Has anyone... Weakened trigger pull on a Sharps '74 single trigger

[LT Col Long]

Hi gents!  An update for you all concerning my Armi-Sport Chiappa cav carbine.  When the 'smith looked at it he did some REAL good cussing and said that it is going back to Chiappa.  Well, all things said, got notice from Chiappa that it is on its way back to me.  Ill give a report as to how it handles after UPS does their job.

Good shooting!

Maj SH Long

[LT Col Long]

This past Sat I used my Chiappa carbine during a GAF match.  Little critter worked real good and was a hoot to shoot!
I will add, however, that 50 grains of FF is easier on the shoulder than 70 grains of FF.  Long range (150+) not sure.  50 and 75 yards that gun was where I wanted it.  Will be using it at the National GAF muster in Nebraska and will relate if I hit anything at 200 and 300 yards.


LtCol SH Long.  Yes and I got promoted on Sat too!

[Bruce W Sims]

All this talk of reducing the trigger pull made me wonder...how does the "double-set" trigger
accomplish ITS function? Is it anything like the set-screw solution that Blair mentioned?
I'm guessing that swapping a Double-set arrangement for a Single-set is not an option, yes?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Blair]

Bruce,

The set screw just behind the full cock (sear) notch will reduce the amount the sear engages the sear notch.
Firearms, like most Military arms have no provision to keep the sear from engaging the half cock notch if too much of the full cock notch height is removed.

Firearms set up with either double or single set triggers use a "fly" that helps the sear  or sear part of the trigger slide over the half cock notch.
Set trigger firearms will have a small set screw on the outside of the trigger plate. This allows the shooter to make small adjustments to the trigger pull, without having to remove either the trigger and/or lock plate to make the adjustment.
Hope this helps?
My best,
Blair

[Bruce W Sims]

Clear as crystal...much thanks....

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Grapeshot]

All good information.  I lightened the trigger pull on my Infantry Sharps, M1876, and my Spencer.  I removed the trigger group with Spring and took the spring off of it and using a Dremmell Tool with a sanding wheel began taking metal off the length of the trigger spring.  I had a container of water on the bench, and dropped the spring into it every so often to keep it from over heating and losing its temper.  I would then dry it off and reinstall it to check the trigger pull.  Once it was where I wanted it, I applied cold blue to the spring and oiled it up real good and put the rifle back together.  I'd take it out to the range and see how the trigger worked as well as how much improved my accuracy was as well.      YMMV.


Also take a look here:  http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,3466.0.html

[PJ Hardtack]

I was fiddling with the springs in my Shiloh Business Rifle with DST's. I ended up shipping it to Shiloh for an upgrade with fly, missing on my Early Farmingdale lock. Lesson learned?  Lock work is best left to people that understand such things

I lucked out with all of my single trigger Shilohs. All came with very acceptable trigger pulls, especially the percussion models.

[1961MJS]

I was on the phone yesterday talking to Charlie Hahns to order some new tubes for my 1859 Sharps paper cutter.  If you don't know
Charlie belongs to the NSSA and has a business converting the breech block so they rifles do not jam up with fouling.  Anyway I asked
if he worked on locks to smooth and lighten the trigger pull.  He told me to try this trick to reduce trigger pull before I sent toe lock
to him because this might solve my problem.  I now have an imprint of my palm on my fore head from smacking myself as in why
didn't I think of that !
    He told me some mainsprings have a ramp that the screw bears against that you can adjust in or out to adjust spring pressure on
the sear.  If mine didn't try putting brass shim between screw and spring until I got the tension I wanted on the sear.  Bingo so simple
in 15 min. I had reduced the trigger pull to my liking. 
    Now no grinding on the spring !  So simple even a caveman like me could do it 

Hi Charlie

If you or Tom could POSSIBLY take or DRAW a picture of what's going on, that would be a huge help to me.  I read the whole 1886 trigger deal and mine is good, but my Cavalry Sharps trigger is HEAVY.  Most of the pictures I've found are small but most show a double set trigger anyway.

Thanks

[1961MJS]

Howdy again

My 1911 smith smoothed out the trigger on the sharps and it's well under 5 pounds now.  I should probably weigh it some time.  It is SOOOOOOO much better now.  All that he did is smooth all of the bearing surfaces.

Later