CP Shocker Trigger
by Bill Mills - Photos by Dawn Mills
Oct 2006

CP's Shocker trigger is designed to replace the stock Shocker SFT magnetic return trigger with a wider, spring return, roller bearing trigger.

Side by side with the stock trigger, Custom Products' aftermarket model is clearly more slender. Viewed from the front however, a wider profile is visible. The trigger's face is nearly the same width from top to bottom, unlike the stock trigger which tapers to a rounded point.

Where the stock trigger has a return magnet, CP's replacement features a cylindrical hollow for its return spring, which is included.

Two adjustment screws allow for setting of the pre-travel (how far the trigger moves before activating the trigger switch) and post-travel (how far it can move after activating the switch. The trigger does not include an adjustment found on the stock model – trigger activation point. The lack of this one setting means the trigger's length is completely adjustable, but the user does not get a choice of the angle at which the trigger activates the Shocker.

At the top of the trigger is what sets it apart performance wise from the standard trigger. A fine pivot roller bearing provides smooth movement with lateral stability.

Installation of the Custom Products Shocker Trigger used for review started with removal of the Shocker SFT grip frame. This entailed opening the grip, disconnecting the wiring harness and finally removing the grip frame from the receiver.

The stock Shocker SFT trigger is held in with a friction fit steel pin. Hand pressure with a pin punch was enough to extend this pin 1mm out to the right hand side, where a pair of needle nosed pliers fully extracted it without trouble.

Installing the new trigger proved to require a little more coordination. A pair of spacers and mount screw are included with the trigger, to assure that the bearing locks solidly to the grip frame. The return spring was first lined up in its position, and then the bearing spacers were installed, one into a space in the trigger and the threaded spacer sandwitched between the trigger and grip frame. This assembly had to be coaxed into position while getting the return spring situated between the trigger and grip frame.

Both bearing spacers are slightly convex on one side – a little wider at their center than at their edges. The taper is very slight, but important to note. Placing the convex sides facing the center allows the center of the bearing to be gripped securely while its outer rim avoids friction.

One of the spacers is threaded and has three notches in its rim. The threading allows the trigger pivot screw to attach to it, while the notches allow an o-ring pick or similar tool to be used to hold it from rotating when the screw is tightened. After a bit of juggling and shuffling all the parts were lined up in position and the trigger was secured in place.

Unlike the stock trigger, adjustment to the CP trigger is made with the grip frame off of the body. The forward pre-travel limit screw is accessed from the top. Out of the box, the post travel limit screw was already dialed in, and a half-turn of the pre-travel screw resulted in a short, crisp trigger pull.

In place, the CP trigger provided just as short of a triger pull as the stock trigger when properly adjusted, but exhibited less side to side movement. Additionally the trigger return spring provided a stiffer, more responsive trigger pull at the same resistance setting – this is adjustable with the set screw in the grip frame as with the stock trigger.