Making a trigger

[Red Owl]

I want to use a brass scroll guard that will be pinned into the stock rather than screwed to the base of double set triggers as is done in many plains rifles. What's more, I want to pin a single trigger into the stock.  In looking at the TOW and DGW catalogs I don't see any trigger that seems to fit the guard the way I like so I am thinking about making a trigger.
   How is it done?
   1.I could file the entire thing out of stock, say 1/4" thick- that's a lot of filing and I might screw up keeping the tail straight although I could make a filing jig.
   2. I could use stock the thickness of the tail/tongue (proper term?) of the trigger and try forging the flat part of the trigger (that is-the part the finger presses).
   3. Or use two pieces and solder or weld together. If two pieces, I could add a groove into the front part if that makes a stronger part.
   In any event- how is a trigger normally made?

Thanks. 

[B.Habermehl]

Forge and file. Make the wide part for your finger straight, sort of, while your doing the clean up filing. Then bend it as you need to suit.  BJH

[b bogart]

I believe Eric VonA has a tutorial in the archives. Unless what little of my memory is failing me. Check it out.
Bruce

[rich pierce]

This is an easy and fun task and can be done w/o heat on mild steel.  If you have a cross peen hammer and a good vise you are in business.  Do all the work on a decent sized rectangle of .100 or .125 stock, say  2" tall, then trim everything later after you have the shoe peened out.  If you go slowly and carefully with the right hammer, it does not require much cleaning up.  Make sure you don't use serrated jaws on the vise and that the stock is well supported from below to make your blows efficient and avoid slipping or scarring of the stock in the vise.

[flehto]

I do the same as Rich but use a hardened 3/8" rod hit w/ a medium weight hammer. The last trigger was from 2 pieces high temp silver soldered together but found it's faster and easier to cold forge a one piece trigger.....Fred

[Stophel]

Triggers actually ARE fun to make.   Put it in a vise (TIGHT) and pound the $#@* out of it.  I've been using 1/8" thick steel, and after pounding out the "pad" and getting the rest of the trigger more or less shaped, I file the thickness down.  I would like to have some 3/32" steel, as that would be about perfect.  1/16" steel I just can't get to pound out well.

[AndyThomas]

I'm with Chris on this one.

I bought some 3/32 steel from MBS, which turned out to be closer to 1/10". It works well for making triggers.

Hit the edge with a ball peen to form the shoe. It's all done cold. Try to hit so you get an even amount of foldover on both sides. And file off what you don't need.

It's not really hard to do, just try it.

Andy

[Red Owl]

Couple more Qs.

1. How do you search the archives for a tutorial? I have not had much luck.

2. On some triggers there is a web behind the shoe/pad that seems a little too wide to be able to bend the pad/shoe.  Do you peen hammer or bend cold, hot?

[Sean]

Dave,

See this link:

http://americanlongrifles.org/old_board/index.php?topic=11.0

I don't think you need the torch unless you are going to curl the tip.  At least I haven't needed one.

Sean

[Red Owl]

Thanks Sean, appreciate it since I am computer challenged in searching archives.

[Stophel]

You're not really bending the "pad" out, you're spreading it out.

[flehto]

I start w/ .100 thick mild steel and file a side contour of the trigger before starting to peen w/ the 3/8" hardened rod. The peening is mainly concentrated on the surface opposite the clamped thickness. otherwise the stl being extended on either side of the .100 blade curves down too much. The peening continues until a shoe width of 3/8"is achieved and very little filing is req'd to smooth the front and rear of the shoe and to contour the shoe sides . The .100 blade thickness is left as is. A torch and a pair of long nosed, rounded jaw pliers is used to curl the shoe.....Fred