What is a 'good' trigger pull?

[TennBill2]

Thanks, Michael. Interesting that there is data of any sort on the Borchardt. I'm not familiar with the Lyman guage and I don't readily know how to convert to oz./pounds but will look up in a minute on a conversion chart. I found, too, I had to get the tip of the trigger 'tripper' tip exactly right also. It had to have a slight angle, fore and aft, and a kind of 'ski slope' angle for the 'roller' to rest on. Such that the action works together smoothly. I would have to guess each original must have had a considerable amount of hand work done to work well. I read, for example, in Walter's 'Luger Book', each gun had to be matched at the factory (the mainspring) to the particular batch of ammo. I noticed by the 30's, ammo was being labled for the 'Mauser and Borchardt', probably wasn't the best thing for the Borchardt.....explaining, perhaps, why I've read they had a terrible recoil.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by TennBill2

Thanks, Michael. Interesting that there is data of any sort on the Borchardt...

Michael owns a Borchardt (maybe more than one). He's measuring his.

I usually aim for 4 3/4# pull on my handguns. I use an old electricians electric motor armature brush gauge. Entirely mechanical. None of this new-age electronic rubbish.

[Michael Zeleny]

I made all of the foregoing measurements myself. The averaging capacity of the Lyman gauge comes in very handy. Potentially more helpful would be the computerized trigger and spring analysis afforded by the TriggerScan system, as used by Veit Morgenroth with results recounted in his book Willi Korth -- Seine Waffen.

[TennBill2]

Couldn't find my fish scale.......so, I turned on my electronic postal scale and tried to 'guesstimate' with my 'trigger' finger. I figure I'm at about 2.5-3lbs. Feels quite nice to me! And, Postino, I'm assuming your including Lugers in the 4 3/4lb figure. So, what's your method for fine tuning the Luger arrangement?

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by TennBill2

Couldn't find my fish scale...

Hmmm...Never thought of that!

...Postino, I'm assuming your including Lugers in the 4 3/4lb figure. So, what's your method for fine tuning the Luger arrangement?

No; no Lugers...never even measured mine...wait one...My commercial 7.65 and my 1937 S/42 both break at 6#...I've never tried to tune them...

BTW: My gauge is a Martindale...Left over from my millwright days...

[TennBill2]

Discussions like this probably don't interest a lot of folks, but, I find it interesting. Michael, I looked up the Lyman guage....neat! I need to go out and dig out some old fired .30 and 9mm shells and check my Lugers. Truth is, I haven't fired them in a long time. I'm loathe to dry fire any gun....especially the Luger......not much meat left on the face of the breachblock. I'm anxious to actually fire some 'real' rounds through my creation, but still not sure of the proper mainspring tension. My 'plan' is to start with some real light blackpowder loads and go from there. Advantage I have is if I break something, I just remake the part. I imagine if I actually owned an original.........I'd sit down and cry if I broke something.

[Michael Zeleny]

Swiss Lugers had their triggers tuned with an armorer's tool made and sold by W+F.




The photo shows four lots from the Kessler auction of 6 November 2010:

• 29427 WES Pistole, CH-Ord. Parabellum 29, Kal. 7,65 Para. Nationalmannschaftsmodell mit dickerem, 170mm langem Lauf. S/N 59951 Vergl.: Rutsch, "Faustfeuerwaffen der Eidgenossen", Seite 266ff, mit einer Abbildung genau dieser Pistole.
  Sfr. 2500/5000.- siehe Abb. Zustand: neuwertig | Sfr. 12000
• 29428 WES Pistole, CH-Ord. Parabellum 29, Kal. 7,65 Para. Nationalmannschaftsmodell mit leichtem, 200mm langem Lauf. S/N 65721 Vergl.: Rutsch, "Faustfeuerwaffen der Eidgenossen", Seite 268ff, mit einer Abbildung genau dieser Pistole.
  Sfr. 2500/5000.- siehe Abb. Zustand: neuwertig | SFr 13000
• 29429 Abzugsstangen-Richtgerät, CH-Ord. zu Parabellum Pistolen, damit können ungehärtete Abzugswinkelhebel zur Regulierung des Druckpunkts gebogen werden.
  Sfr. 400/800.- siehe Abb. Zustand: 1 | SFr 950
• 29430 Kornschieber zu Schweizer Parabellum-Pistolen.
  Sfr. 100/200.- siehe Abb. Zustand: neuwertig | SFr 220

The armorer's tool of Lot 29429 allows precise regulation of the double pull trigger sustem. The trigger lever is annealed, bent to ensure an optimal clearance in its engagement with the sear, and hardened anew.

I will provide additional information about these items next week.