Why do some revolvers have a trigger stop...

[Protocall_Design]

I have found the pin in the rebound slide version to be so short as to do nothing. If you want one that actually works, you have to make your own longer one and carefully fit the length. They are very finicky to get right, as just .001 or .002 makes a big difference in how well they work. I don't like this kind anyway, as they bend the pin for the rebound slide spring over time.

If I want a trigger stop, I just drill the middle back of the trigger with a 1/8" straight flute, 2 flute solid carbide drill. No need to anneal the trigger, the carbide walks right through it. I make a blind hole, being careful not to go through the front. Then cut off a piece of 1/8" drill rod, fit it for length, and Loctite it in.

If you set up the stop for single action, it will be too short to work well for the double action. If you set it for the double action, it blocks the single action from working. If you want the one trigger stop to work for both single and double action, set it so that the DA will work with two thicknesses of paper behind the stop, but not more. You can make a strip of paper 1/4" wide and fold the end over and over to get more thicknesses. Then stone the SA part of the trigger back until the SA function works as desired. The SA should work with one paper, but not 2. Then you will have the best revo trigger stop there is.

 

[memtb]

I was looking at 3 blue 19's I have both 4 inch and 2.5. They all have a piece of metal coming out of the frame behind the trigger. I would call it a trigger stop. I noticed it on two out of 3 Nickel 19's. All are P&R I also saw it on two 6 inch 586. Didn't see it on any of my SS guns or my 4 inch 586 which is a 94 model. Anybody know why it's on some and not others?
JR

From a pure accuracy standpoint, not a defense weapon, a trigger stop is very beneficial. Trigger over travel is an enemy to accuracy. When shooting over bags, without the stop, with a scoped handgun, the scope movement is quite noticeable. I have Ruger Super Blackhawk, that I drilled the rear of trigger guard, and put in an Allen screw to eliminate over travel. It easily cut my 100 yards groups by more than half. I have a 629, with an internal trigger stop pin. I felt as though it had too much over travel, so I started experimenting with a longer pin. It was tedious, one stroke with a fine file, made the pin too short....increasing over travel. I made several, before I hit the "sweet spot"!

My explanation of minimal over travel is this. Imagine yourself in a tug of war, with the other end of rope tied-off. Your pulling very hard, and someone cuts the rope. You're going to fall backwards, and probably fall on your butt. You are creating a "wiggle" just at the time that the sear breaks contact....the absolute worst time to have firearm movement! Now with the same scenario, only now with a wall just fractions of an inch behind you. The rope is cut, your body movement will be minimal. This example is exaggerated, with a heavy trigger pull! memtb

 

[joe44va]

Here's a pic that shows a roll pin trigger stop:

 

[Engine49guy]

Just pulled a few revolvers from the safe,
67-1 is cut for the trigger stop, 67-3 is not.
66-2 is cut for the trigger stop, 66-5 is not.
686 is cut for the trigger stop, 686-4 is not.

 

[higgimw]

So do ALL smith and Wesson revolvers come from the factory with them? Or is it an option on some?

 

[Racer X]

I have found that my quality Smith and Wesson revolvers have all had excellent triggers as built. None had trigger stop adjustment screws that I knew of. I do know that stops are added to the Ruger MKx series to both reduce travel on the front end and to limit the pull on the backend.

This is done to improve the standard 'lawyer' trigger.

And many of those Ruger Mark pistols are used for competition, like my 7.

 

[smithman 10]

Trigger stop

Came loose on my Model 15 in an IDPA match once and tied the gun up. Very embarrassing!

Took it out and never used the stop again. I did not notice any degradation of the trigger pull.

In my opinion just another example of an unneeded option. If it's a target gun and one feels it shoots more accurately with the stop, okay.

But to me, ALL handguns are potential self defense weapons and absolute reliability is of course the number one priority.

 

[Muley Gil]

So do ALL smith and Wesson revolvers come from the factory with them? Or is it an option on some?

I have only seen the internal trigger stop on K frame revolvers with the adjustable rear sight.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My true tale......I and a friend were squirrel hunting in a swamp. We shook out a big ol coon. I tried to shoot him but my 19 wouldn't fire. I swapped end with and holding it by the barrel I swung my arm back and said I'm gonna throw this *** into the swamp. My friend hollered NO NO don't do that. Give it to me. I checked it upon returning home.........The trigger stop had rotated out causing the gun not to fire....Suffice to say that trigger stop got removed that night.

 

[Walter Rego]

I have a couple of target sighted S&W's that have the factory trigger stop in the slot.
As part of my initial detail strip and clean procedure that I do with all used guns, I removed the screw and stop, cleaned and degreased them and the threaded hole in the frame carefully, and reinstalled using just a tiny bit of blue Loctite on the retaining screw. I used a feeler gauge to set the gap between the stop and rear of the trigger. I forget the gap but it was sufficient to allow the trigger to release the sear in both SA and DA with about .001" movement after the hammer started to fall.

The stops have never moved. The guns are not used for self defense so I don't worry about it. I really like having next to zero overtravel and believe it helps me shoot more accurately.

 

[SS336]

Thought I would enter the fray. went and looked at a M19-3 from 1970 and my M66 from '73 both K-frames, both have the same trigger stop handejector shows in post #19 some later ones don't have it.

Information for what it's worth if it helps anyone.

 

[wrkerr]

Starting with the Masterpiece line in 1946, all K frame guns with adjustable sights had the trigger stop-

It is adjustable. It is possible to move it into a position that will NOT let the trigger release the hammer. It is held in position by a screw under the sideplate:

I THINK it was in the 80s, but it MAY have been the late 70s that a story started circulating that a trigger stop came loose on a cop's gun and moved into a position that would NOT let the gun fire and the cop got killed in a gunfight. I do not know if that is truth or rumor, but I DO know that many PDs started removing the trigger stops from duty weapons. S&W recommended doing so.


Not long after that, I do know for a fact that 38 and 357 K frames started shipping WITHOUT trigger stops. They still had the slot for the stop, but it was not included with the gun. Instead, you got this piece of paper:

I think the Mod 17 and 18 still shipped with the Trigger Stop. Probably the Mod 14s also.

Sorry, but my knowledge of more modern guns is pretty light, so I can't tell you when/IF they were dropped or current status.

Excellent post! Even the pictures look just like the letter we received from S&W in the late 70's warning us to remove the stop on any weapon used in LE. Watch Commander read the letter in roll call, and as soon as we broke, the screw drivers came out. Took the stop out of my K38 before getting in the car!