Steve Smith
New member
How do I lighten the trigger on my FAL? It's awfully heavy right now (at least 12 lbs.)
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FAL trigger job
- Thread starter Steve Smith
- Start date
One of the main reason all fals have a heavy trigger pull is the trigger return spring,It is the spring that sets in the pistol grip.Here is what I did to muine.
1-Make sure it is unloaded
2-disassemble lower completly.
3-polish the sear syatem and any place you see makes that indicate fricton between parts.
3-Polish the shaft that the trigger return spring sets on.Take the spring to the local store that has a good selecton of springs and find one with the same ID and OD but lighter wire.Cut and put inplace of the original.Test fire to make sure it will return and rework as necassary.I have both mine down to about 3.5 lbs which I think is right for this type of rifle.
If you check the FN FAL forum there was a guy selling the springs there but there is no need to buy one.Cost is toomuch.
Good luck and if I am not clear on something feel free to email me with qestions.
I am typing with 1 eye and no glasses so any mistakes please excuse.
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Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
1-Make sure it is unloaded
2-disassemble lower completly.
3-polish the sear syatem and any place you see makes that indicate fricton between parts.
3-Polish the shaft that the trigger return spring sets on.Take the spring to the local store that has a good selecton of springs and find one with the same ID and OD but lighter wire.Cut and put inplace of the original.Test fire to make sure it will return and rework as necassary.I have both mine down to about 3.5 lbs which I think is right for this type of rifle.
If you check the FN FAL forum there was a guy selling the springs there but there is no need to buy one.Cost is toomuch.
Good luck and if I am not clear on something feel free to email me with qestions.
I am typing with 1 eye and no glasses so any mistakes please excuse.
------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
Badger Arms
New member
I just pulled my FAL apart and did as instructed. I chucked up the trigger plunger in my drill, put a little lapping compound on a cleaning patch and polished away. I paid particular attention to the tip where it contacts the trigger. I then leveled and polished the contacting surface on the back of the trigger. I took the sear and hammer out and stoned the contacting surfaces. I then took a little metal off the bottom of the hammer to shorten the pull. All-in-all, I think I knocked about 4 pounds off the pull weight. It feels like about 8-10 pounds now and is very smooth. I've got to find a good spring for the trigger plunger and I'll be set. One thing I also did was polish up the face of the hammer so that the bolt would retract better. This took me about an hour and a half as I'd never really broken down the trigger mechanism before.
The trigger return spring will make the most difference on the trigger pull.You have made a great difference allready by basicly decreaseing the friction between parts.The return spring will require a replace and test till you get the right complimise between trigger pull and a good positive trigger return.
Good luck with the rest of it.You will be very happy with it when done.
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Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
Good luck with the rest of it.You will be very happy with it when done.
------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
Badger Arms
New member
Where do I get a spring? I raided all of the pencils and pens in the house to no avail.
badgerarms;
Too weak.Take the old spring and head down to your local hardware store and go through there spring drawes.I bought about 4 different ones.You have to not only play with the spring strength but allso length.Both will have a affect.
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Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
Too weak.Take the old spring and head down to your local hardware store and go through there spring drawes.I bought about 4 different ones.You have to not only play with the spring strength but allso length.Both will have a affect.
------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
Steve Smith
New member
Guys, I haven't ingored anyone's post...I'll be trying some of this stuff this weekend, I hope.
KarrensMan69
Inactive
Pardon the necropost
I've been looking for solutions to my trigger issue. Usually I get a few decent trigger pulls, around 8lbs or so, but every now and then I'll get one that seems like 15 or worse. That happens somewhere around 1 of 3 or 1 of 4 pulls. It isn't consistent. I'm going to guess it's the trigger return spring, but if anyone can identify the problem it would be helpful.
I've been looking for solutions to my trigger issue. Usually I get a few decent trigger pulls, around 8lbs or so, but every now and then I'll get one that seems like 15 or worse. That happens somewhere around 1 of 3 or 1 of 4 pulls. It isn't consistent. I'm going to guess it's the trigger return spring, but if anyone can identify the problem it would be helpful.
I do trigger jobs on guns like some people make lamps out of driftwood, a random amateurish hobby.
The frontier of safe trigger mods for a putz like me is 2 pounds........ except in a semi auto with a disconnector. Then it is 4 pounds.
When a professional makes a well designed after market product trigger or parts, sure, 1/2 pound bolt actions and 2 pound 10/22s are possible.
The frontier of safe trigger mods for a putz like me is 2 pounds........ except in a semi auto with a disconnector. Then it is 4 pounds.
When a professional makes a well designed after market product trigger or parts, sure, 1/2 pound bolt actions and 2 pound 10/22s are possible.
Dixie Gunsmithing
Moderator Emeritus
You can get coil spring stock from Brownells. However, you can slide that coil spring on the shaft of say, a Phillips screwdriver, then, use a belt sander to lighten it. Hold the spring and driver at a 45 deg angle, and parallel to the belt, then gently place the springs side, the springs coils and not the ends, against the running belt. You'll see the spring spin on the drivers shaft. This will cut the springs OD down a little at a time, and lessen the springs operating pressure. This is the correct way of doing this, and not by cutting it shorter and stretching it.
If you want to make one with spring stock, measure the old ones OD, and the wire diameter. Use a piece of coil spring stock with the same or close OD, but a smaller wire diameter, and the same number of turns per inch, or close. Cut it with a wire cutter, so that the length is a shade longer, then, grind the two ends flat, making it the same length.
If you want to make one with spring stock, measure the old ones OD, and the wire diameter. Use a piece of coil spring stock with the same or close OD, but a smaller wire diameter, and the same number of turns per inch, or close. Cut it with a wire cutter, so that the length is a shade longer, then, grind the two ends flat, making it the same length.