LEM is the shiznit!

[Brian1979]

So I got my LEM kit from Travis and grew a pair last night to install it. This is my first non 1911 gun that I have ever worked on or really owned. I had an HK 8 yrs ago as my first gun but sold it soon after since I didnt know much back then and couldnt shoot it worth a damn.

Let me just say that doing the LEM install is not easy at all. Having done it once I could do it again very easily and thinking back I feel it was not that bad. The issue is if you have never been inside the gun before there are lots of little parts and there are tricks to getting it all back together which the instructions are no good for.

It took me about 4hrs if tinkering around and looking at the pics posted on this forum before I got it all together. Then I look down and see the flippin hammer strut on the table, lol. Had to take it all down again and drop that bad boy in but like I said the 2nd time was cake. The hardest part was that stupid TRS and figuring a method for installing it. I found my own little trick and managed to get it in just fine but that alone took about an hour and 100 attempts.

I would say for those that are not patient and not good with handy skills should not mess with this. I am a "fix anything" sort of guy and can typically figure out how to do things myself with enough time and patience. I must have thought about throwing the gun across the room at least 3 times but I managed to keep my head in it. :)

As for the LEM trigger itself this thing is amazing and light years better then the standard V1 that mine came with. I live in California so I had to buy the gun as it comes which was a USP45 Compact V1 SA/DA. The stock trigger was heavy and sloppy with a very weak trigger return that I hated. Now the LEM returns the trigger very clean and crisp like a Glock where you get that nice "click" and it is a very short return. The initial long pull I really like and the break is more clean and better felt under my finger.

Not having the safety is also nice for IWB CCW since it will be more slim profiled and I can now position my hand where I want with out it restricting my hand hold.

[Phalanx1]

Thanks for the insight - I was toying with the idea of a LEM kit but sent my HK to Bill Springfield and kept the safety/decocker. I'm happy. Glad it worked out for you!

[Brian1979]

For CCW I am happy with having 1 trigger pull that is the same every time. I like the idea of having a safety but as I learn more and become more comfortable with firearms it does make more sense to have the least amount of gadgets in the way of making the gun go bang.

I didnt like the idea of having the gun modified for reasons of loosing HK support and understanding that the protective finish on the internals is polished off. I think this is how Bill can do the job on the cheap because Grey charges a lot more but refinishes the parts after the work. For me doing it properly was the only option but spending $300 + $120 in shipping for a trigger on a $800 gun seemed stupid.

[gmd455]

I just put an LEM in my USPc45 and it only took a half an hour and it was my first time ever working on a gun. All I used was a 1/8 in punch and a pare of long thin needle nose pliers. I did not put the trigger return spring in because using the stock spring gives around a 5.5lb pull and I love it. I though it was easy with the instructions on this forum. I would recommend putting the stock TRS back in for a lighter pull. It looked hared and looked like a pain in the ass so I am glad I didn't mess with it.

[PC7]

I just put an LEM in my USPc45 and it only took a half an hour and it was my first time ever working on a gun. All I used was a 1/8 in punch and a pare of long thin needle nose pliers. I did not put the trigger return spring in because using the stock spring gives around a 5.5lb pull and I love it. I though it was easy with the instructions on this forum. I would recommend putting the stock TRS back in for a lighter pull. It looked hared and looked like a pain in the ass so I am glad I didn't mess with it.


That is what I did; it was a piece of cake.

[Brian1979]

Well I was darn careful and took my time as to not screw things up. That stupid little coil spring that rests on the hammer and sear is what took me forever. I couldnt figure out how to place it and the pics were terrible on the instructions. Finally I figure I had the hammer reversed and got it all put together.

That new TRS is why I think the return on the trigger feels so much more soild and strong. I want to leave it like that because the stock TRS was so weak the trigger would hardly return and reset unless my finger was off of it. Now I can lightly keep pressure on the trigger via my finger and it returns and I can feel the reset which is very strong and pronounced.

[ptechjpjr]

Congrats on the self install. I sent my first USP 45 into Travis last year and had him install the "combat competition" trigger in my pistol (and had him replace every part in the pistol that had been modified by other gunsmiths). I loved the LEM so much that I ordered the LEM kit and the 209266 trigger return spring and did the second one myself. I did the same thing you did with the hammer strut. LOL. It took me about 1 1/2 hours the first time and then about 15 minutes the second time. The trigger return springs are also a piece of cake once you figure out the proper technique.

LOVE THE LEM!!!!!!!!

[Shakey]

Congrats on the self install. I sent my first USP 45 into Travis last year and had him install the "combat competition" trigger in my pistol...LOVE THE LEM!!!!!!!!

I'm getting ready to have the Combat Competition trigger group installed in my USPf 40 LEM. How much lighter is the CC trigger put over the standard LEM? Do you know?

[ptechjpjr]

Shakey,

I believe the standard LEM is about 8.5lbs pull. The combat competition I believe is in the 4.5 to 5 lb ball park. The combat competition trigger setup does more than just make the pull lighter. It also does the following:

- eliminates trigger overtravel with an adjustable stop (if this is a ccw pistol I would let Travis know so he can set up the overtravel stop a little on the looser side to ensure hammer drop in case any debris makes its way behind the trigger, and have him loctite the adjustment screw)

- has a very quick trigger reset

- has a much more crisp/clean let off when the hammer drops (I believe this is attributed to the match grade sear assembly and nickel coated sear spring)

You will love this setup (Travis is a great guy. your gun will come back to you looking better than it did when it was new)

[STW]

The CC is a vast improvement over the regular LEM or the light LEM for that matter. It's the best of both worlds. Everyone who shoots mine loves it, all of the guys I work with who still carry the issue G31's say they can't figure out how I don't accidentally pull the trigger because it's so light. They can't understand it's only 1lb lighter than theirs...smooth goes a long way.

[Brian1979]

The CC is a vast improvement over the regular LEM or the light LEM for that matter. It's the best of both worlds. Everyone who shoots mine loves it, all of the guys I work with who still carry the issue G31's say they can't figure out how I don't accidentally pull the trigger because it's so light. They can't understand it's only 1lb lighter than theirs...smooth goes a long way.

I get your description and I know you are happy but for CCW I would make your smooth trigger heavier if that is the case. If its a range gun then that is cool but I want my CCW gun to be a bit heavier for obvious reasons.

I like the standard light LEM just fine and for a production gun spending $87 on a trigger seems about right. Any more and I just start thinking it is silly when the gun cost $600-$800.

[Brian1979]

Ahh I love the LEM. I got to shoot it today and instantly my accuracy doubled compared to what I was doing with the standard V1 SA/DA. I was able to shoot tinny groups with my USP45 Compact that I didnt ever expect it could do.

I shot today at 15yrds and 10yrds and was able to shoot some nice groups. I was kicking butt for a while until my hands and fingers got tired from loading my mags which have the Wolff springs but I took a break and ended on a good note.

I strongly suggest others look into doing this mod if they have standard triggers. You can say you love it the way it is and that is fine but I am promising you that the LEM will blow your mind. For $80 straight from HK you cant beat this trigger and I dont see any need in sending it out for custom work or adding any more cost to the trigger job over the standard LEM with the lighter TRS.

PS my usp45c used the HK45 LEM kit since Travis told me its all the same parts but comes with that lighter TRS. I kept the FPB spring stock and used the stock "complete sear" #37 in the parts description.

The reason I mention this is they were sold out of the exact USP LEM kit so Travis told me about how the kits are interchangeable on some models. So if they are sold out ask about other kits that may work for you.

[ptechjpjr]

awesome isn't it?

Love the LEM and the "Combat Competition" LEM Hybrid

[BytorJr]

U guys are killing me. I can't decide on a USPc with LEM or a P2000/P30 LEM. Though, the P30 is d@mned expensive in comparison. Unless CDNN has P30 LEM in stock, and from my experience CDNN doesn't generally stock LEM HK's. I'd love to be wrong on this.

Ergonomics or reset...dang tough decision for me.

[CPshooter]

I'm going to order a new FPB spring and TRS for my V2 P2000sk tomorrow morning. My goal is to get a 5-5.5lb trigger pull w/ a positive trigger return. I want to make sure the trigger comes forward all the way by itself...

Is the Combat Competition LEM trigger available for the P2000sk? I don't think I'd be interested in this for my carry gun, but I'm just asking out of curiositiy.

[BytorJr]

I believe the CC is only available in full-size USPs.