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SIG P290 Trigger

18K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  chas 
#1 ·
I recently purchased the Sig P290RS with the laser sights, and like it, except for the grip, and the TRIGGER. The travel is way to long, and not very smooth at the end. Has anyone installed a new trigger kit from Galloway(RTK)? If so, would you recommend it? Did you replace anything else? Would also appreciate any other input on after market grips as well. Thank you.
 
#3 ·
The P290 is a pocket gun. The grip is never going to be fantastic. Don't get me wrong I see your point on the trigger, but for my use its fine. Its not a gun that I would really take to the range very often. I know that if needed it will function. In a pocket/car gun thats all I really need.
 
#4 ·
I put the Galloway spring kit in mine and I like it. It's a small difference, but it's a good one. I did not put the trigger in it, though after my first range session, I'm considering it. The OEM trigger just doesn't fit my finger very well. That big curve at the end is really uncomfortable.

Still, the gun is very accurate, impressive for a 3" barrel. The trigger caused me to throw some shots though. Looking at pictures on the SIG website, I saw a different trigger on a P290, so I'm going to call and see if there is a different one and if I can get it. If not, then I'll probably order the trigger from Galloway, or else I'll break out the Dremel.
 
#5 · (Edited)
There is a learning curve with the trigger, but I could not believe how well I could shoot this gun right out of the box, despite that. I do however have quite a few DA revolvers so I'm use to a DA trigger. My only complaint would be because my fingers are so big, a lot less curve on the trigger would fit my finger better, as it is my finger doesn't fit the space between the curve and the bottom of the frame well, I'm actually taking up the slack in the trigger just to get my finger in there. I feel I've learned to shoot around that, but the Galloway straighter trigger looks interesting, other than before spending $60, I'd like to try it to see if what appear to be benefits are there in practice.

Regarding springs. I'm not familiar with the conversion, but for pocket carry I'd not be in a hurry to alter mine so that the trigger is lighter or shorter stroke, that's a basic safety requirement for me. Part of the reason for choosing the 290RS was that I prefer a gun with a hammer and everything at rest when being carried and sitting on the nightstand, no 1/2 cocked striker etc. It makes it very unlikely you are going to negligently discharge the weapon if you accidentally contact the trigger at any stage. While the trigger is not perfect, it's not a target pistol and I do not believe trigger pull weight or any of it's shortcomings would even be noticed in an SD situation with adrenalin running. In that situation a long trigger pull needing a deliberate effort is a plus, virtually eliminating the chances of an accidental discharge should nerves have you inadvertently "riding" the trigger.

Given the problems with light strikes experienced by many, lightening the hammer spring, even with the reduced firing spring pin doesn't necessarily seem a good idea. On mine, I think Sig had it pretty much right, out of the box, the abnormal size of my fingers is not something that would be part of their normal design remit - being a freak of nature has it's problems :)

If I was braver, I think the Dremel could solve most of the problem with the original trigger by removing the tip, but you can't put material back if it doesn't work, plus I just hate to do that to an expensive new gun.
 
#6 ·
Regarding springs. I'm not familiar with the conversion, but for pocket carry I'd not be in a hurry to alter mine so that the trigger is lighter or shorter stroke, that's a basic safety requirement for me.

Given the problems with light strikes experienced by many, lightening the hammer spring, even with the reduced firing spring pin doesn't necessarily seem a good idea.

If I was braver, I think the Dremel could solve most of the problem with the original trigger by removing the tip, but you can't put material back if it doesn't work, plus I just hate to do that to an expensive new gun.
SIG specs the trigger at a 9lb pull. After installing the Galloway Spring Kit, mine now registers 8lbs on my Lyman Trigger Pull gauge. Not a big drop, but it is much smoother.

The lighter hammer spring helps with the pull, but it's not so light has to not have enough momentum to hit the firing pin. The lighter firing pin spring is a benefit, because it's less tension for the firing pin to overcome. The spring is in front of the firing pin, and is there to return it to position; it does not propel it forward.

The other spring is the firing pin block spring, which is again only minimally lighter, which helps smooth things out.

I also put their steel guide rod and increased recoil spring set in it.

I agree they got quite a bit right, but these minor tweaks make it better.

As for the actual trigger, it kills me. It pinches my finger about 25% of the time. They originally made a straighter trigger, which I'm trying to find. If I can't find one, I'm either going to go with the RTK from Galloway, or I'm going to get out the Dremel, and order another of the regular trigger from SIG, in case I do mess up. :) I'm also thinking about reducing or removing the stupid hump in the trigger guard. I've never though they served a purpose. This is only the 2nd gun I've owned that had one, and the rest of my guns have been great.
 
#7 ·
When I first fired mine I was half expecting my finger would get eaten between the trigger and the lump on the guard, based on expereince with a different semi auto, but it didn't but that may have a lot to do with the recoil being much less than I was expecting having fired some smaller and lighter pistols
 
#8 ·
I have been super happy with my P290RS.

I have ventured into making my own grips and am now offering some on Ebay. Most of them are shaped more like the G10 grips, I do have larger hands and it is amazing the difference with a little bit of shape added to the grip panels.

Here's a picture of one of the sets I have for sale right now.

Enjoy your Sig!!
 
#9 ·
Those are the best looking grips I've seen yet for the P290, I knew to look right they would need a gray and black color to them, but I like the way yo've worked in some more natural wood color as well.

Like you I love my P290RS, I read a lot of complaints and I can understand if I was getting light strikes or some other kind of failure, I'd be upset too. But I don't understand the dismay over the trigger based on mine and a couple of others I've handled, for me it works like I would expect a proper double action trigger to work and feel. I wouldn't want to pocket carry anything with too light a trigger or too shorter pull, even if it had a safety. My only issues and it's pretty minor is my finger is just too big for the curve of the trigger, but I can live with that, after all my fingers are out of the ordinary size range and it's not the first time I've had difficulties because off their size.
 
#11 ·
RTK Trigger for P290RS ---CAUTION---

There seem to be two ways to go wrong with an RTK trigger for the P290RS.

I bought a P290RS and decided to have Galloway install an RTK trigger. The RTK trigger seemed nicely made and Galloway's charges seemed reasonable. However, when I started dry firing the pistol to try out the new trigger, the hammer would operate normally for about twelve or fifteen cycles. Then the hammer would not release no matter how hard I pulled the trigger. After six or eight more trigger pulls, the hammer would start working again for twelve or fifteen more cycles. And so forth and so on.

There is a set-screw on the RTK trigger that allows over-travel to be adjusted, and I backed out the set-screw one turn. Then the hammer always released on every trigger pull. Since there is only a little over-travel in the RTK trigger anyway, I decided to back the set-screw off so that the tip of the trigger where it touched the pistol frame established the over-travel limit. THAT WAS A VERY BAD IDEA.

With the RTK over-travel set-screw backed out and the RTK trigger tip touching the frame, the trigger transfer bar (or something) moves out of position far enough to somehow jam the P290RS slide. To check for this jamming problem, load a snap cap into a magazine, insert the magazine, and chamber the snap cap. Then pull the trigger and release the hammer. Maintain the trigger position all the way back and manually cycle the slide. The slide should cycle as smoothly with the trigger fully back as it does with the trigger fully released. Try it both ways to be sure.

So from my limited personal experience with a sample of one P290RS, it seems that the RTK trigger over-travel adjustment must be maintained within a limited mechanical range in order to achieve reliable operation. Just saying...
 
#12 ·
I've been working with my 290RS for over a year and a half now. As a long time revolver shooter I chose the restrike capable, DAO 290RS for CCW over any SA/DA and hammer fired over striker. I find the length and weight of pull not to be problematic. Anyone who can master a J-frame or their competitors should have no problem adopting this little Sig. However that tightly curved, sharp ended trigger is a real bugger! I've been gingerly working on mine with a fine file and very conservative applications of the dremel. Have not got it where I need it yet. The can't put it back once you take too much off scenario really holds back progress. I really wish there was another trigger option! The "bump in the guard" seems to serve no useful purpose, but I will wait to remove that until I can resolve the trigger shape. If I can't get it right I'll just replace it with a stock one and sell the 290. May have to go back to the old 5-shooter. ��
 
#13 ·
Think I am going to have to do something with the trigger on my 290RS. The curl on the very end of the trigger kills my finger, even after dry firing 20 to 30 times. Finger also rubs the raised portion of the trigger guard. I have a DAO five shot revolver, so I am used to the long trigger pull and reset. But that trigger shape is a killer.......at least to my finger anyway. My arthritic fingers do not help any either.
May do as others have suggested and file away a little at a time on the end of the trigger and the raised part on the trigger guard.
 
#14 ·
This is a follow up note to my prior post "RTK Trigger for P290RS ---CAUTION---".

I had a problem with the RTK trigger in my P290RS. The RTK trigger did not always allow the necessary lateral motion of the trigger bar that normally occurs immediately after the hammer falls. In normal operation, as the slide travels to the rear it misses the vertical safety lug on the trigger bar. But with the RTK trigger installed, as the slide moved to the rear, it would sometimes hit the safety lug. There was also odd trigger behavior after the last round was fired.

I expect that the above could have been a problem with that particular RTK trigger, an error by the installer, or a simple accumulation of tolerances, and so forth. I had the original Sig trigger reinstalled by a local gunsmith, and the P290RS once again works perfectly. So the RTK trigger is history.

By the way, as I keep shooting the P290RS, I keep getting better with it. For what it is worth, I like it better than the other 9mm BUGs I have tried thus far. As rounds are fired, recoil becomes stronger, and as result I was flinching on the last two rounds. It took me a while to figure this out. Silly wabbit.
 
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