Tuning Seneca Dragon Claw Trigger!

[ApexPredator]

After reading all of the reviews before buying my rifle, I expected to need some trigger work. After receiving, and shooting, my rifle I decided it wasn't that bad, not a pressing issue, and it could wait until I installed a power tune kit. Yesterday at the range I noticed the trigger getting stiffer. By the end of the session I'd bet the trigger was breaking in excess of 10#, maybe even 15#! I've shot probably 125 rounds out of her in the couple of weeks I've had her. I'm going to tear into the trigger assm this morning, and hope to find some debris, or similar causing the problem. Anyone else experience something like this in the Sam Yang/Seneca big bores?

 

[Odoyle]

Proably needs a lighter ball point pen spring trick. Be sure it passes the bump test.

 

[ApexPredator]

Well that was a very basic trigger assembly! The sear had a lot of play in it's slot so I shimmed it with a thin washer. The sear was actually contacting the safety stop surface and having to grind around the very edge of it. The shim keeps side to side play to a minimum, which precludes this from occurring. I dressed all contact surfaces with fine sandpaper, cut two coils from the sear spring and trigger return spring. After cleaning the debris away, I lubed with Lucas gun oil and reassembled. Much better now, and breaking at 5 lbs.

 

[BeeGee11]

Pictures pictures need pictures!

 

[DesertSilver]

Well that was a very basic trigger assembly! The sear had a lot of play in it's slot so I shimmed it with a thin washer. The sear was actually contacting the safety stop surface and having to grind around the very edge of it. The shim keeps side to side play to a minimum, which precludes this from occurring. I dressed all contact surfaces with fine sandpaper, cut two coils from the sear spring and trigger return spring. After cleaning the debris away, I lubed with Lucas gun oil and reassembled. Much better now, and breaking at 5 lbs.

Had the same thing happen with my Sumatra. I think mine's trigger pull ended up around 20#. Real hard to be accurate with that kind of trigger pull. lol I've got mine down around 2# pullnow and it's real accurate.

 

[Exitpupil]

The Dragon Claw hammer spring is very strong and the sear is too soft. The sear contact surface can develop a groove that that must be overcome during the trigger release. When I perform a trigger job on those guns I heat treat the parts. For safety reasons I do not lighten the sear engagement spring because the sear to hammer contact is already a negative angle.

The Sumatra sears are a little harder and the hammer spring less aggressive so it fares better. However, 2# will probably not last a long time due to insufficient sear engagement. The Sumatra sears need enough sear engagement to withstand the shock of jacking the lever or a "short stroke" if cocked too rapidly cowboy style. It is better to have a little creep than a failure to cock resulting in double loading or an accidental discharge.

I consider all gun sears a wear item. It is prudent to frequently do a bump test particularly if the triggers have been adjusted light.

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

And the entire rifle (being almost a 20yrs on the market) is just as simple.

Modding for power is as easy as a QB, just open up/slot the sides for better flow. The hole in the receiver where the barrel slide over is the power bottle neck.

A little grinding and a new poppet and you've a "power tune".

 

[yleecoyote23]

And the entire rifle (being almost a 20yrs on the market) is just as simple.

Modding for power is as easy as a QB, just open up/slot the sides for better flow. The hole in the receiver where the barrel slide over is the power bottle neck.

A little grinding and a new poppet and you've a "power tune".

Hi, do you have any detailed pics of the mods you performed?

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Hi, do you have any detailed pics of the mods you performed?

Really have not seen a new one but power level seems to seem the same as years ago with the "44 Big-Bore".
Light porting but more than anything there was only a small hole in the front of the valve body, very restrictive. Look at the valve on wood table carefully and you will note it is slotted as much as possible (show wood grain if your looking).
That alone is huge and your best use of time and money. You could google image search "QB78 valve mods"
THE largest restriction is the barrel sliding over that nipple on the receiver. IF you went to the needed effort to fabricate it so that the baller slide inside the nipple/transfer part max power would be achieved.

Chrony your rig, then just slot the valve's sides and reassemble. You will love the results.

John

 

[Airgunmann]

I've done the same mods to my recluse and the found a power kit which jumped me up to 200 ft lbs as for the trigger I took out the 2 smaller springs on the outside under the 2 bars and left the center spring in and it helped for the trigger