How light can you make the trigger pull on a double action, j frame size revolver?

Question

My mother is 62 years old and is thinking she wants a CCW permit. The problem Im having is she cant pull the slide on a semi auto reliably, it takes her FOREVER to c**k a single action revolver and it causes her to shift her grip. She uses 2 fingerrs to pull the trigger in DA mode on my model 36, I think she would be fine with a DA as long as we could lighten the pull up.

Answer 1

Does she try to c**k the hammer with her firing hand or non firing hand

I had the same problem with my ex, her mother, my father and my mother

All but the ex MIL were able to handle a revolver by cacking it with their non firing hand

None were able to pull a DA trigger without shifting the aim

I did have a well worn Taurus with a very age smoothed trigger that my father could pull with his arthritic fingers

But to answer your question a DA can be lightened up enough to be what is considered a hair trigger

It's up to the level of your mothers weakness to determine how far you can go while keeping it safe

7 to 9 pounds seems to be standard to keep the gun safe and prevent light strikes

Above all smoothness is far more important than pull weight

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I ended up buying my MIL one of those Beretta tip ups in either .25 or 32

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nmende00

Makes a very good point

My mother could not rack the slide on a semi I bought her till I taught her to push the gun more than p[ull the slide

Now she can rack the slide but I can't convince her that she likes it, still too scared of the whole auto thing

Answer 2

An ideal DA pull on a revolver is no heavier than about 8lbs. Any lighter and the hammer may not strike the primer reliably enough. In a semiauto the hammer is cockked by the slide's momentum or with one's thumb. In a revolver, the hammer is cockked by the trigger pull or with the thumb.

Women oftentimes just need to learn how to pull a slid back. Healthy young men can get away with using his arm strength to pull it back.

Have her go to this site:

http://www.corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.a...

She may not have the strength to slide rack the slide but with the right technique, I am confident she will be able to do so.

Also, in a pistol with an external hammer and thumb safety, thumb cocking it first, will make the slide much easier to pull back, assuming of course that you are planning on shooting it with the safety on.

Answer 3

Talk to your gunsmith, but I'd see no problem with a 5 pound trigger. As for it not reliably setting off the primer, mention that to your smith as well. They may be able to make some adjustment that will provide the firing pin with some extra reach to make it more reliable.

How much this will cost, I don't know, but I wouldn't expect it to be much.

And congratulations on getting you mother to protect herself. If only mine would listen.

Answer 4

The strong double action pull is one of the safeties built into a S+W handgun. It is set as generally around 12 pounds with the single action at around 3 pounds.

While it is possible to lighten that pull, the gun would not be up to S+W specs and if the job was done poorly, it could be hazardous to use or may not fire at all.

There are spring kits that can be used to replace those in the gun but that also would negate any warrantee or be used against you in a law suit. So, to do so is done at your risk and I understand the reasoning you'd want to do this. Whatever you do, if anything, make sure it is not a "home done" job.