Can trigger pull be too light on a revolver.

[TMan]

I've noticed on 1911's that they tend to favor a 3.5lb trigger pull. My understanding of semi-automatics is that if you get the pull too light by changing the sear/hammer relationship, you can end up with an automatic vs. semi-automatic. Obviously, this would not be cool, and would get you kicked off a range at minimum. It really intrigued me that the new Sig P226 X-Five has a 2.2 to 3.53lb adjustable trigger. My S&W 41 has a 2.0lb trigger, and I've never had a problem with it.
Question 1: Can you safely go to 2.2lbs on a 1911?

My Power Stone fixture allows you to change the angle of the sear/hammer engagement by a certain number of clicks up and down.
Question 2: Since revolvers, other than the old Fosbery, aren't semi-automatic, how low can you go in trigger pull with one of them? (Assume you will never use the gun for anything other than target shooting i.e. you would never use it to defend yourself. Guess it would be pretty bad to have a defensive revolver with a hair trigger and someone farted and you shot them).

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; If you go to Bench Talk on the Brownell's website, you will find detailed instructions on how to do a 2 lb. trigger job on a 1911, written by Jack Weigand. At one time Weigand was really into the art of building steel challenge 1911s, shaving every ounce of weight from a gun. He is also one of the best trigger men in the business when it comes down to revolvers. For now it seems that Weigand's services is not available, but hope that changes. I trust my revolvers more to the discretion of someone with Weigand's years of experience than my own capabilities.
For defensive revolvers one would not want an unblocked cocked hammer pointed in any direction other than a safe direction. For the double action trigger, the lighter, the better, because of the long stroke it requires to fire the weapon. The big thing with the light double action triggers is the 100 % reliable primer ignition that hammer strike must provide.
I have heard of some Reeves Junking trigger actions on the Pythons with double action non stacking strokes of 5 lbs!!! My Python measures out at around 8 lbs on it's double action stroke.
Rob Leatham has a competition 1911 on his site with a 1 lb trigger.
The thing about the 1911 verses that of a revolver is the recoil on the 1911 can disengage a light trigger, causing hammer follow, or the pistol can go into full auto if not handled properly.
Some single action revolvers do not require triggers at all, the hammer is just thumbed and released.
Many things surround the very light triggers on the 1911, including the over travel of the hammer hooks during slide recoil. This can cause the fine engagement to the sear and hammer hooks to become beatened when the hammer hooks fall upon the sear nose when the slide goes into battery.
With the Single Action revolvers, the longer hammer fall provides much of the force required to ignite the primer cap. On the Double Action revolvers, the hammer might travel less distance which might require a heavier mainspring. Turning the loaded cylinder requires much of the work from the trigger also.
How low you can go with a Single Action revolver is enough to lock the hammer to the rear until you squeeze the trigger, with 100 % primer ignition. I cannot safely say on an open forum that any trigger that has been altered would be safe for use with live ammunition.

[TMan]

Dang DA, I wasn't aware of that on Brownells' web site. There is a lot of information there. To tell you the truth: I look things up in their printed catalog. Write down the numbers of stuff I want to order onto my PDA, and then when I hot sync the file comes to my computer. Then I cut and paste the numers into the Search Products field, add to shopping cart and I'm in and out of their web site in a jiffy. I didn't realize that they had so much stuff there. As always: you are the man!!!

[TMan]

DoubleAction said:

For defensive revolvers one would not want an unblocked cocked hammer pointed in any direction other than a safe direction.

DA, rest assured that I won't be making modifications to anything I use defensively. The only revolver I have for defense is the little Taurus in .38 Special, and I seldom ever carry it. For the house is my old Ruger P90, which I love dearly and seldom shoot anymore - it has proven its trustworthness. I think my Kimber 1911 chambered in 9mm will be my guinea pig to see how light I can get the trigger.

Based on your other comments, correct me if I'm wrong, to get a lighter action by reducing the strength of the hammer spring can result in primers that don't go off, so it isn't a good idea in anything you bet your life on.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; With light trigger jobs on double action defensive revolvers, my trust is limited to those guns I have fired the most, and of those, I have had 100 % primer ignition from all of Weigand's jobs. Smith & Wesson is very trustworthy, and very good. The closest thing I have found to a Weigand trigger is the one on my Model 27. There are many well known and trusted sources for performing trigger jobs on the D.A, Revolvers, including Cylinder & Slide. C&L also performs work on the Python, which is very reasonable but I've heard that Bill Laughridge favors the stacking trigger in the snake. Because of the longer stroke and hammer fall on the Python, it is possible to lighten the trigger to extremes while still maintaining reliable primer ignition. For the Smith & Wessons; I would go to the Clark Custom website and look up a Video by Jerry Miculek, where he shows in complete detail how to perform an action job on the double action S&W. If you have ever had the opportunity to see Jerry shoot a double action revolver, you would surely be left in amazement. Jerry Miculek is also a functional member of the Clark Custom family of pistolsmiths, gunsmiths, and competitor of the 3 gun tournament matches. His video would be worth it's modest price.
TMan ; I know the D.A. trigger is a bit too much for the condition you suffer with your hand, but if you could get the pull down to between six to seven lbs., would that help?
Did you find Brownell's Bench
Talk section, with Weigand's 2 lb. trigger job?

[TMan]

Thanks for all the info DA. I'm totally opposed to sending a gun to a gunsmith to do a trigger job. Yes, an experienced gunsmith could probably do a better job than I could. Of course they could screw it up too. I hate paying someone and then having them screw the job up. At least if I screw it up, I have no one to blame and I'm not angry about it. I've found it is always more satisfying to do it yourself (except for sex ;D), and I've been known to spend 3 times as much for a tool as what it would cost to have someone do a job for me.

I don't ever plan on touching the trigger on my S&W 67, nor on the Python. I don't see a need for it. The Ruger Blackhawk is going to get quite a bit of work. I can't live with that trigger. Funny thing though my old XD9 is 6.5 lbs, but I'm fine with it. Must be trigger width.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; With some fired control systems, they are better off being replaced and then tuned. You have to be careful stoning some parts because they are only surfaced hardened.

[TMan]

Here I am again -- laying on the floor because someone pulled the rug out from under me. Of course, in this case it was a good thing. Technology bit me on the butt again. Is there any way of telling if a part is only surface hardened before you stone it? DA, I remember you saying something about the Wilson CQB having MIM parts; are those the surface hardened ones?

I bought a new hammer and sear for the BHP, and they did mention that they needed to be "fitted", which I assume means stoning.

Of course by now you should have realized that I have more money than I have brains - unfortunately, I'm broke.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; To tell the honest truth, I had to ask one of the staff at Wilson's how to tell if the triggers were MIM; Now I know how to tell the difference. I can tell with the S&W revolvers; They're easy. If you purchase the part, it should tell you if it's cast or surface hardened and mention the RC hardness of the steel used. Some manufacturers mention what components they use in their guns; Wilson mentioned the part numbers which led me to investigate those particular parts as being MIM from the Wilson catalog.
You should be alright with the parts for the BHP, since I know you are one to order from the better selections offered.

[TMan]

DoubleAction said:

...since I know you are one to order from the better selections offered.

Ugh, I can't believe I'm that transparent. Did I ever tell you about my Jennings collection? ;D ;D ;D