Best lubricant to smooth out a trigger

TXAZ · January 3, 2017, 10:18 PM

I have a Barrett M107 .50 cal that is a blast to shoot, but the trigger is not real smooth. It's still in warranty so I don't want to go down the 'file this / file that' trigger road yet.
There's a product called KG-5, which claims to be a PTFE Trigger Lubricant, and a few others that are PTFE or Moly based with similar testimonials.

Anyone have any experience with any trigger lubricants that you actually noticed a reduction in the pull or make it a bit smoother?

RKG · January 3, 2017, 10:53 PM

I would not want a bunch of any lubricant on the sear engagement surfaces of any trigger.

If by "not smooth" you mean that the trigger has discernible grit over the course pre-letoff travel, this implies that the engagement surfaces are not flat. Lube won't solve that problem. The surfaces should be dressed properly.

mete · January 3, 2017, 11:05 PM

Yes, properly smoothed and flat with proper angles- that's the only way. Then one drop of oil or light grease may be added.

g.willikers · January 4, 2017, 10:12 AM

Yeah, lubes attract dirt and don't stick around very long.
Not a permanent solution at all but might be useful if you're only going to fire a few rounds.
But if those considerations aren't important, the best ones I've found are lithium grease, auto trans fluid and anti-seize applied very sparingly on clean parts.

T. O'Heir · January 4, 2017, 01:44 PM

Lubricant of any kind does and will not 'smooth out' or reduce the pull of any trigger.
However, the manual says the trigger assembly should be "lightly" coated with a CLP oil. Odd that the manual has no other references to the trigger at all. No mention of it's weight and anything else about it. There is a fair bit of discussion on the Barrett forum though. One guy says he clipped 2 coils from the FP spring. How that has anything to do with the trigger pull I dunno. Wouldn't do that myself.
Biggerhammer, being the place for such things, has a how-to for trigger job on an M82A1.
http://www.m82a1.us/firearms/82a1mod.pdf
There are a bunch of aftermarket triggers too. One of 'em, currently out of stock , runs $650.
"...the engagement surfaces are not flat..." Assorted metal finishes will do that too. Parkerizing, Lube-rite(black phosphating), et al are not smooth metal to metal finishes.
No files are needed to do a trigger job. Polish the mating parts only and change the springs. The latter requires know what they are now though. And Barrett ain't telling.

Pahoo · January 4, 2017, 01:56 PM

On application to contact points/surfaces of trigger parts, for years I used GunSlick which is a graphite based grease. I also use a Moly based grease by Dow. On other applications, I use a Moly based oil by Gunk. .....

I know you stated that you don't want to go down the "File" road and I can't remember the last time I did. However, I do hone parts often and then lightly lube. .....

Be Safe !!!

hooligan1 · January 5, 2017, 06:05 AM

I wash my triggers in White gas, and lubricate only with lighter fluid..period....

TXAZ · January 5, 2017, 02:08 PM

Holligan1 noted:

Quote:

I wash my triggers in White gas, and lubricate only with lighter fluid..period....

I'm guessing you don't smoke...

tangolima · January 5, 2017, 09:40 PM

What's wrong with lubing the sear?

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

mete · January 5, 2017, 11:04 PM

Moving metal to metal parts should have some lubrication .It should always be "lightly lubed" with a good quality lub

hooligan1 · January 6, 2017, 06:04 AM

TXAZ, I'm a smoker, but not when washing triggers dude, that's outside the house work,,,,,according to the mrs.

1goodshot · January 7, 2017, 07:54 AM

I heard that packing it with gleem toothpaste and working the trigger will smooth it up

weaselfire · January 7, 2017, 12:20 PM

Do a trigger job, lubricant isn't smoothing out a trigger. Or call the manufacturer to see what they say.

Jeff

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

mikld · January 7, 2017, 12:53 PM

I agree with weaselfire and most of the other posts, but calling Barrett is a good idea. Who knows, they may be aware of a faux pas in the manufacturing of some trigger groups and offer a fix/repair.

I don't know if many toothpastes still have any abrasive in them, but long ago I used toothpaste as a very fine honing/polishing compound.

tangolima · January 7, 2017, 01:19 PM

All gun manufacturers today, except the high-end boutique custom shops, have triggers with a lot of positive sear engagement. It is to lower their liability exposure. The result is creepy triggers. The user will have to pay to have trigger job done if he wants a good trigger pull. Doing so the user also "owns" the liability. Unfortunately it is how many things work nowadays; the product needs to be dumber than the dumbest user. Evolution in the wrong direction.

Lube can help to a small extend. But a lousy trigger is still lousy, even it improves from the lousiest to pretty lousy. With a good trigger job, good can become better.

Any sort of lapping compound, tooth paste included, is a bad idea. It erodes the positivity of an engagement.

However I still don't understand why a sear engagement should be bone dry, at least according to some. I always use a sparing amount of good grease.

-TL

January 3, 2017, 10:18 PM	#1
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Best lubricant to smooth out a trigger I have a Barrett M107 .50 cal that is a blast to shoot, but the trigger is not real smooth. It's still in warranty so I don't want to go down the 'file this / file that' trigger road yet. There's a product called KG-5, which claims to be a PTFE Trigger Lubricant, and a few others that are PTFE or Moly based with similar testimonials. Anyone have any experience with any trigger lubricants that you actually noticed a reduction in the pull or make it a bit smoother? __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

January 3, 2017, 11:05 PM	#3
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Yes, properly smoothed and flat with proper angles- that's the only way. Then one drop of oil or light grease may be added. __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

January 4, 2017, 10:12 AM	#4
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Yeah, lubes attract dirt and don't stick around very long. Not a permanent solution at all but might be useful if you're only going to fire a few rounds. But if those considerations aren't important, the best ones I've found are lithium grease, auto trans fluid and anti-seize applied very sparingly on clean parts. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

January 4, 2017, 01:44 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Lubricant of any kind does and will not 'smooth out' or reduce the pull of any trigger. However, the manual says the trigger assembly should be "lightly" coated with a CLP oil. Odd that the manual has no other references to the trigger at all. No mention of it's weight and anything else about it. There is a fair bit of discussion on the Barrett forum though. One guy says he clipped 2 coils from the FP spring. How that has anything to do with the trigger pull I dunno. Wouldn't do that myself. Biggerhammer, being the place for such things, has a how-to for trigger job on an M82A1. http://www.m82a1.us/firearms/82a1mod.pdf There are a bunch of aftermarket triggers too. One of 'em, currently out of stock , runs $650. "...the engagement surfaces are not flat..." Assorted metal finishes will do that too. Parkerizing, Lube-rite(black phosphating), et al are not smooth metal to metal finishes. No files are needed to do a trigger job. Polish the mating parts only and change the springs. The latter requires know what they are now though. And Barrett ain't telling. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

January 4, 2017, 01:56 PM	#6
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Hone and Moly On application to contact points/surfaces of trigger parts, for years I used GunSlick which is a graphite based grease. I also use a Moly based grease by Dow. On other applications, I use a Moly based oil by Gunk. ..... I know you stated that you don't want to go down the "File" road and I can't remember the last time I did. However, I do hone parts often and then lightly lube. ..... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

January 3, 2017, 10:53 PM	#2
RKG Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 562	I would not want a bunch of any lubricant on the sear engagement surfaces of any trigger. If by "not smooth" you mean that the trigger has discernible grit over the course pre-letoff travel, this implies that the engagement surfaces are not flat. Lube won't solve that problem. The surfaces should be dressed properly.

January 5, 2017, 06:05 AM	#7
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	I wash my triggers in White gas, and lubricate only with lighter fluid..period.... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

January 5, 2017, 09:40 PM	#9
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,824	What's wrong with lubing the sear? -TL Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

January 5, 2017, 11:04 PM	#10
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Moving metal to metal parts should have some lubrication .It should always be "lightly lubed" with a good quality lub __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

January 6, 2017, 06:04 AM	#11
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	TXAZ, I'm a smoker, but not when washing triggers dude, that's outside the house work,,,,,according to the mrs. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

January 7, 2017, 07:54 AM	#12
1goodshot Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2001 Location: chandler,az Posts: 929	I heard that packing it with gleem toothpaste and working the trigger will smooth it up

January 7, 2017, 12:20 PM	#13
weaselfire Member Join Date: January 12, 2013 Posts: 88	Do a trigger job, lubricant isn't smoothing out a trigger. Or call the manufacturer to see what they say. Jeff Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

January 7, 2017, 12:53 PM	#14
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I agree with weaselfire and most of the other posts, but calling Barrett is a good idea. Who knows, they may be aware of a faux pas in the manufacturing of some trigger groups and offer a fix/repair. I don't know if many toothpastes still have any abrasive in them, but long ago I used toothpaste as a very fine honing/polishing compound. __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

January 7, 2017, 01:19 PM	#15
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,824	All gun manufacturers today, except the high-end boutique custom shops, have triggers with a lot of positive sear engagement. It is to lower their liability exposure. The result is creepy triggers. The user will have to pay to have trigger job done if he wants a good trigger pull. Doing so the user also "owns" the liability. Unfortunately it is how many things work nowadays; the product needs to be dumber than the dumbest user. Evolution in the wrong direction. Lube can help to a small extend. But a lousy trigger is still lousy, even it improves from the lousiest to pretty lousy. With a good trigger job, good can become better. Any sort of lapping compound, tooth paste included, is a bad idea. It erodes the positivity of an engagement. However I still don't understand why a sear engagement should be bone dry, at least according to some. I always use a sparing amount of good grease. -TL