Set trigger will not engage

[deerslayer303]

Hey Guys, I hope you guys didn't eat to much but had a great Thanksgiving. Anyway I just returned from a gun shop here in town that I just found out about. Gotta check out the little guys. Any way he had two Hawkins style Rifles on the wall. One was a CVA and the other A Thompson. The Thompson looked virtually unfired. The guy told me that he thought it was a kit gun. The fit and finish looked great. But the rear set trigger on BOTH of those rifles would not set the front trigger. I thought that odd that both of them were doing the same thing. What causes that?

[Old Stony]

Normally just out of adjustment. The little screw between the triggers just needs to be adjusted generally. Not a big deal..

[wogpotter]

Might be several things.
Chipped part in the trigger, or one of the 3 adjustment screws mis-set. Does it work normally if not "set"?

[James K]

In "kit" guns, the most common problem is stock interference since the "builder" didn't know about properly inletting the stock to allow things to move freely.

Jim

[Pahoo]

Correct me if I'm reading too much, between the lines. I'm sure you know that you can check the double set independent of anything else. If you choose to do so, you can pull the double set and observe it's operation The double set, is actually two triggers in series. It is strange that both rifles have the same problem. It's possible that the previous owner has disabled them. My first pass is the screw adjustment between the triggers. The front trigger, has a contact or detent or notch that is engages by the sear of the rear trigger. That notch may be broken or worn. The adjustment screw actually decreases the bight on the front or main trigger. Another check, is to check if the front trigger return spring to make sure it's not broken. If the front trigger cannot return to it's normal position, the rear trigger or set trigger sear cannot engage. Some folks remove the set trigger altogether. .....

Be Safe !!!

[44 Dave]

Good advice here, especially Pahoo.
I had one where the trigger assembly was inleted too deep.
I say buy both of them as broken, repair them then sell one or both back.

[Hawg]

If the TC has a K prefix in the serial number it was a kit.

[wogpotter]

Easy way to eliminate what it isn't. remove the trigger assy & see if it works away from the stock.
If it doesn't then its not the stock, if it does then it is the stock, or fitting to the stock.

[bedbugbilly]

Pahoo has some great advice.

First check the adjustment screw between the triggers . . . I say that as if someone is unfamiliar with set triggers, they might figure that that screw is "loose" and needed tightening.

As mentioned . . . easily checked by removing the trigger assembly . . then pull the back trigger to see if it sets the front.

Most kit guns that I've seen have most of the inletting done not he stock. Set triggers aren't rocket science but they may seem that way if someone doesn't understand how they function and how they need to be fitted.

I don't know who those particular rifles are set up but many are set up so that the triggers can be operated "set" or "un-set". A good set of "set triggers" can be adjusted so that the lightest touch will make it go bang.

[Pahoo]

The guy told me that he thought it was a kit gun.

TC Kit-Guns are fairly easy to spot, regardless of how well they have been assembled and finished. Regardless, I have seen some kit-guns that were better than factory ones. As Hawg mentions most will have a "K" prefix. Other manufactures might list the "K" as a suffix. There are other physical characteristics that most TC kits can't hide. I often go on Gun Broker and they are not all that hard to spot. The next one I spot, I will list the link in this forum. .....

Now, to me, this one is "suspect" as a kit-gun and if I were interested, I'd email seller and request a S/N. The most visual indication, are the sharp edges on the nose cap and the thick butt plate. There are others as well....
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=454988936

Be Safe !!!

[deerslayer303]

Thanks for the info guys. Yeah I tried to set the front trigger on both rifles with the hammer fully cocked and the hammer down (on the nipple) Nothing happened either time. I know my Lyman GPR you can "set" the front trigger with the hammer cocked or down. That's the reason I tried it on the CVA and the Thompson. I'll bet these rifles came from the same person. The CVA having a browned finished barrel that looks great IMO. But my hankering is for that Thompson. I'm going to go back over there tomorrow and look at it some more armed with the great info you guys gave. Maybe I can get him to come off the price some (300.00 taxes included).

[Pahoo]

Yeah I tried to set the front trigger on both rifles with the hammer fully cocked and the hammer down (on the nipple) Nothing happened either time.

Slayer,
Again, I may be reading you wrong so check me. On the TC's and most other long-guns, the set is the rear trigger and the hunting trigger or main, is the front trigger. So, with the hammer down or at half-cock, first set the rear trigger and then the front. Both should have their own distinctive click. ...


Be Safe !!

[deerslayer303]

Yeah I did that and the rear trigger ( or set) doesn't do anything just travels rearward with no click. The adjustment screw between them is backed pretty far out

[Pahoo]

Slayer,
I keep looking at this problem as if these were your guns and they are not. At this point, I would say that if you cannot set the "rear" trigger on both, then it's the shop's problem to fix or negotiate a lower price. Just between us girls, Ebay and GB have replacement sets, listed. Personally, I would have no problem buying these at a reduced price, if the bores are good. On M/L's, the bore is the heart and the lock is the brains. Let us know how you make out. Might add that some set are very hard to set. .....

Be Safe !!!

[wogpotter]

How is the other screw?
It should be just engaging, about 1/4 turn. If set wrong it will prevent the trigger setting as it adds too much tension to the main spring to overcome when setting.

[deerslayer303]

When I found the Browning Mountain Rifle I didn't go back over there. I appreciate all the info which I'm sure will help me in the future!! Both of those rifles were very nice lookin rifles.

[4V50 Gary]

Remove the trigger group from the stock. See if it works outside of the stock. If so, then it's likely an inletting issue.

My brother's Spanish gun had an issue with stock compression. Tighten the side screw (sideplate to the lock) too much and it bound the wood tightly together, impeding the operation of the set trigger. Tighten down the tang screw too much and the same issue arose.