Walther SSP trigger adjustment

[trinity]

Can someone explain to me how to adjust the SSP's trigger? The "English" in the manual is challenging to understand for non-Walther engineers.

The factory trigger has a very long 1st stage travel and feels quite heavy. The only setting I've actually succeeded in adjusting is the trigger stop. I like the trigger to have some room to move after the break, and now I have that.

I would prefer a much shorter 1st stage travel, and a crisp break after the 2nd stage. Weight can be 50/50. Can someone explain how I might proceed to adjust it to achieve this goal?

PS: WTF is a pawl intersection? and what is trigger power? is that the trigger weight?

[jbshooter]

I know what you mean about the books. The earlier or first coloured manuals were better than the later blue/black ones.
Couple of hints..........

In my experience it is better to watch the movements of all the parts when you pull the trigger and get better understanding what moves where and when, and the effects/aftereffects of each adjustment.
Take the barrel off the gun, use your finger to put a bit of pressure on the sear (part 76) to see and feel when things happen.
The book will give you the basic description of what each screw does.
The word pawl is confusing because there isn't a part called the pawl in the drawings - I think they mean part 78 - pawl intersection is the amount of engagement of part 78 with the sear 76 before the sear is released. This is where I think your adjustment is incorrect.
Some pairs of screws affect each other - adjust one and you need to readjust the second one.
Leave the second stage til last.
I think Walther SSP's are great guns although I never felt any difference interchanging the recoil absorber screws.

[KH250]

Pawl intersection is the sear engagement. If adjusted it will it will need the first stage travel screw adjusted as well. The side view of the trigger gives a good view of the mechanism. If screw A is adjusted clockwise and C is not, you may end up with a shortened first stage and lots of slop at the start of the travel. A ''three'' stage trigger. Screw C needs to be adjusted anticlockwise to get rid of most of the slop before the first stage. Adjust screw C the wrong way or too far and the trigger bar, the red thing, will not engage with the sears after the shot is fired. Do not adjust if you do not understand the interaction between the two screws.
Total trigger travel cannot be reduced to far otherwise the pistol may machine gun. Walther suggest 2 to 3 mm total travel.
Trigger power refers to the second stage weight. Adjusted with hex screw E on my picture. Does not interact with other adjustments.
Screw B is first stage weight adjustment. Does not interact with other adjustments.
Slotted screw D impacts the amount of second stage travel, or the complete lack of it. ie roll off trigger.

Anthony

[FrodeP]

Thanks for the info so far.

I also have a SSP, and the triggel travel is to long for me.
After the shot is fired, it is a to long travel back before the trigger is reset and a new shot can be fired.

As I understand from the explanation above:
-The first stage travel has to be reduced. Is this correct?
-And then? The Pawl intersection has to be reduced as well?

I will appreciate it if someone could confirm the correct procedure.


Frode

[Gwhite]

From looking at the diagram, it looks like all you have to do is adjust Screw C (edited) to reduce the length of the first stage. Adjusting the pawl/sear should be unnecessary, and generally shouldn't be touched unless you know what you are doing. It is very easy to make the pistol unsafe if you reduce the pawl engagement too much.

(Sorry, I meant screw C, not A)

[KH250]

If you adjust the pawl intersection with screw A and do not adjust screw C at the same time you will reduce the amount of the first stage travel. But the total travel of the trigger will stay the same.
Just say before adjustment total trigger movement is five mm. This is made up by a small amount of trigger slack that is needed to let the trigger reset when it released, first stage travel and the second stage travel and travel to the trigger stop.
After adjusting screw A you will have an increase in the trigger slack, a reduced first stage movement and the second stage plus trigger stop will stay the same. Total trigger movement is still 5mm.
Screw C has to be adjusted to remove the trigger slack caused by adjusting screw A. If you adjust C too far the trigger will not reset when you release it. To little adjustment means unnecessary slack before the first stage.
If you take 2mm of travel off the first stage with Screw A you will need to remove 2mm of travel from the slack with screw C.
Screw C adjusts the interaction between the red trigger bar and the green pawl.

[KH250]

From looking at the diagram, it looks like all you have to do is adjust Screw A to reduce the length of the first stage. Adjusting the pawl/sear should be unnecessary, and generally shouldn't be touched unless you know what you are doing. It is very easy to make the pistol unsafe if you reduce the pawl engagement too much.

Screw A is directly adjusting the pawl/sear engagement. The Walther trigger is no different to the Pardini , FAS and many others in how it works. These pistols have heavy sear / pawl engagement. The first stage travel is just moving the sears / pawl to a point just before release when the sears / pawl contacts the second stage adjusting screw spring mechanism.
The Pardini and the FAS plus others need the trigger bar adjusted to let it reset and not have too much slack travel..
Walther state in the manual that a minimum off 2mm of trigger travel is needed otherwise machine gunning is possible. How much sear / pawl engagement this translate to I do not know.

[KH250]

Thanks for the info so far.

I also have a SSP, and the triggel travel is to long for me.
After the shot is fired, it is a to long travel back before the trigger is reset and a new shot can be fired.

As I understand from the explanation above:
-The first stage travel has to be reduced. Is this correct?
-And then? The Pawl intersection has to be reduced as well?

I will appreciate it if someone could confirm the correct procedure.


Frode

I do not have your pistol in my hands so I cannot see what makes up your trigger travel/ weight. I have to assume the terms you use are the same as mine.
My Walther has
Trigger slack / free play .5mm and minimal weight
First stage travel 3mm approximately 500grams weight
Second stage travel virtually nil another 500 and a bit weight.
Small movement after release to trigger stop.

If your pistol has minimal trigger slack and minimal second stage travel like mine you can only reduce travel by removing first stage travel.
You need to reduce pawl intersection first Screw A clockwise. Then screw C anticlockwise.