SMLE Trigger work and handguard question.

[tsquared82]

Well, here are the images of what I am dealing with so far. I have replaced the "DP" cocking piece with an in-service one. Without any wood in the equation, the sear appears to rest nicely up on the cocking piece as seen in the images. The trigger guard is perfectly flat as has been mentioned in a few resources for accuracy. This leaves the trigger guard about a 1/4" from the trigger guard screw threads ((This is the point where the 1st stage touches the sear)). If I attempt to lift the trigger guard to the [proper?] level at about the height of the trigger guard collar, the trigger lowers the sear to a thou of releasing the cocking piece. It takes only a manual tap behind the cocking piece or a bump of the trigger [no or barely any engagement of the 2nd stage] to let the cocking piece fly forward. I've tried a few triggers, both NOS and used. All have the same issue. I've tried another trigger guard... same story. You can see that with the magazine in place, it demands the trigger guard to be at about the height of the collar/bushing.

This is where I am being driven bananas.

There is an image of the trigger hinge with a red circle around it. should I file that area back a bit to allow the trigger to rest further forward and allow the sear to relax some? Should I file the 1st stage? The sear?

I've read the documents of Mr. Laidler. However a wealth of knowledge they are, they aren't helping in this particular instance of a rut.