Gunsmithing S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

[JonnyHawes]

Hey guys,

I hit the google search and didnt come back with anything so jus a quick question.

I bought a Smith & Wesson 1911 (Model #108282 for those interested lol) and its been my baby ever since. The trigger is set around 5-5 1/2 lbs. I was wondering:

1) On a pistol I regularly carry, is it safe to drop the trigger into the 3-3 1/2 range?

2) Do you guys know of any Hide Smiths that can do this?

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[gunnergirl81]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

Messing with the trigger on a carry gun is not a good idea. The best ideas with a carry gun are: Carry a stock gun as it came from the manufacturer, load it with the same ammo your local PD uses, shoot the hell out of it. Don't leave yourself open for even more pain if you should ever actually have to defend yourself.

 

[bengates]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

If you are going to lighten the trigger, theres a drop in kit from Cylinder & Slide that is really solid. Also, you can just bend back the 3-prong spring in the back a little bit and you'd be suprised at how much that impacts trigger pull - and it's free! Then you can keep everything stock in the gun and still have a smooth 4 lbs trigger.

Just another thought.

Kenda's got a good point (especially if you're PD), but I hate stock triggers so all of mine get changed. I can't hit anythign with a 5 lbs trigger on a 1911!

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

I understand what you guys are saying ab modifying a carry gun, that's why I was looking for a competent smith to do the work ( don't trust myself haha ).

 

[cozmacozmy]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

The cautions about modifying a carry gun is not that you may screw it up, but when the lawyer of the perp you shoot in self defense finds out that you "hot rodded" your gun to "make it more deadly" has a field day with you in court.

 

[Queequeg]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

You can take the "What would the plaintiffs lawyer say?" argument as far as your imagination will run.

How about the idea that a too heavy trigger might induce one to shoot less accurately, sending errant projectiles into schools, hospitals and battered women shelters?

How cold is that?

That said, I have a stock Colt combat commander that I swear has a pull of 3 pounds and as such, is strictly a recreational pistol. It is considerably lighter than my other 1911s and certainly any of my other pistolas.

I believe the key is do what makes you proficient.

As to lawyers, there is no end to their creativity and your bigger worry is the quantity if morons on the jury.

Oh, and you would consider having your own lawyer there too right?

 

[cozmacozmy]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

If you can't hit what your aiming at because the trigger pull is to heavy, then you need to hit the gym girly man.

 

[smokshwn]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cozmacozmy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you can't hit what your aiming at because the trigger pull is to heavy, then you need to hit the gym girly man.

</div></div>

And if you buy into the "don't change a thing about your gun or else a defense attorney will turn your legal use of force into the death penalty" bullshit you need to be able to think for yourself a little more

Nobody thinks twice about changing sights, adding lights, lasers etc, why not a reasonable trigger job?

 

[RMPSTRAT]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

A local PD a few yrs back authorized the 1911 for carry. The biggest thing they mandated was the trigger could be no less that 4.5lbs. I kept very busy for a full month with guys bringing me their 1911s.
4.5 to 5 lbs is a good benchmark for a 1911 carry trigger. Now yours could be smoothed and made to break crisp (nature of the beast with the FP safety linkage)

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cozmacozmy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you can't hit what your aiming at because the trigger pull is to heavy, then you need to hit the gym girly man.

</div></div>

Haha I never said I couldnt HIT what I was aiming at, just that if I could I would be more comfortable with a slightly lighter trigger

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: queequeg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You can take the "What would the plaintiffs lawyer say?" argument as far as your imagination will run.

How about the idea that a too heavy trigger might induce one to shoot less accurately, sending errant projectiles into schools, hospitals and battered women shelters?

How cold is that?

That said, I have a stock Colt combat commander that I swear has a pull of 3 pounds and as such, is strictly a recreational pistol. It is considerably lighter than my other 1911s and certainly any of my other pistolas.

I believe the key is do what makes you proficient.

As to lawyers, there is no end to their creativity and your bigger worry is the quantity if morons on the jury.

Oh, and you would consider having your own lawyer there too right? </div></div>

If I may ask sir, why do you not carry the one with the lighter pull of all of yours? Is that strictly a personal preference choice, or do you feel its ... for lack of a better word "unsafe"?

 

[PCR]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

A smooth trigger is better than a light trigger. A competent 1911 smith can stone the engagement surface of the sear, then stone the relief in the sear and make your trigger pull smoother and most likely lighten it a bit. This needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing because messing with the sear can make the pistol unsafe.

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: azshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A smooth trigger is better than a light trigger. A competent 1911 smith can stone the engagement surface of the sear, then stone the relief in the sear and make your trigger pull smoother and most likely lighten it a bit. This needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing because messing with the sear can make the pistol unsafe. </div></div>

I agree totally AZ. Thats why I was asking if there were any competent pistol smiths here on The Hide. I dont trust any of the smiths in my local area lol

 

[Queequeg]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JonnyHawes</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: queequeg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You can take the "What would the plaintiffs lawyer say?" argument as far as your imagination will run.

How about the idea that a too heavy trigger might induce one to shoot less accurately, sending errant projectiles into schools, hospitals and battered women shelters?

How cold is that?

That said, I have a stock Colt combat commander that I swear has a pull of 3 pounds and as such, is strictly a recreational pistol. It is considerably lighter than my other 1911s and certainly any of my other pistolas.

I believe the key is do what makes you proficient.

As to lawyers, there is no end to their creativity and your bigger worry is the quantity if morons on the jury.

Oh, and you would consider having your own lawyer there too right? </div></div>

If I may ask sir, why do you not carry the one with the lighter pull of all of yours? Is that strictly a personal preference choice, or do you feel its ... for lack of a better word "unsafe"? </div></div>

I sometimes carry it on cold days or nights when I can wear a sweater or jacket over it as it's stainless and more difficult to conceal than the smaller pistols I usually carry the rest of the year when it's hot as balls. I have run it in a a few two gun matches at my local club.

It's a special pistol to me and I'd rather not beat the hell out of it. Honestly, with the right amount of practice I have no worries about carrying it. It's just that going from my M&Ps, XD, Sig (With a DAO pull of easily 10 lbs!) it is dramatically lighter in pull.

This is the one!

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

Beauty!

I follow you now. Its not so much you feel it unsafe to carry the lighter pull gun, jus that its of your pleasure vs work gun

 

[Queequeg]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

Just to be clear, I'm a civilian. I legally carry with a CCW license here in Fla. Since I must carry concealed, I usually carry smaller pistols, typically polymer framed and stainless for lighter weight and sweat/corrosion resistance.

The slide visible to the right in that photo is of my S&W scandium framed "Commander" length 1911, and the one above is a LLama "officers" sized. The trigger pulls on those are 5.5 and 7 lbs respectively.

 

[JonnyHawes]

Re: S&W 1911 Trigger Pull

Just as an update to anyone that is interested

I emailed S&W about having them tune my trigger in their Performance Center. this was their response to me:

" , An alternative option will be available in 2011. Please check back with us around e middle of January."

So they have something planned for the near future.