Trigger Polishing

[2ADMNLOVER]

I've got a brand new CMMG lower parts kit ready to install into my new lower and I'm pretty sure (based on every other stock AR trigger) I'm not going to like it so the thought occurred to me that now would be the time to polish it .

So the question is does anyone know of a step by step tutorial on polishing an AR trigger ?

I've polished triggers and BCG's on my AK's with good results but I've never messed with an AR trigger and don't know what areas I should leave alone .

 

[SERparacord]

AR Trigger and Hammer Polish part 1. - YouTube

AR Trigger and Hammer Polish part 2. - YouTube

 

[1911ly]

Personally I would not work on the trigger at this point. I would run the gun for a while to make sure you have no issues. Then polish away. I'd hate to have am issue out the gate and not know if it is the trigger or the trigger job. AR is easy to take apart. Just my

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

They (I had two triggers ) turned out nice and crisp with no grit and very little creep , now I have to polish my other triggers .

 

[Slapstick]

I always polish the trigger & hammer before installing. Few strokes with a fine stone to remove any burrs and then polish away with the dremel and 600 grit polishing compound until very shinny to mirror finish. Never had a problem and it makes for a much better trigger right out of the gate. As long as the trigger passes the function test upon assembly you shouldn't have a problem on the range.

 

[CountryBoy19]

IMHO, google "ten dollar trigger job"...

You polish the sear surface (polish only, don't change the geometry)
Install JP lightened spring kit (the yellow ones, not the red ones) ~$8 I think
Then "bob" the hammer. IE, cut the tail off to lighten it. This allows the lighter springs to still impart the full amount of energy to the firing pin and it decreases lock-time. I've had many people shoot my AR's and ask what target trigger it is, and then I tell them it's not, it's just standard parts that have been modified. The only thing this won't get you is adjustments for take-up and over-travel.

IMHO, it's the absolute best bang for your buck trigger job? Are there better triggers? Yes, but they will cost you $150-$400, this one costs less than $10.

ETA, for those that don't know, the "tail" of an AR hammer isn't really necessary. It is only there because it's critical to the function of M16/M4 rifles. In manufacturing AR15 hammers they use the exact same forgings, grind off the hook for the auto-sear, and leave the tail on. The tail could actually be removed, but it's not because it would be more work and raise costs. There is no reason you couldn't remove it.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Doesn't the safety engage the tail of the trigger?

 

[ryknoll3]

No, the safety interferes with the back of the trigger so that it can't be pulled far enough to disengage the triggers sear surface from the hammer.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Doesn't the safety engage the tail of the trigger?​

You're right, I made a typo. In one place I said "AR trigger" instead of "AR hammer". It is the hammer I was referring to. The trigger shouldn't be modified.

 

[dhamby]

IMHO, google "ten dollar trigger job"...

You polish the sear surface (polish only, don't change the geometry)
Install JP lightened spring kit (the yellow ones, not the red ones) ~$8 I think
Then "bob" the hammer. IE, cut the tail off to lighten it. This allows the lighter springs to still impart the full amount of energy to the firing pin and it decreases lock-time. I've had many people shoot my AR's and ask what target trigger it is, and then I tell them it's not, it's just standard parts that have been modified. The only thing this won't get you is adjustments for take-up and over-travel.

IMHO, it's the absolute best bang for your buck trigger job? Are there better triggers? Yes, but they will cost you $150-$400, this one costs less than $10.

ETA, for those that don't know, the "tail" of an AR hammer isn't really necessary. It is only there because it's critical to the function of M16/M4 rifles. In manufacturing AR15 hammers they use the exact same forgings, grind off the hook for the auto-sear, and leave the tail on. The tail could actually be removed, but it's not because it would be more work and raise costs. There is no reason you couldn't remove it.

I have done the same thing to mine except I have not bobbed the hammer but I also did the "set screw mod." You can install an allen screw through the pistol grip screw hole. gets rid of 90% of the take up so I have a lighter pull with a smooth crisp break and very little take up.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I have done the same thing to mine except I have not bobbed the hammer but I also did the "set screw mod." You can install an allen screw through the pistol grip screw hole. gets rid of 90% of the take up so I have a lighter pull with a smooth crisp break and very little take up.

You know, it's kind of funny, I tried the set-screw mod early on and didn't have any luck with it. I found that if I lifted the tail of the trigger even slightly from it's resting position I couldn't engage/disengage the safety easily so I gave up on the set-screw mod. I'm sure this is very dependent on which manufacturer's parts kit you're using. I don't even know what manufacturers mine are; they are all mixed.

 

[gregkl]

Do you polish higher end triggers also? Like a Geissele for instance?

 

[T4rdV4rk]

Do you polish higher end triggers also? Like a Geissele for instance?

I personally would not. It seems doubtful there would be a need for that. If a customer wasn't happy with a high end trigger, you would like to think the manufacturer would take care of it for them.

 

[dhamby]

You know, it's kind of funny, I tried the set-screw mod early on and didn't have any luck with it. I found that if I lifted the tail of the trigger even slightly from it's resting position I couldn't engage/disengage the safety easily so I gave up on the set-screw mod. I'm sure this is very dependent on which manufacturer's parts kit you're using. I don't even know what manufacturers mine are; they are all mixed.

I ran the set screw up so it pushed against the safety and backed it off just a touch so it put no pressure on the saftey selector. Works great for me.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I ran the set screw up so it pushed against the safety and backed it off just a touch so it put no pressure on the saftey selector. Works great for me.

Right, I understand the purpose of the screw and what it does. What I'm saying is that if I ran the screw up so the tail of the trigger lifted up even just a few thousandths the safety would no longer turn. Therefore the screw did nothing to change the pre-travel of my trigger, it was already adjusted as low as it could possibly go.

 

[dhamby]

Right, I understand the purpose of the screw and what it does. What I'm saying is that if I ran the screw up so the tail of the trigger lifted up even just a few thousandths the safety would no longer turn. Therefore the screw did nothing to change the pre-travel of my trigger, it was already adjusted as low as it could possibly go.

Ah, I misunderstood your other post.

 

[throttletony]

IMHO, google "ten dollar trigger job"...

You polish the sear surface (polish only, don't change the geometry)
Install JP lightened spring kit (the yellow ones, not the red ones) ~$8 I think
Then "bob" the hammer. IE, cut the tail off to lighten it. This allows the lighter springs to still impart the full amount of energy to the firing pin and it decreases lock-time. I've had many people shoot my AR's and ask what target trigger it is, and then I tell them it's not, it's just standard parts that have been modified. The only thing this won't get you is adjustments for take-up and over-travel.

IMHO, it's the absolute best bang for your buck trigger job? Are there better triggers? Yes, but they will cost you $150-$400, this one costs less than $10.

ETA, for those that don't know, the "tail" of an AR hammer isn't really necessary. It is only there because it's critical to the function of M16/M4 rifles. In manufacturing AR15 hammers they use the exact same forgings, grind off the hook for the auto-sear, and leave the tail on. The tail could actually be removed, but it's not because it would be more work and raise costs. There is no reason you couldn't remove it.

^^ this^^

OP - PLEASE let us know what you've done and how it worked out