Trigger Shoe on Model 28

[BC38]

The revolver isn't pristine. That being the case, I think I will just leave it alone. You have to really look for them to see anything.

That's always a good option.

If you don't do anything to correct such a minor "finish issue" that doesn't bother you and isn't getting any worse, you're still retaining the option to take corrective action to address it at a later date.

Nothing to lose by making that choice.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

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.

My favorite Duty Revolver was a Model 19 four inch with RR/WO and the 3 Ts. Target Grip, Target Hammer and Target Trigger, which is basically like having a Trigger Shoe.

 

[DWalt]

Back in my Bullseye shooting days, I had trigger shoes on all my competition guns. I still do. Most Bullseye shooters used them. I also have one on my Winchester Model 52 .22 target rifle. There was fear on the part of some shooters that they were unsafe because the trigger shoe could cause an accidental discharge during holstering. Bullseye shooters do not use holsters, so that is not a concern.

 

[squid8286]

I have owned three Model 29s over the years. Two are gone. One I still have. I always liked the wide target triggers on those more than the thinner combat triggers.

 

[Bruceboy]

It was the same situation north of the border. Many of .38 Spl. guns used for Police Bullseye shooting were 6" Model 14's (Target Masterpieces). There was only one double action segment in the competitions and none involved starting from a holstered firearm. I used one for a while in competition so I must have felt it helped. It never slipped or caused any problems but I didn't like it on my service weapon(s) most of which were model 10's or 15's back in the day.

Al

 

[BC38]

My favorite Duty Revolver was a Model 19 four inch with RR/WO and the 3 Ts. Target Grip, Target Hammer and Target Trigger, which is basically like having a Trigger Shoe.

Not exactly. A target trigger is wider than a standard trigger - but AFAIK they AREN'T wider than the trigger guard. I don't think S&W ever manufactured any revolvers where the trigger was wider than the trigger guard.

A lot of trigger shoes ARE wider than the trigger guard. The one that was on my Hand Ejector model of 1950 44 special when I bought it was wider than the gun's trigger guard. That's one of the reasons I removed the trigger shoe.

So, even though the purpose of the trigger shoe is to provide the same benefits of a target trigger, they aren't exactly the same.

 

[RMS272829]

I have an Ace trigger shoe on my 28 & 17 bought in the 70's. Also my brother's 66 has one. Never had any issue with them. Makes the trigger feel more like the 29 and the 27

 

[Surexama]

I had one on my 28 for years and it really made a difference in double action feel. Gotta keep checking that it's tight though—mine loosened a couple times at the range.

 

[sceva]

They can be pretty nice on a revolver. Just make sure any holster you use isn't formed too tightly in the trigger area. An Autoloader is another thing, I put one on a Colt .45 Auto Series 70 many years ago and after a very short time took it off; it added too much mass to the 1911 trigger and I was getting hammer follow down when loading. Took it off and all back to normal.

 

[bananaman]

Nice 4" 28! A keeper for sure. Never had a trigger shoe on a hand gun. Do have a 28 no dash, 6" though. Would be nice to have a little brother for it. Never found the right one. Bob

 

[Doug M.]

When I was an undergrad in the late 70s, the library at my school had the "FBI LawEnforcement Journal" in its collection. There was at least one and I think more scathing reviews about trigger shoes on duty weapons and the dangers they presented. Loosening was one; a gun tied up when in a fight is not an acceptable risk. The AD risk was also significant.

The best single answer to a trigger shoe on a serious gun (the only kind that matters) is to remove it and put it in your recycling bin. I cannot conceive of any circumstance in which a trigger shoe is a wise choice.

 

[TLflag]

Here's another thought, my son lost the first digit of his trigger finger and I fitted a trigger shoe on to make up for the loss. Worked fine.

 

[DWalt]

Aside from the potential hazard associated with holstering a revolver with a trigger shoe, it is entirely a matter of personal preference. In my Bullseye days, I installed trigger shoes on all my revolver triggers, and also on my .45 Auto. No holsters were used, so there were no holstering safety issues. I also fired .22 rifle competition, and my Model 52 always had a trigger shoe. They were from Flaig's.

 

[GerSan69]

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.

I sold a coworker a Model 49 many years ago, and he promptly put a trigger shoe on it because J-frame triggers were "uncomfortable." Well, his choice of holsters - a Bianchi 9R, the spring-loaded side-opening shoulder holster that points upward - proved to be his downfall when it grabbed that trigger shoe as he was holstering the 49 soon after acquiring the leather, and blew a hole in his armpit. He didn't think he ought to try it the first time or two without ammo.