How do i find out my trigger weight

[rob45cal]

Does ne one have a DIY trick to figuring out the weight of their trigger.
Im interested in having a trigger job done to my XD40SC that i use for my CCW. Ive had this gun for over a yr and a half and have put atleast 2500 rounds thru it so im pretty sure its fully worn in. A few weeks ago i took my gun to a gunsmith that was recommended to me thru an local message board to have my Truglo TFO's put on. When i picked up my gun, i asked him about trigger jobs. On his website is says that he does them, and he said that hes done them on xd's before. He was recommended to me because of his work with xd's so i have no reason to not trust him. (hes a retired LEO and does this to keep busy). He says that my trigger doesnt really need one and estimated that it was already between 4 to 5 pounds. Does this sound right with my round count? and is there an accurate way to find out.

thanks in advance
rob

[Bud33]

First, you can buy a trigger scale and measure the let off yourself. Check with one of the gun parts and tools companies like Brownell or Midway for a scale.
The local Gander Mt has told me that if I bring the gun, they will measure it for me.
My XD9SC has a trigger pull of about 4.5 to 5 # out of the box. IMHO this is about right for a CCW weapon.

[Don]

I used a postal/kitchen scale and a coat hanger and and an bottled water bottle and lots of 115gr. 9mm bullets. I held the pistol so that the barrel is vertical. I bent the coat hanger around until it would rest on the trigger and avoid dragging on the grip. I hung the bottle on the coat hanger. Then I weighed these parts on the scale. Now I filled the bottle with the bullets until the trigger broke. Dump out the bullets, count them and add the weight to what you already know.
Variations of weights abound, you can use coins as they are known weights, or use water or sheets of paper, be creative. If you just have loaded ammo, tell us what you have and I bet we can get a accurate weight on the loaded cartridge to use as your scale.

[aphexafx]

Originally Posted by Don

I used a postal/kitchen scale and a coat hanger and and an bottled water bottle and lots of 115gr. 9mm bullets. I held the pistol so that the barrel is vertical. I bent the coat hanger around until it would rest on the trigger and avoid dragging on the grip. I hung the bottle on the coat hanger. Then I weighed these parts on the scale. Now I filled the bottle with the bullets until the trigger broke. Dump out the bullets, count them and add the weight to what you already know.
Variations of weights abound, you can use coins as they are known weights, or use water or sheets of paper, be creative. If you just have loaded ammo, tell us what you have and I bet we can get a accurate weight on the loaded cartridge to use as your scale.

Um, not to pick here, Don, but why don't you just weigh the whole assembly again on your kitchen/postal scale once it breaks the trigger - instead of counting and adding up the components?

[Don]

Some home Postal scales are metered for 1/10 oz but are limited in range less than max trigger weights, so you can get good accuracy with the dead weight (coat hanger and bottle) and almost unlimited range with the known weights that you add.

Kitchen scales can be low resolution, so you limit the low resolution to the dead weight (minor error) and get good resolution with the added weights.

Simple scales can still be within the ranges of how we think of trigger weights, but it is also simple to be more accurate and repeatable when we can. New digital scales can be accurate over wide ranges, but I am thinking of those with limited tools. That and there is some geek in me that wants to be accurate even when it does not matter.

[rob45cal]

thanks for your help i will give it a try and see what i get.

Rob

[rgeliske]

Before you go to that gunsmith and have him muck up your XD. There is very little improvement you can get on the factory trigger a local gunsmith without changing the springs. The only lighter springs available for the XD are the Canyon Creek Spring kit which is $20 from Pistol Gear. The maximun trigger pull reduction is gotten by adding the Canyon Creek Trigger Upgrade $80 at Pistol Gear including the lighter springs. They claim about a 2lb. ruduction in trigger pull. Local gunsmiths usually do not have the experience to give you that much without using these parts. You might be better off to just send your gun to Pistol Gear or Canyon Creek and have them installed. I have nothing against local gunsmiths but not many have spent much time working on XD and deburring and polishing parts with not get you much improvement over a trigger that has been broken well in.

[TacBlack]

Get a fish scale at the local shop. Set your gun in a padded vise with a coat hanger harness that is free from dragging on your gun frame or anything else.

Hook the fish scale to the hanger harness, hang a container from the other end of the scale. Fill the container full of water until the trigger breaks.

Read the number on the scale.

Or you can do the math. "Pint's a pound the world around."

XD trigger is about 4.5 - 5 lb. The linkage is such that a "trigger job" is going to be only marginally worthwhile. You can reduce the pull weight, but you still have a long travel on an XD trigger, and you're not going to notice much difference.

Besides which, much less than 4 lbs for a handgun trigger is moving into the danger zone -- especially on a mechanism like the XD with no independent safety.

[bountyhunter]

Originally Posted by rob45cal

Does ne one have a DIY trick to figuring out the weight of their trigger.. and is there an accurate way to find out.

thanks in advance
rob

easy way: empty plastic milk jug and dental floss. Get a measuring cup and add water to the plastic jug: ounce of water = ounce of weight. 16 ounces of water = one pound. You can "calibrate" the jug by drawing lines on the side corresponding to fill levels.

tie dental floss through the handle and loop it around the trigger. Point the gun at the celing and raise the jug. if the hammer falls, that's the pull weight. keep adding water until the trigger pulls.

[rogerxd45]

i got a 3.1 pound trigger (tested by a gun smith) with just the canyon creek spring kit on my 40