borderline dangerous!!

[olydraft]

 I finally got to shoot the contender (30/30) for the first time Friday. It didn`t go so well.  whoever had this before me adjusted the trigger pull down to nothing. If you would say it has a hair trigger that would be an understatement. You can put absoutley no tension on the trigger at all before it fires. Like the subject says, it`s borderline dangerous. Can someone give me some instructions on adjusting the trigger pull. Thanks, Gary

[securitysix]

I don't know if this is the "right" way, but this is how my dad did it on mine:

1)  Cock the hammer.
2)  Unscrew the sear engagement screw until the hammer lets go.
3)  Screw the sear engagement screw back in a quarter to half turn.
4)  Cock the hammer.
5)  Grip the gun by the barrel and bang the pistol grip against the floor (I had Pachmayr Presentation grips on at the time, have grippers now, wouldn't necessarily want to do this with wood grips for fear of damaging them).
6)  If the hammer drops, screw the sear engagement screw in another quarter to half turn and repeat steps 4 and 5 until the hammer stays cocked.
7)  Adjust the overtravel screw to allow minimum overtravel (mine just barely lets the trigger break before it hits).

Like I said, I don't know that this is necessarily the "right" way to do it, but I haven't had any problems with premature firing.

[Richard P]

......And you didnt try the trigger before loading a live round ?   

[BCB]

If that is the particular type of frame that allows trigger adjustment it can be adjusted with the screw in the trigger guard area and the overtravel screw...

I find it hard to believe that the trigger can be adjusted that light with this type of adjustment.  I have several of these types of frames, and they can be turned light but not "hair" whatever that is!...

I sent mine to a, well a guy, who does such work.  The internal parts were honed and smoothed.  That trigger is very light and I use it for target or off of sandbags only...

If the sear, etc has been worked, he will have to do some replacing.  But if it is adjustable like the one's I previously mention, he will have to get a better, lighter trigger finger, or adjust it back to "ridiculous" trigger pull...

Good-luck...BCB

[Dezynco]

You can always send it back to TC for repair if you cannot adjust it to suit you.  You may have a worn our seer mechanism, wich is dangerous.  If it's an old style contender, then try the trigger take-up screw to all the seer to engage more firmly.  If that doesn't work, send it back to TC for repair.  They will usually fix any problems such as this at no charge.

[skb2706]

deleted

[skb2706]

I don't know if this is the "right" way, but this is how my dad did it on mine:

1)  Cock the hammer.
2)  Unscrew the sear engagement screw until the hammer lets go.
3)  Screw the sear engagement screw back in a quarter to half turn.
4)  Cock the hammer.
5)  Grip the gun by the barrel and bang the pistol grip against the floor (I had Pachmayr Presentation grips on at the time, have grippers now, wouldn't necessarily want to do this with wood grips for fear of damaging them).
6)  If the hammer drops, screw the sear engagement screw in another quarter to half turn and repeat steps 4 and 5 until the hammer stays cocked.
7)  Adjust the overtravel screw to allow minimum overtravel (mine just barely lets the trigger break before it hits).

Like I said, I don't know that this is necessarily the "right" way to do it, but I haven't had any problems with premature firing.

This doesn't adjust trigger pull tension, it merely adjusts take up and overtravel. You will have to remove trigger assembly to adjust tension and if you PM me I will tell you exactly how to do that.

[BCB]

skb2706,

I wonder if we are using the correct terminology during this discussion...

I know that by turning the screw that is inside the trigger guard, that goes up through the front of the trigger and into the trigger assembly, definately lightens the trigger pull.  Or at least that is what my RCBS trigger pull gauge says.  So, what securitysix says is basically true.  The trigger pull is lessened with the screw I just mentioned.  The screw that goes through the trigger guard stops the trigger from being pulled too far back.  It can be screwed in far enough to no allow the trigger to be pulled far enough to cause the hammer to drop...

I can turn the screw that goes up through the front of the trigger and adjust from over 4 pounds down to about 2 depending on the day that the RCBS trigger gauge is used. It can also be turned far enough that it allows the hammer to drop and not stay cocked.  But it definately lessens trigger pull...

I would like a further explaination of what you are saying about having to remove the trigger assembly to adjust trigger pull.

Thanks...BCB

[skb2706]

If you take an original easy open Contender frame, remove the grip and any barrel mounted on it. Tap out the pivot pin that holds the trigger group in the frame and then tap out the pin that hold the trigger in that group you will find a spring with a small cap on it under the front lip of the trigger. Be careful they can launch, I do this part in a sandwich bag to keep parts in one zip code. This spring actually determines trigger pull weight. It can be shortened, lengthened or replaced to get the pull weight desired.

If you are using the take up screw in the trigger guard to reduce pull weight, it may work but it also reduces sear engagement and it will only reduce pull weight a very little bit. I'm no expert but I've fooled with 'tenders for a very long time. The overtravel screw does absolutely nothing for pull weight.

[securitysix]

I don't know if this is the "right" way, but this is how my dad did it on mine:

1)  Cock the hammer.
2)  Unscrew the sear engagement screw until the hammer lets go.
3)  Screw the sear engagement screw back in a quarter to half turn.
4)  Cock the hammer.
5)  Grip the gun by the barrel and bang the pistol grip against the floor (I had Pachmayr Presentation grips on at the time, have grippers now, wouldn't necessarily want to do this with wood grips for fear of damaging them).
6)  If the hammer drops, screw the sear engagement screw in another quarter to half turn and repeat steps 4 and 5 until the hammer stays cocked.
7)  Adjust the overtravel screw to allow minimum overtravel (mine just barely lets the trigger break before it hits).

Like I said, I don't know that this is necessarily the "right" way to do it, but I haven't had any problems with premature firing.

This doesn't adjust trigger pull tension, it merely adjusts take up and overtravel. You will have to remove trigger assembly to adjust tension and if you PM me I will tell you exactly how to do that.

Like I said, it's what my dad did to mine and it made the trigger pull much better.  Then again, this was 9 years ago, so I may be remembering details incorrectly...

[BCB]

Out of pure curiosity, I used my RCBS trigger pull gauge to check the pulls on a Contender that has had no internal work on the trigger assembly and to one that has been sent to a very competent ‘smith…

The one with no work, and using only the trigger adjustment screw, the pulls fall between 4.5 pounds and 2.25 pounds.  That is a reduction of approximately 50%--that is substantial!...

The Contender that was sent to a ‘smith starts at 1.5 pounds and can be adjusted, using the trigger adjustment screw, to nothing!  But, it took ‘smith work to get to the “borderline dangerous” pull.  It isn’t ”borderline dangerous" in competent hands and when used under the appropriate conditions…

My point is, and this is all based on the fact that the Contender in question has the adjustment screws available, if olydraft has a trigger that he thinks is “borderline dangerous” he needs to try a couple of things before tearing the trigger assembly out.  If the trigger adjustment screw won’t solve the problem, then he does have internal situations.  Maybe someone did change the trigger spring or “rig” it somehow.  Not a good thing to do.  If his Contender does not have the adjustment screws, then he needs to get qualified help--period.

He could send it back to T/C and go through all the B.S. that mostly happens.  Shipping and insurance and verified received mail is expensive.  A local ‘smith, qualified, would be just about as expensive, but it would be done nearby and discussions could occur…

I ain’t sending anything back to T/C…

Good-luck…BCB

[Keith L]

That's fine if you have a local smith that knows Contenders and can get parts.  I sent one back a few years ago and for the $37 shipping cost it was completely rebuilt and shipped to my door, two weeks turn around time.  None of the local folks would touch it.  It left with a 2.5 pound trigger and come back the same.  Whats not to like?

[olydraft]

 If it helps at all the contender in question is an old style frame serial # 310xx and the only screw I found is on the backside of the trigger guard. I checked the gap between the over travel screw and the back of the trigger and it measures .022" or approx 1/32". I don`t know what it is supposed to be but that`s what it measures. I guess I`ll have to find a smith around here and have it checked. not to crazy about using Gander Mountian so I`ll have to dig deeper to find one I guess.  Gary

[Ladobe]

Or send it to Jim Henry (Barstow, CA 760.253.4497), he will completely strip and tune the frame, set the trigger pull to where you want it and properly relubricate it before sending it back to you.  As an FFL you can ship directly to him, and he back to you.   He used to charge me $20 - don't know now, but you won't get better Contender work done by anybody else in the world (including TC).

[BCB]

Keith L.,
It appears you've had better luck with T/C than I have!  Recently I made 4 (spelled four) calls to T/C to get a set of locking bolts.  Finally got them 6 weeks after the first call. And during the entire time and conversations, I got the "run around" about everything in the book.  They sent me the same ones that I didn't want.  I explained it all to them--might as well talked to a tomato plant.  Nothing will got back to T/C from me...

olydraft,
It appears yours is not the adjustable style trigger.  You will proably need to get professional help with it, or send it back to T/C, or attempt to do what skb2706 suggests...

Good-luck...BCB

[powdersmoke]

    I have an older Contender frame bought in 1977 and it has an adjustment screw inside the frame under the barrel directly above the forward edge of the top of the trigger. The barrel has to be removed to get to it. The screw can be seen in mine by looking  between the top of the trigger and the frame. At least mine can.

[Merle]

Or send it to Jim Henry (Barstow, CA 760.253.4497), he will completely strip and tune the frame, set the trigger pull to where you want it and properly relubricate it before sending it back to you.  As an FFL you can ship directly to him, and he back to you.   He used to charge me $20 - don't know now, but you won't get better Contender work done by anybody else in the world (including TC).

+1 on Jim.
I used to live in San Bernardino & he was usually at the IHMSA matches. He was "the man" for sorting out your TC problems!!!