Trigger Pull - 1911 Pistol

There are not many people that know as much about this subject as I do. I mainly do trigger work on over 100 different models of handguns. I routinely turn jobs down because foolish people want a 2 lb. Single Action trigger pull. I also turn work down when people buy specific parts they want me to use, when I think they are trying to force me to use inferior internal parts. In a world of compromise, I will not, its not an option. I am thinking about your life and my reputation, in that order, I WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE YOUR LIFE USING INFERIOR PARTS.

On these FORUMS I see people that discuss working on 1911 trigger pulls to achieve a superb trigger. Most of what I read is BOGUS, and they baffle you with BS, written by people that may mean well, but that just do not know, and many times its impossible to analyze a situation without seeing it in person. Their responses and posts remind me of getting caught in a revolving door with no exit. Some are asked very simple questions and they tell you how to make a watch. When you call your Doctor about a problem, the first thing he tells you is to come in so he can see the problem and run what ever tests that are needed to find out where the problem is and what can be done to rectify it. Thats reality.

POUNDAGE IN A TRIGGER PULL IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS HOW CLEAN THE TRIGGER BREAKS, IT SHOULD BREAK LIKE A PIECE OF GLASS. I am going to confine all my comments in this commentary on the 1911 pistol.
You must know how to install an after market trigger properly and you must understand the various methods of adjusting the take up and especially what amount of take up is required for safety.
There are many more ways of adjusting take up than just bending the tabs on some triggers that come with these tabs, what do you do with a Videki type trigger with no tabs ???

You must understand over travel screws in triggers in relationship to the series 80 system your pistol may or may not have. Taking these screws out and discarding them is the sign of an amateur. The old timers are still using old technology.

Then we have the hammer and sear relationship which can not be explained that easily on a forum post or a magazine article or a book. It depends on what the dimension of the centerline of the hammer pin is to the centerline of the sear pin, the correct dimension is .458
Now we have the disconnector and the geometry of all these parts will now tell you how to cut your sear angle in relationship to your hammer hooks.
This is just one small part of what I go through when I work on a 1911 pistol. How can you expect to learn this from a post on a forum from a Kloset Keyboard Kommando wearing his Black Ninja Outfit, and on top of this does not work as a professional full time pistolsmith.

The average stone you use, is "NOT" capable of holding a TRUE 90 degree angle, it can not be
done, using your favorite INDIA STONE. Most stone structure are not capable of holding an exact 90 degree angle. Most every file I have ever used is "NOT" capable of cutting an exact and true 90 degree angle. If you doubt me look at your hammer using a 30 power micro scope.

You must measure the length of your disconnector. Do not buy $20.00 calipers and think they are great. A good Mitutoyo or Brown and Sharpe or Fowler calipers start at $100.00 minimum.
Brown and Sharpe make the smoothest dial calipers. I use both mechanical and electronic calipers.

The magazine Catch on your 1911 is most often overlooked and it is one of the most important parts that is critical for 100% reliability. I have custom hammer and sear jigs made for almost everything, including specific revolver applications to correct timing as well as the engagement angles.

I have a home made mixture of a lubricant that will easily reduce a 5 lb. Single Action trigger pull by about 1 lb. I do not sell this lube, its for my use only in certain specific applications.

PLEASE PEOPLE stop believing some of the BS on these forums and in the magazine articles. I do not read gun books, I read the Bible, believe it or not every day.
One man wrote me an email saying he was waiting for me to run out of material for me to write in my commentaries, well hes going to be waiting for a very long time. I can do a write up on most any handgun internal work related subject of the various 100 models that I work on.

I have decided to write 6 commentaries per week and I welcome your suggestions.
There is a world of advanced technology in various industries out there that can be applied to handgun work but the old Gurus just do not get it, they are still using old technology and living in the past. "IT IS WHAT IT IS"

I would like to hear from you about future topics you would like to have me write about, including tools and reloading or whatever. I just want to help those that want to learn and for those that resent my commentaries, NO ONE FORCES YOU TO READ THEM, GO SOME WHERE ELSE. I am tired of these tough guys taking cheap verbal shots at me on forums knowing I can not respond.

Teddy Jacobson
www.actionsbyt.com
281 277 4008
tjacobson@houston.rr.com
www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/