1911 trigger job...

[Centurion_D]

I was considering on getting a trigger job done to my SA 1911 and was wondering if it was really necessary to buy after market parts. Are the factory parts good enough to get a decent trigger job done by a quality gunsmith?

[Overkill]

Should be able to get a decent one for sure. Springfield used the factory parts on their basic trigger job.

[bear]

I don't know which SA you have, but would stongly suggest you consider some good steel parts. For example, a Cylinder & Slidebrand hammer and sear plus disconnector is maybe $83. Why pay someone $100 to $250 to work on the MIM factory pieces when for not that much more you can get stuff that should last a lifetime. You're talking about the real heart of matter on a 1911. Is that really the place you want to save money on?

[sholling]

You can have it done on factory parts and they should last you a lifetime. What I would not do is buy a drop-in trigger job in a box. You never get the same results as you would from a good smith tuning your factory parts.

[B Strong]

You can have it done on factory parts and they should last you a lifetime. What I would not do is buy a drop-in trigger job in a box. You never get the same results as you would from a good smith tuning your factory parts.

+1 -the "D-I" kits are a trade-off between universal fit and tuned condition.

I would have the factory parts worked by your smith, unles he found something wrong with them (uneven wear, etc.)

[Centurion_D]

You can have it done on factory parts and they should last you a lifetime. What I would not do is buy a drop-in trigger job in a box. You never get the same results as you would from a good smith tuning your factory parts.

I most likely will have a trigger done on the factory parts. I figure no need to spend more than I really have to for my first semi-custom 1911.

[Mikeb]

The parts aren't that much trouble to inspect. You need to detail strip the pistol but that's fun. If you've gotten' that far into the 1911 ...buy the kuhnhousen book. It is effective for insomia too, but he explains the workings and fit of all the parts of a 1911. There is nothing wrong with the original parts, besides some wear, maybe.
I have a set of pins that allows you to put the hammer and sear on the outside of the frame ( Brownells trigger adjustment pins #080-622-001) There are a couple of surfaces that are stoned to give that breaking glass no creep no overtravel trigger job. You can see them measure them use prussian blue to see how they engage. Big Fun!

I used a cylinder and slide drop in trigger and sear and they woork nice.
1911's are wonderful machines. If you are lucky enough to have one, take it apart and see what makes it tick. It's fun and educational.
take care
Mike

[IPSICK]

I would invest in a sear, hammer, and disconnector kit and have the gunsmith work on that. It will be way better than working on the factory parts and the trigger job will last longer. I believe EGW has an excellent basic kit with their superb hard sear.http://egw-guns.com/store/index.php?...roducts_id=241

[bruceflinch]

What kind of "pull " are you looking for? Less than 3lbs?

[IMC87]

I LOVE my SA MC Operator, had the trigger pull measured, and it weighs in at 2.5-3 LBS!!!!!

This is a stock gun baby!

I thought about a trigger job on my first SA though... thing weighed in at 8LBS

What will be the use of this pistol? HD or more of a target gun?

[brassburnz]

I was considering on getting a trigger job done to my SA 1911 and was wondering if it was really necessary to buy after market parts. Are the factory parts good enough to get a decent trigger job done by a quality gunsmith?

If all you want to do is eliminate creep and reduce your trigger pull to a reasonable but safe poundage, a gunsmith can do that with the stock parts. I know people have concerns about MIM parts, but most people don't shoot their guns enough for that to become an issue.

On the other hand, there are those who will run 20,000 rounds or more down the pipe in a year, and for them, forged steel EDM parts and aftermarket springs will make a difference.

When I'm building or rebuilding a gun, I've found that paying a little more for top quality Nowlin, EGW, Ed Brown, King's, Wilson, Cylinder and Slide, Fusion, etc. parts make a difference. For my .22 rimfire bullseye gun, a 2 1/2 pound trigger is legal. I just haven't been able to get a reliable 2 1/2 pound trigger with stock parts. I'm sure people can do it, but I can't.

For a centerfire bullseye gun, 3 1/2 pound is the lower limit. I can get a 3 1/2 pound trigger with stock parts, but it's a lot of work. Using the kits with hammers and sears that have been prepped for trigger work makes it a lot easier. The mating surfaces and corners are cut true. The hammer hooks are cut true and at the proper height. Sometimes there are adjustments that need to be made, but it's usually with the sear spring.

The really good after-market triggers that allow you to adjust take-up and over-travel are also a blessing. It helps to be able to make all my 1911's have the same or similar trigger feel.

[Centurion_D]

I LOVE my SA MC Operator, had the trigger pull measured, and it weighs in at 2.5-3 LBS!!!!!

This is a stock gun baby!

I thought about a trigger job on my first SA though... thing weighed in at 8LBS

What will be the use of this pistol? HD or more of a target gun?

Well a little bit of both HD and target. Maybe I'll just save up for some aftermarket parts.

[MAC USMC]

RECOMMENDATION

Send your weapon to the original manufacturer for a thorough inspection, any required new parts, and gun-smithing. They totally warrantee their parts and craftsmanship. Some companies are reluctant to create light trigger pulls for liability reasons, but will usually do it with a letter from the gun owner specifying exactly what is to be done.

Springfield Armory has done extremely good work for me, but other companies to also.