[svandamme]

Friend of mine has a M1A with a trigger problem.

Gun was fine for several months after he got it, but then it it develloped a problem. It breaks really heavy, almost does not break at all.

We don't live in the same area, so have not had a chance to look at his gun handsop myself. But another friend had a look at it and could not see anything obviously wrong with it.

We were supposed to meet up next week to shoot a 300 meter match in Holland together.

Do you have any suggestions what might be a field fix?

Worst case i can swap my trigger group with him for the first match, while i go to town with my 1903A3. But it's frustrating that it develloped this problem, we have no M1x gunsmiths around here, so we need DYI tips..DI5

 

[Greyson]

Remove the triggergroup and the hammer manually, pull the trigger (catch the hammer with your thumb) and see how it feels out of the stock. Rear of trigger that elevates when trigger is pulled may be contacting stock.
If he has pulled the trigger very hard to make it break, the triggerpin may now be bent as well.
Also, If there is a dummy selector installed, the base may be contacting the sear and making the triggerpull hard, or impossible.

 

[svandamme]

Remove the triggergroup and the hammer manually, pull the trigger (catch the hammer with your thumb) and see how it feels out of the stock.

That's what i suggested myself.

Did not have much else to offer though

 

[Tommo]

Trigger pin?

 

[Capona]

If you take it out of the reciever and test it on its own and it's still bad isolated on its own, follow tonybens video and take it apart.

 

[DstRflMn645]

A badly worn or broken trigger pin can cause this issue.

 

[Foxfire32]

Broken trigger pin would be the first thing I looked for.
I keep a spare trigger group on hand.

 

[svandamme]

Thx guys, got the video, will check that out and report back.
Won't be right away, as i'm not near the gun

 

[svandamme]

Update,

Went shooting today, 450 km drive over, and 450km drive back
We require long drives to get to a half decent range around here.. nothing is close by.

I had a look at his rifle, it's an 022xxx serial M1A
TRW bolt

Well worn, oprod shows rings around the area where the spring inserts.
like the outer bit has worn off.
Gas piston was sticking, lot's of carbon.
Rifle needed a good cleaning, so i've explained a few things about cleaning, lube, etc etc

The trigger well, it's on and off.
The first stage is gritty, i can see some tool marks on the first stage hooks(?) on the hammer, i think that could use some work, but needs somebody who knows what he is doing, a gunsmith, not diy.

the main sear and hammer hook(?) is better, just a small burr on one of the edges, hardly noticable.

When it breaks soft, it breaks almost like my own trigger does.Almost, not quite the same.
But every once in a while it is very heavy, so i'm inclined to suspect the trigger pin as well.

did not have time or tools to dismantle at the firing point, we had a 4 hours drive to and shoot and 4 hour drive back, so no need for that stuff there, buddy shot with my trigger and second match with my AR15 which has a hiperfire glass smooth breaking trigger.

All in all a good day, didn't win anything (nor did i expect i would), but fun being out with a friend i had not seen in a long time.. happy days.

 

[mb3]

Trigger pin?

Good posibility.

 

[svandamme]

To be honest, i think he needs to go back to the shop that sold it to him and demand some effort to fix his issues, he payed enough for this rifle to deserve good parts.


I only payed a smidgeon more for mine back in 2012, and mine was mint when i got it.
+ better assembly and stock fit, and some bedding.

 

[ShootingSight]

Stijn,

If you have difficulty locating trigger pins there, I make new pins out of tool steel with NiB coating, and I can ship them to Belgium. I also have access to replacement USGI/Italian triggers I can get to you. Unfortunately, my new CNC triggers are too expensive for me to ship without an export license.

Art

PS - This is a really stupid question, but is the safety fully off? If it is only partially off, the edge of the trigger could be bumping the safety, causing a difficult pull.

 

[svandamme]

Great tip, i'll ask him to do some tests, and positively push the safety forward each time he shoots to see if that improves his issue!!!