Pardini HP automatic fire

[Coolmeester]

Hi!

I ended up having my Pardini .32 automatic fire. What is the exact reason for that? I set the CP screw and right away I get nasty freeplay on the trigger before first stage. Now the gun shoots normally but I'd want to avoid that happening again. Gun is 2016 model.

Any advice?

[william]

It's been a long time since I've had to fiddle with one, and I don't remember the nomenclature of the individual screws. This much I do remember - adequate sear engagement is what prevents full-auto fire, and it's set by a screw on the back of the frame that requires removal of the grip. That adjustment can't create free play ahead of the first stage because it is the first stage unless you've dialed out so much of the first stage so that all that remains is free play and the 2nd stage detent.

[Rover]

Good advice, Willy!

I know we both fool around in German, but how's your Latin?

Carpe pudendum!

[william]

Good advice, Willy!

I know we both fool around in German, but how's your Latin?

Carpe pudendum!

Oh, that's just Rover being Donald - locker room talk!

[Gwhite]

Hi!

I ended up having my Pardini .32 automatic fire. What is the exact reason for that? I set the CP screw and right away I get nasty freeplay on the trigger before first stage. Now the gun shoots normally but I'd want to avoid that happening again. Gun is 2016 model.

Any advice?

You need to understand how it works. CP reduces the sear engagement, and you clearly went too far. You can reduce the length of the first stage quite a bit from the typical factory setting and still have a safe trigger. If you don't like the slack, you then need to adjust screw "PG". Unlike a typical US style trigger (High Standard, S&W Model 41, 1911, etc.), the sear is moving during the first stage of the trigger pull. The 2nd stage is created by the ball spring screw assembly ("CS" & PS"). You can find diagrams of how things work here:

http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19268

I'm working on an updated version with a lot more explanatory text, but it still needs some serious pruning. I have the "how it works" & "what the screws do" sections in reasonable shape, but the actual adjustment process needs to be organized. Here is a draft of the stuff that is in relatively good shape.

[Coolmeester]

Hi!

I ended up having my Pardini .32 automatic fire. What is the exact reason for that? I set the CP screw and right away I get nasty freeplay on the trigger before first stage. Now the gun shoots normally but I'd want to avoid that happening again. Gun is 2016 model.

Any advice?

You need to understand how it works. CP reduces the sear engagement, and you clearly went too far. You can reduce the length of the first stage quite a bit from the typical factory setting and still have a safe trigger. If you don't like the slack, you then need to adjust screw "PG". Unlike a typical US style trigger (High Standard, S&W Model 41, 1911, etc.), the sear is moving during the first stage of the trigger pull. The 2nd stage is created by the ball spring screw assembly ("CS" & PS"). You can find diagrams of how things work here:

http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19268

I'm working on an updated version with a lot more explanatory text, but it still needs some serious pruning. I have the "how it works" & "what the screws do" sections in reasonable shape, but the actual adjustment process needs to be organized. Here is a draft of the stuff that is in relatively good shape.

So my first stage (and overall trigger pull length) is too short?

[Gwhite]

If you are having doubles or machine gunning, it is WAY too short. I suspect you cranked on CP in an attempt to shorten the trigger pull length, but it doesn't quite work that way. The length (sum of slack + 1st stage) stays the same, but the point at which it fires after the slack gets shorter, and the slack increases. If it's still where it was acting up, I would back off on CP 2 full turns, and then adjust PG clockwise until you have only a small amount of slack (with the pistol cocked). The trigger needs at least a tiny amount of slack at the beginning to reset.

Once you done that, you can make small changes until you understand the mechanism and how the adjustments work. Based on my experience, I wouldn't try to reduce the sear engagement by more than a half a turn more (~ 1 1/2 turns from being dangerous). The Pardini trigger is designed to operate with a lot of initial sear engagement, and is a very safe design if it isn't misadjusted.

Read the document I posted. If you still don't understand how it works, I would recommend taking it to a gunsmith who is familiar with Pardinis (most aren't). One accident is one too many, and as you have described things, it is in a dangerous condition.

[Coolmeester]

If you are having doubles or machine gunning, it is WAY too short. I suspect you cranked on CP in an attempt to shorten the trigger pull length, but it doesn't quite work that way. The length (sum of slack + 1st stage) stays the same, but the point at which it fires after the slack gets shorter, and the slack increases. If it's still where it was acting up, I would back off on CP 2 full turns, and then adjust PG clockwise until you have only a small amount of slack (with the pistol cocked). The trigger needs at least a tiny amount of slack at the beginning to reset.

Once you done that, you can make small changes until you understand the mechanism and how the adjustments work. Based on my experience, I wouldn't try to reduce the sear engagement by more than a half a turn more (~ 1 1/2 turns from being dangerous). The Pardini trigger is designed to operate with a lot of initial sear engagement, and is a very safe design if it isn't misadjusted.

Read the document I posted. If you still don't understand how it works, I would recommend taking it to a gunsmith who is familiar with Pardinis (most aren't). One accident is one too many, and as you have described things, it is in a dangerous condition.

Thanks Gwhite! Very helpful.