Up grading

[Twigg]

I'm in the process of up grading from a FID to an LTC-A and took the first class last night at the club I belong to out in Athol. I havent fired a handgun since '78 when I was still in the Navy. That was a Colt Government model .45acp and I just barely qualified with it.

We had a brief session of live fire, I got to shoot a S&W model 22a 7"barrel with target sights. We were shooting offhand at 50" standard USRA targets and I managed to but 8 out of ten ( with 2X's!) into the bull's eye, one in the 8 ring almost on the black and one flyer in the seven ring.

I never considered myself much of a handgunner but I was quit pleased with my efforts ! Next class is tommorrow night. Can't wait !

 

[Cross-X]

Congrats!

Keep working on a mastery of shooting fundamentals and you can take your handgunning a long, long way.

Well done!

 

[C-pher]

Great Shooting... It's always a good time...

They say, shoot good and you're goign to shoot to get better, shoot crappy and you'll shoot your whole life.

Or something like that... I can never remember that phrase.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Congrats!

I learned an expensive and frustrating lesson on 1911s. Unless you have have large hands, chances are that your problem is that the trigger is too long! That was my problem almost 30 years ago and I couldn't shoot my first 1911 very well (and the reason I sold it some years ago).

Time Travel to 2004 and Jim Crews addressed the question to us in my first Defensive Handgun Tactics class!

I shot a 1911 in 2004 that had a short trigger and WOW, the difference was night and day! I bought a S&W 1911, replaced the trigger and do very well with it now.

If you make any of our shoots when I'm also there, please seek me out and try my 1911. I think you'll see the difference vs. what you used in the US Navy . . . and thanks for your Service!

 

[Dirtypacman]

Best of luck with the process!

 

[Nashmack]

I used to have a 5" government model with the arched mainspring housing and short trigger, I had absolutely no problem reaching the short trigger. I always had trouble with the long triggers. My current sidearm is an EAA Witness in .45, and I have to really reach for the trigger, and my accuracy suffers.

If you're looking to buy a pistol, I'd say get a .22. Very fun, the Ruger Mk3 espescially feels good in my small hands, and very cheap to shoot. Highly accurate too!

 

[Len-2A Training]

I used to have a 5" government model with the arched mainspring housing and short trigger, I had absolutely no problem reaching the short trigger. I always had trouble with the long triggers. My current sidearm is an EAA Witness in .45, and I have to really reach for the trigger, and my accuracy suffers.

If you're looking to buy a pistol, I'd say get a .22. Very fun, the Ruger Mk3 espescially feels good in my small hands, and very cheap to shoot. Highly accurate too!

I am not familiar with the EAA Witness, but are OEM or after-market replacement short triggers available for this gun? If so, you should check into it.

I also agree with the .22 recommendation. EVERYONE should have one. S&W, Ruger or High Standard (original mfr) are good bets (other brands maybe too, but these are the ones I know about).

 

[dreppucci007]

Congrats on the nice shooting, MrTwigg! Keep up the good work!

Len, you're right...I just got my first 1911, and I was thinking that the trigger was too long!...That could be a good reason to visit Greg Derr

 

[Len-2A Training]

Dave,

Be aware that you can order a short trigger from Brownells or Midway for $15-20. It's a drop-in replacement, so a gunsmith is not required.

Gunsmithing is nice to do, but just not necessary strictly to change the trigger length.

 

[dreppucci007]

Dave,

Be aware that you can order a short trigger from Brownells or Midway for $15-20. It's a drop-in replacement, so a gunsmith is not required.

Gunsmithing is nice to do, but just not necessary strictly to change the trigger length.

Thanks again, Len...Didn't know that.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Dave,

That's why I provided that info. It doesn't come a lot simpler than this.

 

[dreppucci007]

Dave,

That's why I provided that info. It doesn't come a lot simpler than this.

Thanks

 

[Twigg]

Thanks for encouragement guys. The S&W I shot was small in my paws. Those who met me in Vermont know I'm rather large. I'm planning on picking up a full size 1911 and a .22 conversion kit when the LTC comes in.

I learned a good drill for developing a proper trigger squeeze, this only works for flat top autos though. Lay a dime on top of the slide by the front sight and extend your shooting arm in a one arm firing position. Slowly s-q-u-e-e-z-e the trigger, if it's done smoothly the dime stays put. Jerk the trigger slightly and the dime falls off.

+1 on the .22's, be they handguns or rifles they are a ton of fun to shoot ! Mrs. Twigg was bitching about the rain because she wants to go plinking ...and she told me she's been saving tin cans to shoot at too !

 

[Nashmack]

LenS, the EAA Witness has a pivoting trigger. Think CZ75 and you've got the exterior look, the trigger gaurd is larger, and the reach to the trigger is longer (about the same as a CZ95). Double stack .45s aren't known to be the most ergonomic of things for smaller shooters.

The last 3 time's I've been to the indoor range I haven't even brought the .22 in, and I sold my .22 pistol[sad2]

The Ruger is the .22 pistol I'm most familiar with, I find that with the grip angle and balance on the gun it points very naturally for me. I'd actually consider it as a BUG if it were smaller.

 

[Scrivener]

Be aware that you can order a short trigger from Brownells or Midway for $15-20. It's a drop-in replacement, so a gunsmith is not required.

Gunsmithing is nice to do, but just not necessary strictly to change the trigger length.

True. If you want to be REALLY "trick," order a Tri-Glide trigger kit from SVI. It has a tiny ball bearing at the back of the trigger bow and another on the finger spring to further reduce drag and trigger pull. You can get just the trigger, or the full kit; trigger, spring and sear.

Note that you can get triggers in different:

Lengths;

SHAPES; and

Colors.

One of them should work for you. Go here:

http://www.sviguns.com/store/?indx=5

 

[Len-2A Training]

Scrivener,

Does Castillo make these triggers you speak of?

I put a Castillo trigger in my 1911. Here's info on them.
http://www.ccactions.com/

 

[Scrivener]

Scrivener,

Does Castillo make these triggers you speak of?

NO, SVI makes them and holds the patent (and several others).

Note that, as previously stated, the SVI trigger has the ball bearing IN THE TRIGGER BOW for smooth contact against the sear. The sear spring has one also for that same reason.

The Castillo trigger did not appear to offer shape options as the SVI does; if so, I missed that feature.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Scrivener,

No you are correct unless he makes some custom stuff that's not on his website. I didn't catch that . . . ball bearings in the trigger bow! Must be very, very tiny not to interfere with the mag. What about dirt from the tiny bit of blow-by that might land beside mag . . . could this gum up those ball bearings (only a question)? Sounds like an interesting design.

 

[Emoto]

Thanks for encouragement guys. The S&W I shot was small in my paws. Those who met me in Vermont know I'm rather large. I'm planning on picking up a full size 1911 and a .22 conversion kit when the LTC comes in.

I learned a good drill for developing a proper trigger squeeze, this only works for flat top autos though. Lay a dime on top of the slide by the front sight and extend your shooting arm in a one arm firing position. Slowly s-q-u-e-e-z-e the trigger, if it's done smoothly the dime stays put. Jerk the trigger slightly and the dime falls off.

+1 on the .22's, be they handguns or rifles they are a ton of fun to shoot ! Mrs. Twigg was bitching about the rain because she wants to go plinking ...and she told me she's been saving tin cans to shoot at too !

That's a really cool idea about the dime; I will have to try it.

On the .22 pistol thing, I know you'll have fun with a .22 conversion kit, but you might also want to consider picking up a modest .22 semi-auto like the Ruger Mk II or III or my favorite the Browning Buckmark Target model (only available used in MA). The reason I suggest this is because those guns are pretty inexpensive as guns go, but are accurate enough that you can shoot them in a bull's eye pistol league competition, which is a heck of a lot of fun for very little $$$. Gives you great practice opportunity to work on fundamentals, and you'll find yourself around people who really know how to shoot accurately. Not sure what league is out in your area, but ask around at a club and you may find one.