[MicroBalrog]

How do I make it lighter?

I suppose it involves some modification to the trigger spring, but which? How? When?:confused:

[boing]

See "15 Minute Trigger Job", a couple of posts down:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28899

[Jaywalker]

I can speak (slightly) for the standard-type, like Bushmaster. (Colt's are non-standard.) I was able to clean up the trigger by polishing lightly the trigger pin. (Polish it very lightly with 0000 steel wool, since I believe it's case-hardened, and too much polishing will get you down to the softer, chewy center, ruining it.) This improved the creep aspect, but not the pull weight, which I was was led to believe couldn't be significantly improved - that would require replacement with a different trigger unit.

I had planned to get a Rock River trigger replacement for about $75, IIRC, but then sold the rifle before doing that. (The advantage of RRA was that it was a good - nearly drop-in - replacement that used no set screws that could back out at an inoportune time.)

Jaywalker

[Zak Smith]

The best thing you can really do for an AR-15 trigger is just replace the entire thing with the JP trigger, and fire control parts.

-z

[MicroBalrog]

Colt's are non-standard

We use Colt's.

Boris Karpa, IDF Armourer course

[mcole]

yes, i agree on the jp rifles trigger. mcole

[MicroBalrog]

yes, i agree on the jp rifles trigger

I can't get these due to my locatoin, but what do I do with the standard issue rifles?

[Bartholomew Roberts]

MicroBalrog, if you have access to multiple ARs you can mix and match the stock hammers and triggers to get several trigger sets that feel better.

I forget what the military specification was WRT trigger pull weight but I believe it is between 5 and 8lbs by design, so you may have difficulty getting it lower than that without going to an aftermarket trigger or cutting a spring.

[MicroBalrog]

cutting a spring.

This seems to be the best option so far. Any tips?

[Bartholomew Roberts]

This seems to be the best option so far. Any tips?

The link boing posted can explain that process; but be aware that it can affect reliability.

[Engineer]

You could try some reduced power spring kits (if Brownells will ship to where you are at). Brownells sells two - Yellow Tavern (Stock no: 989-000-001) for $4.00 US and JP (Stock no: 452-000-007) for $9.95 US. I've used the Yellow Tavern and they do lighten the trigger pull.

[MicroBalrog]

No, one may not privately purchase any gun parts (ANY gun parts) where I live unless adequately licensed for the particular type of gun.:fire:

[AR-10]

Rather than clipping the hammer spring, you might try this;

Buff the pins as described in the thread mentioned.

To reduce the pull weight- when you place the hammer and spring back into the lower, let the left leg of the spring (as you see it when looking into the lower with the stock toward you) slide in below the trigger pin, rather than on top of it as it is supposed to be seated. With the left leg under the trigger pin and the right leg on top of the trigger pin, push the assembly into place so the hammer pin can be installed.

This gives you the same pull weight as you would get if you cut the left leg off. The advantage is this- if you decide to undo your modification it does not require a new spring.

You can reduce the length of trigger overtravel very nicely by building up the flat portion of the selector switch with some JB Weld. After you let the filler material set up, you file it flat and smooth and slowly file it down until you get it to the point that the selector switch will pivot to safe. The tighter the contact when flipping to safe, the shorter the overall trigger pull will be. You don't want it rubbing as it moves to safe, but as close to it as possible. This works well on semi-auto safety selectors. Don't have a clue if the technique would work on an M-16.

Doing either of these things on a service rifle is probably a very bad idea.

[MicroBalrog]

Doing either of these things on a service rifle is probably a very bad idea.

Except it being probably prohibited, why?

[Tamara]

What do they teach in an armorer's course over there, anyway? :confused:

[AR-10]

Because although all of these little "tweeks" improved various rifles of mine, messing with the hammer spring could produce failure to ignite the primer.

A lighter trigger isn't much good if the gun won't function properly. Another consideration is this; combat weapons do not have a hair trigger because that could lead to negligent discharges.

I have had good luck with my home smithing, but I am not going to work in a battle zone.

[MicroBalrog]

What do they teach in an armorer's course over there, anyway?

Full assembly/dissassembly, maintenance, troubleshooting. That's the basic armourer's course, when I complete service I will advance further.

[BrokenPaw]

No, one may not privately purchase any gun parts (ANY gun parts) where I live unless adequately licensed for the particular type of gun.But, golly! You didn't order gun parts! You ordered a spring, because you wanted to have a spare spring lying around, just in case something needed to...um...be springy! And then, one day, you happened to notice that the spring you'd bought looked an awful lot like the one on your AR, and, being a curious and industrious member of the IDF, you tried it...and gee whiz, it lightened up your trigger a bit!

Not that I would condone any such thing. And, as others have posted, it's a reliability issue; don't mess with the trigger group on your issued combat weapon.

-BP

[gun-fucious]

i saved this on TFL awhile ago:

Polishing the internals. I've never seen obnoxious tool marks on the feed ramps of an AR. But polishing without abrasives can't hurt. That's a good place to start.Ensure your weapon is unloaded and field
strip it. Wipe the chamber and all parts in the bolt carrier assembly free of oil. Leaving the upper and lower receivers separated observe the feed ramps on at the base of the chamber. Put a pointed felt tip on
the proper Dremel mandrel and sparingly apply Simichrome on the feed ramps. There is no reason to use sandpaper on the feed ramps so don't do it. We want to tweak, not alter.

Polish the feed ramps with the Simichrome and move on to jeweler's rouge. Don't spend a lot of time here, just polish to you can see the ramps start to glaze. This reduces friction for those incoming bullet
noses.

Next, examine the rails on the bolt carrier. You should see areas on the rails at the base and to the side of the bolt carrier key that appear worn and or shiny. These are friction areas. Smoothing here will
make everything work a little easier but again we just want to tweak. With the 600 grit paper go to work on any gouges and dings in these worn areas. Don't spend a lot of time with the sandpaper because
you don't want to remove much metal. Go on to the Simichrome and rouge and get those edges to shine. Your bolt carrier should move in and out of the receiver as if suspended on silicon bearings.

Turn over the bolt carrier and examine the bottom of the carrier. This is a high friction area as it contacts the top of the hammer during cycling. Go to work with the sandpaper and lessen any marks, dings or
gouges. Graduate to the Simichrome and rouge and smooth the whole surface until it shines. Don't worry about a few marks. Just better the worst of them.

Take a look at the bolt cam pin. This pin is also a high friction area. You'll notice several distinct wear patterns on this little pin. Start with the Simichrome polish and go on to the rouge. The wear marks
should sparkle.Polish the back of the bolt behind the gas rings with Simichrome and rouge. This part moves in and out of the rear of the bolt carrier during cycling and polishing in this area reduces friction.

The top of the hammer face, the surface that actually strikes the firing pin, is in contact with the bottom of the bolt carrier during cycling. Lightly sand here with the 600 grit sandpaper, paying particular
attention to any tool marks at the rear of the hammer face, and continue polishing with Simichrome and jeweler's rouge.

Improving the trigger pull

As I mentioned earlier, military-style rifles are not known for their trigger pulls. Usually they are gritty and can benefit by taking the roughness out of the hammer/trigger contact area. Please don't even think
about using sandpaper here. You can ruin your rifle if you use abrasives on the hammer/trigger contact area. Just polish this area with Simichrome and rouge.

With your thumb on the top of the hammer, pull the trigger and ease the hammer to rest against the back of the magazine well. Look down into the lower receiver and observe how the hammer assembly
goes together. Notice that the two arms of the hammer spring ride atop the trigger pivot pin. With your thumb on the hammer push the hammer pivot pin out to one side with a small nail or similar tool and
remove the hammer. Pay attention to how the hammer pivot pin comes out and put it back in the same way.

Wipe the hammer/trigger contact area on the hammer free of oil. Polish the contact area with Simichrome and then rouge. Spend some time here and get the contact edge/corner as polished as possible.
Don't bury the Dremel felt tip into the metal, keep the R.P.M.s up by letting the Dremel do the work. This area should be glass smooth. Then smooth the trigger/hammer contact edge on the trigger
assembly. You should be able to polish this edge with the trigger still in place. Wipe these area free of polish and oil liberally. Reassemble in reverse order of disassembly. Do not use force to seat the pivot
pin. You should be able to do this with finger pressure if everything is aligned properly. Check operation to ensure everything is reassembled properly but do not let the hammer smack into the back of the
magazine well.

[Steve Smith]

If you are working on fighting rifles, just make sure they are reliable. Nice pulls are secondary.

You do not want a brother in arms to die because you gave him a crappy trigger job. His blood will be on your hands.

[MicroBalrog]

If you are working on fighting rifles, just make sure they are reliable. Nice pulls are secondary.

I don't intend to do that. I just asked that of my instructor, and he said: "It's probably illegal, but I'd like to know how. Go try and find out yourself while you are on leave, come back and tell me."

[C.R.Sam]

Following Steve Smith's excellant comment.

Target or work gun ?

I have used the M-16 at work. Neither myself nor my workmates found any problems with the issued triggers. We were lucky in that we had plenty of time, desire, ammo and magazines for fun and practice. Soon we all learned to get nice doubles for aimed fire with the selector in the auto position.

Sam

[MicroBalrog]

The reason I'm doing this is outlined above.