Set trigger spring project

[reddogge]

My dad's rifle never completed I completed the winter before last. He had lost the spring to set the trigger. I bought a wire spring one but it just wouldn't work and it required a flat spring. It's an old '70s Northstar trigger. I spent the afternoon making one out of some stock I had in my gun junk drawer. It was a really tough metal and I could hardly drill a hole in it but it cut easily with tin shears. A lot of shaping on an upright band sander and file work and by golly it worked. No need to harden and temper it. It had enough flex to work the front trigger.

On another note, I need an adjustment screw for the trigger. I lost the one that came with the triggers and the one I got from Track was too short. It needs to be at least 5/16" -3/8" high. Any ideas?

 

[deerstalkert]

ace hardware.

 

[rich pierce]

My dad's rifle never completed I completed the winter before last. He had lost the spring to set the trigger. I bought a wire spring one but it just wouldn't work and it required a flat spring. It's an old '70s Northstar trigger. I spent the afternoon making one out of some stock I had in my gun junk drawer. It was a really tough metal and I could hardly drill a hole in it but it cut easily with tin shears. A lot of shaping on an upright band sander and file work and by golly it worked. No need to harden and temper it. It had enough flex to work the front trigger.

On another note, I need an adjustment screw for the trigger. I lost the one that came with the triggers and the one I got from Track was too short. It needs to be at least 5/16" -3/8" high. Any ideas?

These set screws have very find threads. Hardware stores would not have what you need. One cob-job fix is to counterbore the threaded hole in the trigger bar. But then the screw head would not be easily accessible. I’d determine what size and pitch thread the short screw you have is, and go from there. It’s possible that Track has a screw from an L&R Hawken trigger set that could work.

 

[reddogge]

I never thought of that fix. I'll have to see how much meat I have in the trigger bar. The screw Track sent me is a 3-48x1/4". I'd need something closer to 3/8".

 

[ZUG]

Try looking online for "Hobby Store" and see what they have. They have all sorts of small stuff for building RC cars and airplanes.

 

[ZUG]

Read this <https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/...size-chart-machine-screw-sizes-and-diameters/>
That screw is most likely a #2-56.

 

[Scota@4570]

By all means, if it is 2-56 or other common size stick with it. Ace should have those, or Fastenall? If you are not a stickler for HC a allen head cap screw is better suited for the purpose than a slotted head screw. First you need to figure out what you have.

https://www.custompartnet.com/tap-size-chart

 

[Greg Y]

My ace has screws all the way down to 0-80tpi.

 

[reddogge]

It's not a 2-56. The invoice from Track clearly states it's a 3-48 and it threads neatly into the hole. The problem is it's too short.

 

[rich pierce]

It's not a 2-56. The invoice from Track clearly states it's a 3-48 and it threads neatly into the hole. The problem is it's too short.

Oh but we’re pretty sure it’s 2-56!!!
Just kidding. Good luck - you know what you need so now it’s just finding it. Our local Ace hardware is more basic.

 

[Greg Y]

Order a few screws and nuts that are too long. Grind to fit and spin the nut off the chase the threads.

 

[reddogge]

Update. I had a chance to stop in an Ace hardware and they did have 3-48 1/2" screws. Although Phillips head and stainless steel they fit and now I can adjust the front trigger.

 

[Greg Y]

Update. I had a chance to stop in an Ace hardware and they did have 3-48 1/2" screws. Although Phillips head and stainless steel they fit and now I can adjust the front trigger.

Fair warning. Stainless and mild steel doesn't play well together. If you see the slightest sign of brown on the screw, pull them immediately.

Steel is cathodic to Stainless, so the steel oxidizes in the presence of stainless. I'm working on cleaning up a multi million dollar mistake where stainless fasteners were used on steel.

 

[reddogge]

Wow, thanks for the heads up. I'll keep on looking for a steel version. I do see stainless steel touch hole liners and have used these in the past with no problems. But I'll keep an eye out for a steel one. Thanks.

 

[Frontstuffer3491]

Fair warning. Stainless and mild steel doesn't play well together. If you see the slightest sign of brown on the screw, pull them immediately.

Steel is cathodic to Stainless, so the steel oxidizes in the presence of stainless. I'm working on cleaning up a multi million dollar mistake where stainless fasteners were used on steel.

On this topic - what would be the result for using brass in this application instead of stainless? Somewhere in the deep past i was told to use brass in an aluminum piece of metal work. Thank you for the heads up!

 

[reddogge]

On this topic - what would be the result for using brass in this application instead of stainless? Somewhere in the deep past i was told to use brass in an aluminum piece of metal work. Thank you for the heads up!

The trigger bar is mild steel and the screw is stainless. No brass involved here.

 

[Greg Y]

Brass and steel play well with each other. If you ever wonder about reactions, you can look at a metal nobility chart. It will show cathodic and anodic metals. The farter apart they are, the worse the reactions are.

 

[Frontstuffer3491]

Brass and steel play well with each other. If you ever wonder about reactions, you can look at a metal nobility chart. It will show cathodic and anodic metals. The farter apart they are, the worse the reactions are.

Thank you.