Trigger plate or not to trigger plate. ???

[LehighBrad]

Is it really necessary to inlet a trigger plate on my pistol I'm building?? I have one, but it doesn't seem to be needed. My barrel tang screw is self tapped into the wood so it's not like it's a tang BOLT that goes through the entire pistol stock and threads into the plate. To me it seems all that's really necessary is to inlet a trigger slot up into the sear bar cavity, then locate, drill and pin the trigger accordingly to trip the sear crisply and with little to no slop.

[Mike Brooks]

Back in the day, cheap guns did not always have trigger plates. I build quite a few guns with out trigger plates and they work fine.

[kaintuck]

Aawww come on, you need more I letting work to do!
 
I think it cleans up the trigger slot.....but the wood is hard enough, it's not really needed.
Marc

[smart dog]

Hi,
You don't need a trigger plate but a lot depends on what you are trying to build.  If it is a better quality pistol with features like a nice butt cap and maybe some carving, etc., it probably should have a trigger plate and a tang bolt.  If a inexpensive or simple rustic gun, maybe not.  Triggerplates are really easy to inlet.

dave   

[LehighBrad]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'll let how cleanly and neatly I do the trigger slot determine whether or not I inlet a trigger plate. Hopefully everything will go well and I'll end up with a nice sharp clean looking slot. Then, if not, we'll cover up the sloppiness with a nice trigger plate!!   Wish me luck!  

[Acer Saccharum]

If you decide to do a trigger plate, here's a photo of a recent trigger plate of mine. It's sheet steel with a boss brazed on at the appropriate angle for the tang screw to drill in to.

[Curtis]

Some trade guns had no trigger plate but used a small brass stud for the trigger return stop at the front of the trigger.

Curtis

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I agree with Dave, it may not need to have a plate to function, but a pistol as nice as the one you are building would probably have one.

Coryjoe

[Pete G.]

Maybe a brass plate with a little bit of fluer de lis shape torward the rear and a touch of engraving along the sides.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

I often do not use a trigger plate.  I use just a square "nut" to hold the end of the tang screw.  The trigger I make uses a blade of full thickness of the trigger, like 1/4 inch, rather than the thin blade of around 1/16 inch.  This makes the trigger a whole lot easier to make, just cut the thing out of 1/4 inch stock, smooth the edges, done.  it is really a lot easier to inlet a 1/4 blade into the wood and get a good fit than the thin one.  When drilling the pivot pin hole, just press the trigger blade tight against the forward edge of the inlet cut which will give you the forward trigger stop function.  Also, the pivot pin passing through the 1/4 inch thick blade is a lot less apt to wriggle/wobble than a thin blade.


Here is a "cheapie" pistol I made as a donation to a raffle with the trigger done this way.  Really, it took a lot less than an hour to make, inlet, install, and tune the trigger.  On nicer guns, I do use the trigger plate as is most common.




Jim

[Jim Kibler]

A classic example of a longrifle with no trigger plate is the "brass barreled rifle".  Fully mounted and carved, so there are no absolute rules.

[cheyenne]

Any updates on your pistol?