[LDBennett]

Range report:

Trigger problem!

It seems that the "gunsmithing required" along side the Target trigger in the Brownells catalog is there for a reason. The overtravel on the Target trigger has to be controlled or the link, from the trigger up to the slide, will get caught between the breech and the slide when the trigger is pulled and the slide travels back and forth: the link moves too high. The pad on the Target trigger is not deep enough to control it and the trigger grossly overtravels.

I solved the problem by installing an overtravel adjustment allen head 4-40 (nylock self locking threads) just above the trigger so that the overtravel pad of the new trigger would have something to stop against. I was then able to limit the overtravel and the link travel so that the link no longer got caught in between the breech and the slide. The adjustment range is very wide and not critical just as long as you keep the protrusion by the link just high enough to not hit the top of the cutout in the slide.

I think all of this could be avoided if the original trigger was retained and just the magazine safety removed. I did not verify this as the overtravel adjustment makes the trigger even better yet: light pull to a stop, load trigger, trigger breaks and stops where it breaks. A very confidence inspiring trigger!

Along the way I noted that the barrel crowning seemed a little crude so I recrowned the barrel using the ball crowning tool from Brownells and valve griding paste (600 grit). It cleaned up great but the point of impact was changed and required a rear sight adjustment with the provided allen wrench. That tells me that the barrel crown was screwed up!

While it may seem that I have done a lot of fooling around with a new gun, please be aware that I do this to all my guns. I try to make them all as good as they can be. The Charles Daly actually shot well, feed ammo great, and had no real problems that the average guy/gal would have objected to. I just like more than that.

It shoots groups as well as any other defense gun, no better, no worse. The feel in my hand is good but the "commander style" hammer will bite you if you creep up on the grip. Normal free handed shooting is no problem but shooting off sand bags on a low table puts the hand near harms way. The sights, while may be great for combat shooting man targets, is tough to use on bullseye targets. I may change the sights to adjustable ones but I have found that by choosing the correct target, large black target center out to 7 ring-single target on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, the sights become adequate for target shooting. In general I like this gun!

LDBennett