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Slims · 12-31-2008, 10:25 AM

This is purely a personal opinion, but I don't believe the added 'accuracy' of the superlight trigger will provide any noticeable benefits for supersix unless he is already an elite shooter. However, it can cause problems. If he works on good habits a good 4.5 lb trigger shouldn't impede him unless he *really* needs that extra point to win the match.

Ok, here are some trigger shortcuts that can cause problems: The biggest one is to alter the primary angle on the sear. It gives a nice light trigger, but greatly increases the risk of a pistol going auto. Another is to shorten the hammer hooks too much which will, with any wear, allow the hammer to drop to half-cock prematurely. Another is to reduce the spring tension too much which can cause the hammer to follow. And my favorite as it hapenned to me on a 2500 dollar pistol is a trigger which is too light, with very little sear engagement...If you pulled or bumped the trigger with the safety ON, when you released the safety the hammer would fall to half-cock. Oh, and when amateur gunsmiths cut through the hardening on the sear, it works like a champ...for a little while and then goes full auto.

I hate to do this, but since I am in no way a 1911 guru and this is a potential safety issue, I am going to quote one of the more respected 1911 experts on a 1911 forum:

"While many smiths are able to produce a sub 4-pound trigger on a 1911, only about half of them can do one that's also safe and durable. About 7 in 10 that I know of like that start to burst-fire or go full auto...usually without warning...within 5,000 rounds. I spend a good amount of my spare time correcting trigger jobs like that in friends' pistols.

As long as the half-cock is unaltered, the gun is highly unlikely to bump-fire
in a holster or if dropped, but if the trigger is pulled and the sear and hammer angles...or the sear spring tension isn't right...it can most assuredly burst-fire, and probably will at some point.

The other problem with a trigger that light is that...in the event of a tense, stand-off situation with the gun...the adrenalin charge could cause you to fire before you need to. If the gun is intended to be purely a range toy,
it's not so much of a problem as long as you tear the gun down for regular inspection of the hammer and sear...and I mean an inspection by a knowledgeable smith who knows the warning signs. If you have a dial indicator and a bench vise, you can do the test yourself. Clamp the pistol lightly in the vise and zero the indicator on the cocked hammer. Slowly pull the trigger and watch the needle. If the hammer moves forward by as much
as .003 inch before the break, you've got trouble looming on the horizon.
If you zero the indicator and let it sit for 30 minutes...and it creeps forward on its own...the trouble has already arrived.

That crisp, new, 3-pound trigger is probably safe...until things start to wear and springs lose tension. Really good trigger men don't come cheap. Know your smith and be ready to pay a premium for top-end job.

Just a little food for thought..." ~1911Tuner

What Kel is suggesting for your 1911 is so far out there on the Bell curve that you should think long and hard before going that route. Sure, it has an application, but it is a very narrow one and is considered impractical by most people. If you plan on doing nothing more than standing and shooting slow-fire, you have the time and knowledge to do the inspections, and you don't care if one day your weapon goes auto unexpectedly, then go for it. Otherwise, stay with a more practical trigger.

And here are some competition divisions that a light trigger would disqualify supersix from: I am not a Bullseye shooter, but it looks like he would be disqualified from the Service Pistol division with anything less than a 4# pull. . Neither USPSA nor IDPA have a minimum trigger pull, however the Range Officer can exlude any weapon they deem to be unsafe, and a 2.5# trigger on something other than a dedicated race gun will make a lot of them very nervous if they find out.

12-31-2008, 10:25 AM	#16 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	This is purely a personal opinion, but I don't believe the added 'accuracy' of the superlight trigger will provide any noticeable benefits for supersix unless he is already an elite shooter. However, it can cause problems. If he works on good habits a good 4.5 lb trigger shouldn't impede him unless he really needs that extra point to win the match. Ok, here are some trigger shortcuts that can cause problems: The biggest one is to alter the primary angle on the sear. It gives a nice light trigger, but greatly increases the risk of a pistol going auto. Another is to shorten the hammer hooks too much which will, with any wear, allow the hammer to drop to half-cock prematurely. Another is to reduce the spring tension too much which can cause the hammer to follow. And my favorite as it hapenned to me on a 2500 dollar pistol is a trigger which is too light, with very little sear engagement...If you pulled or bumped the trigger with the safety ON, when you released the safety the hammer would fall to half-cock. Oh, and when amateur gunsmiths cut through the hardening on the sear, it works like a champ...for a little while and then goes full auto. I hate to do this, but since I am in no way a 1911 guru and this is a potential safety issue, I am going to quote one of the more respected 1911 experts on a 1911 forum: "While many smiths are able to produce a sub 4-pound trigger on a 1911, only about half of them can do one that's also safe and durable. About 7 in 10 that I know of like that start to burst-fire or go full auto...usually without warning...within 5,000 rounds. I spend a good amount of my spare time correcting trigger jobs like that in friends' pistols. As long as the half-cock is unaltered, the gun is highly unlikely to bump-fire in a holster or if dropped, but if the trigger is pulled and the sear and hammer angles...or the sear spring tension isn't right...it can most assuredly burst-fire, and probably will at some point. The other problem with a trigger that light is that...in the event of a tense, stand-off situation with the gun...the adrenalin charge could cause you to fire before you need to. If the gun is intended to be purely a range toy, it's not so much of a problem as long as you tear the gun down for regular inspection of the hammer and sear...and I mean an inspection by a knowledgeable smith who knows the warning signs. If you have a dial indicator and a bench vise, you can do the test yourself. Clamp the pistol lightly in the vise and zero the indicator on the cocked hammer. Slowly pull the trigger and watch the needle. If the hammer moves forward by as much as .003 inch before the break, you've got trouble looming on the horizon. If you zero the indicator and let it sit for 30 minutes...and it creeps forward on its own...the trouble has already arrived. That crisp, new, 3-pound trigger is probably safe...until things start to wear and springs lose tension. Really good trigger men don't come cheap. Know your smith and be ready to pay a premium for top-end job. Just a little food for thought..." ~1911Tuner What Kel is suggesting for your 1911 is so far out there on the Bell curve that you should think long and hard before going that route. Sure, it has an application, but it is a very narrow one and is considered impractical by most people. If you plan on doing nothing more than standing and shooting slow-fire, you have the time and knowledge to do the inspections, and you don't care if one day your weapon goes auto unexpectedly, then go for it. Otherwise, stay with a more practical trigger. And here are some competition divisions that a light trigger would disqualify supersix from: I am not a Bullseye shooter, but it looks like he would be disqualified from the Service Pistol division with anything less than a 4# pull. . Neither USPSA nor IDPA have a minimum trigger pull, however the Range Officer can exlude any weapon they deem to be unsafe, and a 2.5# trigger on something other than a dedicated race gun will make a lot of them very nervous if they find out. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence Last edited by Slims; 12-31-2008 at 10:29 AM..