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Old November 26, 2012, 08:16 AM   #1
Dr_Rich
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M&P Trigger job

I'm not sure if this is the right spot for this. but here it goes.


A little backstory on me.

I've always been into taking things apart and putting them back together. I would say I have a 99.9% success rate on all things. 100% on firearms. I have dissemblance almost every firearm I own, more than once. Including a Sig Sauer Mosquito! I'm a computer tech by trade and I'm used to pulling laptops apart. So the small and intricate parts of a firearm are nothing new.

Now, on with my question

Someone asked me if I'd swap out a ghost trigger on his M&P9. I happen to have one at home. This weekend I did take out the trigger assembly and found the sear and all that jazz. So I have a good idea of what a 'trigger job' has in store but whats the going rate for such a job? I know I wouldn't be able to charge was a 20+ year exp gunsmith would, but I'm not going to do this for free either.

Hell, I may be barking up the wrong tree all together. Either way, let me know what your experiences have been.

Thanks guys.
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Old November 26, 2012, 08:50 AM   #2
darkroommike
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Sorry if I seem a bit harsh here but there is no way I would pay you anything to do your first trigger job on MY gun. I also work on computers, computers are plug and play, replace broken components, etc. No "smithing" involved. Matter of fact, I won't let the local "gunsmith" touch my gun (sorry Bubba), but I'm less than 100 miles to Cylinder & Slide.

I may back off my assessment if you can list here both the steps and the tools (Brownell cat. numbers a bonus) to do a trigger job on an M&P9.

Work on your own guns if you must but from the perspective of liability alone I would not touch another person's pistol without training, tools and insurance (that's why a smith charges so much, not because he can but because he must, to stay in business).

I do work on my own guns, doing a sight swap and Wolfe spring swap on my Sig Sauer P6 this week, but that's a far cry from a "trigger job".
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Old November 26, 2012, 04:33 PM   #3
Dr_Rich
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By working "On computers" Do you mean your work is ON computers. Like, say, a modern day photographer?

No cupcake. Computers are not as plug and play as you might think. Try replacing a hdd on a netbook or a the cooling fan on a laptop. Or a motherboard on any computer. Ever dive into an iMac?

The guy asked me if I was a gunsmith. I said no. But I said I had a M&P at home and I would take that down and see what all was involved and I'd get back with him. He seemed ok with the notion. I would, of course, have him sign a waiver saying that neither me nor the range I work for would be responsible in any way if something were to happen to him or his firearm.

That being said, I did take mine down. I did take the trigger group out. I did remove everything as well as getting it all back together. Guess what? It still works. This is not my first trigger job. Like I said, I have already disassembled my m&p and I've worked on quiet a few glocks. Granted, glocks are mindlessly simple. Point is, its not my first time taking a gun apart.

Some people are afraid to take things apart. I can understand them to a point. So its ok if you're not comfortable working on things.

But I'm just wondering. You wouldn't do your own trigger, but you also wouldn't let a gunsmith do one either. So how would you possible give me any insight? Either way, your triggers will never be touched from the inside.


I'm not going to be forging my own parts in a kiln. The guy is going to bring me a drop in trigger kit. There's no "smithing" involved.

Take out pins, remove take down lever, remove trigger assembly. Replace parts. Reassemble.
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080-000-019wb
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Old November 26, 2012, 05:05 PM   #4
zincwarrior
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I would not put a trigger into another person's firearm, for liability reasons alone.

Firearms are an extremely target rich environment for risk. You're setting yourself up for a lawsuit for no real reason. Let the professionals do such.
I'd politely back track and denote you're not comfortable with this as you're not skilled in the area and you don't want anything to happen to the guy.
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Old November 26, 2012, 06:48 PM   #5
Dr_Rich
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Sound advice, ill most likely take you up on that. thank you.
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Old November 26, 2012, 08:08 PM   #6
darkroommike
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Working on computers

No "cupcake". I build computers, replace harddrives, upgrade memory, and have replaced the lcd's, cooling fans, cpu fans, etc. in laptops. I built/restored a Mac from the motherboard up from components I acquired from several different sources, without a schematic. I have taken two different Laser printers using the same engine and made a working Apple Laserwriter II from parts of a Laser Writer and an HP Deskjet (both use the same Canon engine). I have been inside computers for more than twenty years, I've cracked the case on more than one Mac Classic to replace drives and memory.

I also work on computers, Photoshop mostly.

I was a level two tech support at Gateway. The only thing more difficult than troubleshooting a computer on the bench in front of you is troubleshooting a computer over the phone. I have machines at home running different dialects of Linux and Microsoft Windows.

All of that is infinitely easier than stoning the sear on a trigger group just enough to smooth the trigger without turning it full auto.

I still wouldn't let you or my local bubba work on my pistols.

Swapping out a trigger group is not smithing. My point was and is, I consider the local "smith" to be incompetent, I've seen his work and I'm less than 100 mines from Cylinder and Slide, Bill and his crew know what they are doing.
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Old November 26, 2012, 09:03 PM   #7
polyphemus
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" but I'm not going to do this for free either"
You must have an FFL to perform gunsmithing services,no mention of that well known fact.
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Old November 26, 2012, 09:35 PM   #8
ripnbst
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http://www.burwellguns.com/misc/M&Ptriggerjob.pdf

This will probably help you out immensely. You owe me $10
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Old November 27, 2012, 07:59 AM   #9
Dr_Rich
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darkroommike
No "cupcake". I build computers, replace harddrives, upgrade memory, and have replaced the lcd's, cooling fans, cpu fans, etc. in laptops. I built/restored a Mac from the motherboard up from components I acquired from several different sources, without a schematic. I have taken two different Laser printers using the same engine and made a working Apple Laserwriter II from parts of a Laser Writer and an HP Deskjet (both use the same Canon engine). I have been inside computers for more than twenty years, I've cracked the case on more than one Mac Classic to replace drives and memory.

I also work on computers, Photoshop mostly.

I was a level two tech support at Gateway. The only thing more difficult than troubleshooting a computer on the bench in front of you is troubleshooting a computer over the phone. I have machines at home running different dialects of Linux and Microsoft Windows.

All of that is infinitely easier than stoning the sear on a trigger group just enough to smooth the trigger without turning it full auto.

I still wouldn't let you or my local bubba work on my pistols.

Swapping out a trigger group is not smithing. My point was and is, I consider the local "smith" to be incompetent, I've seen his work and I'm less than 100 mines from Cylinder and Slide, Bill and his crew know what they are doing.

So? Computers are plug~n~play, right? lol Moooo. Either way, no hard feelings, cupcake


Quote:
Originally Posted by polyphemus
You must have an FFL to perform gunsmithing services,no mention of that well known fact.
I'm confused. The gun range I work for buys and sells firearms. What is this "FFL" you speak of?



Quote:
Originally Posted by ripbst
http://www.burwellguns.com/misc/M&Ptriggerjob.pdf

This will probably help you out immensely. You owe me $10
If I were going to do that job, I would paypal you $10. But since I'm not...'Thanks for the help' lol?
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Old November 27, 2012, 08:20 AM   #10
polyphemus
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Federal Firearms License,Persons operating a gunsmith business have to be federally licensed,if you charge for services you're running a business.
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Old November 27, 2012, 08:32 AM   #11
Dr_Rich
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ployphemus

Federal Firearms License,Persons operating a gunsmith business have to be federally licensed,if you charge for services you're running a business.
What if its only a shooting range / gun shop where patrons can buy firearms, ammo, targets and even take a class for something called a "Concealed Weapons Permit". Whatever that is. I mean, the place is owned by a law enforcement officer / lawyer. And, almost all the employees are or were at some point, in law enforcement.

I will have to esquire as to whether or not this place has this Federal Firearms License thingie. Thanks man.
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Old November 27, 2012, 10:24 AM   #12
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Quote:
What if its only a shooting range / gun shop where patrons can buy firearms, ammo, targets and even take a class for something called a "Concealed Weapons Permit"
They have an FFL if they are selling firearms. AFAIK, in Florida, you don't need an FFL to provide the required training for a CWP, but that is up to the state in question, not to the federal government. There is good information on how to acquire an FFL at the ATF website: http://www.atf.gov/
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Old November 27, 2012, 11:57 AM   #13
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As mentioned a FFL is needed for gunsmithing.
If you are doing on your own , for pay as a means of livelihood then that is required.
If your are doing it as a employee of the range , then they have the FFL.
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Old November 27, 2012, 11:59 AM   #14
mete
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In NY state ,if things are still the same , you would also have to have a NYS pistolsmithing license !!
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Old November 27, 2012, 12:00 PM   #15
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A Apex kit is not really a "traditional" trigger job but a parts replacement.
But it is well within the scope of somebody who is not all thumbs.

And I like cupcakes
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Old November 27, 2012, 01:06 PM   #16
Zhillsauditor
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Quote:
A Apex kit is not really a "traditional" trigger job but a parts replacement.
I would not hesitate to do a trigger replacement for a friend; however, I would encourage the owner to do it themselves--a trigger replacement is not difficult with a few simple tools. Now a real trigger job, that I've not attempted and would not start experimenting with another's gun.
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