Trigger guard almost impossible to move by hand

[shredder]

As all M14 (and Garand) shooters know, to field-strip this rifle, your second step is to pull down on the trigger guard and remove the trigger group.

My trigger guard is almost impossible to remove by hand, and usually requires tools to pull down.

Now before people (ya, you Barney!!! ) tell me to drop my purse, be advised that I have a bit more than average strength from years of physical labor.

I don't think the trigger guard should be this hard to pull down to disassemble the rifle. Is something wrong or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for the practical advice!

 

[Aniest]

Others can chime in...

When I bought an M305 years ago it took a 14" screw driver to get that guard to hinge down the first time... by 2,500 rounds or so it a one hand operation. Now I have a civilian semi-only M14 and its USGI parts have had countless rounds through them: I can open it with my pinkie finger.

You may have just got a real tight one: is there any deformation on the "hooks" that hold into the action? If so you might need some advice from Barney on that one, as it might need some help.

Sorry, that's all I got on that one.

 

[leonard]

i have to use the tool that come with it to open it.

Its getting easier every time however.

I have opened it once or twice however with a I don't care if i hurt my fingers type pull.

But id rather controlled pressure over just yanking so hard that the trigger group comes with it.

 

[Pr589]

Tight is good as long as it passes the hammer follow test. If you want to mess with a good thing, you can relieve the stock where it comes into contact with the flat surfaces on the trigger assembly. Personally, I'd just leave it alone and enjoy the good fit.

 

[LouF]

Tight is good as long as it passes the hammer follow test. If you want to mess with a good thing, you can relieve the stock where it comes into contact with the flat surfaces on the trigger assembly. Personally, I'd just leave it alone and enjoy the good fit.

 

[ipscgraz]

Of my three, I need to use the tool every time on one, "almost" need to use it on another, and just barely able to get the third one apart without a tool.
...and the US GI rifles came with a tool for a reason so I expect this would not be out of the ordinary.

 

[Odd Shot]

Does your rifle pass the hammer follow test?

When you go to lock it closed again, how close does the tip of your trigger guard get to the tip of the trigger before you have to force it down?

 

[musketjon]

Tight is good. It was not uncommon for the assemblers at the Springfield Armory to use a rubber mallet to close the trigger guard upon assembly. Like I said, tight is good. DO NOT remove any wood to loosen it up. Over time, the wood will compress, and it will fit less tightly.
Just for the record, I have been shooting/collecting/studying the M1 rifle for over 30 years and I'm pretty versed on it. There isn't much I don't know about these rifles. If you've any questions, please ask. I'm here to help and pass on what I know to the fraternity.
Jon

 

[sunray]

The M1 Rifle was designed to be field stripped using a loaded cartridge as the only tool. The trigger guard isn't supposed to open by hand. However, get it open by whatever means and bend it open a tick.

 

[WetCoast]

Mine was waay to tight. It turns out the base of my trigger guard was not completely flat. It turned up (towards the stock) at the rear. I got another TG but one whack with a mallet straightened the old one perfectly.

As all M14 (and Garand) shooters know, to field-strip this rifle, your second step is to pull down on the trigger guard and remove the trigger group.

My trigger guard is almost impossible to remove by hand, and usually requires tools to pull down.

Now before people (ya, you Barney!!! ) tell me to drop my purse, be advised that I have a bit more than average strength from years of physical labor.

I don't think the trigger guard should be this hard to pull down to disassemble the rifle. Is something wrong or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for the practical advice!

 

[zackstab]

My first sks i thought i was an idiot because I couldn't figure out how to remove the trigger guard. Took a hammer to eventually do the trick and realized just how much gunk was in the gun.

 

[FALover]

The trigger group is tight by design. As you know, it holds the whole thing together with two small pins and a small hook. It will get easier to install and remove over time.

 

[purple]

It's a good practice to apply a bit of grease to the 2 locking lugs on the trigger guard. This will help to prevent excessive wear/flattening of the lugs which contributes to a looser trigger guard lockup. In the case of an excessively tight lockup you can swap in a trigger guard with worn lugs which will ease the process. The wood will tend to compress over time and you can swap in a guard with unworn/fully round lugs to tighten up the lockup again. I keep a rubber mallet on the work bench to help close the tight ones. Tight is good. Old time match shooters sometimes bopped the guard with a piece of 2 x 4 or smacked it on the edge of the work bench to get it closed.