The Hobby Gunsmith

Auto Shooting-

Rebuilding the Taurus PT-92

9mm Auto Part V

Last month we installed Wolff springs in our little Taurus, but we were having difficulties getting a new Millet front sight. The sight arrived the day we published to the Internet last month, as did the proper trigger spring. This month we install the new front sight and the new trigger return spring.

   Installing the new trigger return spring was simple. We removed the grips from the gun, then the slide release and finally the trigger bar spring. With these springs removed, we were able to remove the trigger bar, which releases most of the tension on the trigger return spring. It was then a simple matter of removing the trigger pivot pin and removing the original trigger spring.

   With the spring removed, we used needle nose pliers to slip the new replacement spring into place before slipping the trigger pivot pin back into place through the mousetrap spring. This is where things get a little more difficult.

   With the hammer bar almost in place, we went into the rear of the trigger housing and grabbed the spring with a pair of needle nose pliers. We then pulled the spring forward until it cleared the point where the hammer bar pin passes through the trigger assembly. With the spring forward of the hammer bar pivot pin, we slipped the hammer bar assembly into place and our spring is installed.

   Closing up the Taurus is a simple matter of reinstalling the trigger bar retaining spring on the right side of the frame. We then went to the left side of the gun and reinstalled the slide release with its spring. The reason it had to be removed is that the slide release spring holds the trigger pivot pin in place. Reinstall the spring on the slide release and it holds the trigger pivot pin in place.

   Reinstalling the grips keeps everything in the appropriate places. We tried the trigger assembly and everything seems to be much smoother.

   Turning our attention to the front sight should complete the process of turning this gun into a usable IDPA pistol. The Millet front sight must be pinned to the existing sight of the Taurus. The kit comes with a new front sight, two setscrews, some plastic guides, a small hex wrench, and installation instructions.

The front sight kit with all parts.

   The instructions say it may be necessary to fit the new front sight by filing away part of the old post front sight. We found this to be unnecessary on our gun as the front sight slipped right into place over our old front sight. This simplified the installation of the new sight.

The new front site fitted to the old sight.

   When we were comfortable the sight would fit correctly without modifying the old sight, we used a Quick-Grip clamp with the yellow rubber pads to put pressure on the front sight while drilling the hole for the roll pin.  Compression of the rubber pads provides good pressure to hold the sight without damaging the finish on the sight.  Without rubber compression, any slight shift in the part would remove the pressure.

The clamped sight ready to be drilled.

   With the slide on its side and the new sight held firmly in place by the clamp, we use the drill press and a 1/16th inch drill bit to drill through the pin hole in the new sight. The drill bit is guided by the existing hole and drills through the old front sight and comes back out through the hole on the opposite side of the new sight.

   While still clamped to maintain alignment, we installed the roll pin through the new and old sights to hold the new sight in position. The pin had to be pressed into place using a nylon drift punch. A nylon punch is used to prevent any damage to the finish on the new front sight.

Pinning the new front sight to the old one.

   With the new sight pinned into place, we installed the two small wedge-shaped plastic spacers into recesses in the new front sight and installed the two setscrews in the threaded holes at the rear of the sight just above the plastic spacers. These are used to push the spacers down until they are just barely in contact with the barrel.

The front site upside down showing the guide pads that are adjusted to the barrel.

   A quick check of the new adjustable sight system reveals a significant improvement over the simple post blade that was on the gun before we began a few months ago. The addition of the new springs, cleaning, and greasing of the sear has made an improvement over the feel of the trigger.

The new look of the gun with the adjustable rear sight and the matching front sight.

The new sight picture is much improved over the old post sight.

   As this article is going to press, we had just received the .22 Long Rifle conversion kit from Jonathan Arthur Ciener.  We will be taking the gun to the range during the next month to test the effectiveness of our modifications and to test the .22 long rifle conversion kit.