1911 long and short triggers

That doesn’t seem like an easier path to me.
Fitting a trigger isn’t that tough IME

I would not attempt to grind the long trigger down to a short trigger while it is in the trigger guard! And then, once you have removed it, might as well install the short trigger.

I installed the short trigger in this 1911



I have short fingers and the long trigger requires me to turn the pistol in the hand that is not optimal for a precise trigger pull. I did not like the original long trigger in this Clackamus Kimber, I had worn out two hammers firing the thing, so one year as I was a Camp Perry, I took the Kimber and a GI trigger and had the USMC Armorer's install it. I also wanted them to do a trigger job which they did, but they made me go to Commercial Row and buy a new sear as the MIM sear was also worn out. I bought a sear at the Springfield Armory Pavilion.




Wearing out one MIM sear, two MIM hammers does not fill me with a lot of confidence in the durability of MIM parts. Hammers, sears, wear out on 1911's, but MIM parts do not last as long as the sears and hammers cut out of bar stock.

I learned to shoot 1911s courtesy of my long association with Uncle Sam that began in the early 1970s. I've been shooting and working on 1911s ever since. We carried WWII vintage .45s that all had short, steel triggers and while I don't have small hands or short fingers I still prefer short triggers.

The rule of thumb with 1911s is that there's no such thing as a drop-in part. Having said that, the closest to a drop-in trigger I've seen are those made by STI (Brownells). My current favorite trigger is made by EGW but it requires a fair amount of time to fit correctly.

Steve in Allentown said:

I learned to shoot 1911s courtesy of my long association with Uncle Sam that began in the early 1970s. I've been shooting and working on 1911s ever since. We carried WWII vintage .45s that all had short, steel triggers and while I don't have small hands or short fingers I still prefer short triggers.

The rule of thumb with 1911s is that there's no such thing as a drop-in part. Having said that, the closest to a drop-in trigger I've seen are those made by STI (Brownells). My current favorite trigger is made by EGW but it requires a fair amount of time to fit correctly.

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Fill me in here because I have been under the impression that Vadeki made all the triggers .
I’like to know the latest up to datest .
Thx
Jim

South Prairie Jim said:

Fill me in here because I have been under the impression that Vadeki made all the triggers.

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Jim, Videcki isn't the only game in town anymore. Browse the Brownell's website to see how many other folks are making 1911 triggers these days. Many of them are copying the Videcki style but there are many others using new and innovative designs as well.

Thanks Steve
I don’t get out much .

I have one of John Harrison's Extreme Service short triggers installed on my Colt Commander. As with all his products,it is a quality part and a perfect fit for my medium size fingers. Short triggers also have the added bonus of being able to operate the pistol with gloves on in the winter.

I've always installed long triggers in my 1911's, as this puts the middle of the pad right where it needs to be.With short triggers, I have to bend the trigger finger to pull the pad to the trigger, otherwise I end up with the joint over it, which of course pulls the gun left.

Slamfire said:

Wearing out one MIM sear, two MIM hammers does not fill me with a lot of confidence in the durability of MIM parts. Hammers, sears, wear out on 1911's, but MIM parts do not last as long as the sears and hammers cut out of bar stock.

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Amen. I just replaced almost all of the MIM parts in my PT1911 after one of them failed. I kept the hammer because I haven't found a Commander hammer I like yet, though I will eventually replace the "lawyer lock" hammer also.

entropy said:

I've always installed long triggers in my 1911's, as this puts the middle of the pad right where it needs to be.With short triggers, I have to bend the trigger finger to pull the pad to the trigger, otherwise I end up with the joint over it, which of course pulls the gun left.



Amen. I just replaced almost all of the MIM parts in my PT1911 after one of them failed. I kept the hammer because I haven't found a Commander hammer I like yet, though I will eventually replace the "lawyer lock" hammer also.

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My 1911 guy had all the ignition parts from a Colt Delta Elite in a baggy one Saturday afternoon in fact the same Saturday that I just happened to have my Kimber custom in my Truck ‘ so after a bit of fitting & polishing Bam! One sweet piece

Graywolf686 said:

Hey guys thanks for your input on the trigger question. Still talking 1911’s is there a weight difference between cast and forged frames ?

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For all intents and purposes they're the same weight. Not a surprise since they're both steel. It's just that one is molten steel poured into a mold and the other is red hot steel pounded into shape (not precisely technically correct but close enough for us laymen).

The biggest difference in receiver weight is between steel and aluminum / scandium. Scandium is the aluminum alloy used by Smith & Wesson. These two lightweight materials are most commonly used in single stack 1911s but there are other lightweight materials used as well e.g. polymer and titanium.