How difficult to lighten trigger pull weight?

[Lucky]

Got a 5.5" Redhawk and want to lighten the trigger for DA firing. What's it normally cost? Or is it as simple as switching a spring or two at home?

 

[Seiko]

Swap out the hammer spring. Wolf makes them. I recommend that you don't replace the trigger return spring. In the rugers I have done it gives them a "mushy" feel but each is own...

Best bet is to the the pack from wolf that has 3 different springs in it think they call it Shooters Pack. That way you get several weight springs to try out. Think its around $10 for that.

Add a trigger return spring for like $5 if you want to try that out as well.

You can order right from wolf. www.gunsprings.com

 

[Lucky]

Thanks that's perfect. That site says the Redhawk uses the same spring for both functions, so I only have to switch the one. Good news! And I can't imagine 12 pounds causing any light strikes, right?

 

[Old Fuff]

A 12-pound spring doesn't necessarily translate into a 12 pound impact on the primer. The 12 pounds is measured when the spring is compressed. In the Ruger the hammer hits the transfer bar, that in turn hits the firing pin, and that then hits the primer. Some energy is lost in each step.

Ruger uses springs that are intended to ignite any primer under any circumstances. When you replace the springs for lighter ones you compromise to some degree this reliability. For some uses this might not matter, but in others it could be critical. Also if you are shooting rapidly in the double-action mode, and a light hit causes a hang-fire, you may set off two cartridges at ones. If or when this happens the revolver usually doesn't survive.

 

[GRIZ22]

Most people confuse light pull with smooth pull. Smooth is much more important than light. If you have a light but gritty pull it will not enhance your trigger control or accuracy. Smooth but heavy can be overcome with building up the muscles involved. Too light can cause all the problems Old Fuff mentioned.

I find my Redhawk very smooth and as with all my other revolvers, have never replaced a factory spring.

 

[Lucky]

Hmm good to think about. I'll be wary. But it's the last little 'hump' at the end of the trigger-pull that gets me, plus how slow I have to go to pull smoothly. So I pull smoothly, and I'm getting quicker at it, but the pressure needed spikes just before the hammer falls, and the front sight bobs. If it's just me and lighter spring doesn't help I'll surely go back, but I suspected the spring was heavy by default for tort lawyer reasons.

 

[Rover 'n Rugers]

Unlike the smaller Rugers the Redhawk uses one spring both for the mainspring and trigger return spring. The stock spring is 17 pounds. The Wolff kit has a 12, 13 and 14 pound spring. I had a Redhawk with the 12 pound spring in it tuned by a noted gunsmith. With this spring the double action was 8.8 pounds or so and single a bit under 4 pounds. I got misfires about 30% of the time with WW primers (never tried CCI) and not much better with Remington. It did work with whatever Corbon loads their ammo with. This was with double action. With single one has a larger hammer arc. To get reliable ignition in DA with Remington and WW I had to put the 14 pound mainspring in. Double action was about 10.25 pounds then which is about what Bowen claims on his Redhawk tunes. This Redhawk also had the Bowen extended firing pin in it with 0.055" firing pin protrusion and headspace of 0.063" [0.060" would be minimum]. In the past firing pin protrusion has been a problem also with Redhawks.

One thing I had in the past (hump in trigger pull) on a SP101 was caused by a casting void on the contact surface of the hammer dog. Changing and polishing the new one solved the problem. This is not the only cause but can be one.

On the other hand the new 4" bbl. Redhawks seem to come from the factory with about an 8.8 pound double action with no problems. What Ruger has done to rectify the problem has not be specified either in the articles on them. So, maybe the 14 pound spring would work reliably and maybe 12 (each gun is a bit different). Only way to tell is to try the various springs with different ammo.

As noted above going from a 17 pound spring to 12 will not reduce the trigger pull 5 pounds. This is due to mechanical leverage in the design. The reduction probably would be more along 3 - 3.5 pounds. Also, by polishing the contact surfaces the trigger pull can be reduced perhaps 1-2 pounds.