10/22 Trigger Work

1
Couple of years back I acquired an original mid seventies 10/22, meaning that all of it's parts are original to it. Decent shape, no signs of abuse or modifications...doesn't appear to have seen much use...

and the trigger sucked; 10 perhaps 15 pound jerk needed to discharge it sort of suck.

So while giving some thought to a replacement (Volquartsen hammer or Kidd, maybe a new sear too ??) I started looking at why the stock trigger was so awful.

One thing led to another and in a moment of apathy I took a jeweler's file to the sear indent on the hammer and relaxed the angle of the cut. The pull is right at 2 pounds now and both hammer, sear and hammer spring indent have been polished to a hard shine.

Question: Did I go too far? Is there something I should be anxious about?
Subliterate Buffooery of the right...
Literate Ignorance of the left...
We Are So Screwed

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

3
Oh...no I don't want that. I thought that the disengage/disconnector lever prevented full auto so I left that alone entirely for that very reason.

I suppose an investment in .22 snap caps is in order...damn, I can just see myself showing up at a range run by a police instructor and dumping a full magazine .... That would not go over well.

"Your honor, my client did everything he honestly believed would prevent the very circumstance that presented itself on this fateful day and upon discovering the malfunction immediately took steps to render the firearm inoperable...What more could he have done?"

"Not turned it into a machine gun for starters counselor...guilty on all count...life without parole in a full blown pound 'em in the add prison"
Subliterate Buffooery of the right...
Literate Ignorance of the left...
We Are So Screwed

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

4
Generally a 10/22 stock trigger can be lightened to two pounds without going full auto but, not knowing exactly what you did, there is no guarantee. Try it a couple times with a magazine loaded with just two or three rounds.

If you want to go the drop in route, the Kidd "trigger job kit" is very well reviewed and the Kidd single stage group is really superb. If you want to go the Volquartsen route, I have one of their trigger groups set at about two pounds that I would sell for $100.

The Kidd two stage trigger is extraordinary but is best intended for a bench rifle. I have one set at 8 ounces per stage and it can go lower. It's like the trigger has a direct link to your brain,
Image

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

5
What I learned from a "similar" experience is that keeping all the contacts squared is vitally important - and hard to do. The sear and hammer need solid contact across the length of their surfaces. Your 2lb pull might be a result of 50% true engagement and could likely lead to an attention grabbing BRAAAAAAAAAAAP that sounds like a miniature A10 Warthog.

I watched and read a ton of stuff on this and found this old video far above the rest in explaining what is really going on in a 10/22 trigger (positive, negative engagement) and what you actually want to do on the hammer AND sear. Very informative. I suggest watching at least 3 times before, during and after a DIY 10/22 trigger job.
Be sure to make good choices when you're being stupid...

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

6
shit. apathy wins.

There is no way I kept the contacts "perfectly square". While I inspected my work with a 10X loupe at each pass, I did this by hand without a jig or guide. Best I can say is that each surface 'appears' even.

oh well, it was fun while it lasted...the apathy I mean, but I am not taking the chance on a potential hazard / liability.
Subliterate Buffooery of the right...
Literate Ignorance of the left...
We Are So Screwed

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

7
rolandson wrote:shit. apathy wins.

There is no way I kept the contacts "perfectly square". While I inspected my work with a 10X loupe at each pass, I did this by hand without a jig or guide. Best I can say is that each surface 'appears' even.

oh well, it was fun while it lasted...the apathy I mean, but I am not taking the chance on a potential hazard / liability.
The loupe is actually secondary. Contact surfaces should be filed/stoned after applying machinist's dye (or even a sharpie) to see where the high and low spots are occurring. Apply, test the fit, observe where the smudging is happening, stone, apply, test the fit, observe, etc. Even if you're using a jig it's a good idea to be testing contact surfaces in a similar manner.

Re: 10/22 Trigger Work

11
Paladin wrote:Just buy bucolics.
The check is in the mail.

swissdog wrote: The loupe is actually secondary. Contact surfaces should be filed/stoned after applying machinist's dye (or even a sharpie) to see where the high and low spots are occurring. Apply, test the fit, observe where the smudging is happening, stone, apply, test the fit, observe, etc. Even if you're using a jig it's a good idea to be testing contact surfaces in a similar manner.
This is why they only let us make stuff out of plex in the grad school machine shops...and always had the resident machinist do the work. Damn them; yes, a few idiots would cut their fingers off but the rest of us would have obtained usable skills.
Subliterate Buffooery of the right...
Literate Ignorance of the left...
We Are So Screwed

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