Paintball

[Painthappy]

This is a post I saved a LONG time ago. Posting it here for posterity.



Punishers Customs
It's Good To Be The King
(6/23/02 1:05:40 am)

OK..... (Cracks knuckles) Phantom trigger jobs:

Level 1
Get a trigger shoe, they add a lot to the comfort and general feel of the trigger. It'll "FEEL" a bit lighter just because the force is spread across the pad of your finger rather than just a small area.

Level 2
With just a little work you can change the whole feel of the gun. Drill and tap the trigger shoe for a small set screw (#3-56 or #4-40) such that when extended it limits that rearward travel of the trigger, You can cut the pull in half just like that.
This is also a method that was used a lot in the old days to "tune" early nelson autotriggers.

Level 3
Adding a little shim to the top of the trigger shoe to remove any uptake slack. For myself, I drill and tap a second set screw into the top of the trigger shoe, though you could add a couple layers of metal tape or glue some thin plastic up there for the same effect. Now you have a pull with no wasted movements, very snappy indeed!

Level 4
!!!!!WARNING: Make the following mods only if you are comfortable with the tools needed, and/or solvent enough to replace ruined parts should you muff the job!!!!!

First, hit the hardware store for the lightest extension spring you can find. Take your original along as a visual reference. The idea here it to lighten the trigger as much as possible and still have it return.

Next, drill the frame for the next size up trigger pin that your local hardware store has. Mine had some 5/32" pins in stainless. Buy a drill bit (cobalt) that is the very next size up. For those of you in the tool biz, I'm refering to either the lettered or number index bits. There's one that's .002" larger. Drill your trigger's pin hole with that. The idea is to use the larger trigger pin to cut down on the side to side wobble.

Finally, possible the easiest to screw up. Grind the bottom of the bolt where the sear catches. You only need to do a very small amount of grinding, followed by some polish work. the idea is to reduce the needed "creep" in the trigger pull.

Done correctly, you can cut the needed pull in half again. Along with this one, you may want to consider adding a STIFFER sear latch spring in the hammer. It won't hurt the pull at all and will help keep the sear latching as reliable as possible.

I've done everything that I have listed here, the sum total resulted in a 1.5mm pull at about 1lb. of required force. Very cool, but only you can determine if it's worth this much work.

Hope this helps!

Have a great day!
Lee Kinney aka Punisher

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Enjoy!

- Carter

[russc]

Wow, that's pretty sweet. Not that I had any complaints about my Phantom's trigger, but this sounds like it would make for a great pull.

[Aprox]

Hmm, this is very interesting. Would it possible to get any pictures to help out?

[casper]

I will get a pic up but I cut the bottom part of the trigger off it has always felt to curvey to me and of course i cover the hack up with a trigger shoe.

[Supergyro]

Awesome. Will have to do that.

[joedirt199]

on level 4 it would probably be easier to just grind a little off the top of the sear where it catches the bolt so there is less pull. cheaper to replace a sear than it is to replace a bolt even though there are two sides of the bolt to try.

[CJOttawa]

Originally Posted by joedirt199

on level 4 it would probably be easier to just grind a little off the top of the sear where it catches the bolt so there is less pull. cheaper to replace a sear than it is to replace a bolt even though there are two sides of the bolt to try.

Yup.

"Always modify the cheaper, easier to replace part."

I have a couple of spare sears around.

[DunXWright]

Originally Posted by joedirt199

on level 4 it would probably be easier to just grind a little off the top of the sear where it catches the bolt so there is less pull. cheaper to replace a sear than it is to replace a bolt even though there are two sides of the bolt to try.

With a little dremel work on the sear, you can really tighten up on the slack in the pre-travel of the trigger as well as lighten and shorten the actual pull required. That and drill and tap the frame for a set screw to limit post-travel is all I had to to attain a damn near perfect trigger pull! Short and snappy, just how I like it now just have to limit the side to side play with a larger roll-pin now...

[Defect]

Any chance for a picture walk through? My call sign really should have been murphy's law...

[Legolas]

^^^I'm with murphy. I have a dremel and a drill press (but no bits...yet, derp) and I am no afraid to use either of them. But all the same I'd like to do my homework before going to town on my phantom. While I understand the instructions it is always nice to see how it is done. Even if its not a walk through, just some good close ups of the finished product would really help.

Also, I'm a little unclear exactly what we are modding, the sear--in the trigger assembly, or the bolt latch--on the hammer??? Pics would help here. =) I have three extra hammers to mess with, so hopefully the bolt latch is what needs to be modified.

Edit: Defect, we may have to start a new thread in the CCI section (or custom forum) asking our question, as it would seem most people glaze right over the stickies.