Are all TSM triggers very hard to pull?

[RMikeM]

My M1 trigger is so hard that it almost hurts my finger to pull it. I can never get a "single tap" it always doubles. Is there something that needs tweaking, like a spring or pivot point? My other guns have wonderful trigger pulls and single shots (on full auto mode) are possible. Any remedies?

[giantpanda4]

Just a thought... how hard is the trigger pull with the lower off the upper. If that is smooth, then check the notches bolt and also the sear. Sometimes bolts drag and get rough.

 

But all of them do have a relatively hard trigger pull. You have to be good to shoot single on full auto.

[reconbob]

Sometimes the sear spring will have a "kink" in it. When you pull the trigger you can feel it

and hear it. There is no way to fix this other than replacing the spring.

The Thompson is not a target rifle - it is a submachine gun. You can have problems if

you squeeeeze the trigger trying to fire one shot because the sear can drag on the bottom

of the bolt causing the gun to short recoil and the sear notch on the bolt can hit the edge of the

sear on recoil since it is in a barely dropped position.

Whenever you shoot a Thompson you should pull the trigger decisively. if you want single

shots switch it to semi. If you want a 2 or three round burst - practice.

 

Bob

[RMikeM]

Thanks for the info so far. Yes, I know single shots are hard to do. In our local sub gun matches, the contestant must keep the selector on all guns on "FULL". We try the singles to conserve ammo and move on down the plates quicker. However, mine just seems very hard on the pull. No grit or grime as it is clean., Had the trigger parts out to see if there were any obvious spring problems. All looked ok.

[ron_brock]

Just checking, is this a GI gun or WH?

 

Ron

Edited October 10, 2016 by ron_brock

[jim c 351]

RMike,

How hard is hard?? A regular firearm might have a 4 lb pull . A Thompson might have a 12 lb pull. So any TSMG would have a hard trigger pull.

Is the trigger pull on your gun harder than all the other Thompson guns at the plate shoot??

If you watch a experienced TSMG gunner at a plate shoot its quite common to see single taps. I do it all the time. Its not that difficult with practice.

So,---how hard is hard.

Jim C

[ppgcowboy]

Do you have an extra trigger housing to put on and if you do , is it just as hard? If you don't, any way to get your hands on a another one to compare with?

Edited October 10, 2016 by ppgcowboy

[Grease Gunner]

Any Links you can send on a TSMG plate shoot? That sounds like the Most Fun!!!

[jim c 351]

Haris,

There's a plate shoot at Knob Creek Range this week. Is that soon enough for you??

Jim C

[buzz]

The trigger pull on my Savage M1A1 is smooth as "buttah"

 

it's not a match trigger but it's a good smooth clean breaking trigger and the weight is moderate

 

I second the reconbob recommendation regarding the deliberate trigger yanking

Edited October 10, 2016 by buzz

[full auto 45]

If you are not used to shooting your gun a lot, it may seem hard. After a lot of practice, it is easy to pop off 1-2 rounds at a time, even in F/A. And the F/A Tommy has about a 10-12 pound trigger pull. Seems very hard after firing that #3 trigger on the Winchester 70 308.

[RMikeM]

I've had it since 2001 and it's a WH. Early on it seemed easier on the pull and single taps on steel was easy. After many thousands of rounds it got real sticky and the trigger stuck back a few times. After taking it all apart and cleaning every crack and cranny it is just plain hard to pull, but the trigger is now working correct. Different level hand loads seem to make no difference. It might be a case of worn parts. I might nip a spring or two the ease up on the tension. I thought someone on here had done a trigger job and could pass on the tricks to a smoother softer trigger pull.

[ron_brock]

Do you have GI parts in it or WH? If it were easier and has gotten stiffer I'd look for signs of wear or binding.

 

Ron

[full auto 45]

A silly question.

Have you cleaned the lower? I mean like putting it in an ultrasonic cleaner or spraying it out with Gun Scrubber or something like that? I remember my M1 was having troubles with the trigger sticking in single. I took the lower off and put it in my ultrasonic and some Simple Green. I was surprised at all the junk that came out of it, even though I had sprayed lube in the lower all the time.

Also, if it is a WH, make sure the lower has all military parts. Not all WH parts are to spec.

[TSMGguy]

Babying a TSMG trigger will also cause rapid and unnecessary wear to the sear and the sear notch in the bolt. It's probably better to think of the trigger as a switch. It must be pulled quickly and decisively, and released with an equally positive motion.

 

Bob's right; if we want single rounds, select "single". This is in line with how the gun was designed.

 

These guns were originally tools for fighting. Modern, artificial range rules were not considerations in their design.

[Merry Ploughboy]

"Trench Broom" - Storm the enemy's trench, and hold the trigger in while sweeping the trench with a withering full automatic induced fusillade of .45 ACP projectiles.

 

MHO, YMMV, etc.

[buzz]

I think he has something wrong with his trigger.

 

Does anyone have a trigger pull gauge and a WWII Thompson? I bet mine would be maybe 5 or 6 lbs at the most and the pull is very smooth.

[Merry Ploughboy]

I think he has something wrong with his trigger.

 

Does anyone have a trigger pull gauge and a WWII Thompson? I bet mine would be maybe 5 or 6 lbs at the most and the pull is very smooth.

 

Anent Thompson trigger pull force: I don't have it anymore, but the WWII M1A1 I used to have came in at a very smooth 11 1/2 lbs. FWIW, the Kahr 27A1 I now have measures a very smooth 8 lbs.

[ppgcowboy]

the 28 trigger housing I have breaks somewhere around 9 to 10 pounds. The scale only goes up to 8 so it is over it but not a whole lot.

Edited October 14, 2016 by ppgcowboy