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Firearms >> Sporterized and unofficial modified Krags >> Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
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Message started by Zgun on Feb 8th, 2018 at 6:00pm

Title: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Zgun on Feb 8th, 2018 at 6:00pm
Hi All,

I removed the sear/trigger from a 1896 Krag rifle to clean the parts as they were full of gunk and grime from the last who knows how many years.  Removing the assembly was straight forward.  Putting the sear back in the receiver not so easy as you have to compress the heavy sear spring while trying to fit the front of the sear into it's drilled hole in the receiver.

Any suggestions on how this can be done with a minimum of colorful language being muttered? Has anyone engineered a clamp for this operation ?

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Feb 9th, 2018 at 3:06am
Well, I began working on a model 1896 Krag project today.

The trigger assembly was packed with old grease and it impaired the trigger-pull. I also needed to do some stock fitting, which would be easier with the trigger off the action.

(In the past, I have always found the trigger unit difficult to re-install).

I pulled the trigger assembly, cleaned the parts, and looked for an easy way to reassemble. (The 'Springfield Boys' had to have a trick).

The manufacturing hole, through the 'knuckle' pivot on the front of the sear, attracted my attention. The 'sear pivot hole' on the action has a small diameter blind hole at its bottom.

I put the shank of a closely fitting drill through the sear pivot and started the pivot into its receptacle. The drill shank served as a support post. I inserted the trigger spring in the front of the sear.

With the barreled-receiver lying on a work table, I firmly gripped the trigger while compressing the trigger spring with the tip of a screwdriver.

Once the spring was compressed, I could wiggle the trigger and move the assembly inward enough to catch the spring on the edge of the receiver.

At this point, the trigger can be pushed forward so the sear lowers to clear the receiver. I then moved the sear into place with light taps of a plastic mallet. The drill shank helped serve as a third hand, guiding and keeping the sear aligned.
   
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Zgun on Feb 9th, 2018 at 3:28am
Great solution Chuck with nice pics and documentation. I was going down the same path as you but no matter how hard I tried I was not able to compress that  #@^% spring with a screwdriver or punch.

I used a small squeeze clamp and came up with essentially the same set of steps you described.  That spring is incredibly stout and I would guess the engineers at Springfield designed a custom clamp tool for the manufacturing of the rifles.

So now we have 2 methods to reinstall the sear with pics. Good luck to all who have this challenge in their future. :)

Chuck, your sear was gunkier than mine, but I now have a smooth 2 stage trigger that has virtually no creep and breaks consistently at 5.6 to 5.8 pounds.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:19pm
I had pretty much come to the same conclusion when installing the trigger group but I thought I'd share a different installation twist.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:26pm
Find yourself a 1/4 width flat bladed screwdriver.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:28pm
Orient your trigger spring in the trigger housing so the spring tip is pointing up as demonstrated.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:29pm
Place the trigger group on the receiver.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:32pm
Place the flat of the screwdriver blade against the receiver.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:36pm
Twist the screwdriver till it compresses the spring and lays flat while using your other hand to hold the punch. 

At this point you may get lucky and the trigger just slides down, however, I usually have to shimmy the screwdriver blade to get the spring to cooperate.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:38pm
Push down on the trigger group.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 6:41pm
And your done!

I think someone has/could come up with a Krag trigger installation tool that does the same thing but much more efficiently.

Hope this works for you!

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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 9:20pm
Speaking of trigger installation tools...

I Found an old wrench, from some long ago project, and ground down the tip of the handle to use instead of a screwdriver.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 9th, 2018 at 9:21pm
it worked perfectly!

Just follow the trigger install procedures posted above.  Substitute the screwdriver with the trigger install tool for much better results.
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Feb 9th, 2018 at 10:19pm
'Local Boy' - You win! That is a very good solution.

If spaced and angled just right, (and using a 'slave pin' guide through the hole of the sear pivot), your tool would allow the trigger to be pushed forward and serve as a lever. This would compress the sear spring against the stationary tool. Once the spring is compressed into the sear body , the trigger assembly could be pushed sideways into place.

(p.s. - Zgun gets an honorable mention, style points, and a 'Rube Goldberg Cluster' for utilizing a fancy screwdriver, a rubber band, and a clamp)!

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Zgun on Feb 10th, 2018 at 2:04pm
BLUSH... Thanks BR.. Local boy that is an awesome solution. I will soon have a custom ground KRAG SEAR INSTALL Tool in my gun tool box. Thanks a bunch for posting with pics....

Anybody else think we ought to have a separate board index, titled something like "The Workbench", where we can post these types of topics (working on Krags and others as well) without muddying up the other indexes?  Just thinking out loud.

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Feb 11th, 2018 at 6:48am
Here's another easy way to reassemble the Krag trigger unit:

Use a #35 drill shank/.110" diameter (or a 7/64" drill) as a 'guide pin'.

Put the sear spring in its hole at the front of the sear and start the 'pivot' on the front of the sear into its hole in the receiver.

Open a 1903 Springfield tool into an "L" shape.

Place the Krag action on a table or bench, (left-side 'up'). With your left hand, hold the heavier leg of the Springfield tool against the end of the sear spring. The narrower leg of the tool should point toward the left.

Grasp the rifle's trigger with your right hand while turning the tool counter-clockwise. The tool will ride down the incline of the receiver compressing the spring. Wiggle the trigger/sear until it moves downward slightly partially catching the coil spring on the rear flat on the receiver. Once the end of the spring catches on the flat, the trigger can be pushed forward and then downward so the sear is fully seated.
(As Local Boy indicated, the orientation of the sear-spring is important. Sideward movement of the trigger-assembly is easier, if a smooth beveled area of the coiled spring engages the edge of the receiver).
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Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Local Boy on Feb 11th, 2018 at 8:25am
Way cool BR!

I've wanted to buy a Krag tool for the longest time but the darn things are so expensive!  1903 tools are much more affordable... think I'll get one.

Thanks BR... You win the gold medal for your suggestion!

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Zgun on Feb 11th, 2018 at 12:40pm
Smart guys on this site,  Gotta love it. :)

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Dec 11th, 2019 at 6:24pm
Since guys are talking triggers, I thought I would bump this old thread and share our "re-install wisdom".

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Dec 17th, 2019 at 4:39pm
bump

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by Texas10 on Jan 3rd, 2020 at 4:16pm
Having just gone through this last week without having first read this thread, I used a single edge razor blade, slid up from below to give the spring something to bear against as I maneuvered the trigger into place. Worked first try.

Title: Re: Reinstall trigger/sear assembly on an 1896 KRAG
Post by butlersrangers on Jan 3rd, 2020 at 4:58pm
You don't want to trust a lot of us with razor blades!
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