000 round of major PF 185 40 s&w without a single double or hammer follow.

Good internals are the trick.

I only use STI and SVI framed 1911's, so I use the SVI interchangable tittinum bow trigger, the SVI tri-glide sear spring and disconnector, and the Cylinder and Slide ultimate light weight hammer and tool steel sear set.

the above bits cost nearly $300. US and over $500. Aus but when used with a reduced power mainspring and a titanium hammer strut and cap will, with some delicate work on a Powers Custom MKII hammer and sear jig, give you a 2# trigger pull, which is perfectly safe mechanically, but can cause dramas if an inexperienced shooter and a twitchy finger.

I also strongly recommend using some Chip Mc cormick "trigger Job" grease on all sear, hammer, disconector surfaces and their pins, you dont need much just a dab on the contacting surfaces will last for thousands of rounds, and help even a crap trigger feel good.

How to reduce trigger weight on a S&W 1911?

Texcut

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Texcut

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john traveler

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OKFC05

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canoe on the yukon

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shovelwrench

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Texcut

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Texcut

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adweisbe

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haggis

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shovelwrench

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Texcut

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haggis

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Eugene

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