How to Install a Shepherd's Hook in a Gun

A shepherd's hook, also known as a shepherd's crook, is a coiled retaining wire inside the trigger group of some firearms. The wire can be difficult to install. If installed improperly, the weapon can malfunction while firing. When correctly installed, the shepherd's hook places tension on the pins in the trigger group and keeps the pins firmly in position.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft, cotton gloves
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Small flat-head screwdriver
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put on cotton gloves. Position the weapon on a flat surface and remove the trigger guard to expose the trigger assembly.

    • 2

      Grasp the shepherd's hook with the needle-nose pliers. Carefully place the short, straight end of the hook on top of the trigger pin.

    • 3

      Lace the hook underneath the hammer pin above the center support. Use the small flat-head screwdriver to guide the hook between the hammer pin and center support.

    • 4

      Pull the rounded end of the hook up and over the head of the cross brace with the point of the hook turning down under the cross brace peg.