Would you buy a pistol based SOLELY on its trigger pull?

L

Lavan

New member
Used gun. 1911. One of Colt's newer chintzier products with the cheapy roll on logo.
Not pretty at all.

But the TRIGGER!!! Oh my. :)

It is as good as ANY I've ever felt. FAR better than my Gold Cup Series 70.
As good as any custom I've felt also.

I mean it just has that smooth, crisp (jeez, not even crisp...more like NOTHING)and then it drops the sear.

BEST trigger in a 1911 that could exist.

BUT..... used gun. Why traded so soon? No bells and whistles. Pure utility.
Fixed sights. :confused::confused:
Complete blah looks.

But the TRIGGER!!! :cool::cool:

So, would you?

My ..experience... has been that the trigger is MY most critical element in shooting almost anything.

But there's bushing, who knows how the lugs fit?

Aw hell..

Just tell me whether you'd give it a go.

Thanks. :o
 
I might.

Perception of trigger quality is very individual. There are folks out there that think Glocks have good triggers. :rolleyes:

Perception of trigger quality varies, depending on if you're sitting there dry firing slowly, or actually out there shooting. For example, when I''m actually shooting, there's so much else going on that I don't even notice the aforementioned Glock's spongy "kid's plastic spacegun" trigger. ;) When I'm sitting there slowly dry firing my XD, I can perceive 4 distinct stages. When I'm shooting, I perceive it as one crisp click.
 
For me it depends on

History - if you can believe what the store says/knows. If that was from the factory, it's a plus. If the gun was "worked on" by Lord knows who, we don't know if it's sustainable. Anyone could take the engagement down pretty far and have a pretty weak sear angle. If they've filed through the hardened surfaces, the sear angles may not last long. Treading the line carefully would be a good smith's job.

Price - good deal? maybe you can afford to satisfy your curiosity and figure out why the trigger is so good. You did after all ask to handle it, so I'm guessing it's not an issue. I've seen some stores try sell a used firearm for almost as much as brand new.

Check it out - if you can afford to get it, just make sure it passes the safety tests, bring a snap cap. If they won't let you field strip it, it would be a no go for me. If it fails, you'd be out of that nice trigger *and* have to buy a couple new parts. Of course, if they have a good return policy that would be a plus too.
 
Pretty much an "as-is" situation.

I'll take a mop to clean the bore so I can see that better.

Will also lock it back and use the slide release to slam the slide while holding the trigger back.

Also will HEAVE on the trigger with safety on.

Bout all I can think of to check the sear setup from the outside.

It's a take-a-chancer, but not my first one.

It seems as tight as one should be.

I....MAY... be able to persuade a field strip but not sure.
 
Depends TOTALLY on the price. A trigger that is your idea of perfection is great but you can make any 1911 trigger that good.....for a price.
 
For me, the main three things I look for in a handgun are, grips, trigger, and sights.

I'd guess that since you tested the trigger, you also had a chance to hold it and look at the sights.

If I liked all three, without firing it, I'd probably chance it if the price was nice.
 
The trigger pull is an important amenity, but not the whole consideration for purchace. Is it going to be used as a protection firearm, or a general use for targeting? What caliber is your interest?...quick knock-down and bull's eye...or thrifty ammo usage?

I too was interested in my first 1911, with a budget under $1,000. I looked at many models and settled on one that met well under my budget, yet had a "$1,000 trigger." Found it in the Magnum Research Desert Eagle (manufatured in Israel). Hands down, it gave me all the amenities and an awesome trigger. Colt has some that cost more and has their brand stamp, as does Remington and Kimber...and others, but the Desert Eagle gives more for less, with great looks, and dead-on accuracy typical of most 1911s. I added Meprolite constant glow sights (also made in Israel) that can continue to glow up to 15 years in a closet...though it should not be stored that long in a closet.
 
Looked closer. Not allowable to remove slide.
Bore all cruddy and I brought my mop but it would take a wire brush.
Decided to wait and find one either new or one I can LOOK into.

No way to see lugs or ...really...even close look at ramp but it looked OK from top.

Too many things to worry about and then hafta wait 10 days to even SEE if it works OK.

Naaah... I'll wait.
 
Make sure that the "bargain price" of a gun with a "great" trigger pull allows for a new hammer and sear/trigger. You might need them.

Jiim
 
Looked closer. Not allowable to remove slide.
Bore all cruddy and I brought my mop but it would take a wire brush.
Decided to wait and find one either new or one I can LOOK into.
Click to expand...

Can't inspect closely? PAASSSS!
 
Looked closer. Not allowable to remove slide.
Bore all cruddy and I brought my mop but it would take a wire brush.
Decided to wait and find one either new or one I can LOOK into.
Click to expand...
Smart move. Sounds like somethings up.

Id offer $100 less, just because its dirty, and let them know thats the reason. ;)

Ive never understood not cleaning your gun anyway, but to take it to a shop, and try and sell it looking like that (assuming its on consignment, if the shops selling it, thats even worse), makes me wonder even more.

Why you cant see the gun field stripped is another issue. Why not? If they dont want you doing it, then they should. Do they want to sell the gun or not?


As far as the trigger, Im not trigger phobic, I shoot them all, and unless theres something really wrong with it, I really dont give it a thought while shooting it. Triggers that are to light to me, are worse than heavy, and it always makes you wonder why its so light, and how it got that way. Most factory triggers are pretty good, right out of the box.
 
STAGEY triggers throw me off.
Too much bullseye stuff in my yoot. :o

Heavy or light, I can manage. Just not creeeaaaakk...skriittcch....slide...slip....tug... snick.

;)
 
Make sure that the "bargain price" of a gun with a "great" trigger pull allows for a new hammer and sear/trigger. You might need them.
Click to expand...


Yup. It DID pass my slam slide with trigger pulled and I couldn't make the safety fail.

Honestly they do NOT care if they sell anything either.

I'm not sure THEY would know how to field strip it. Welll not really, but sure no interest in doing it.
They are very busy but I can't see how they would BUY a 1911 without looking in and at LEAST runnin brass brush down it.

Not unhappy that I didn't get it.

I'll find one I can try. The price is only about 70 bucks less than new.
Be DUMB to do it.

I can find problems all over the landscape without buying some. :D
 
But....

I.....

did....

get....

sumpin ....

NEATO!

Don't wanna jinx it til I pick it up though so can't tellya.

pant pant pant. ;)

(only HINT I can drop is that there are times when knowing more than the gun shop can be....GOOOODDDD!!!! )
 
If a store that is selling a used gun with " Custom " work done, wont let you even field strip it to check on some of the issue areas....id pass
 
Lavan said:
Used gun. 1911. One of Colt's newer chintzier products with the cheapy roll on logo.
Not pretty at all.
Click to expand...
There are no newer Colts that have a "cheapy" rollmark, and ALL Colt's rollmarks are rolled on -- that's why they are called "rollmarks."

But the TRIGGER!!! Oh my.

It is as good as ANY I've ever felt. FAR better than my Gold Cup Series 70.
As good as any custom I've felt also.

I mean it just has that smooth, crisp (jeez, not even crisp...more like NOTHING)and then it drops the sear.

BEST trigger in a 1911 that could exist.
Click to expand...
Good.

BUT..... used gun. Why traded so soon?
Click to expand...
What's your idea of "soon"? If it's an M1991A1, the entry level guns with the ugly rollmarks, it's at LEAST ten years old, and probably closer to fifteen or twenty.

No bells and whistles. Pure utility.
Fixed sights.
Complete blah looks.

But the TRIGGER!!!

So, would you?
Click to expand...
Probably. But ... you left out two important bits of information: (1) What model is it, and (2) What's the asking price?

My ..experience... has been that the trigger is MY most critical element in shooting almost anything.

But there's bushing, who knows how the lugs fit?
Click to expand...
Field strip it in the shop and look at the lugs. If they aren't rounded off, they fit just fine. Barrel to bushing fit isn't really all that critical, and Colt fits them as well as necessary.

Aw hell..

Just tell me whether you'd give it a go.
Click to expand...
Dunno -- what model is it, what condition is it, and what's the price?
 
I would NOT BUY a handgun based on it's trigger action. By this I mean a bad trigger would be a deal breaker.
 
Buy on trigger pull alone...? Nope.

I have liked quite a number of 1911 triggers, yet I've not bought a 1911 to date.

Knowledge is power. Assuming you will report the rest of the story in a few days.
 
While it's a well known fast that Colt hasn't made a good 1911 in decades, it's obviously you really want this.

I would look for an older Series 70 or Government Model if I were you, but if you want the new cheap stuff than that's okay I guess. Whatever floats your boat.
 
Would you buy a pistol based SOLELY on its trigger pull?
Click to expand...

I did, once. One of the best choices I ever made, too. :D It was a T/C Contender.

After decades of ignoring them, because they were "only" a single shot, I finally picked one up and was checking it out, and the trigger was SWEET. At that moment, I realized I had wasted 30+ YEARS.

I now have a couple of frames and around a dozen barrels. If you are looking for a handgun that will show you, in no uncertain terms if you can shoot, the Contender is it.

And by "shoot" I don't mean being able to put a half dozen rounds in a hand size group at 7 yds in 5 seconds or less, I mean being able to precisely put a single round right where you want it, at any distance your skill allows.

I have won accuracy bets with my 9mm Contender. Of course, I don't tell them its a Contender up front.:D Just the simple, I bet I can shoot a tighter group with my 9mm than you can with yours...

To date, I've never lost. :D Yep, they are FASTER, but not as accurate. :D

Why you cant see the gun field stripped is another issue. Why not? If they dont want you doing it, then they should.
Click to expand...

One reason some shops don't allow field stripping is the potential for damage to the gun (finish, primarily.) Not everything comes apart and goes back together simply and easily.

It even makes some sense, after all, what shop is going to accept you putting an "idiot scratch" on a high dollar gun??? OR, even a low dollar one? And their counter people might not be any better.
 
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