Colt Target Stainless

[smartypants2]

The Colt Target Stainless .22 (the one made in the 1990's) is very accurate but the trigger is way too heavy. It's abrupt (no creep) but is too hard to pull in bullseye competition where it should be 2 1/2 to 3 pounds.

Is there a way to reduce the trigger pull weight? With a Ruger, you change out the sear. What to do with this Colt?

Does anyone know? Have there been previous posts on this issue?
Thanks

[galland1]

I'm looking for some replacment springs for mine also.

[arcticap]

What about some grease, or better yet moly grease?

Over 60% moly. Used for super tuning and almost eliminating wear. Externally, use it on all moving joints, etc. Beautifully smoothes rough joints, etc. Generally too slick for trigger sears, but excellent in chambers. Also used in breech to ease pellet insertion. Use sparingly for best results. Great for all air and CO2 guns.
1/2 oz. jar

Read the review:

http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/ac...essory_id=1229

[smartypants2]

Thanks for the responses.

I don't have the moly grease, but for a first attempt I used Marvel Mystery Oil on the striker where it engages the 'letoff piston' (for want of a better word).

Before I applied the Marvel Oil, the trigger pull measured 5 times with a Lyman digital guage, averaged a pull weight of 4lbs-5oz.

Then after the Marvel, 5 pulls averaged 3lbs-15oz. Thus it went down about 6 oz. It's a step in the right direction, but it isn't the needed 2 lbs.

Will the moly grease get 2 lbs? Would I have to routinely apply the grease as it wears away? Will it wear away quickly or last some weeks? I guess these questions can only be answered by trying the moly grease.

Is there some mechanical solution. For example, change a spring, change a part, that sort of thing. Since the gun is essentially defunct (Colt hasn't made them in years), there may be nothing that can be done.

One other thing. I believe the Beretta Neos is essentially the same gun as the Colt Stainless Target. I have not seen a Neos taken down, but I think it is essentially the same design.

[arcticap]

A former Colt engineer told me that the Colt Target/Cadet is such a close copy of the High Standard Duramatic that it even shares some common parts.
And the Neos magazines will fit the Colt although they're a little longer and don't fit flush.

[smartypants2]

I am not familiar with the HS Duramatic.

However, I did manage to get the Colt Stainless trigger to a crisp 2 lbs!!

Ah, but how?

I filed the point where the sear and the striker engage, to increase the angle of the slot. The slot comes from the factory at 90 degrees, a straight cut down into the striker. I opened it up with a file so its about 70-80 degrees. (Adjusted by trial and error by testing the trigger pull).

This makes it easier for the sear to slide across the (tiny) surface where it contacts the striker. The trigger is now excellent! A virtually perfect trigger except for one thing: I have yet to fire the pistol and make sure it works right under firing conditions.

Another thing, the striker is permanently altered, and I'm going to buy a new one so I can restore the gun to its factory condition, with the lousy trigger, just in case I ever want to sell the gun.

I got the clue of how to do this from working on my Ruger, using a Volquartsen sear, which has a shallower angle than the factory sear, and makes the trigger much better.

This converts my otherwise useless Stainless Target into a very useable bullseye gun. The barrels on those guns are quite accurate, and the grip isn't half bad. So instead of selling it, I can now enjoy it. It was worth taking the risk of applying a file, even though I normally hate to do that.

There ought to be an aftermarket company that offers this altered striker.