Lightening the trigger on a Millennium DAO pistol

2725 Views 15 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Pierce, Oct 4, 2007

kashdaddy

Discussion Starter · Oct 2, 2007

Does anyone have a solution for lightening the trigger on a millennium DAO pistol?
Maybe a different firing pin spring, etc.
I have read that clipping the coils off the firing pin will not help. Wouldn't this make the spring weaker thus less energy need to be exerted on the pull back?

I have polished (to a mirror finish) the contact points of the trigger-bar, entire firing pin, etc.

Note: This is a gen one so its a DAO and I would guess that the trigger is about 9-11 lbs..........at least it feels like it. Getting it to about 4-6 lbs would be nice.

PLEASE HELP...........LETS PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

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DRAEGER

· #2 · Oct 2, 2007

Your best bet is to either have someone do an action job or do it yourself. This will not actually reduce the trigger pull but will make it smoother, which normally means it feels lighter.

A DAO firearm isn't suppose to feel like a Single Action firearm. If it is sticky, mushy, gritty, etc then it probably needs to be smoothed, which done properly will give you a smooth even pull. The entire purpose of the DAO is to make firing the weapon a thought out, deliberate process and especially in regards to LEO use it should be... this generally helps reduce the chance of accidentally discharging your firearm under high stress situations (since we know people often forget to keep their finger off the trigger...).

I own a PT145 and 24/7 45cal with the DAO trigger. Both of them have perfectly smooth triggers and actually feel better then my PT92's in DA. Do or have the action job done like I did and you should see improvement.

Taurus9mm

· #3 · Oct 2, 2007

I have seen several posts that refer to the DOA,and DA. what does this mean? I am familiar with the single and double action, but have never heard these terms.

DRAEGER

· #4 · Oct 2, 2007

DOA = Dead on arrival
DAO = Double action only
DA = Double action
SA = Single action
DA/SA = Double Action/Single Action

Taurus9mm

· #5 · Oct 3, 2007

Yeh, I mean DAO. Good to know. I figured the DA was double action, but was unsure of the DAO.

kashdaddy

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 3, 2007

Action Job

DRAEGER,
What does the "Action Job" consists of? Is this polishing all the contact areas and/or components that the trigger/striker consists of? Please give me some details on this!
I am in a foreign country so our options here are limited to the pistols that we can purchase. Mostly, we have pistols from Brazil of which Taurus being the main manufacturer. Also, we are limited to the .32 Auto caliber for civilians and this even limit the weapond choices even more. I choose the Millennium for easy concealment and its a very accurate pistol in my experience. Unfortunately, I could not get a Millennium with a DA/SA trigger at the time of purchase and my only option was the DAO. Since this weapond is already license to me then the serial number is on my license and I cannot just go buy another one since my license is specific to the weapond.
I have shot and owned many weaponds in the US - glock 22, 23, 27, Para Ordnance P12, S&W .357 mag, Taurus PT92, AR-15, AK-47, Colt 1911, etc. I have noticed that my Millennium trigger is a bit tough to pull like a revolver by it being a DAO pistol - gen one. This is why I am looking for my options as to lightening the trigger pull. It feels like pulling on a heavy spring, but when the slide is off then the trigger is smooth. I can put the first shot off perfect, but when speed shooting then the trigger caused me to apply the pressure and shoot in the 8 O'clock position since i am right handed and exerting the pull on the trigger is causing the weapond to move in that direction.

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DRAEGER

· #7 · Oct 3, 2007

I remember some of the rules/laws down in South America and the one about being limited to only owning "non" military/LEO calibers sucks to say the least. I do feel for you...

You start by stripping your firearm down to its basic components and smoothing/filing/polishing any part that makes contact with any other part. It isn't nearly as complicated as it sounds, it takes more common sense and patents then anything else. Depending on the fit, condition and quality of your firearm it can sometimes make a huge difference in the function of your firearm. Then again there are times when you have a good working firearm to start with and in this case you still have a better functioning weapon even though you may not notice much change.

You should study your weapons diagram, know what part goes where without question and what exactly each part does in relationship to the entire firearm. Once disassembled examine your parts for burrs, rough spots and any imperfections or flaws. By smoothing an action you should remove some of the friction caused by parts making contact with each other, which is what makes everything operate better (we hope...).

At the very least you will have a better understanding of your weapon and firearms in general which is always a good thing because it helps you self-diagnose problems. Think of it as trying to sharpen a knife so sharp that you could shave or even better split a hair with it.

Also, The way you describe your pistol shooting almost sounds like something is binding alittle. Then again, I gotta ask... how experienced are you at shooting? have you shot DA or DAO firearms often? I know my first impression of the 24/7 trigger was that it was a long pull, but now I don't notice it at all and rapid fire is good.

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kashdaddy

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 3, 2007

Thanks

DRAEGER,

Thanks for the advice and tips. I have not shot a lot of DAO trigger weaponds so maybe it's just getting used to the trigger.
Based on what you explained, the "action job" has been done.............everything has been stripped and everything that make contact has been polished to a mirror finished............even the entire firing pin.

Can you shed some insight on the firing pin spring?
This stiff pull on the trigger feels like a heavy spring issue............wonder if there can be some tweaking of the spring.

Thanks again for your comments!

DRAEGER

· #9 · Oct 3, 2007

Generally alter springs is not something you want to attempt without alot of experience and having some replacement springs handy, just incase. Is your trigger smooth, but hard to squeeze? Or does it feel gritty, uneven?

I am looking at my PT145 and trying to figure out what may be the problem with your pistol. With the slide off your frame, how smooth is your trigger pull? Yeah I know, there should be no resistance, But if there is something is binding.

kashdaddy

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 3, 2007

DRAEGER said:
Is your trigger smooth, but hard to squeeze? Or does it feel gritty, uneven?

With the slide off your frame, how smooth is your trigger pull? Yeah I know, there should be no resistance, But if there is something is binding.

My trigger is very smooth and the firearm is very clean.........all parts stripped, cleaned, lubed and put back together. Only problem is the trigger takeup has a spring feeling.........this is where the resistance is. Feels like a heavy rubber band.
With the slide off........my trigger is very smooth and light and yes, no resistance. Wish I can get this feel until the trigger breaks.

DRAEGER

· #11 · Oct 4, 2007

I hate to say it, but you may have a perfectly operating firearm that has the exact trigger pull and function it is suppose to have. If you where to alter your firing pin spring assembly, you run the risk of causing weak or failed strikes, not good.

Pierce

· #12 · Oct 4, 2007

I dunno... if you chop the trigger in half, won't that lighten it?

/ducks and covers

:devil:

kashdaddy

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 4, 2007

let me try to understand the mechanism

Ok, so the trigger bar pulls the striker back (which is under tension from the striker spring) then it breaks and releases it thus the striker jumps forward and hit the primer. I also noticed that there is a very small spring in front of the striker like several coils in length.........guess this is to keep the striker from bouncing around or to push back out the striker after it hits the primer.
If the above is accurate then I would say............clipping a few coils off the spring should weaken it and thus less tension is needed by the trigger bar to pull back the striker spring which would result in a lighter pull.
Any thoughts?

DRAEGER

· #14 · Oct 4, 2007

You know it is actually a myth that shortening a spring while give it less strength... it will just make it shorter.

Taurus9mm

· #15 · Oct 4, 2007

I took my gun in to the gun smith down the road today, and was advised against messing with the trigger. He said since it was smooth, and free of burrs, I would run the risk of the gun firing with the slightest bump to it if I were to try and file any of the parts down. He said shorening the spring would not help much if any. I like the wat the trigger feels for the first shot, but am getting used to the trigger after shooting it more. I was told the more I shoot the better the trigger would get up to a point because the parts would wear on each other making them smoother, but just keep an eye out for burrs and make sure the contact points are smooth.

Pierce

· #16 · Oct 4, 2007

kashdaddy said:
If the above is accurate then I would say............clipping a few coils off the spring should weaken it and thus less tension is needed by the trigger bar to pull back the striker spring which would result in a lighter pull.
Any thoughts?

I would agree. Would I do that? No.

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