Trigger Shoe on Model 28

[squid8286]

I recently picked up a 1968 4" Model 28 that I intend to use as a walkaround gun in the woods, since it is in "used but not abused" condition. Very smooth action on this old N Frame. It came with some sort of a shoe on the trigger to make the standard trigger as wide (or wider maybe) as the standard target trigger. I am assuming that this was an aftermarket company that made these things. Feels like it is constructed from steel instead of aluminum. I actually liked the feel of it on the gun, but I took it off for now. What is the info on these things? Were they really popular at one time? It seems very well made. Obligatory pics of gun in question from GB. I haven't taken any other pics of it yet.

 

[Retired W4]

The set screws for those things leave dimples in the side of the trigger. That's why I don't like them.

 

[squid8286]

From the amount of residue underneath, this thing had been on a LONG time. But other than that there were only two tiny marks from the allen screws - no displaced metal. The guy that put it on must've known his business. I am thinking of leaving it off, as I tend to torque stuff down a little too hard.

 

[minconrevo]

Trigger shoes were once popular, on both target and holster guns. Even a few LE duty guns sported them for a while. The two cup pointed Allen screws, used to attach them to the gun's trigger, near invariably leave circular dimples on the trigger when removed. More seriously, the shoes are often wider than the trigger guard, posing a potential for a ND when holstering. They are prohibited in many competitive shooting disciplines because of this.

The only fix for the ugly trigger circles is to replace the trigger with a proper unmolested trigger.

 

[robvious]

they are "fine" if you like them on the range.. but some people argue they could slip and bind up the trigger at the worst possible time... my late father had one on his edc for years... never an issue...

 

[squid8286]

You can barely see the marks, and the metal isn't dented at all. I must have gotten lucky. There was a pile of crud under it, though.

 

[squid8286]

they are "fine" if you like them on the range.. but some people argue they could slip and bind up the trigger at the worst possible time... my late father had one on his edc for years... never an issue...

It did occur to me that it could slip off at the worst possible moment. I will probably leave it off. Who made these things?

 

[Truckman]

Who made these things?

Tyler manufacturing still catalogs them...Other sources here......Ben

 

[gunbarrel]

Up to the early1990's, when I shot NRA bullseye pistol, most of the .45 acp "soft ball" guns had after-market trigger shoes and extended ribs installed (Red Dot sights had not been invented yet, or the early ones were looked down on by the old timers). But even some cops would put them on their revolvers, which I didn't think it was very smart because the wide trigger shoe could rub on the side of the holster as a loaded revolver was being put back in the holster resulting in an AD (in NRA Bullseye Pistol you don't use a holster) Since they didn't have loctite back then, they would add clear fingernail polish to the screw and tighten the living daylights to keep them from coming loose. These are many of the guns with the dimples on the side of the trigger nowadays.

 

[series guy]

The most common is the Ace trigger shoe sold by Flaigs Gun Shop. I think they were in Glenshaw, Pa.

 

[hkcavalier]

I added shoes to 2 S&Ws, a prewar K-22 and 1950s K-38. Neither get holstered so they're fine, and I like the added control. I knew the likelihood of ever selling these guns was very small, so adding something that left permanent marks wasn't a big deal.

I would do the same with my new Colt Python if I could find one that matched up. The trigger on the new ones is a different profile.

 

[Retired W4]

Trigger shoe aside, like in a parts drawer, that is a good looking Highway Patrolman you have. Perfect for your stated use.

 

[Alk8944]

The steel trigger shoes were the Flaig "Ace". These were quite popular for target revolvers in the 1950s and '60s. There are two legitimate reasons to avoid them. First, as noted, the set screws mar the sides of the trigger. Second, because the trigger shoe is wider than the trigger guard they are a real accidental discharge risk for guns carried in holsters. For this reason many police departments banned them from use by officers on duty revolvers.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Trigger shoes helped, in the day of the bullseye shooting discipline, to make the trigger pull feel lighter because the device spread out the pressure applied by the trigger finger across a bigger area on the face of the trigger. Although I shot those matches, I never used the trigger shoe. I thought it was a bad idea then, and I have seen nothing to make me think otherwise 50 years later.

 

[RetCapt]

These were quite common in my early LE days. For single action shooting they provided more contact surface on the trigger, thus a lighter feel. Many cops. me included, carried them on duty. I never heard of a malfunction, such as holster interference or loosening. All the departments I knew of allowed them.

The most common qualification course then was the FBI PPC course, which also became the standard competition course. As more and more really skilled shooters (not me) got involved those pioneers struck upon the idea of shooting the entire course DA, even though SA was allowed at 50 yards.

I arrived at this same conclusion. I decided to change to DA all the way through. It took me 3k rounds of concentrated practice to make the transition, but my scores went way up. Off came the trigger shoes. The hot set up from then on was a narrow smooth-faced trigger. For as long as we carried and shot revolvers that was the preference.

This is still so habitual with me that the only way I shoot a DA revolver is DA. My non-LE friends think this is very strange - until I start to shoot.

So in the natural evolution of things trigger shoes became pretty thin on the ground.

But not quite forgotten. Some years ago I bought a Ruger 77/22. Despite their sometime reputation of being poor or inconsistent groupers, I was determined to make mine a sub MOA grouper. I put a lot of money into it, including an after market trigger. I wanted that trigger to feel even lighter by having a broader contact surface, so I installed a trigger shoe. All this worked. I no longer shoot competitively, but if I get into an informal .22 rifle contest, if I lose, it will be because I lost, not my rifle.

All of my DA handguns have narrow smooth triggers. But on my 77/22 the wide trigger via the shoe is perfection.

For the OP I think is just a matter of personal preference how he chooses to equip and shoot his revolver. If his preference is SA then maybe the shoe will be a benefit. For DA, based on my experience and what I have seen in shooters way back, the bare trigger is preferable.

 

[toroflow1]

As soon as I bought my 28-2 in 1979 I put a trigger shoe on. Never slipped.

 

[squid8286]

Trigger shoe aside, like in a parts drawer, that is a good looking Highway Patrolman you have. Perfect for your stated use.

Thank you. There is a patch of rust on the other side of the cylinder that looks like like something wet contacted it at some point. Very light pitting that isn't even worth worrying about. It locks up like a bank vault. Looks like it will be a good woods gun.

 

[squid8286]

These were quite common in my early LE days. For single action shooting they provided more contact surface on the trigger, thus a lighter feel. Many cops. me included, carried them on duty. I never heard of a malfunction, such as holster interference or loosening. All the departments I knew of allowed them.

The most common qualification course then was the FBI PPC course, which also became the standard competition course. As more and more really skilled shooters (not me) got involved those pioneers struck upon the idea of shooting the entire course DA, even though SA was allowed at 50 yards.

I arrived at this same conclusion. I decided to change to DA all the way through. It took me 3k rounds of concentrated practice to make the transition, but my scores went way up. Off came the trigger shoes. The hot set up from then on was a narrow smooth-faced trigger. For as long as we carried and shot revolvers that was the preference.

This is still so habitual with me that the only way I shoot a DA revolver is DA. My non-LE friends think this is very strange - until I start to shoot.

So in the natural evolution of things trigger shoes became pretty thin on the ground.

But not quite forgotten. Some years ago I bought a Ruger 77/22. Despite their sometime reputation of being poor or inconsistent groupers, I was determined to make mine a sub MOA grouper. I put a lot of money into it, including an after market trigger. I wanted that trigger to feel even lighter by having a broader contact surface, so I installed a trigger shoe. All this worked. I no longer shoot competitively, but if I get into an informal .22 rifle contest, if I lose, it will be because I lost, not my rifle.

All of my DA handguns have narrow smooth triggers. But on my 77/22 the wide trigger via the shoe is perfection.

For the OP I think is just a matter of personal preference how he chooses to equip and shoot his revolver. If his preference is SA then maybe the shoe will be a benefit. For DA, based on my experience and what I have seen in shooters way back, the bare trigger is preferable.

I hate to admit it, but it has been about 25 years since I shot ANY revolver, double OR single action. I have carried and shot a wide variety of semi-autos in that time (both double and single action) but I only recently started getting back into revolvers (mainly because of this site.)

 

[ken158]

Trigger shoes were a fad from the early target days. My dept did not allow them due to the possibility they could slip leaving the revolver inoperative. They would leave a mark on the case hardening of the trigger. The idea was more width for the trigger finger would make the pull feel lighter.

 

[ameridaddy]

...

The only fix for the ugly trigger circles is to replace the trigger with a proper unmolested trigger.

And you can do that with a wider target trigger (S&W #5843, .500 wide, grooved, case color) if a wider trigger is what you want.

 

[sophie]

And you can do that with a wider target trigger (S&W #5843, .500 wide, grooved, case color) if a wider trigger is what you want.

Good looking 4" Highway Patrolman. Congratulations on the purchase.
If in fact you decide on a wider trigger, there was also an option from S&W in those years for a .400" smooth face, case hardened trigger. I believe the SCSW called it a semi-target trigger. Pictured is my 6" Model 28 with the smooth face .400" trigger as it came in 1969. I really like this smooth face wider trigger.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I've got the smooth .400 trigger on my 28-0. I really like it and the action job. I haven't lettered it but I suspect it went back to S&W and got the trigger, an action job, and a white front sight insert. To me it's the perfect set up. I've still got three pieces with trigger shoes. One was my deceased wife's mod 15. She was killed in the line of duty on 12/31/84. It will remain unchanged and will go to my son when my dirt nap comes. I have a couple of others with trigger shoes, one a model 60 I bought for my wife around 1971. She like them. I once would put target hammer and trigger on new S&W's if they didn't already have it. Several years ago I picked up a zip lock bag with about 20 trigger shoes in it for $10.00. Can't leave something like that laying around. I think I might still have around six of them...if I can remember where I put them. I had a lot of trigger shoes on my LEO revolvers before I retired. I seem to shoot better with a wider trigger.

 

[CajunBass]

The only real experience I've had with a trigger shoe was on a Kel-Tec P-11 back in the day, and it worked just as advertised. It seemingly reduced the trigger pull, but more importantly protected my finger from the narrow, sharp trigger the KT had. It never came loose, it never interfered with holstering. No idea if it left a mark or not. It was still on the gun when I sold it, but it was a Kel-Tec. I wouldn't have cared it I noticed it. I think mine was from Uncle Mikes, but it was a long time ago.

 

[muzzlestuffer2012]

I recently picked up a 1968 4" Model 28 that I intend to use as a walkaround gun in the woods, since it is in "used but not abused" condition. Very smooth action on this old N Frame. It came with some sort of a shoe on the trigger to make the standard trigger as wide (or wider maybe) as the standard target trigger. I am assuming that this was an aftermarket company that made these things. Feels like it is constructed from steel instead of aluminum. I actually liked the feel of it on the gun, but I took it off for now. What is the info on these things? Were they really popular at one time? It seems very well made. Obligatory pics of gun in question from GB. I haven't taken any other pics of it yet.

Nice one ! If you want to part with the trigger shoe let me know I'll buy it from you.

 

[Retired W4]

A good friend of mine has a Clark Pin Master (1911) with a wide trigger. The difference being Clark, the elder, milled the frame in the rear of the trigger guard to accommodate the wide trigger. It actually feel very good shooting it, with no worries about anything coming loose.

 

[squid8286]

Good looking 4" Highway Patrolman. Congratulations on the purchase.
If in fact you decide on a wider trigger, there was also an option from S&W in those years for a .400" smooth face, case hardened trigger. I believe the SCSW called it a semi-target trigger. Pictured is my 6" Model 28 with the smooth face .400" trigger as it came in 1969. I really like this smooth face wider trigger.

Thank you. I think that would be just about perfect.

 

[squid8286]

I've got the smooth .400 trigger on my 28-0. I really like it and the action job. I haven't lettered it but I suspect it went back to S&W and got the trigger, an action job, and a white front sight insert. To me it's the perfect set up. I've still got three pieces with trigger shoes. One was my deceased wife's mod 15. She was killed in the line of duty on 12/31/84. It will remain unchanged and will go to my son when my dirt nap comes. I have a couple of others with trigger shoes, one a model 60 I bought for my wife around 1971. She like them. I once would put target hammer and trigger on new S&W's if they didn't already have it. Several years ago I picked up a zip lock bag with about 20 trigger shoes in it for $10.00. Can't leave something like that laying around. I think I might still have around six of them...if I can remember where I put them. I had a lot of trigger shoes on my LEO revolvers before I retired. I seem to shoot better with a wider trigger.

I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your wife.

 

[squid8286]

Would the best place to find one of the smooth target triggers be here? I bet S&W doesn't sell them any more!

 

[Yendor357]

Heaven help you if you ever happen to have to defend yourself with a trigger shoe equipped gun. I'm afraid that'd be a Million Dollar Mistake if you wound up in court with a civil suit over the scum bag junky you were forced to shoot. The Oposition's lawyer would make a mountain out of the trigger shoe mole hill. And the liberal judge would probably agree.

I seriously doubt that the outcome of a Pistol Match was altered because one Shooter had a trigger shoe and another didn't.

I never saw the point in a trigger shoe. Change springs, or have a professional gunsmith rectify any deficiencies in that your gun.

Those trigger shoes are a relic of the past like cigarette machines, riding on the back of pick-up trucks, and those chronographs we used to put down range.

 

[gwpercle]

Yes in the 1960's Trigger Shoe's were popular .
They were our drop in trigger jobs .
If you wanted a wide target trigger ... it was easy and inexpensive to do .
Remember no internet , no you-tube , no drop-in anything back then .
All of my Revolvers and even a few 1911's got the easy trigger job .
The model 58 in my Avatar still wears one ... inatalled in the 1970's .
Gary