I have the same Zouave so your question gave me a reason to take it apart.
If your gun is like mine, I noticed several things that you could improve on.
First, if the trigger is pushed to one side, it rubs on the stock and the drag is quite noticable.
By removing the trigger assembly, you will notice a slot cut into the wood which is about 3/16 inches wide. If you use a sharp wood chisel you can widen this groove to eliminate the possible rubbing. You must remove the wood deeper than the trigger blade will travel when the trigger is pulled.
Second, the sear spring is strong enough to lift a Buick.
If you have access to a grinder, you can reduce this heavy spring pressure by removing the spring and reducing it's width a little.
Mine is 5/16 wide along the top and around the rear bend. It then tapers down to about .230 where it's tip rests on the sear arm.
IMO, the zone between the rear bend radius and the tip should be narrowed down so that the width at the bend is about 1/4 inch wide tapering down to about .156 (or 5/32) at the tip.
The material should be removed from the tapered side that is away from the lockplate.
Removing material between the bend and the screw will not reduce the springs pressure, but it won't hurt anything if you do grind on it. Just be sure to leave the area where the screw rests alone.
To remove this spring, place the hammer in the half cock position. Loosen the screw that holds the spring at least 2 turns and pry the rear of the spring away from the lockplate. This will disengage the tab from the lockplate. Once done, remove the screw and spring.
To replace the spring, insert the screw into the hole and start the screw into the lockplate. Use your thumb to force the spring against the lockplate and push the aft end downward until the springs tab engages the slot in the lockplate, then tighten the screw.
When grinding on the spring, grind only in a direction parallel with the spring leaf. Do not grind perpendicular or "crossways" to the leaf.
Also, have a dish of water available and cool the spring often to prevent effecting the springs hardness.
If you are grinding by hand with a whet stone you do not have to worry about cooling the spring.
Reducing the width as described will reduce the spring force by about 25 percent.
While this is not a lot, in the interests of safety, you probably shouldn't go much further.
Third, the top of the trigger blade is quite rough. The smoothness of the trigger pull can be improved by sanding this top surface with some 220 and 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper to remove the roughness.
Fourth, the depth of the sear engagement with the tumbler is huge.
The sear nose or tip engages about 1/16 deep with the tumblers full cock notch. That is to say, the sear must retract a little over 1/16 inch to release the tumbler.
This is part of the reason for the long trigger pull and it is IMO, typical of Military locks.
You may get the idea to reduce the depth of this full cock notch by grinding off some of the tumbler material so the sear doesn't have to move more than the thickness of the sear nose to release the tumbler but this thought must be repressed. The outermost area of material is there for a reason.
Because the lock does not have a "fly" to prevent the sear nose from re-engaging the half cock notch as the tumbler rotates past it, the sear must be moved away from the tumbler this far.
If you grind off the "extra" material, the sear will release the tumbler and will try to engage the half cock notch as the hammer is falling. If it does hang up on the half cock notch, it will stop the hammer fall and most likely break off the nose of the sear.
If you want to safely reduce the depth of the sear engagement with the tumbler, the only method recommended by me would be to epoxy a very thin piece of steel or brass to the bottom of the full cock notch where the notch stops and the body of the tumbler starts. This shim will be epoxyed to the tumbler body and will leave the hardened notch surface exposed for the sear nose to rest against.
With my lock, this shim shouldn't be over 1/32 thick and IMO, 1/64 would be better.
The piece would be very small, about the width of the tumbler X 1/8. The brass/steel shim material can be purchased as a 6 or 8 inch sheet at some Hardware stores or Hobby Shops.
When properly done, as the tumbler reaches the full cock position, the sear nose will engage the notch and its upper side will stop on this brass/steel shim, preventing further engagement.
All surfaces which will be covered by the small drop of epoxy must be absolutely grease/oil free. This degreasing can be done with lacquer thinner, acetone, disk brake spray or your wifes fingernail polish remover.
Use the "slow cure" epoxy as it is much stronger than the "5 minute" types. You will want the "best" here because you don't want this small shim to break free from the tumbler. :grin:
Have fun!
Zonie
