New T/C Hawken trigger

[Ken Rummer]

The single stage of my double set trigger feels like it's about 10 lbs. This is way heavier than is comfortable for me.

Is the single stage part of this trigger adjustable?

 

[roundball]

The single stage of my double set trigger feels like it's about 10 lbs. This is way heavier than is comfortable for me.

Is the single stage part of this trigger adjustable?

It is not really "adjustable" however sometimes things can be done to lighten the front trigger and you need to look in two areas...the stock wood where the trigger raises up to contact the sear arm, and then the internals of the lock itself.

I've improved a few by finding that the end of the sear arm is slightly dragging on the back wall of wood, file or grind off 1/16" of the tip of the sear arm and fixed those.

The other place is when the trigger gets up to the top of its rise it sometimes starts pressing up against wood at the very moment it's trying to move the sear arm...I removed a little more wood with a dremel tool & a skinny grinder tip and improved those triggers.

Then you can disassemble the lock and using a buffer wheel & polishing compound on a dremel tool polish the sear tip to a mirror smooth surface...helps make the disengagement from the tumbler easier.

CAUTION: the first one I did I "over polished" it and spent to much time on the tip itself...atually shortened the length of the sear tip a few thousandths and it became unsafe, had to throw it away and get a new one...so just keep the polishing "on top" of the sear tip, and don't go directly against the end of it and it won't get shortened.

Also, there is a redesigned front trigger which has a raised hump on it so it contacts the sear arm earlier in its upward travel, reducing the 'slack' arc a little and giving you more power leverage earlier in the front trigger movement.

I improved the front trigger pull on all of mine from that 10-12 pound area down to the 3-4 pound range. BUT...having said that, I shoot so much year round using only the set trigger at the range that when it came time for hunting, I found that the "slack" that has to be taken up when using the front trigger caused problems because of my "habit formed" shooting style.

I'd line up on a deer and from habit gently start touching the trigger...but it wouldn't go off...and it wouldn't go off...and the clock is running...then I'd remember the 'slack'...I'd take that up then start the trigger squeeze all over again but by this time the shot opportunity was lost...so I never even try to use the front trigger...I just use the set trigger for hunting, backing out the adjusting screw another turn so it's not on such a razor edge letoff and its worked fine for years.

 

[longfowler]

one thing I've done to all my T/C triggers is actually remove the sear spring & follower (the little cup over the spring) from the lock, and replace it with a spring from an ordinary pen. it's a simple cheap fix, and still has enough strength for safety, but reduces the pull by half!
the original spring is WAY stiffer than needed, for liability reasons. just pull the lock, remove the 3 screws out of the plate over the sear itslf, and when you pull the off sear the spring will fly right out and you'll loose it if you're not carefull...that's how I dicovered this fix, I lost one & hade to make an emergency repair!
It worked so good, I did it to all of mine.

 

[roundball]

"...replace it with a spring from an ordinary pen. it's a simple cheap fix, and still has enough strength for safety, but reduces the pull by half! the original spring is WAY stiffer than needed, for liability reasons..."

TC's old style mainsprings were smaller and weaker...they upgraded them to the larger stronger ones which I always assumed was to ensure the sear stayed in the tumbler better and/or because the weaker spring didn't give fast enough lock time...are the TCs you've done this to caps or flint?

 

[MikeChapin]

I think he's talking about the sear spring rather than the main spring Roundball. The sear spring usually just needs to be strong enough to ensure the sear engages the tumbler notches fully and nothing more. When using the front trigger alone you have to overcome the resistance of the tumbler/sear engagement but also the sear spring holding the the sear in the notch.

 

[roundball]

You're right, I read right over that...the sear return springs in my TCs are tiny little things to begin with...surprised to hear that a ball point pen spring will even fit in there

 

[2172]

I've improved the trigger pull on 2 Lymans, 2 T/C's and a Cabela's by taking one coil off the sear spring...it is an easy disassembly, and really works well..Hank

 

[roundball]

I've improved the trigger pull on 2 Lymans, 2 T/C's and a Cabela's by taking one coil off the sear spring...it is an easy disassembly, and really works well..Hank

Heck, I might just try that on a .54cal/28ga Flint smoothbore (TC Hawken) I plan to use this summer for skeet targets...might be nice not having to fool with the set trigger for every bird...

 

[Ken Rummer]

Thanks to everyone. I inspected the lockwork and did not find anything dragging in the stock. I finally removed the small coil spring and removed approx 1.5 coils. I now have a 4 lb trigger just like all my other rifles.

All good advice. It is great to have access to the wide range of experience available on this forum. Thanks again.

Ken Rummer