Trigger Screw on my PT 1911
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Not so much a pull weight adjustment as it's a length of pull adjustment. The sear, sear spring, hammer and mainspring are what actually change the pull weight. Stoning of the contact points of the sear against the hammer lighten it immensely, but improper work will turn it into an unsafe weapon that could possibly go full auto on you. Those who get extremely into trying to get it down will swap out the mainspring, have the sear spring replaced and adjusted to hopefully get below the 2 pounds of of force threshold.
The screw simply adjusts where the trigger sits inside the guard, and is useful for people with long and fat fingers like myself that like a little extra breathing room to shoot.
The screw simply adjusts where the trigger sits inside the guard, and is useful for people with long and fat fingers like myself that like a little extra breathing room to shoot.
It is the pre-travel adjustment. You can experiment with it yourself and it will do no harm but don't go shooting the gun while you are monkeying with this. Also, don't let the hammer fully drop either. Put your finger over the firing pin area to prevent the hammer from "hammering" on the firing pin. If you go in far enough the trigger will lock and not break over. As you back the screw out, the trigger will begin to funtion and it will feel "tighter" or there will be no movement in the trigger before it gets to the engagement point where you squeeze the trigger and it breaks over and drops the hammer. Hammer pull weight is not adjustable with this screw. That is a job for a gun smith. There should be a little bit of this looseness in the pre-travel adjustment but it should not be sloppy like for instance, my Ruger Mark 3 if you have ever shot one of these. Horrible sloppy trigger in that gun that I have as yet to address. Having a pre-travel adjustment screw from the factory is a very nice little customization feature. The factory setting is generally fine for most people so you generally would not have to mess around with it.
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Well as most have indicated the adjustment screw simply reduces/increases the travel of the trigger before it trips the hammer and lets it fall.
It has no effect on weight of the trigger pull to my knowledge.
There are a few schools of thought on adjusting this, many say let a gunsmith adjust it, to each their own and gunsmiths must make a living like the rest of us.
I think it is generally agreed that find a allen wrench that fits the screw, cock the hammer, screw in the screw about a full turn, pull the hammer and see if it drops?
IF so then continue to screw it in about 1/2 turn and try the hammer after each 1/2 turn, once the hammer locks and will NOT drop when you pull the trigger, then you will need to back the screw out at least a 1/2 turn, just depends but I normally back mine out a full turn to be safe, after all you don't want to end up with a carry gun that if you pull the trigger it will not fire.
Actually I am a lot more interested in the trigger reset than the first shot of trigger travel, but what ever you do make darned sure its 120% reliable as to dropping the hammer when the tigger is pulled.
Hope this helps and if I made boo-boo someone jump in and correct it.
Welcome to the forum as well, enjoy your 1911.
It has no effect on weight of the trigger pull to my knowledge.
There are a few schools of thought on adjusting this, many say let a gunsmith adjust it, to each their own and gunsmiths must make a living like the rest of us.
I think it is generally agreed that find a allen wrench that fits the screw, cock the hammer, screw in the screw about a full turn, pull the hammer and see if it drops?
IF so then continue to screw it in about 1/2 turn and try the hammer after each 1/2 turn, once the hammer locks and will NOT drop when you pull the trigger, then you will need to back the screw out at least a 1/2 turn, just depends but I normally back mine out a full turn to be safe, after all you don't want to end up with a carry gun that if you pull the trigger it will not fire.
Actually I am a lot more interested in the trigger reset than the first shot of trigger travel, but what ever you do make darned sure its 120% reliable as to dropping the hammer when the tigger is pulled.
Hope this helps and if I made boo-boo someone jump in and correct it.
Welcome to the forum as well, enjoy your 1911.
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52 Posts
The screw is for "over travel" of the trigger. Which is the travel of the trigger between the hammer falling and the trigger coming to rest against the mag catch/release. olfahors tells the correct way of adjusting that.
The screw doesn't effect the weight, take up, or pre travel of the trigger. The pre travel can be taken out by adjusting the tabs on the trigger bow. This would require a total disassemble of the gun. IMO all the pre travel shouldn't be taken out because this could cause the trigger to not reset.
The screw doesn't effect the weight, take up, or pre travel of the trigger. The pre travel can be taken out by adjusting the tabs on the trigger bow. This would require a total disassemble of the gun. IMO all the pre travel shouldn't be taken out because this could cause the trigger to not reset.
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To add to what others here have said, I know that in the past some of the members here have fiddled around with the trigger screw and have found that it also adjust the timing of the firing pin lever and if the screw is not adjusted correctly your hammer might drop on a firing pin that has not been released by the block, so it is imparative that you adjust the screw accordingly.
Shoot safe, shoot straight, and have fun
Shoot safe, shoot straight, and have fun
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