Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

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Hypnotoad
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Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Hypnotoad »

I know it can be lightened w/ Wolff springs (already got them) and I know the original ammo needed a hefty strike to ignite the primer. But how exactly did this work? Did the police these were issued to simply treat them as single action and cock them prior to firing? It seems like if you wanted to land your first shot where you wanted it this would be a good idea. Maybe with enough practice you can squeeze thru that 26 lb trigger w/o shaking but that blows my mind.

Not complaining - just curious how these were used originally.
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juniustaylor
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by juniustaylor »

I wonder if some of it is just due to a poor engineering in the angle of the components and not allowing for maximum leverage of the trigger/trigger bar.
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snailman153624
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by snailman153624 »

I'd read that the hammer spring was stiffened as a late design change, due to hard primers in Soviet military ammo.
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Weasel640
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Weasel640 »

I can't really comment on the design reason. But with training/practice you can be just as accurate in double action as in single. I've done a few competition where the first shot had to be double action at 25m (just further than 25 yards) and landed those in the same place as the single action shots.
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Curly1
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Curly1 »

In a stress situation I think the adreniline will get that trigger pulled.
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DoubleTap
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by DoubleTap »

Curly1 wrote:In a stress situation I think the adreniline will get that trigger pulled.
This! :D
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Weasel640
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Weasel640 »

Yes, in a stressful situation, in most cases adreniline will get the trigger pulled. However if you aren't train/practicing you double action pull, you will throw off your aim, and that first round won't count.
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frankmako
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by frankmako »

Curly1 wrote:In a stress situation I think the adreniline will get that trigger pulled.
plus one.
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fully machined
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by fully machined »

This trigger always reminds me that a crisp clean pull through is what is best. I should not try to "feel" it or get on the trigger.
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by snailman153624 »

I disagree on the "adrenaline" point. The factory DA was initially so stiff, two fingers wouldn't reliably fire it, and I have relatively large beefy hands. Basically, the trigger pull was so hard it would cause the mehcanism to bind. The lighter hammer spring, combined with breaking the DA pull in, has lightened it considerably, and it's quite usable now.
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by DoubleTap »

I guess it all comes down to personal preference. I really don’t find the DA trigger pull to be all that objectionable on the three P-64s I own, and never felt the slightest need to change out springs. Having said that, I still do all my ‘target’ shooting in SA.
Hypnotoad
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Hypnotoad »

After cleaning and lubing my new P64 the DA pull doesn't seem so bad. It's far, far better than the junker P64 I handled at a shop a few weeks ago. I need to get a snap cap and practice with it before I decide to swap the spring out.
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by Hypnotoad »

I got around to dropping the 17 lb hammer spring in. I was expecting a significant difference but... no difference that I can tell. The original spring looked suspiciously like the 18 lb Wolff spring that I also bought, I guess the previous owner did a spring replacement for me. Waste of a few bucks but oh well.

Got my snap caps in so I can practice with that trigger.
tankdriver
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by tankdriver »

I think it was used as a test for Military inductie. If you could not pull it, you went regular Army. If you could pull it, you went Special Forces......
rickn8or
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Re: Can anyone explain the heavy DA trigger?

Post by rickn8or »

tankdriver, if you couldn't pull the 26# trigger they gave you pink underwear and sent you to to the Air Force...
(grins)
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