Polishing AR trigger question?

[Barang]

Are 600grit & 1000grit your first & second steps respectively?

Some uses 1500grit for the second step or higher. What is the minimum acceptable grit for 1st & 2nd steps?

I have time to do this next week and I don't mind messing them up for practice since I have two sets available. Hopefully, be successful for the first try but I won't be disappointed if failed.

[russ69]

I think you use a stone for trigger so you don't round off the edges.

[smoothy8500]

If you are talking about India stones, yes. I have seen some "Bubba does guns" channels on Youtube where they use wet-and-dry sandpaper in those grits or polishing compound on a Dremel. But as russ69 says, it will change sear angles or round off edges creating unreliable triggers.

Of course, ten people will come on here and say it worked perfectly for them.

[Dutch Henry]

Unless you are a skilled machinist or gunsmith, I would avoid anything other than a simple polishing to remove burrs. If you want a better trigger, pay the freight and buy a good one.

[simonp]

Personally I would just spend the money and get a Geissele, they don’t come any better than that


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[kcheung2]

Use the smoothest stuff available, at least 1000 if not higher. The point is to polish it, not remove any metal.

[Barang]

I will not work on them aggressively but definitely going after a good polish.
Also, it will not be installed in my HD but it will go in the range toy.

Won't be using dremel, just plain old fashioned hand. And will pay attention not to change any dimension especially edges.

Thank you all for the input.

[WMG]

You won't "polish" anythign with 600 grit ... you'll "sand" it with that

[dwalker]

I use drop in triggers, Elftmann, CMC, Timney, etc. I will never buy a Geissele. They work for some people but I have seen a few too many issues with them to buy one again.

The stock trigger can be fine. I suggest searching out and watching a few videos. Back when I used a mil-spec trigger I worked a couple over to the point they were pretty good. Basically used polishing compound ONLY to polish the bearing and friction surfaces and used a stone to polish- and I mean just barely make shiny- the sear engagement surfaces. If you change the angles, even by a little bit, its going to be bad.
Two things to remember-
Most mil-spec trigger parts are case hardened which is just a surface hardening and even just polishing CAN go through, exposing soft metal underneath which will wear very, very quickly.
The mil-spec trigger is going to be long, the best you can do really is to make it smooth and maybe a bit crisper.

Use the JP Spring kit and you will have a nice, smooth, and consistent trigger.

[RTE]

The New Frontier Armory AR-15 Trigger Adjustment Screw is the most affordable way to improve the feel of your stock AR-15 trigger.
According to The New Frontier Armory

[langss]

If you are very discreet and use just a very small amount, applying this https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/v.../13209/4776635 until you are satisfied, to all the interference areas, can make the polishing very easy. You just have to be very careful you do not get it into any place you don't want polished. when you are done, clean everything that you applied the compound to throughly and enjoy.

[rmnc3r]

Bucking common consensus (and maybe common sense) here; I use a Super Fine Eze Lap Diamond Hone followed by a VF Spyderco ceramic file

The Hone removes the ridges from coarse production grinding and the ceramic file smooths it even more.

It comes down to technique; keeping the surfaces flat and avoid changing angles.

I've only 'ruined' 1 trigger and hammer this way; I was attempting to change the angle slightly to remove some creep - I cut the angle too steep.
Every other job has resulted in a smooth trigger with varying amounts of creep


https://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-LSF-S...p+diamond+hone

I have the 5 hone set and it sees much use in my shop

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Cera...o+ceramic+file

I got/use the Spyderco set for sharpening my Wood Carving Gouges and Router bits, but use only the Square and Triangular ones for trigger work.

[Jimi Jah]

I've also done the polishing routine. A good stone, cutting oil and patience. I got some to smooth out only to find they had too much creep. Some never got better as they were cut the wrong direction.

Even so, you still cannot access and polish the hammer sears and that's where 1/2 the problem remains. Just shooting them a few thousand rounds will also smooth those out.

A $50 ALG QMS is already polished and most of them are pretty smooth. They still creep a lot. A trigger adjuster can lessen that if you like the shorter pull. A two stage design eliminates that need.

[rmnc3r]

Originally Posted by Jimi Jah

I've also done the polishing routine. A good stone, cutting oil and patience. I got some to smooth out only to find they had too much creep. Some never got better as they were cut the wrong direction.

Even so, you still cannot access and polish the hammer sears and that's where 1/2 the problem remains. Just shooting them a few thousand rounds will also smooth those out. .

The Spyderco Triangular Ceramic File will reach in and smooth the Trigger sear face without the potential danger of deepening the cut.
Having less surface area, I'm tempted to change the angle here to remove creep,
Some type of honing jig would be helpful, but since I do it free-hand, I'm disinclined to go too far in changing angles and try to keep it as is and just smooth it.

[Ki6vsm]

Originally Posted by WMG

You won't "polish" anythign with 600 grit ... you'll "sand" it with that

Yup! Exactly.

If all that's wanted is polishing, use the right materials. I've use Simichrome compound on little Dremel buffing wheels and had wonderful success. Doesn't take off enough metal to change the shape of metal parts (unless maybe you worked at it for an hour!). But it will give the surface a mirror-like shine.

[17+1]

Just stick to fine, flat, stones and take your time. My goal when performing a trigger job is just to smooth, I don't try to tweak sear angles. With reduced power springs, you'll get great results on the cheap.

[smoothy8500]

Originally Posted by langss

If you are very discreet and use just a very small amount, applying this https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/v.../13209/4776635 until you are satisfied, to all the interference areas, can make the polishing very easy. You just have to be very careful you do not get it into any place you don't want polished. when you are done, clean everything that you applied the compound to throughly and enjoy.

Probably not a good suggestion using the valve compound with #120 and #220 grit....I don't think that will be much of an improvement unless very it was a very rough trigger.

http://www.itwconsumer.com/userfiles...3209%20TDS.pdf

[langss]

Originally Posted by smoothy8500

Probably not a good suggestion using the valve compound with #120 and #220 grit....I don't think that will be much of an improvement unless very it was a very rough trigger.

http://www.itwconsumer.com/userfiles...3209%20TDS.pdf

It was not suggested as something that would happen overnight.....It was suggested to be applied and over time would achieve the desired results. Since you are the only other person that seems to have noticed my suggestion I don't think anybody cares anyway. Carry On.

[smoothy8500]

Perhaps my observation of how coarse grade the valve lapping compound comes out sounding more negative than intended. As long it worked and helped your trigger, but most stones are 300 or higher for initial smoothing, then higher.