doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com DT Conversion

Without debating their relative merits, can a single trigger gun be converted to DT? While I have read about after-market single triggers, and converting mechanical STs to inertial (and vice versa), I have not come across much about changing single triggers to double. Does the feasibility of conversion depend on the type of single used (Kautsy, Miller, Hunter)? Would the bottom of the receiver and the safety have to be modified?

I have passed on several interesting sxs recently because they were STs and am now wondering if that configuration could be changed instead of avoided.

Thanks in advance, Doverham

Cole does it regularly with Beretta OU's. Not sure about Beretta sxs. I once saw a BSS that had a custom conversion to DT. So yes, it's possible--although undoubtedly more difficult on some guns than others. If you look at the bottom of the receiver on some ST guns, you'll see that there's a slot for a 2nd trigger.

The BSS single trigger uses the floorplate that is configured for double triggers. You can see two blades of the single trigger going up into the floorplate.


Other designs like the Hunter One Trigger and the Parker also use a floorplate that still has the two slots for the double triggers. One slot has the single trigger and the other slot has the selector.

However, if you have a Miller or Miller copy (factory Ithaca), the floorplate will be a single wide slot. You would either have to replace the floorplate or weld a piece in to accomodate the triggers, as a minimum. There's also the issue of the sears. Look at the picture and you can see the bent sears to accomodate the single trigger mechanism. On double triggers, these would be straight.



So some guns are double trigger ready and some not.

On the BSS, it's a simple matter of removing a pile of parts and replacing with some double triggers. The single trigger was designed to fit into a gun setup for double triggers in production so they could go back and forth to each type without extreme modification of the basic frame, floorplate and sears.

buck hamlin converted my speciality grade elsie to double triggers and even saved the engraving on the trigger plate.you cant even tell where it was cut or rewelded.

As above, it can be done, but with some guns it is quite expensive. For example, Ken Eversull quoted me $4000 to convert a Purdey single trigger (which was unreliable at best) to double triggers....kinda freaked me out. Ended up trading for something I liked better (with double triggers) and I for once made some money on a gun deal too. YAY!

I have an early Miller single trigger with the selctor on the safety, the trigger guard on mine has two slots. Mine in on an Ideal Grade from 1927 and originally came with a HOT with the writing in front of the trigger guard.
I originally thought it was sent back to the factory and Dan May said that Miller was the only one installing them.

The later Miller's had the selector along side the trigger, why they did this I don't know, as the safety selector is the only way it should be done if you have to have a selective trigger to choose, which I never have in 40 years.

A few years ago I was looking at a H&H with a single trigger that was priced low (probably had trigger problems!) and I telephoned H&H about converting to DT and they said it wouldn't be "economical" so I didn't take it farther. Apparently it isn't just a matter of putting different stuff in there - it necessitates receiver changes.

Gnomon,
Certainly how much a DT conversion costs to do is affected by many things. Since each single trigger design is different, there's no way to apply a sweeping statement about what it would take to convert all single trigger guns to DT. I have no idea what differences are in a single trigger H&H gun vs their DT. It could be very different on significant parts or it could be just like these American gun single trigger designs.

On a gun like that factory Ithaca single trigger shown in the second picture, it would require either replacing the floorplate or welding it up and either replacing the sears or straightening them. Also some safety parts would need to be added.

But for the most part, double triggers are about as simple as it gets.

Chuck- yeah - some guns are easy to change but others aren't. That's why I specified that I was talking about a H&H.

The guy at H&H I spoke with sounded as tho he'd heard the question before!

If H&H would even do the change and if it cost about what the Purdy switch would (4k) then it might possibly make economic sense since ST H&Hs do sell at a discount.