# GLOCK triggers...going from 5.5lbs to 3.5lbs



## Dub (May 28, 2010)

Anyone have any experience doing this?

How were the results?

I see all the needed components advertised in many GLOCK part supply books.  I also see a number of GLOCKsmithing DVDs listed as well.  

I'm not saying I'd rush out and do so on my own...but I'd love a better understanding of the process and any results & experience you all have had with such.

I've never shot one with the 3.5lb in there but am enticed by the possibilities of doing so.  The full sized GLOCKS really fit my hand very well and are instinctive pointers for me.  It'd be really sweet to take it even further with the target trigger.

I should state as well that most of my handguns double as self/home defense weapons as well as hunting and target shooting.  I wouldn't want to do anything that would compromise the inherent safe operation of the gun or make it unstable in any way.  I'm also not displeased with the stock trigger, but wouldn't mind a little lighter.

Also I'm a firm believer in the principle that my gun's safety is my right index finger (Just like the Delta guy said in Blackhawk Down).


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## Ga Sportsman (May 28, 2010)

I had the same thoughts as you on this matter.  I think if it's a carry weapon, I wouldn't do it......but just for shooting and home defense, do it......


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## Xringer17 (May 29, 2010)

*Glock*

I've put the 3.5lb connector in a couple of Glocks and it does drop the pull weight. If you do decide to go that route whatever you do DO NOT put the reduced power firing pin spring in it. It WILL fail over a short amount of time (6 months or less in my experiences). When it fails, you will get light strikes and FTF. I ended up taking the 3.5lb connector out and going back to stock. I polished all contacting surfaces of the trigger/firing assembly and now have a terrific trigger pull (to me and others who have shot it). If you Google "Glock $0.25 trigger job" it will give you a good idea of what I polished. The trigger is better and the gun is 100% reliable. You don't want a lighter trigger pull on a self/home defense weapon anyway. I've read where lawyers have used that against people in self-defense cases in the past ie. Massad Ayoob. Massad suggest using extra power springs for a heavier than stock/more reliable trigger pull on self-defense weapons. That's just my two cents, good luck and enjoy your Glock.


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## JerBla (May 29, 2010)

Xringer17 said:


> You don't want a lighter trigger pull on a self/home defense weapon anyway. I've read where lawyers have used that against people in self-defense cases in the past ie. Massad Ayoob. Massad suggest using extra power springs for a heavier than stock/more reliable trigger pull on self-defense weapons. That's just my two cents, good luck and enjoy your Glock.



I was hoping someone was going to write that. I read an article that Massad wrote all about people that modify trigger pull and then got into some deep water with lawyers about how if the gun was never modified then whoever was shot might have never been shot. But since someone had a "hair trigger" on their gun now they face all kinds of charges. 
Weird how someone would try to screw you when they were coming to harm you in the first place.


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## obsession (May 29, 2010)

JerBla said:


> Weird how someone would try to screw you when they were coming to harm you in the first place.



it would be more like their family trying to screw me.


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## shaneadams90 (May 30, 2010)

I have 3.5 # triggers in all my glocks. It started because I have a 3.5 in my glock 35 which is the gun I shoot the most.  I carry a 27 daily and have a 21 at home and a 23 at the office. Practicing with the 35 and lighter trigger caused me to "milk" my other guns a bit and pull shots down and to the left a bit. For the sake of standardization I went with 3.5 triggers in all my carry pieces and even installed the same sites on all carry and primary protection pieces. Still have adjustable sites on the 35. 

As for the term "hair trigger" I do not feel as though this applies to how my guns shoot. It is very controllable, very predictable, and reliable. Trigger reset is very quick and easily detectable. No regrets and no failures after a good number of rounds through all 4 weapons. Other opinions may vary but this setup works for me. 

Regardless of what you do remember to practice with your system of choice.   Best of luck!
Shane


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## njanear (May 30, 2010)

I have the '3.5#' connectors in most of my Glocks, for the same reason that shaneadams90 mentioned - so they all have about the same trigger pull.  Just note that Glock has reverted to calling the very same connector the '4.5#' connector now, because that is really about where the weight is.  It is in no way a 'hair trigger as it stands, as a 4.5# pull on such a light pistol can easily pull it off target if you are not used to it.

There are some other aftermarket triggers out there that get you down to the 2.5# range - but I have NO interest in them myself, as I am perfectly fine with the current trigger pulls on my Glocks.


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## JerBla (May 31, 2010)

I understand how the "hair trigger" might be off beat to what it really is. Im just going by what I read from antother shooter(Massad Ayoob) who gives his personal opinion on modifying the trigger and what the concequences MAY be if you had to use it. You have to look at it not only from your side of view but the person or thing that got shot by you. Did he/she deserve it? In your eyes Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- yeah but to the deffence attorny, this all could have been advoided if you never changed the trigger from 5.5lbs to 4.5lbs. 

Im not saying Im against it, would I ever do it no. But if you want to go for it, just know that you COULD get into trouble with lawyers if you shoot their client.


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## njanear (May 31, 2010)

JerBla said:


> I understand how the "hair trigger" might be off beat to what it really is. Im just going by what I read from antother shooter(Massad Ayoob) who gives his personal opinion on modifying the trigger and what the concequences MAY be if you had to use it. You have to look at it not only from your side of view but the person or thing that got shot by you. Did he/she deserve it? In your eyes Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- yeah but to the deffence attorny, this all could have been advoided if you never changed the trigger from 5.5lbs to 4.5lbs.
> 
> Im not saying Im against it, would I ever do it no. But if you want to go for it, just know that you COULD get into trouble with lawyers if you shoot their client.



I am curious as to if anyone has documented court cases where this has occurred.  Any cases cited in the writings?  Any such cases in GA that anyone knows of?


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## STONEWALL0628 (May 31, 2010)

njanear said:


> I am curious as to if anyone has documented court cases where this has occurred.  Any cases cited in the writings?  Any such cases in GA that anyone knows of?



Me too......


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## faawrenchbndr (May 31, 2010)

That "3.5#" connector only lowers the trigger pull weight to 4.5#


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## VolFan1nGA (Jun 1, 2010)

Dub, have you seen this before? "The $0.25 Glock Trigger Job"

http://www.alpharubicon.com/mrpoyz/glock/ 

My G-19 has a 3.5lb trigger done by Fastgun1962 on here. He does good work.


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## VolFan1nGA (Jun 1, 2010)

It looks like that guy, Fastgun1962, is no longer a member on here.


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## mikeh25 (Jun 1, 2010)

*.*

If you shoot a variety of other handguns that are mostly single action / light pulls then you may benefit from reducing the pull on your Glock.  If you shoot a lot of double action / heavy pull weapons, go the other way: Put in a NY2 spring and practice!  

One of the reasons I prefer a Glock or other consistant-pull type trigger versus most SA/DA semi autos is the huge difference in the pull from first shot to second.  Yeah you can practice that too, but the change in your abilities at the range vs. a life & death struggle can be significant.

That is kind of like a mechnical safety: they are great at the range if you want to put a loaded weapon down for a moment but not something you want to have to deal with when fractions of seconds count.

But that's just my opinion - I could be wrong.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jun 1, 2010)

JerBla said:


> I was hoping someone was going to write that. I read an article that Massad wrote all about people that modify trigger pull and then got into some deep water with lawyers about how if the gun was never modified then whoever was shot might have never been shot. But since someone had a "hair trigger" on their gun now they face all kinds of charges.
> Weird how someone would try to screw you when they were coming to harm you in the first place.





njanear said:


> I am curious as to if anyone has documented court cases where this has occurred.  Any cases cited in the writings?  Any such cases in GA that anyone knows of?



I don't have any comments on the Glock issue.  I would take any legal advice I got from Massad Ayoob with a large grain of salt.  I doubt that you will find a case where someone is getting sued because of a legal modification to their gun.

Ayoob is also the source of the advice to not use handloads in a self-defense gun, "because some lawyer might say you were looking for trouble."  Do a search and see how often this advice is repeated  as a certified, bottled in bond fact, and how seldom it is attributed to Ayoob.

The "fact" is that myself, and several others have done an exhaustive search of all reported federal and state cases, and there is no reported case where that has made an issue of handloads.  In fact there are only about a half dozen cases that even mention handloads or reloads in any context.  

The issue in any shooting case is whether you were justified in using deadly force.  If  you are, you can use whatever deadly force is available, if you aren't, any deadly force you use is impermissible.  That's why there is so little focus on the mechanism by which the deadly force is delivered.

I enjoy Ayoob's writings, and his comments on police procedure are interesting, and his analysis of tactics by both police and civilians is very informative.  However, he has no background or training in the legal standards for the use of deadly force (which vary from state to state anyway).  Also remember that he is a professional expert witness, and writer, and it is to his benefit to generate issues where none really exist.

If a "hair trigger" were a  legal issue, all service revolvers would be DAO, because any decent revolver will shoot 3.5 - 4 lbs SA out of the box.  Same as with 1911's which some departments  still authorize on an individual basis.


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## JohnK (Jun 1, 2010)

I used the lone wolf 3.5 and the .25 polishing maybe 2 years ago on 2 pistols. No problems, everything you need to know is available on the internet, with pictures. The polishing may help more than the trigger. Mine still feels all Glocky and just as safe as original, I really can't tell much difference unless there is an unaltered Glock at the same time for comparision. Then you can tell.


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## bowbuck (Jun 1, 2010)

In Georgia there are really only three ways to justify deadly force, and it really doesn't matter whether you beat them to death with a claw hammer or shoot them with your custom .5 pound trigger glock.  If you don't fall in those guidelines your looking at getting money put on your account at Jackson State for christmas presents.  my .02 cents.


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## shaneadams90 (Jun 2, 2010)

Massad Ayoob is primarily focused on law enforcement and a justifiable shooting from a Police standpoint.  I would say that the vast majority of us are not LE.  While many of his arguments carry weight you have to temper them to your situation and level of training/job.  The is no question that the guy is not very good at what he does and his mission is to protect LE members from a wrongful lawsuit and in todays society we all know IT HAPPENS.

The way I look at a Glock trigger is that it is an optional Glock accessory.  Offered by Glock as an OPTION but doesn't affect the purpose of the weapon.  Had I rigged something up and the gun went off in my holster when I jumped out of the truck then I think there would be grounds for a liable suit.  But I am not lawyer nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Experss last night.


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