Chipmunk trigger job

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kBob

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OK I have a headache from scrolling searches on THR and RFC looking for trigger job advise on the little Chipmunk kids rifles.

I give up and thought I would just ask if anyone knows of a thread on either board or a You Tube DIY vid I have been unable to find on the subject.

The kids are both in their late teens and have other rifles so I am looking at extending the stock of the Chipmunk for 20 years back so "Dad" can use it comfortably and Dad wants a better trigger as well.

Please help!

BTW I when moved the youngest to a 10/22 so she would not be jealous of her older brother I cut down a wood 10/22 carbine stock, sort of pink tinted it and she used it twice before wanting a "real one" Fortunately original birch stocks were almost to cheap to ship back then and I picked up one as a throw in when buying a local customizer's cast off parts. I had approached about a barrel and still have the stock carbine barrel because of the number of posts about loss of accuracy when cutting to 16.5 inches, but that stock at least got some use and was fun in the making.

Now I want that Chipmunk for Myself.

Just had my most frightening COVID 19 moment.... she of the shortened pink stock just performed her first haircut... on me. Yes, she used the horse trimmers, too!

I need a calming gun project.....

-kBob
 
Are you proficient in doing trigger work? There are several videos on YouTube showing how to perform a trigger job on a 10/22. It’s straightforward if you know what you are doing. Remember there is more to a trigger than simply the pull weight. Ive said this before...but it’s quite important in performing trigger modifications: Any trigger work is understanding them as two rotational planes with perfect parallel mating surfaces. Think on that and when complete understanding comes..., you can mod ANY trigger out there with complete confidence. I’ve been setting up & modding triggers for around 20 years. I’ve done every trigger on every firearm I’ve owned, but I’ve never purchased an aftermarket trigger.
 
I am asking specifically about the old Chipmunks because that is what I am working on.

I did my first trigger job on a 1911A1 about 1977 and have done a few different systems since, in the last few years I have done about a 10/22 a year for one person or another.

So yes I am pretty familiar with trigger jobs and have not botched one yet... but 43 years is not that long of a run in a universal point of view.

I find it best however to learn what I can before I start working on a new to me system, thus the asking. No point re-inventing the wheel.

I am guessing a lighter spring from the jar of salvaged springs and a little polishing of engagement surfaces and any point of contact, but want to know what has worked for other folks first.

-kBob
 
Chich,

Thanks for the vid, had not thought of a q-tip for the inside of the sear/spring mount. I was thinking uber fine sand paper/ crocus cloth around a popsicle stick on the slot in that part.

Was thinking a spring from an old ball point maybe if it can pass a drop test (well actually rubber mallet test) Learned my lesson on drop testing decades ago with a little Anshutz that got set down on a bench and pivoted on a spent case to fall off the table. Yes, having a breathe on it trigger can be nice.... unless it blows your head off!

I had used some set triggers and wanted a single trigger that silly easy to set off and the Anshutz let me do that....but never again thank you.

Fortunately that adjustable trigger took only a couple of turns to set right as no angle got changed or parts moded. Rifle still chugs along with original parts ... but safely now.

-kBob
 
Ahh, very cool. :thumbup: You should be GTG taking care of it. You understand the concept in action. I found through the years, as I’m sure you know, that not every firearm has a “how to” video on modification. This is where confidence in YOUR ABILITY is key. Honestly, I’ve never even had my hands on a Chipmunk...never looked at the trigger/hammer/sear setup. Regardless, I wouldn’t hesitate getting right into one, and setting up the trigger. Further more, rI would have no worry of botching it. Because I know what I can do. Shoot! I only have ONE ARM/HAND to use for goodness sake. Now THAT’S some confidence I’ll tell you what, LOL!:rofl:

Seriously, sounds like you know the score. Just do what you do. Good luck.

BTW...You don’t think 43 years of a particular discipline is all that much? Well, considering at 42yo that’s longer than I’ve been on this earth, I’m not so sure on that one. Seems to me, the law of diminishing returns plays a roll at some point.;)
 
Take some J & B Bore Paste or something similar and put some on the sear engagement & shoot it. It will smooth up. When it is to your liking remove the paste.
 
351,

well that is not as terrifying as when I was a kid and one of Dad's buds slicked up a Winchester 94 action by filling it with crest tooth past and working the action a couple of hundred times!

Interesting idea though, thanks.

-kBob
 
LOL.:rofl: I’ve crossed paths with a few promoting the use of toothpaste! Seemed a fair idea.....save that valve lapping compound has been available in different coarseness for many, many years.

I’ve used the compound on several things of this nature. However, it’s not going to create perfectly parallel surfaces as stoning will. Rather, the compound trick is more for mating already flat surfaces. The premise of loafing the trigger with compound and using until satisfied, is not a sound method. The compound is constantly pushed aside & must be reapplied several times.
 
David Hoback said:
LOL.:rofl: I’ve crossed paths with a few promoting the use of toothpaste! Seemed a fair idea.....save that valve lapping compound has been available in different coarseness for many, many years.

I’ve used the compound on several things of this nature. However, it’s not going to create perfectly parallel surfaces as stoning will. Rather, the compound trick is more for mating already flat surfaces. The premise of loafing the trigger with compound and using until satisfied, is not a sound method. The compound is constantly pushed aside & must be reapplied several times.
Click to expand...
Most of us have seen "trigger jobs" performed by those who think they are qualified, myself being included which resulted in an unsafe condition - therefor I chose the bore paste and was quite happy with it's results. I did had to reapply several times as the compound would be pushed from the surface it was intended to polish. We are not trying to remove metal, but rather polish the offending surfaces. This idea may or may not be as good as a professional trigger job as I have seen quite a few gunsmiths butcher a trigger.
 
Oh yes....of course. I should have elaborated. I was alluding to toothpaste being a poor candidate in light of the many “flavors” of media compound paste out there.

Are you sure it was Bore paste you were using, not lapping compound? Bore paste is super, super fine! It is heavy duty cleaner meant for rifling surfaces after all. I have used valve lapping compound in the past, for intricate polishing like this. And it does work well. My point was the surfaces must be flat to start. I know what you mean about so called trigger job results going south. I’ve seen a few people do a number on theirs, lol. It’s so much worse now, as many a young’n that puts together an AR or two suddenly thinks of themselves as “Gunsmith”, or “Gun builder”.:rofl: Wasn’t as bad in the first decade of the new millennium. But since those first years after the Billary AWB expired, the Build culture has EXPLODED! While many have found a true hidden talent within them & become reference points of considerable working knowledge, many more have gravitated to the world of The “BUBBA-Gunsmith”! We’ve all seen some scary BUBBA-ized guns after all. Yikes!

I didn't try unfamiliar projects until I knew EXACTLY what I was doing. I learned that statement I used above from an incredibly experienced Gunsmith. “A trigger is two rotational planes, with surfaces in a perfect parallel relationship.” Being able to “see” this is what gave me such a command over setting up trigger systems. I wish you luck OP, and look forward to seeing your results. :)
 
David Hoback said:
Oh yes....of course. I should have elaborated. I was alluding to toothpaste being a poor candidate in light of the many “flavors” of media compound paste out there.

Are you sure it was Bore paste you were using, not lapping compound? Bore paste is super, super fine! It is heavy duty cleaner meant for rifling surfaces after all. I have used valve lapping compound in the past, for intricate polishing like this. And it does work well. My point was the surfaces must be flat to start. I know what you mean about so called trigger job results going south. I’ve seen a few people do a number on theirs, lol. It’s so much worse now, as many a young’n that puts together an AR or two suddenly thinks of themselves as “Gunsmith”, or “Gun builder”.:rofl: Wasn’t as bad in the first decade of the new millennium. But since those first years after the Billary AWB expired, the Build culture has EXPLODED! While many have found a true hidden talent within them & become reference points of considerable working knowledge, many more have gravitated to the world of The “BUBBA-Gunsmith”! We’ve all seen some scary BUBBA-ized guns after all. Yikes!

I didn't try unfamiliar projects until I knew EXACTLY what I was doing. I learned that statement I used above from an incredibly experienced Gunsmith. “A trigger is two rotational planes, with surfaces in a perfect parallel relationship.” Being able to “see” this is what gave me such a command over setting up trigger systems. I wish you luck OP, and look forward to seeing your results. :)
Click to expand...
Yes, I was using the only media I had which was J & B Bore Paste. I had to apply it several times to get the trigger that I wanted. This is about as simple a trigger you can get on the Chipmunk. I would not hesitate to do it again on another gun with the sole intent of just polishing off some rough edges to get rid of the dreaded creep. I have never used toothpaste but I did know of a few that tried it.
 
LOL! I think about EVERYONE who has been doing things like trigger modification or anything where mating surfaces need polished....has “heard” about the toothpaste thing.

I think the guy who told me about in 2004 is STILL at it! Trying to get that oh so perfect polish with his Colgate Whitening!:rofl:
 
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