Trigger Shoes for 1911's

First topic message reminder :

Where can I find Trigger Shoes?, I have two that were made years ago but I can't remember the Brand Name. I like the feel of the shoe over the bare trigger because the hole in the face of the trigger for the over travel screw causes me discomfort. The two I have are made of steel and I would like to find some like them.

Yes I still make 1911 trigger shoes. I have purchased just about all the after market 1911 triggers so as to get dimensions. Simplest shoe to make is the one for solid trigger. Next is the standard 3 holed trigger but as the trigger length get shorter it adds more work. My e-mail is FSCO@pa.net. A photo of the trigger as well as the length the trigger protrudes out of the frame when pulled to the stop will help. I need that to insure the shoe will not hit the frame so the trigger will travel back enough to release the hammer. Measure the length at the center just above the magazine release (I request the center measurement because there is only one center) .Being the number of 1911 shoes requested were high I made jigs and fixtures to bring cost down. For other guns I don't have the jigs and fixtures nor the gun so making a shoe is difficult. I do make trigger for the Pardini and the cutters, jigs and fixtures needed. I do make the trigger for the AW93 as seen in the For Sale forum but cost is a bit high due to limited request and few tooling to make the shoe so they take quite a bit longer to make. Depending upon the number of AW triggers ordered I can lower the cost by making the jigs and fixtures needed. Anyone interested in AW93 triggers should get together with other AW owners to increase the order quantity to lower cost.
 Best material is Aluminum Bronze but other material is available. Can make shoes to increase pull length for the 1911 trigger. I don't make shoes from Aluminum, it's too soft.

Mine arrived today.

Tis a thing of beauty.


Thanks

i think your shoes would be quite useful on varmint rifles. Not sure where you might list them for that. Those guys always want light triggers....years ago Canjar had a great trigger w/ a wide, but grooved face.
Ron

I've told the story as to how I started making trigger shoes a few times. Short version is I tried the Ace shoe, liked it but removed it and don't know why! At Perry Adam suggested my other son Frank Jr try one, he liked it so having 2 I put one on my gun again and liked it. Problem was now Ace was discontinued so we couldn't get more shoes to put on all the 1911s we had. When I returned home decided to try making one, somewhat copied the Ace but didn't like it being stubby so made it slightly shorter than the 1911 trigger height so it didn't rub on the frame. In the process I didn't include the serrations, simply wanted to see if I could make the shoe. Liked it, so made another this time I added the serrations. When I tested it the shoe didn't reduce the trigger weight as the smooth one did, actually felt like it was increased (actual weight is not lowered only feels less) Showed it to my friends at the club, they all wanted the smooth version for their guns. Soon others at matches wanted the shoe, being it felt as if weight was reduced I took weights to matches because everyone that tried the shoe on my gun claimed my trigger weight was below the limit, weights proved them wrong! After a while a non competition guy wanted a Gold colored shoe, not blue. Having Al Bronze I used to make bearings with I used it, when I tested it found the weight lowering feel was greater! So now I make them from AL Bronze! Being Al Bronze is very strong I can make the web very thin so as to not are much to pull length! However I have made quite a few for those that wanted to add pull length by increasing web thickness. Guys must like them and they must work because many will buy one to test it then buy as many as 5 more so as to put them on all their 1911s! I have then been asked to make them for other pistols. Problem is other pistols require quite a bit more work like a replacement trigger for the AW93. Less work is a trigger for the Pardini but it too requires more work that the 1911 shoe.

I contacted you a couple of weeks about one. A few days later i went to a gun collectors show and i found a fellow who had a couple of used but like new ACE shoes for sale very inexpensive. One was a #20 which was for a 1911 which is what i needed. I’ve had it on for a couple weeks now and like it. It is a bit chunky but smooth serrated surface, very comfortable.
Could you tell me what you charge. The pistol is a RIA commander size.
Inexpensive but very useful.

Trigger shoe for the 1911 with a solid trigger is $70 + $5.50 shipping. Other shoes to fit triggers with holes , some very large and others decorative. You said shoe was serrated but smooth?? Was the serrations removed? Simply put I make no profit on the shoes! After material and tool cost plus the set screws the price only covers the expense of making the shoe. I've had the Ace on my 1911s, at first I liked them but eventually removed them! I still have the one Ace, my son Frank Jr has the other but is using my shoe on his 1911.
E-mail me at FSCO@pa.net we can talk more there!

+1 on Mr Froneck's trigger shoe.  I have on on my 1911 and it definitely makes the (3.5#) pull feel softer.  It is polished smooth similar to the trigger on my 208s, making it easier to go back and forth.

Plus it looks cool and other shooters at the range will fear you 

JHHolliday wrote:Plus it looks cool and other shooters at the range will fear you 

This.  I can’t lie, it does look really good. Fit is spot on too. 

I was looking at filing / sanding my trigger face smooth but decided based on the positive reviews to spring for the shoe.

It definitely makes the pull seem lighter... I let one go before the targets turned last night.

(Fortunately it was only practice.)

I have one of his shoe on my conversion an think it helps

I do have a theory as to why the shoe seems to reduce the trigger pull weight to the shooter but test weight remains the same. I've mentioned it a few times.  But it does happen and quite often early shot will occur when shooter is trying the shoe for the first time.  In reality the shoe will increase pull weight simply because the weight of the shoe has to be considered so that when trigger is being weighed with barrel vertical the shoe is applying small amount of pressure to the trigger but when shooting and barrel/trigger is horizontal the weight of the shoe is no longer a factor. So as to lower any effect I keep the shoe weight as low as possible being very near 1/7th of an ounce. I've tried additional holes but the amount of material removed is so small there is very little lowing of shoe weight! However for those that wanted long shoes to compensate for short triggers I have skeletonized the inside of long shoes. It's best to get the longest trigger to fit your pull length rather than get a long shoe then add a standard shoe! Making longer shoes adds quite a bit to the shoe cost. Some have selected to get the long shoe rather than change the trigger or to increase pull length of the longest trigger available.

There's more area in contact with the finger, so less pressure is required to achieve a given force. The haptic nature of the finger senses pressure, not force?

Additional width doesn't lessen pressure but spreads the required 3.5lbs+ over a wider area so that the sensors in the finger feel less pressure. Serrations do the opposite, the lower surface area direct pressure. Some what like standing on a grated surface bare foot. I also feel that the serrations create another problem. Serration are used in many other application to prevent slip. Applying pressure to the trigger beginning at pretravel secures the finger to the trigger at that location. Being the finger can not be moved straight back, it must pivot at the joint creates side force. Now the trigger is pushed or pulled against the frame and friction added to the pull weight. In addition most triggers are Aluminum, what most don't realize is Aluminum will "rust" faster than steel! However that "rust" becomes a protective coating known as Aluminum Oxide. Aluminum Oxide is very abrasive and used in grinding wheels, emery paper and cloth adding more drag.
 The very smooth surface of my shoe maintains the wide surface area plus the bearing quality of Al. Bronze (great bearing material) allows the finger to slide sideways on the surface lowering side pressure. At least it's my theory as to why the shoe works as well as it does. In addition the high strength of Al. Bronze allows me to keep the web of the shoe (thin section between the sides in front of the finger surface on the trigger) very thin therefore adding less to the pull length.
 No I didn't use any of my theory to design the shoe, I made the shoe as described previously. The eventual results made we wonder why it happens. So I came up with the theory.