[Ugly-Jeep-Truck]

How do I adjust the trigger stop on the chip mcormick trigger I just got. the gun is a new Colt full size. Will it hurt anything to just remove the setscrew?? Or is the stop a really critical adjustment, it looks like it would back out easy...

 

[Ugly-Jeep-Truck]

with all of the gunsmiths in here there has GOT to be somebody that knows how to adjust an adjustable trigger...

 

[BBBBill]

There should have been a small Allen wrench (hex key) packaged with your trigger. Insert in the set screw, turn clockwise to reduce over travel, counterclockwise to increase. Series 80 guns pose a "problem" for adjustable triggers due to the firing pin block. You can't reduce the overtravel as much & have the gun remain reliable. The trigger must be able to push the linkage far enough to lift the block clear of the firing pin. It will do no harm to remove the screw completely. Others experience may differ, but I've never seen one come loose. A bit of Locktite should hold it just fine.

 

[John Harrison]

Jeep,
It is not a problem to remove the over travel screw and leave it out to avoid the chance of it moving in on it's own and keeping the gun from firing.

If you want to keep it in place, you adjust as follows:

With a unloaded gun, disassemble it to the point that you have the trigger in your hand, then remove the screw from trigger and degrease.
Apply a small drop of red loctite to the threads and reinstall screw, so that roughly 1/8" of the screw is exposed behind the trigger shoe. Assemble the gun completely.

To set the adjustment, cock the hammer and while holding the hammer to the rear, pull the trigger and hold it back.

Do not let the hammer fall on it's own.

Now, lower the hammer with your thumb and while lowering it see if you feel any "bump" or "rub" in the hammer as you slowly lower it. If it will not lower or you feel it bump, then back out the screw 1/2 a turn and repeat the above test. Repeat until you are 1/2 turn past the point where you last felt a bump.
If the hammer goes smoothly all the way down, turn in the screw 1/2 turn and repeat, until you have an adjustment, where you feel a bump; then back out 1/2 turn and set the gun aside for a day for the loctite to cure.
Use a vey small drop of loctite and wipe off any excess, to avoid "gluing" the trigger in place

You should have about 30 minutes to get this adjustment set correctly, before the loctite sets up. With the screw properly loctited, I'm not too concerned about the adjustment changing, just don't set the adjustment too tight, leave it 1/2 to 1 turn out.
Good Luck,
John Harrison

Until I read BBBill's reply, I didn't think about the series '80 parts. My instructions are correct with the following addition:

After you have the adjustment set as above, check the operation of the firing pin safety by cocking the hammer, holding it back and pulling the trigger and holding it back. Then, with your third hand,

take a small punch and push in on the back of the firing pin. It should go in freely. If the firing pin is blocked or you feel rubbing, back out the over travel screw 1/2 turn at a time, until this test can be completed with no drag or bump when you push in on the firing pin. Test fire, before depending on it as a carry gun.
John

[This message has been edited by Precision Gunworks (edited 11-13-2001).]

 

[Ugly-Jeep-Truck]

I thank you all for your replies, I am gonna put it together tonight and see hopw it goes, chances are, I will likely leave the screw out since it bothers me, that was my main concern, how well it will work without the screw. Thank you all again

 

[Arrowman]

Oh it'll work just fine without the screw, you're just going to get a considerable amount of overtravel. If the trigger or ignition system is out of spec, you could (doubtful, but possible) pop the sear spring off the leg of the sear and either not be able to fire another shot, double, or go full-auto. Like the above says, test, and retest before firing.

 

[Ugly-Jeep-Truck]

They kind of frown upon full auro fire at our range..any idea how to tell if I have too much overtravel beforehand..LOL

 

[bjg-1911]

If you take the grip safety off the gun and look at the disconnector paddle...move the slide back till the disconnector drops down and hold the slide there. Then pull the trigger rearward, you should see the paddle move rearward under the sear feet. Set your over travel screw so the paddle only comes 1/2 to 2/3rds the distance back under the sear feet. Make your other adjustments to check interference with the sear nose, firing pin safety plunger,etc.from there.

 

[Ugly-Jeep-Truck]

how idid the long trigger GI versions avoid too much overtravel without a setscrew?

 

[BBBBill]

They didn't! Or should I say manufacturing specs and normal tolerances took care of the issue as far as it was considered which wasn't much. Stock GI guns were built with very generous tolerances and huge (by custom standards) engagement surfaces. Everything was designed to work in awful conditions with a huge margin of safety in the components. Overtravel was not much of a consideration in their intended use. Only when sport and competition modifications were made did it become a consideration of much importance. Not to say that a well built gun can/should not have an overtravel stop, but you can do perfectly well without one. I own guns both ways.

[This message has been edited by BBBBill (edited 11-13-2001).]

 

[donw]

Jeep, Actually, the step you see on the grip safety tang is an overtravel stop. I suppose somewhere along the line in past times some gunsmith decided he wanted to eliminate as much overtravel as possible, and came up with the screw in the trigger to make it adjustable.

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Don Williams www.theactionworks.com www.pickagrip.com