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Making a trigger

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Amikee

45 Cal.
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
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Hello

I am looking to make a decent looking trigger or to find someone who will do that for me. Option number two would be probably better, since I don't have much tools or knowledge of metalurgy. It would be for percussion lock. Any tutorials, or ideas/guides how to do this? I understand I would have to take apart the lock. What about putting it back together? Any ideas who could do this? Anyone interested here?
 
The book 'Gunsmith of Grenville County' has a great section on making set triggers; but if you want people to be really helpful I suggest telling us more and showing pictures of what you are trying to achieve.
 
Thank you for the reference book. I'm working on the stock now, so I'll have some pictures in a little while. I want to replace the trigger with something curly. Just not quite sure what materials I should use or such. Thank You
 
Although there is some satisfaction in building a simple trigger and trigger plate, I think there are so many really nice ones available that they aren't really worth the trouble.

The triggers shown on these several pages in this Track of the Wolf link have always worked for me.

Track of the Wolf SIMPLE TRIGGERS
 
Thank you Zonie. Looks like I can use those. Appreciate the informations.
 
nice one Swampy.
one of the most efficient photo tutorials I've seen.
I'm gonna try that on current build.
thanks. :hatsoff:
/mike
 
That's the way I do it. I hate paying for something so simple.

Metal clamped firmly in the big vise. Mapp gas torch to heat the metal to be formed with hammer strikes. Clean it up and shape it with files, etc. There are other methods to achieve simular results....that's what works for me.

I learned through trial and error to leave the metal to be formed long while heating like Swampy shows there. If you cut the trigger to size first the vise can act as a heat sink and you will need more fuel to get to temp for forming.

Nice trigger there Swampy....and nice pictorial.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
I make my simple triggers from .100"-.125" thick low carbon sheet stock. The trigger outline is filed in and then the "shoe" is cold peened using a 3/8 hardened rod hit w/ a hammer.No heat is used. Below is one of the triggers recently made by cold peening, although I do use heat for bending the curl. The "shoe" width is 5/16"-3/8" wide.....Fred

BC46-2-LOCK.jpg
 
Wow. Thank You all for such a great responses! I like the tutorial. I guess I have to make a decision now.
 
Great picture story! They always make more sense to me than word descriptions.
When I make triggers that need sear noses though I like to use A-2 air quench steel or O-1 oil hardened alloy. You can use just carbon steel but it will generally need some kasnite treatments to bring up the carbon content enough to hold and edge properly. MD
 
I use high heat silver solder for attaching a piece of A2 air hardening tool steel at the sear bar contact point on the trigger bar. The elevated heat from the Mapp gas torch air hardens the insert....Fred
 
Fred,

How wide of a shoe can you get cold forging that sheet stock?

I hadn't tried to do it cold for fear of cracking/splitting the steel. Have you run into this?

I've been using thicker carbon steel stock and with polishing the sear engagement point haven't noticed any wear without hardening beyond the heating for forging.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
The usual shoe width as previously state is 5/16"-3/8". Never had an splits along the edges....peen mostly in the middle and let the metal
"flow" to the outside. Important to file the trigger profile and then peen. Have tried 2 pieces silver soldered together thereby eliminating the peening, but prefer the one piece....Fred
 
Thanks Fred. I'll have to try it sometime while tinkering around. I too prefer one piece triggers as that is what appears to be correct.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
I do mine cold as well and also use a bar in one inch in lieu of a hammer for better control. You can get plenty of trigger width. My problem is I usually need a thicker piece of stock for a thicker shoe that has good curvature and more contoured sides than a flat shoe has. I then reduce the thickness of bar material behind the shoe. I think many of the triggers I try to replicate were hot formed in a mold.
 
Cold forge, using a round-ended cross-peen hammer for the most part. I also use thicker stock then reduce the thickness after making the shoe, as my lousy vise always slips a little scarring the body of the trigger.
 
MeteorMan said:
nice one Swampy.
one of the most efficient photo tutorials I've seen.
I'm gonna try that on current build.
thanks. :hatsoff:
/mike

I only posted the pic's of my guns build. The credit for making that trigger goes to Roy Stroh, he made it. :thumbsup:
 
A 3/8" dia. hardened rod hit w/ a small hammer works well and enbles one to peen the upper portion of the shoe as it nears the trigger bar as in the trigger I posted. Impossible to do w/ a larger rod or the ballpeen of a hammer.....Fred
 
If you can get a hole of Hershel House's "Building a Kentucky Rifle" DVD set, Hershel shows how to make one in the video. The guy makes it look so easy, but I know that's from years of experience.
 
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