Anyone have a 1911 sear jig?

[nogaroheli]

I just got a Springfield loaded and this weekend I put a few hundred rounds through it. It shoots well from a bench and i figured out how to shoot good groups but it needs a better trigger. I've done a ton of 10/22 and AR15 triggers so I think I have the ability. I'm looking to borrow/rent a sear jig for a 1911 since I'd prefer to work and learn on my stuff rather than pay someone to do it for me- like the whole teaching a guy to fish deal. So does anybody have one before I order one?
Thanks!

[ray1970]

You don't necessarily need a jig to get a decent trigger on a 1911. Keep the existing sear angle and polish the engagement surface. Take the sear notches on the hammer down until they are .020" tall and polish them too. Tweak the sear spring a bit to reduce its tension. Should give you a very nice trigger pull. If you want it better yet, buy a replacement trigger with take-up and over-travel adjustments.

My 2 cents. Others may disagree.

[nogaroheli]

You don't necessarily need a jig to get a decent trigger on a 1911. Keep the existing sear angle and polish the engagement surface. Take the sear notches on the hammer down until they are .020" tall and polish them too. Tweak the sear spring a bit to reduce its tension. Should give you a very nice trigger pull. If you want it better yet, buy a replacement trigger with take-up and over-travel adjustments.

My 2 cents. Others may disagree.

Yeah, I did that, I took the hammer hooks to .020 and polished the sear and broke the edge on it (I'm a little hesitant to go nuts on it without a jig for the first time, but after reading I may get a loop to look through and go to town), it's still just not awesome. Yet. I also tweaked the sear spring- a bit. The trigger is breaking fairly crisp but not as crisp or as light as I'd like.

[BPTactical]

Ray1970-
I will be one that disagrees

You NEED a sear jig to get a crisp and long lasting trigger. It is far too easy to round or change the angles without one. I have tried a few and the Power Custom is the best I have used. You can set both the primary and relief angles with it and they are dead nuts square. Another nice thing-You can get different adapters for different pistols. That way you only feel the $200.00 sting once and the adapters are about $25.00
Triggers for a 1911 are only adjustable for overtravel, take up is a function of hammer hook depth and sear engagement depth. If you want a REALLY nice trigger you need to spare part stash the stock Springy parts. They are MIM parts and are inconsistent dimensionally for really nice triggers.
Ed Brown Hardcore Hammer
Ed Brown Perfection Sear
Ed Brown Perfection Disconnector
Ed Brown Hardcore sear spring
Greider Match Trigger

It will be the best $100.00 spent on your 1911

[ray1970]

Ray1970-
I will be one that disagrees

You NEED a sear jig to get a crisp and long lasting trigger. It is far too easy to round or change the angles without one. I have tried a few and the Power Custom is the best I have used. You can set both the primary and relief angles with it and they are dead nuts square. Another nice thing-You can get different adapters for different pistols. That way you only feel the $200.00 sting once and the adapters are about $25.00
Triggers for a 1911 are only adjustable for overtravel, take up is a function of hammer hook depth and sear engagement depth. If you want a REALLY nice trigger you need to spare part stash the stock Springy parts. They are MIM parts and are inconsistent dimensionally for really nice triggers.
Ed Brown Hardcore Hammer
Ed Brown Perfection Sear
Ed Brown Perfection Disconnector
Ed Brown Hardcore sear spring
Greider Match Trigger

It will be the best $100.00 spent on your 1911

Since you disagreed with my post, which I am perfectly OK with, I will have to disagree with a portion of your post. There is a new breed of triggers available with tabs that allow for adjustment of trigger pre-travel as well as overtravel.

Here is a link to one made by Nowlin.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=9579/Product/1911_AUTO_LIGHTWEIGHT_TRIGGER

PS- A sear/hammer jig will definitely make for the best trigger job possible. But I have seen some very nice trigger work done with out one as well if the person doing the job really knows what he is doing. I am sure trigger jobs on 1911s were being done way before a jig was ever devised.

[Troublco]

Springfield parts can tend toward softness, so if you try to work the stock parts too much you may find them wearing VERY quickly. Be really careful if you do to test fire with only one or two rounds in a magazine in case it goes full auto. I would have to second BP's recommendation of replacing those parts. You'll get a much better, longer lasting trigger job. I'll bet there are folks out there who could do the job without a jig, but I would also bet most won't.

[earplug]

Give me a call 332-9973 on my cell. Or home 391-0742.
I'm in Widefield.

[vectorsc]

Here are my recommendations on doing a 1911 trigger. I have done 50 of em.

1. Get an oversized trigger that must be fit to the frame. Sloppy triggers are like sloppy women. I like the caspian one.
2. Take-up tabs are great. Not available on all oversized triggers.
3. Get through hardened parts for your fire control. Like the EGW ball head disconnector and sear.
4. Use a gig. It lets you move down the stone weights untill you can polish the angle with an ultra fine stone. that way you don't round off the relief cut transition.
5. Polish the trigger movement surfaces.
6. Loctite the overtravel screw. I really can't scream this enough.
7. Use dykem or a sharpie to verify full contact with both ears of the hammer. Only one is bad, mmmkay?

[FireMoth]

The sear and hammer dimensions (.020 hooks and release bevel on sear) are accurate, and i agree with them.

I would personally not reduce the spring tension on the leaf spring at all, nor run under an 18# main spring for defensive use. Light strikes, numb re-set, or failure to re-set can come of these modifications.

Though for short engagement and re-set an adjustable trigger is the best solution, the trigger 'feel' can be improved dramatically by enhancing features on the sear, hammer, frame, trigger, and main spring housing. These things can be more important, because no part operates independantly. Adjustable triggers cna be numb and inaccurate if the ma catch is loose, ill fitting, or rough, since that's what the trigger stops hit. And no one else will tell you that the mag catch is important to the trigger job.

It is important to note that enhancing is not polishing, and there is a very important dimensional difference between the 2.

The specific surfaces and processes are easy to do, but hard to explain concisely without visual aid. If you would like to be instructed in the process, you are welcome to bring your 1911 to Bowers Tactical in centennial while I am working, and i would be happy to show you how to go through the process yourself.

As a preparatory, detail strip (springs and pins) your 1911 and clean every part the best you can. Do NOT re-lube, as this will just have to be removed again to perform the action enhancements. It can be properly lubed afterward.