• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades
  • Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Pistol trigger question

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

PK

32 Cal.
MLF Supporter
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
121
Reaction score
229
Location
Minnesota
I picked up this .50 caliber pistol used a while back. I don’t know much about it’s Origen other then it came from an estate sale and has the name “R. Gregg” stamped in extremely small letters on the lock plate. Nicely made and lightly used by it’s previous owner. It only goes into 1/2 cock if I set the trigger forward. Then I can go into full cock. There is an adjusting screw both in front and back of the trigger. Adjusting the front screw doesn’t change anything other then to lock down the trigger fulcrum. Is this what I’ve seen referred to as a “safety” set trigger? 1A46CEE8-1636-47F4-BD08-FB446A282858.jpeg
 
Does the lock work correctly when off the pistol? Have you had the trigger out of the stock to check for binding in the trigger plate or set mechanism? Sounds like something is binding or badly out of adjustment as the trigger shouldn't affect setting the gun at half cock in normal usage. I've had a couple guns with the single set type trigger and the lock worked normally, you just couldn't fire without setting the trigger first
 
I picked up this .50 caliber pistol used a while back. I don’t know much about it’s Origen other then it came from an estate sale and has the name “R. Gregg” stamped in extremely small letters on the lock plate. Nicely made and lightly used by it’s previous owner. It only goes into 1/2 cock if I set the trigger forward. Then I can go into full cock. There is an adjusting screw both in front and back of the trigger. Adjusting the front screw doesn’t change anything other then to lock down the trigger fulcrum. Is this what I’ve seen referred to as a “safety” set trigger?View attachment 171084
First off, nice looking pistol. Second, I’d recommend removing the trigger assembly and see exactly what the the two screws you mentioned are touching and adjusting. Then take the lock out and see that it functions properly. Reinstall the lock and check function with the trigger assembly still removed. Use a stick to activate the sear and look for any wood contact. Post any problems that you find or not.
 
Need more information. A lot of pistols have a loose trigger, just flopping around. Some pistols have set triggers. Can you post a photo of the underside- see the adjusting screws? Thanks.
 
what is the remedy for a loose flopping trigger?
I have a Pedersoli Kentucky flint that had lots of trigger play and side play. I took a small strip of 1/8” mild steel and welded it on to the trigger bar. (It can be done by braising and silver solder too). Then I filed it down a little at a time until it didn’t contact the sear without a slight pull. For the side play I cut a strip of .005” sheet brass and made a folded sleeve over the trigger pin hole and punched a matching hole through each side of the brass. That took care of all the slop. Some will reposition the trigger to make closer sear contact.
 
Thanks for the replies. Here’s some answers to the questions and a couple pics.
1. the lock works correctly when out of the pistol.
2. the trigger seems to work smoothly and not binding or floppy.
3. the rear screw adjusts the weight of pull.
4. the front screw, when screwed all the way in, sets the trigger and it won’t fire. It raises and lowers the trigger fulcrum but theres no change in function until it’s screwed in. There’s a pic of that attached.
5. With the lock installed and the trigger assembly removed the sear activates with no wood contact.

When I reinstall the lock with the trigger assembly installed I have to tip the lock upwards so the sear clears the trigger.

8AB25E34-AAAD-43A9-825E-6F03BD15FD92.jpeg3F9DD6F3-65C9-4862-9F82-B7138E84C586.jpeg3F9DD6F3-65C9-4862-9F82-B7138E84C586.jpeg
 
I’m not familiar with the function of the front screw as you describe. Someone else will have to chime in on that. But I took my trigger assembly out to show what I did to get rid of the travel and side play issues I had.
 

Attachments

  • 037EDAB2-84E0-4B63-BDEA-7B7080D102EE.jpeg
    037EDAB2-84E0-4B63-BDEA-7B7080D102EE.jpeg
    1.2 MB · Views: 0
  • 2A73E4AC-263E-4388-8DDC-8B861D141EB7.jpeg
    2A73E4AC-263E-4388-8DDC-8B861D141EB7.jpeg
    886.7 KB · Views: 0
The floppy trigger was the original set up on a standard. Modern folks didn't like that so a few manufacturers added a very weak spring to stop the floppy around. What you have looks like a set trigger used in a pistol. The common type of set trigger used in a rifle an be set or fired as is- with a very heavy trigger pull. I obviously can't see all the details on your trigger but a lot of pistol set triggers can only be fired when set so what you described is correct. I think it is functioning correctly. You might want to call Dixie Gun Works and ask for a "tech" who could give you some help.
 
The floppy trigger was the original set up on a standard. Modern folks didn't like that so a few manufacturers added a very weak spring to stop the floppy around. What you have looks like a set trigger used in a pistol. The common type of set trigger used in a rifle an be set or fired as is- with a very heavy trigger pull. I obviously can't see all the details on your trigger but a lot of pistol set triggers can only be fired when set so what you described is correct. I think it is functioning correctly. You might want to call Dixie Gun Works and ask for a "tech" who could give you some help.
Thanks Red Owl. I was thinking it was set up to work that way as a “target” set trigger but not having any info on its Origen I didn’t know. It sparks well and shoots well. I’ll leave things just as it is and enjoy the gun.
 
The only pistols I have with set triggers are a brace of Le Page
Duelers. The pistols can be fired set or unset, I have never taken the trigger out to see how they function.
 
Here’s a view of both sides, set and unset
 

Attachments

  • 9AEA859A-F8AB-4BC2-91D4-A102940FE267.jpeg
    9AEA859A-F8AB-4BC2-91D4-A102940FE267.jpeg
    1.8 MB · Views: 0
  • 8DD9D4D4-1061-4C2A-B462-245D3EE8106B.jpeg
    8DD9D4D4-1061-4C2A-B462-245D3EE8106B.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 0
  • 1E00C538-4CA2-48FE-98FA-F22EE2839EED.jpeg
    1E00C538-4CA2-48FE-98FA-F22EE2839EED.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 0
  • 15E7270D-7718-4DD2-B975-0069D750384B.jpeg
    15E7270D-7718-4DD2-B975-0069D750384B.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 0
Some info"

Set trigger[edit]​

A set trigger allows a shooter to have a greatly reduced trigger pull (the resistance of the trigger) while maintaining a degree of safety in the field compared to having a conventional, very light trigger. There are two types: single set and double set. Set triggers are most likely to be seen on customized weapons and competition rifles where a light trigger pull is beneficial to accuracy.

Single set trigger[edit]​

A single set trigger is usually one trigger that may be fired with a conventional amount of trigger pull weight or may be "set" – usually by pushing forward on the trigger, or by pushing forward on a small lever attached to the rear of the trigger. This takes up the trigger slack (or "take-up") in the trigger and allows for a much lighter trigger pull. This is colloquially known as a hair trigger.

Double set trigger[edit]​

A double set trigger achieves the same result, but uses two triggers: one sets the trigger and the other fires the weapon. Double set triggers can be further classified by phase.[6] A double set, single phase trigger can only be operated by first pulling the set trigger, and then pulling the firing trigger. A double set, double phase trigger can be operated as a standard trigger if the set trigger is not pulled, or as a set trigger by first pulling the set trigger. Double set, double phase triggers offer the versatility of both a standard trigger and a set trigger.

Pre-set (striker or hammer)[edit]​

Pre-set strikers and hammers apply only to semi-automatic handguns. Upon firing a cartridge or loading the chamber, the hammer or striker will rest in a partially cocked position. The trigger serves the function of completing the cocking cycle and then releasing the striker or hammer. While technically two actions, it differs from a double-action trigger in that the trigger is not capable of fully cocking the striker or hammer. It differs from single-action in that if the striker or hammer were to release, it would generally not be capable of igniting the primer. Examples of pre-set strikers are the Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P, Springfield Armory XD-S variant (only), Kahr Arms, FN FNS series and Ruger SR series pistols. This type of trigger mechanism is sometimes referred to as a Striker Fired Action or SFA. Examples of pre-set hammers are the Kel-Tec P-32 and Ruger LCP pistols.

Pre-set hybrid[edit]​

Pre-set hybrid triggers are similar to a DA/SA trigger in reverse. The first pull of the trigger is pre-set. If the striker or hammer fail to discharge the cartridge, the trigger may be pulled again and will operate as a double-action only (DAO) until the cartridge discharges or the malfunction is cleared. This allows the operator to attempt a second time to fire a cartridge after a misfire malfunction, as opposed to a single-action, in which the only thing to do if a round fails to fire is to rack the slide, clearing the round and recocking the hammer. While this can be advantageous in that many rounds will fire on being struck a second time, and it is faster to pull the trigger a second time than to cycle the action, if the round fails to fire on the second strike, the user will be forced to clear the round anyway, thus using up even more time than if they had simply done so in the first place. The Taurus PT 24/7 Pro pistol (not to be confused with the first-generation
 
Back
Top