Improving (or restoring) a 1903 Trigger

[ssgross]

So I've been working on restoring a badly abused 1903a3 sporter. I did a lengthy post step by step on fitting the new Minelli stock. Well, I had a new minty trigger to put on it, and after much reading decided to learn more about the 1903 fire control by tinkering with the old one. It went so successfully, I think I might not be needing that new one after all. In addition to plenty of deep rust and pitting all over the shoe and trigger guard, here is what I was up against...

A weld had been been tacked on to the front stop of the trigger to build up material. In affect, this causes the trigger to be permanently held after the first stage. As it was, it had only the 2nd stage, and pulled a gritty and creepy 4.5 lbs or so. I'll post pictures along with what I learned and how I figured it all out, main references being TM 9-1270, and Clark Campbell's summary thereof in his book The '03 Springfield. It's noteworthy to mention that both of these sources, as well as all the internet experts, will advise to swap parts around until you get a combination that works. Since most of us don't have buckets of cocking pieces and sears laying around, and spare parts will inevitably be more expensive and hard to find in the coming decades, I thought I might learn how to do it using what I had, and pass it along.

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