Hard to pull trigger on Taurus 357

[Popwood]

We have a brand new Taurus .357 five-shot revolver which we took to the range for the first time this week I don't know the model right now, and the gun is at my son's house.

It is DA only, and the trigger is almost impossible to pull.

Can someone here give me an idea why this might be, and what is needed to remedy it?

Thanks very much in advance.

Popwood and Bigjake

[johnlives4christ]

it should get easier with use/dry firing. but what it probably really needs a to have the action smoothed.

[LDBennett]

Many things effect the trigger pull level but a good gunsmith should be able to reduce the pull level significantly. The "lawyers" make the manufacturers include high pull levels to maximize the safety of the gun and minimize the lawsuits against the company. Some gunsmiths will not do trigger jobs anymore but there are some brave one's out there who have good insurance who will. Talk to your dealer ... he probably knows the good ones in your area from the bad ones.

LDBennett

[carver]

My advice is to send it back to Tarus. I don't know of any smiths that will work on them.

[LDBennett]

Since there are no gunsmiths that will work on Taurus's (????) maybe you will have to do the work yourself.

Most revolvers have good trigger pulls hidden under heavy springs. Often all you have to do is replace the springs to get a more reasonable trigger pull level. There is the hammer spring and the trigger return spring that make up the bulk of the pull level. The leader in the spring industry is WOLFF Springs:

http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?...s&cID=3&mID=65

They list a bunch of Taurus models for spring replacement. You can study their site or call them to determine exactly what you need. Any gunsmith would be able to change the springs and you may be able to do it yourself.

Taurus more than likely will say "they are all like that" so don't bother to send it back to them, in my opinion. They have lawyers too.

LDBennett

[pinecone70]

Just out of curiosity, what *should* the pull be like on a revolver trigger, DA or SA? One person's 'impossible' could be not bad to another person, after all.

[Popwood]

Thank you all for your responses. They are very helpful. Our first Taurus had a problem with the cylinder, and the dealer sent it it. It didn't come back for several months. The dealer finally gave us a replacement for it. So we're not anxious to send this one in also.

Regarding how heavy the trigger pull should be: it took all the effort I could muster to pull it. I'd bet it is in pounds instead of inches. To be sure, we will all have differing ideas of what trigger pull should be like. However, I honestly think that this one is beyond acceptable limits.

Thanks again for your prompt and helpful responses!

Popwood & Bigjake

[Shooter45]

Since the revolver is new did you, by any chance, clean and oil before firing ????

Just wondering.

[johnlives4christ]

if you're ever in kentucky swing by and i'll smooth the trigger out for you free of charge, wont take more than an hour. all you got to do is take it apart and stone the sides of the trigger return block and hammer and replace the trigger return spring with a lighter one. 14 pounds preferred although i have a 12 pound in my smith 642. do not let anyone change the hammer spring/main spring because with a concealed hammer model you need all the hammer snap you can get

[Popwood]

Clean and oil it? I don't know, since my son had it. I would guess that he didn't. Our bad Thanks

Lives4 - Thanks for the kind offer. Iowa is a bit too far to take you up on it.

Gratefully,

Popwood & Bigjake

[Bindernut]

Originally Posted by LDBennett

Since there are no gunsmiths that will work on Taurus's (????) maybe you will have to do the work yourself.

Most revolvers have good trigger pulls hidden under heavy springs. Often all you have to do is replace the springs to get a more reasonable trigger pull level. There is the hammer spring and the trigger return spring that make up the bulk of the pull level. The leader in the spring industry is WOLFF Springs:

http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?...s&cID=3&mID=65

They list a bunch of Taurus models for spring replacement. You can study their site or call them to determine exactly what you need. Any gunsmith would be able to change the springs and you may be able to do it yourself.

Taurus more than likely will say "they are all like that" so don't bother to send it back to them, in my opinion. They have lawyers too.

LDBennett

Originally Posted by johnlives4christ

if you're ever in kentucky swing by and i'll smooth the trigger out for you free of charge, wont take more than an hour. all you got to do is take it apart and stone the sides of the trigger return block and hammer and replace the trigger return spring with a lighter one. 14 pounds preferred although i have a 12 pound in my smith 642. do not let anyone change the hammer spring/main spring because with a concealed hammer model you need all the hammer snap you can get

I agree with LD and JL4C. You can improve that Taurus a bit just by some spring replacement (and maybe a little internal polishing). Start with just the trigger return spring. I wouldn't touch the mainspring either because it's really easy to compromise reliability from light strikes if you go with a lighter mainspring.

There are very few smiths that will touch a Taurus because Taurus is very quick to cancel the lifetime warranty on the entire gun if they see that anyone has done any internal tinkering on the gun. Yet I agree with LD on not sending it back to Taurus unless there is something functionally wrong with the gun. A heavy trigger pull doesn't count on there being something wrong with it either unless it's so bad it falls out of Taurus' specs too.
And if you do re-spring the action, be sure to keep the stock springs. If you ever return the gun to Taurus, they'll pull out those Wolff springs and stuff a set of heavy stock ones in again. No, you won't get em back.

[Helix_FR]

You can get the rebound springs as low as 11lbs. but it also depends on the shooter and how light they want it. The lighter isn't always better, its the lightest you can get it and still have the trigger and rebound slide return. To light and it will get stuck on the flats. The rebound can be stoned to take a 11lb spring but you got to know what you doing. If you mess up the rebound slide, you mess up a lot more. Also to note. Replacing the rebound spring with a lighter one will also reduce your single action pull. Not by a lot but enough to make some people feel uncomfortable.

[Helix_FR]

Originally Posted by pinecone70

Just out of curiosity, what *should* the pull be like on a revolver trigger, DA or SA? One person's 'impossible' could be not bad to another person, after all.

depends on the size of there hands really and what they are used to. Average is about 9-12 lbs DA and 3-5 SA but I've seen lower. Ask Josh about his 586 SA weight. Its a hefty 8oz.Like I said, its what your comfortable with.

[pinecone70]

Originally Posted by Helix_FR

depends on the size of there hands really and what they are used to. Average is about 9-12 lbs DA and 3-5 SA but I've seen lower. Ask Josh about his 586 SA weight. Its a hefty 8oz.Like I said, its what your comfortable with.

Thanks Helix! I kind of thought that was a reasonable range of pull.

[Bindernut]

Originally Posted by Helix_FR

You can get the rebound springs as low as 11lbs. but it also depends on the shooter and how light they want it. The lighter isn't always better, its the lightest you can get it and still have the trigger and rebound slide return. To light and it will get stuck on the flats. The rebound can be stoned to take a 11lb spring but you got to know what you doing. If you mess up the rebound slide, you mess up a lot more. Also to note. Replacing the rebound spring with a lighter one will also reduce your single action pull. Not by a lot but enough to make some people feel uncomfortable.

Helix,
You're thinking S&W with the rebound slide.
That's not a feature in the Taurus DA lockworks, it's internals are more like the transfer bar system used in the Colt Trooper/Lawman than the Smith.

It is a bit easier to clean up a Taurus action than the Smith because you don't need to mess around with the rebound slide...you do still need to keep in mind that the trigger return spring has to pull the transfer bar out from between the hammer and firing pin though. A bit of polishing on the hammer face and the transfer bar help quite a bit to slick up that part of the cycle.

My last Taurus (a 669) had around 3lbs for the SA pull. I had it tuned for hunting use so I didn't bother to keep track of the DA pull.
I don't remember which weight trigger return spring I used in it anymore though, I want to say it was 10lbs but I'm not positive anymore. I kept the stock hammer spring.

[Helix_FR]

Originally Posted by Bindernut

Helix,
You're thinking S&W with the rebound slide.
That's not a feature in the Taurus DA lockworks, it's internals are more like the transfer bar system used in the Colt Trooper/Lawman than the Smith.

It is a bit easier to clean up a Taurus action than the Smith because you don't need to mess around with the rebound slide...you do still need to keep in mind that the trigger return spring has to pull the transfer bar out from between the hammer and firing pin though. A bit of polishing on the hammer face and the transfer bar help quite a bit to slick up that part of the cycle.

My last Taurus (a 669) had around 3lbs for the SA pull. I had it tuned for hunting use so I didn't bother to keep track of the DA pull.
I don't remember which weight trigger return spring I used in it anymore though, I want to say it was 10lbs but I'm not positive anymore. I kept the stock hammer spring.

Dude you are so right on that. I read the post realized it was a Taurus but then my mind went into smith. Thanks for catching me on that. I can see someone reading that, cracking open a Taurus and wondering WTH i was talking about.

[johnlives4christ]

i never worked on a taurus, have done a smith and a rossi though

[JLA]

Originally Posted by Helix_FR

depends on the size of there hands really and what they are used to. Average is about 9-12 lbs DA and 3-5 SA but I've seen lower. Ask Josh about his 586 SA weight. Its a hefty 8oz.Like I said, its what your comfortable with.

And i do love that trigger. That DCM is the only hand gun i have that can outshoot most of my shoulder fired rifles at 100 yds. No Bullsquish!

BTW, Helix made it that nice for me and there aint a damn thing I can do to make it better. Trust me, i done been all up in there lookin around tryin to find somethin to pick on him about He has a don juan way with wheel guns.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by johnlives4christ

i never worked on a taurus, have done a smith and a rossi though

pretty much tha same sucker in a different wrapper

[JLA]

99% of the time for 99% of shooters a simple action smoothing will give them the 'trigger job' they want. Simply detail strip the weapon and polish all the internals, dont change springs or angles until after the owner approves or disapproves. This has the added bonus of satisfying most shooters while the pistol remains lawyer safe

[Bindernut]

Originally Posted by Helix_FR

Dude you are so right on that. I read the post realized it was a Taurus but then my mind went into smith. Thanks for catching me on that. I can see someone reading that, cracking open a Taurus and wondering WTH i was talking about.

No prob Helix,
That WTH look would've been what I had on my face after I bought my first Taurus (a 66) back in the early 90s.
We didn't have this neat thing called the internet back then and I was going on a few local guys info that they're "just like a Smith, except for the transfer bar safety".
After owning several small and med frame Taurii, I figured out that action and had pretty good luck tuning them up. Actually, they tune pretty similarly to the Redhawk/GP/SP family...but I think the Rugers are still built better.

[johnlives4christ]

i want a taurus just so i can do a trigger job on it now

[Shooter45]

Originally Posted by Popwood

Clean and oil it? I don't know, since my son had it. I would guess that he didn't. Our bad Thanks

Lives4 - Thanks for the kind offer. Iowa is a bit too far to take you up on it.

Gratefully,

Popwood & Bigjake

A new firearm should always be cleaned and oiled before any range time to avoid problems. It may make a difference. If not, you always have the option of factory warrenty or your local gunsmith. Don't rule out the possibility of metal shavings under the sideplate. It wouldn't be the first time that has happened with a new revolver.
Good luck.

[Popwood]

The response to my question has been fantastic. Jake and i both thank all of you for your advice and counsel. We have aa couple of gunsmiths in the ares who are willing to take as look at it, and see what can be done.

Once again, hesrty thanks to you all

Popwood & bigjake