Trigger Work

[Wineman]

My 1918 Eddystone is a fine shooter but I have trouble with the long and creepy trigger. Sometimes if the finger pad is in just a hair too far, the extra flesh gets pinched behind the trigger and it will not fire. I have to release the pressure and move my finger. I know that technique is everything and keeping my finger in the right spot is important.

That being said, are all of the triggers on M1917's similar? I have never shot another one to compare. I would like to keep it stock for use in Vintage Matches and not add an aftermarket trigger. Can the triggers be cleaned up and smoothed out to get a more crisp feel? I have also read that some rifles benefit from a new striker spring which helps with the break of the trigger.

Any suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,

Wineman

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Patrick Chadwick]

I just checked my Eddy. When the trigger slack has been taken up, the gap between trigger and trigger guard is about 6mm. The trigger releases smoothly after about 1mm of travel (gap now about 5mm).

Check the weight required to fire the trigger. I don't know what the manufacturing tolerance was, but my Eddy was tested by the BDMP scrutineers a couple of years back, and the required weight was a little under 2 kgm / 4 lbs. Over 5 lbs could mean a rough edge, under 3 could mean excessive wear (less frequent) or that someone Bubbared the trigger to reduce the pressure (more frequent).

If you are pinching flesh behind the trigger, quite apart from any possible problems with the trigger itself, are you holding the rifle correctly?

You should be placing the center of the pad of the first joint (finger tip) on the trigger, NOT the joint itself. If you have the joint on the trigger, or move the contact towards the joint, then that means you will be curling the finger tip around the trigger as you apply pressure, which can result in pinching.

And, furthermore, this will play a large part in the "creepy" feeling, because when you think you are applying increasing pressure to the trigger, you are, in fact, mainly increasing the curl of the finger tip.

From your posting, it sounds like you have the finger tip too far forwards. Check it out, maybe have a friend look at your position when you shoot.

Patrick

[Wineman]

It breaks at about 5 lbs according to my spring scale although it does so at almost the end of the travel.

The finger position is something I need to watch next time I take it out.

Wineman.

[Calif-Steve]

Springfield Sporters has cheap sears and triggers. I suggest you get 2 sears and 1 trigger and try swaping out the parts. You should find a nice keeper. Good luck.

[Chuckindenver]

the rebound spring has more to do with the trigger feel on a 2 stage trigger.
play with springs, before to swap hard parts.

[harry mac]

Sounds like you have phat phingers. Put them on a strict diet and shoot as often as you can to monitor the decrease in phinger pinching.

[Wineman]

Thanks for the advice on the parts and springs. I know Wolfe has a kit with all the springs for a M1917. I have never replaced any springs and it has been in the family for 30+ years.

The fingers are not too fat but my hands are on the small side. I have never been able to really get a good grip on auto pistols with double stack magazines.

Wineman

[harry mac]

The fingers are not too fat but my hands are on the small side. I have never been able to really get a good grip on auto pistols with double stack magazines.
Wineman

I know what you mean about having small hands, I'm the same. One of the lads at my pistol club had a Desert Eagle he let me have a go of, I could barely get my fingers round the grip and when I fired it it was like trying to hold on to a greased pig.

[Wineman]

ChuckinDenver,

When you said rebound spring, is that the one the parts diagrams call a "sear spring" which goes over the safety stud of the sear?

Thanks,

Wineman

[Chuckindenver]

yes,
it returns the sear, a heavy spring will give a heavy feel, light spring light feel.
it wont however remove creep, only a good stone, and a straight eye will do that.