Only shoot light bullets with 1911 with light trigger?

[Rabid Rabbit]

Is this normal? A friend had a trigger job (3.5 pound pull) done the other day on his SA GI 1911. After the job was completed my friend was told to only shoot light bullets, I'm guessing less than 200gr.

I searched and read the clinic threads and the only reason I can come up with is this guy doesn't know how to do a trigger job correctly and did something to the sear or hammer that would cause to to do a bad thing during recoil. I've known several bulleye shooters that have light triggers but they shoot 230gr for the most part.

 

[nico]

I'm no gunsmith, but if I were your friend I'd be worried about what's been done to my gun. There's no reason (that I know of) for a 3.5lb trigger to affect your ammo selection.

 

[mpthole]

ditto to what nico said

 

[Third_Rail]

Sounds like a bad trigger job, to me. If it goes FA using standard 230grn ammo, you have a problem.

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

Full auto is what I'm thinking as well. When I see my friend I'll get better details about what he did and why the ammo issue. He was there the entire 3 hours while his gun was worked on. Even money says the word dremmel will come up.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

with heavier loads it is easier to bump fire a light triggered 1911....

just hold kinda loose, and let physics take over...

 

[HSMITH]

You can shoot 230 grain +P with a 2 pound trigger provided the trigger was set up right. There is no reason to suggest lighter ammo after a trigger job if it was done correctly.

 

[Harlie]

Super fine

Overtravel, could cause an issue, other than that, can't understand where a remark of that nature would come from. Most of us can't tell the difference in recoil until we have gone to extremes in both directions. If tests shows this won't follow down, shoot it as any normal handgun. Until trigger weights go below 2 1/2 #, are we flirting with a problem (Competition guns). May need to have work checked by another G'Smith, for safety reasons (Wrong angles on sear or hammer). Remark needs explaination by person who did work.

 

[PowderBurn]

Gunsmith was probably just erring on the side of caution. But I can understand his point. Typically, heavier bullet recoils more (so says Newton, who am I to argue?) which makes it more likely that an inexperience/inattentive shooter might be more prone to touch one off "accidentally" (negligently) with a lighter trigger.

Bullseye dudes are experienced shooters and very plugged-in to their guns, so they aren't the ones to worry about. The 'smith's comments are directed more towards the casual guy that thinks he can become an ace if all he does is lighten the trigger.

 

[nico]

If what powderburn said is true, I'd expect a decent/honest gunsmith to discuss this with the customer BEFORE they do any work on the gun.

 

[HSMITH]

Powderburn, that isn't the case. A well set up trigger won't go unless the trigger is released and then pressed again. There doesn't need to be a 'mouth breather disclaimer', either it works right or it doesn't.

 

[DT Guy]

I shoot a sub 2# trigger with hardball all the time.


Never a problem, since I did the trigger right.


Larry

 

[TarpleyG]

I have a 3.5# trigger on my TLE and shoot factory (WWB, UMC, etc.) 230 gr. hardball all the time. No problems thus far. I also have a shooting buddy with a 2.5# trigger that shoots the same stuff I do for the most part.

Greg

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

Well I talked to the owner of the gun, he said "He filed and stoned the H3LL out of the hammer hooks and sear" . I tried the trigger much lighter I'd believe 3.5 -4 lbs, but now there is just a hair bit of mush before release which wasn't there before when the trigger was heavier, the owner doesn't feel it but I sure did. He was told the 230gr would "knock the trigger job out of alignment"

I think I'll just stand to the rear of him whenever he shoots now. I really hope it works and I'm wrong but I suspect that with the amount of shooting he is starting to do he will run into some problems after a while.

Thanks for the info, I don't feel I'm overly paranoid now.

 

[HSMITH]

If that 'gunsmith' told him that 230 ball would 'knock the trigger job out of alignment' he doesn't know what he is doing and is FOS. Your friend very likely has problems on the way, possibly even a full auto mag dump or discharges when the slide is dropped to load a round or BOTH AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!!!! He needs to have a competent 1911 smith look at it and be prepared to buy a new hammer and sear to replace the components likely ruined by the previous attempt. I would regard the gun as dangerous to operate until it was checked out.

 

[Rockstar]

I agree with Herr Smith 100%. Futhermore, I'd send the hack the bill for the replacment parts and corrective gunsmithing.

 

[BluesBear]

No sugar coating...

He was told the 230gr would "knock the trigger job out of alignment"

The person who told him that is an idiot.



Friends don't let friends allow idiots work to on their guns.

 

[PowderBurn]

A well set up trigger won't go unless the trigger is released and then pressed again

With the new information, the 'smith does indeed appear to be a dangerous buffoon. But even a well set-up light trigger will go off easier than a heavy one. I mean, that's the point. It would thus be easier for a casual shooter to fire, release trigger in recoil, clench hand to recover control, and discharge another round perhaps sooner than anticipated. Light trigger in heavy recoil has more downside risk than light trigger with light recoil.

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

Now there is a new problem

I believe this is related to the trigger job. I'd guess he had the trigger job done after 1,000 rounds, after round 1,100 the gun has developed a problem of not being able to pull the trigger back with the hammer cocked about 3 out of 50 rounds. My wife just experienced this shooting his gun tonight and she said there is a lot of trigger creep, just one continous mush, a light mush but mush neverless.

 

[HSMITH]

Well, we told you to tell him it was only a matter of time. Hope he didn't get hit in the wallet too hard for the lesson learned.

It is time for a pro to fix it.

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

$60 + probably $150 and he paid about $500 for the gun to begin with. He is usually smarter than this.

 

[HSMITH]

LOL, he dosn't need to hide his face in shame. Most of us that have been doing this for a while have gotten a pretty good bite taken out of us by a 'gunsmith'. It can be really expensive, it looks like he didn't get hurt too bad if it was only $60 to have his hammer and sear ruined.