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Author Topic: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate  (Read 840 times)

Offline silky

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Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« on: January 09, 2024, 11:53:43 PM »
Afternoon,

Any best practices for creating a nice tight-fitting trigger that has no (or very little) side-to-side wobble in a gun without a trigger plate?  I'm about to forge a trigger that will be stock-pinned and have no trigger plate.

I have the tutorials for forging the trigger and both 1/8 and 1/16" thick steel.  My thought right now is that the 1/8" will be better as it will allow less slop for the pin going through it than a 1/16" piece, thereby minimizing wobble at that point.  Am I on the right track or picking daisies in left field?

As for the inletting into the stock, any tips on keeping that nice and tight in order to have little to no side-to-side movement at the opening?  Is there some meet-in-the-middle by removing both wood and metal as I go? 

I didn't turn up much using the search function but may have missed some.

Thanks!

- Tom
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2024, 12:12:27 AM »
I find some
 Side to side wobble to be a good thing with out a plate.
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Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline rich pierce

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2024, 12:28:32 AM »
I draw a pencil line where I want to inlet the plate. Then I use a v chisel to make a groove where the line is/was. Then I drill with a slightly smaller drill by hand, lots of holes. Then I use a very narrow, wide homemade chisel to stab straight down and another chisel the width of the trigger plate to remove wood. That chisel is narrow but strong because it was made of wide stock. As Mike indicated, some play is good. Binding with moisture changes could ruin a hunt.



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Andover, Vermont

Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2024, 12:56:28 AM »
I have done a few. Drilled some holes just inside the lines and took a piece of steel the same thickness as trigger and heat it up and burn the rest out . worked good.
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Offline rich pierce

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2024, 01:07:24 AM »
Quote from: smylee grouch on January 10, 2024, 12:56:28 AM
I have done a few. Drilled some holes just inside the lines and took a piece of steel the same thickness as trigger and heat it up and burn the rest out . worked good.

I will try that on my current build!
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Andover, Vermont

Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2024, 03:39:57 AM »
Rich, after I burn the slot I took a flat needle file and worried the sides of it just enuf to give it a little windage . it might swell a bit with any finish or humid weather.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2024, 03:51:13 AM by smylee grouch »
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Offline silky

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Re: Fitting a trigger with no trigger plate
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2024, 06:14:06 AM »
Great. I appreciate the photos of those tools, Rich -- I'll try and make something similar. 

Thanks, guys!

- Tom
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