TRIGGER ADJUSTMENT 

Discussion: 

From meneelt@h01.pgh.wec.com 

My stainless steel TC contender frame has about a 4+ lb trigger and I would really like to lower it to about 2-2.5 lb. Is adjusting the trigger screws practical or does anyone have any gunsmith they can recommend? 

EF Brown Co. (who sells TC and their own falling block >pistol) will do a trigger job for about $35 and just require the trigger mechanism (not the whole frame) to be sent it. Seem like nice folks from talking to them on the phone. I would be tempted to send the whole thing >in and see what they think of the force required to unlatch the barrel (lots). Any thoughts? 

From Nigel Jessup N.Jessup@its.amc.edu.au 

Morning Charles 

I found shortening the trigger return spring made a big difference. You might want to have a spare on hand first though, in case you over do it. I could have got mine lighter but was afraid of going too far. There are after market springs available but it would have made mine illegal for IHMSA competition so I was stuck with modifying the original. Apart from that, use the adjusting screws. The instructions for their adjustment are on the TC web pages from memory. If you're reasonably good with your hands and very careful you can also give the trigger sear engagement a few wipes with a fine India stone. 

cherio 

From William Wells  

John, I have to be the bearer of bad news but I think you went about adjusting the trigger pull on your Contender in the wrong way. The Contender has a very adjustable trigger for weight of pull. There is a small allen/hex screw on the trigger towards the front. By adjusting the screw ( I can not remember off the top of my head which way) you can adjust the trigger so that even a slight touch of the trigger will cause the hammer to fall. I would suggest you replace the spring you cut with an original since by cutting the spring you have changed its ability to compress at a constant force consistently (I not much into physics). The only way I know of to adjust the creep on the trigger of on a Contender is to have the internal parts honed. This must be done by a COMPETENT gunsmith. I have never found a Contender with too much creep. Hope this helps. Good Luck, William 

From major@rodent.ecn.uoknor.edu 

You are correct in suggesting a trip to competent gunsmith. You are incorrect in explaining the function of the screw at the front of the trigger. This screw adjusts the depth of engagement between the trigger and sear. One should be *very* careful when adjusting the screw for reduced engagement. Once set, one should cock the hammer ON AN EMPTY CHAMBER and rap the butt of the grip on a table top or other firm surface. If the hammer falls, there is insufficient engagement and you have a dangerous firearm; increase the sear engagement and test again. And, you are also correct about shortening the spring. 

From ralphw@satcom.whit.org Ralph Whittaker 

EF Brown Co. (who sells TC and their own falling block pistol) will do a trigger job for about $35 and just require the trigger mechanism (not the whole frame) to be sent it. Seem like nice folks from talking to them on the phone. I would be tempted to send the whole thing in and see what they think of the force required to unlatch the barrel (lots). Any thoughts? Thanks! 

From joelblatt@aol.com Joel Blatt 

TRIGGER ADJUSTMENT (new, "easy open" frame - may not apply to early frames): First get a trigger force gage (borrow one or buy one - they are inexpensive). 

The 2 trigger set screw adjustments work as follows: The set screw in the top of the trigger regulates the sear-trigger engagement. Turning it clockwise reduces the sear engagement. Turn it until closing the pistol "sharply" causes the sear to "fire" (cock the hammer, no round in chamber, firing pin on safe, and close the action sharply - the hammer must not fall). If the hammer falls, turn counterclockwise to increase engagement. When it is O.K., turn ccw a smidgen to be on the safe side (maybe a quarter turn). The set screw in the trigger guard adjusts over travel - screw it in (towards trigger) to reduce over travel - if it is in too far, the trigger won't release. Screw it out till the trigger just releases and then screw it out on the order of an additional quarter turn. 

Apparently the newest (probably post 94) have a heavier trigger spring. I have purchased an after market spring kit, but have not installed it yet since I have older T/C's which don't need it, so I cannot say if it is significantly better. I will post the name and address where I bought it (but I have to get it from home). 

SAFETY NOTE: The trigger force must never be set so light that the hammer falls when the action is closed "smartly". If you have reduced your trigger force for competetion, and you plan to sell your Contender, for safety (and liability) sake you have an obligation to restore your trigger to the factory setting before selling it. This includes reinstalling the factory trigger spring if you have clipped it or replaced it with a reduced power spring.  

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the use or misuse of this information. I probably didn't even write this. These opinions are my own and are not the opinions of my employer. He wouldn't write it either.  

From rjbrown@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us Ron Brown 

Hi Charles and Michael: 

Had the same problem with my new Contender. The more I broke the action open, the easier it opened. Now it's no problem. 

Try opening and closing the action numerous times, while watching TV, or what ever. This will speed up the break-in process. 

from Alan 

Keep in mind the only way to reduce the tension on a spring is to 

1. Make the spring longer (increase the coils) 

2. Make the spring out of smaller gauge wire with the same amount of coils. 

I am not an engineer but any one who cuts coils off a spring to make it weaker is not applying his/her math. The spring has an elasticity equal to the number of coils + the gauge of the wire + the diameter of the coils. Reducing the number of coils reduces the elasticity thus making the spring stronger for its relaxed length. In other words a spring that needs 2 lbs to compress its length by 1/4", if you reduced by 1/4 of its coils would now need 3 to 4 lbs to compress it 1/4". 

The real answer is to remake the spring out of smaller gauge wire. 

PS I inspect springs for a living and other small parts to Gov. Specs. 

From: N.Jessup@its.amc.edu.au (Nigel Jessup (Tasmania)) 

Morning Alan 

That's fine if you don't want to use it in silhouette competition. IHMSA rules state that you can only modify the original part, not use after market springs as I suggested in my earlier post. I would love to put a Wolfe or other such name spring inside the workings of my TC, but it would make it illegal. Small chance of getting caught I suppose, but I would know it was in there and besides even though "cutting and shutting" it is not the optimal way of reducing spring tension, it works and you can't beat the price (IMHO), plus I have the satisfaction of having done it myself. Just my reasons for doing it my way. 

From joelblatt@aol.com 

Additional comments on trigger springs from Joel Blatt: Apparently the newest (probably post 94) have a heavier trigger spring. I have purchased an after market spring kit, but have not installed it yet since I have older T/C's which don't need it, so I cannot say if it is significantly better. The spring kit is made by Trapper (Part Number TTC1) and is available from Denny's Shooter's Supply, 1703 State St., P.O. Box 402, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, phone 1-800-747-3845, 24hr fax 319-277-3003. This kit contains extra power hammer and safety springs, and 2 different reduced power trigger springs. In any case, invest in a trigger force gage (from $10 used to $25 new) so you can measure what you have accomplished. As an additional not to those working on their triggers, you can measure the trigger force without reinstalling the trigger group - just clamp it in a soft jaw vise and use a trigger force gage to check the adjustments. 

I agree with Alan's comments that a shorter spring of the same wire will be stiffer, but we are cutting the spring and then restretching it to the original length. My trigger gage indicates it works. A lighter wire spring would be a better solution - for the IHMSA shooters it may be the only legal solution....Joel 

From joelblatt@aol.com 

I talked to the repair shop at T/C about the trigger guard screw (long screw with spring): This screw adjustment regulates how fast the hammer block falls. If it is screwed in too much, the hammer block safety won't fall fast enough and you will (probably) get a misfire (firing pin won't hit primer). The set screw adjustment should be set as follows: With the barrel in (and empty!!) and the grip off, close the action, set the firing pin to either rim or center fire (not safety), cock the action (but not the hammer) and pull the trigger (dry fire). Pull the hammer out and release (pull out slightly as if you were cocking it and release) so it sets against the frame - this allows the safety bar to drop and lets the hammer fall against the frame). Push lightly up and to the rear on the trigger guard (towards the grip end of the frame - as if you were opening the action) and see if there is 1/16"-1/8" clearance between the screw & the two ears on the trigger guard. If the trigger guard screw is in too far, the safety bar won't let the hammer fall far enough to fire. When the adjustment is right, blue locktite the long trigger guard screw, and tighten the locking set screw against the trigger guard screw (and use blue locktite on the set screw). 

From WWELLS@WPO.CSD.SCAROLINA.EDU 

Dan, Appreciate your response. I said you could do the adjustment to the sear so that even a slight touch would release the hammer, but I did not advocate that this be done. Your advice on a shock test after such an adjustment is right on. I have found for myself that so long as their is not much travel-creep in the trigger that adjustments to a super light trigger pull-pounds has much less effect on accuracy than a trigger that breaks cleanly with little creep. Good Luck, William