In this article, I discuss -

* How a trigger works
* How to take apart and re-assemble a trigger
* How to decrease the side to side play
* Soften the pull
* Reduce the rear slack
* Reduce the front slack
* Finishing touches

All are pretty easy with some tools and material. Take your time. Don't try and rush this to get it done before the next day. Give yourself some time. If you mess up, you will need to buy new parts. Another thing to consider, if the trigger modification is too "good", you may leave the safety inoperable. Depending on the field, this may make the marker illegal. If not that, then as parts wear during use, this may cause a malfunction. When playing, it is not how fast you can send paint down the field; it is where it is hitting that count.

Remove all air and paint prior to doing this modification. Read the instructions through. Make sure you have an understanding on what is involved in doing and what is needed for a trigger modification. If you attempt to do any of the home modifications listed on this site, I am not responsible for any damage done to, or from, modifying your marker. Also, by doing any of these modifications, you will void warranty of the marker. Kingman does not support the home modifications that I share.

The Mechanics

I am asked how a trigger pull is measured, which is very good question. I am an avid shooter of real firearms. Measuring that trigger pull is different as compared to the pull of a marker. For firearms, the pull is usually measured in how many pounds it takes to release the firing pin. For markers, it is the actual length of travel of the pull. But, where do you measure on a double trigger. It can vary from person to person. A good and fair place to measure is right where the index finger rests on the trigger. Measure from the triggers resting point to when the sear is released.

To understand the mechanics of how the trigger works, take the frame off the body of the marker. Play around with it. See what moves. Pull the trigger. Let it go. It is the only thing moving and when released, it returns to its original position. Now, look at the sear. That moves in two ways. Push down on the back end. It goes up and down. Now, push the sear forward. Release it. It snaps back into its resting position.

Your probably wondering how does the trigger move the sear that will in turn, release the striker. Look at my Spyder Works diagram to get an understanding visually how a blow back marker like a Spyder operates. Look down onto the frame. When your marker is not cocked, this is what the internals will look like. With your thumb, push the sear forward. This is what it looks like when in the cocked position. There is a step on the bottom of the striker. This is what the sear catches to keep the striker (and bolt) from going forward. Since the striker is under tension by the main spring, this is pushing the striker and sear forward.

Now, pull the trigger. Feel the sear moving? When the end of the sear clears the step on the striker, this releases the striker to go forward and hit the valve pin. In the same movement, he sear is pulled back by the sear spring. With the trigger pulled back, let go of the sear. The sear is pulled back and resets to catch the striker on the strikers return. The air from the valve pushes the striker assembly back and the reset sear catches it from going forward.

Seeing that you have a semi auto, you have to release trigger to reset the trigger and sear contact. To see what I mean, pull the trigger and keep it pulled. Now, simulate the sear catching the striker; push the sear forward. Watch the contact with the sear and trigger as you slowly release the trigger. See that little ledge "pop" out? When that pops out, the trigger and sear is reset. That ledge is what pushes the sear up.

That is it. Simple! Now that you have an understanding how the trigger works, how do you take the internals out to work on?

The Basics

The basics to a trigger modification are taking out the "guts" of the trigger frame. Not a hard thing to do. But if you do not do it properly, you could cause the trigger frame to be unusable before you start on the actual modification. What you will need is a hammer and a nail of some sort that is the same diameter as the pins in the frame. You could also use an allen wrench to push out the pins. Two blocks of wood the same thickness or a vice is also useful.

Take the trigger frame off of the body. Remove any bottomlines, drop forwards, or regulators that may be attached. For some trigger frames, the actual grip is removable. You can remove this if you want. But not needed. As you proceed with a trigger modification, you will be testing the trigger out to check things out and to ensure proper operation.

Locate the pin that holds the trigger in place. This should be the pin behind the safety. Now, examine he pin. There should be a smooth end and a jagged "star" end on the pin. The "stars" is what helps keep the pin in place. It "grabs" onto the frame. Picture below shows what the ridges will look like while in the frame.

You will want to tap the pin out from the smooth side and NOT the star side. If you try and force the pin from the star side through the frame and out the other side, you will either get the pin really stuck or make the hole larger than what they should be. Also, mark the star side so that you can insert the pin correctly upon assembly. That is all it takes to disassemble the trigger frame.

Reinserting the pin is easy. It is backwards on how you took the pin out. Locate the side that the star side was on. Insert the smooth side into the star side of the frame first. Then tap down the pin into place in the frame.

Side to side

Some stock triggers have a side to side movement. It can be pretty annoying to some. This is an easy fix. Depending on the severity of the side to side movement, it can take a small thin metal washer or a piece of mylar or plastic that is used.

The fix: Before removing the trigger, estimate how much side to side movement there is. Then visit your local hardware store and get the smallest washer that could fit. This may cost around $0.15. If the space between the trigger and the wall of the frame is too thin for a washer, you could visit an office supply store and find clear plastic paper protectors. Cut about 1/4" square piece. Try to cut out a clearance hole in the center so that the pin will fit through. Make several as needed.

Take out the pin that is holding the trigger in place. If you think you will need one washer or insert, no need to take the pin completely out. You may be able to slip the "insert" in. Though, if you do remove the trigger all the way, there is a spring and a little round cylinder. That will most likely drop out.

Place the washer or plastic inserts between the trigger and trigger frame. If more than one insert or washer is needed, try and place equal amounts on each side of the trigger. Insert the pin. Make sure there is freedom of movement. If the trigger has a hard time returning to the resting position, may need to use thinner material.

Lighter Pull

The pull of the trigger may be a little on the tough side to pull. Stock springs are usually not very soft. Yet, you would not want a really light spring installed. Doing so will actually slow the trigger pull. There is a balance needed.

The fix: There is the proper way and improper way of doing this. I will explain both. Take out the trigger using the basic instructions described above.

The improper way needs no additional material. You simply take the existing spring and measure the length. Now, snip 1/4 to 1/2 of a loop and stretch the spring to its original length. Snip about 1/4 more if you want a softer pull. But, do not exceed more than a 1 1/2 loop. When you re-install the spring, place the cut end down. Reason I say this is the improper way is because the spring is stretched and is weakened. Because the spring is weakened, it will eventually loose it's resistant characteristic and not feel very good. If this happens, replace it as described as the proper way described next.

The proper way is to spend the money on a new spring. Most hardware stores and craft shops will have springs about the right size. You could even use a "clicky" pen spring that is cut to size (do not stretch this spring). The type of spring you're looking for is a "compression" spring that has "closed and ground ends" or a "closed end" will do. The thinner the wire is as compared to the stock spring, the softer the spring will be. Measure the length, diameter, and the size of the wire. Take these dimensions to the hardware store. For those of you that have a Maddman spring kit, the kit comes with a lighter spring pin. You can go ahead and use that.

Rear Slack

With the trigger frame on, cock the marker. Slowly pull the trigger and note where the striker is released. Now, pull all the way back. From the point the striker is released to the fully back position, this is the "back slack". You can try and train yourself to move the trigger back just far enough to release the striker. Though, in the middle of a firefight, you will probably not remember that point and start to pull the trigger all the way back. What we will do is shorten the back slack.

The fix: What you will need is anything that is the shape of a trigger pin about 5/8" long (that long in case you mess up and need to make a new one) with a 3/16" diameter. It is basically a metal dowel. Can be found in craft, hardware, and hobby stores. I do not recommend anything like a threaded rod. It may hinder the trigger and cause some binding with the spring. A wooden dowel rod will be fine, too. But for durability, use metal like brass, aluminum, or stainless steel. Even a nail cut to the size you need. That will be fine. What we will be making is a trigger backstop. As you pull the trigger, the piece of the trigger that is on top of the trigger spring (I call it a "toe") will stop when it contacts with this stop.

Take the pin that is holding the trigger in the trigger frame completely out. The trigger, a spring and a small round cylinder should come out. I have experienced some Spyders that did not have this cylinder. Don't worry if you are also missing one. We are making a new one anyway. This cylinder is called a trigger back block or stop. What we are doing is replacing the original trigger back block with something longer. This cylinder stops the movement of the trigger after the marker fires. Having a longer cylinder will stop the trigger sooner than a shorter cylinder.

Cut your new back block about 1/8" longer than the original. For those that do not have one, cut your material to about 1/4" to 3/8". The next step is really trial and error. Replace all of your internals. Can you pull the trigger to about where the marker fires? If so, then attach the frame to the body. Cock your marker and pull the trigger. Does it fire? If so, you can do one of two things.

1) Live with what you got; or 2) use the extra material and make a longer trigger back block to make the back slack shorter.

However, if it doesn't fire, you will need to shorten the trigger back block. Remove the trigger, spring, and trigger back block. Sand, file, or grind down the back block a little bit and try to fire the marker again. Repeat as needed until it fires. A nice back pull would be around 1/16" from the release of the striker to a full pull.

Another type of a trigger back block is an adjustable one. This is pretty simple but hard to accomplish because of the trigger guard. It requires a tap for a 4-40 threads and a 5/64" drill bit. You will also need a setscrew that has 4-40 threads that is about 1/8" to 1/4" long. Mark the full back position on the grip of the trigger where it rests on the frame and take the trigger out. If possible, take the trigger guard off (some trigger frames enable you to do this). Drill and tap where the trigger will rest. Go slow when tapping. Make sure it is straight. Clean out the shavings periodically. Clean out any metal burrs when finished. Add some white glue and screw in the setscrew. Install your trigger internals and test to see if the trigger goes back far enough to fire the marker. Adjust as needed.

Front Slack

The front portion of the trigger pull is kind of a hard one to "fix" as too much of a "good" trigger job can render the safety useless and may not be legal at some of the fields. Well, how about something that is adjustable. Sound good? Then here it is.

The fix: What is needed is a tap for 4-40 and a 5/64" drill tap to make the appropriate hole. A 4-40 setscrew about 1/4" long. White glue to secure the screw in place, yet is not permanent.

Take off the trigger frame off the body. Not a bad idea to remove the grip from the frame. Take out the trigger, trigger spring, and trigger back block (if present) according to my "Basic Instructions" above.

Set the trigger back in the frame and line up the holes as if you are replacing the pin. Mark on the frame just behind or in-line where the front end of the trigger touches underneath the trigger frame. Drill a hole and tap with the 4-40 tap. Remember when tapping, the hole will get larger. So make sure the hole doesn't break through the frame. Allow for clearance not only there, but also where the trigger spring will sit. Go slow when tapping. Make sure it is straight. Clean out the shavings periodically.

Screw in the setscrew and replace the trigger internals. Attach the trigger frame to the body and test it out. Does the marker cock and fire? If not, retract the setscrew to increase the length of the trigger pull until it re-cocks and fires correctly. Add some glue to "lock" the setscrew in place.

Another version of this type of front trigger stop that could be tried is an inspiration seen in Kingman's ESP electronic frame. Instead of drilling into the trigger frame, this requires you to install a setscrew into the toe of the trigger itself.

This may require the next size or two smaller setscrew (like a 2-56 size about 3/8" to 1/2" long) and tap tool as described above. Take out the trigger. Drill close to the end of the trigger toe and tap it. Screw in the setscrew into the top. Re-install the trigger internals. As you install the trigger frame, the setscrew will be pushed by the underside of the body. Check to make sure the marker functions properly. Add glue to secure the setscrew in place. This version may be harder to do because the toe is thin. Be very careful.

Addition: For those that do not want to fuss with drilling and tapping, here is another option that works well. Visit the hardware store and find JB Weld. Your local K-Mart/Wal-Mart may carry this as well. It is basically two tubes. Mix equal portions of the contents together. Add a small amount of the mixture just behind the exhaust port. Let it set for about 24-hours. When set, this is a very hard substance. Use a file and file a little of the weld off. Test the trigger pull by attaching the trigger. The mound of Weld will push down on the trigger toe. Reducing the height of the Weld using the file will increase the trigger front slack.