Author Topic: Trigger Pull on your Bolt Action Rifle (Read 4821 times)

Zachary · « **on:** March 22, 2012, 05:27:10 AM »

There is a general consensus nowadays that a 3.5 lbs tigger pull on a big game rifle (from whitetail up to Elk I guess), is the norm. I own several rifles from different manufacturers: Remington, Wincheter, Tikka, Sako, Kimber, and Browning. My Remington and Winchester rifles came with heavier trigger pulls. How heavy? Well, I had some of them sent to a gunsmith to do a "trigger job" on them, and I was told it ranged from 4 lbs to over 6 lbs. After the trigger jobs, not only did the triggers pull at 3.5 lbs, but they were also more crisp. I have gone to different gunsmiths and they have told me the same thing - Remington and Winchester triggers are actually pretty good triggers after you do a trigger job but, even then, they don't recommend setting the triggers below 3.5 llbs.

On one of my Remingtons (my BDL SS DM in 7mm-08), the trigger was so bad, that it moved left and right a lot, dancing more than a hula-hoop dancer, and the gunsmith told me that it would be better to just get a good aftermarket trigger. So I spend a lot of money and got a Jewell trigger. However, I must admit that the Jewell trigger is worth every penny. It is so crisp! Now I understand when some people say that trigger breaks like glass. In any event, the gunsmith also told me that he could safely set the trigger down to (if I remember correctly) 1.5 lbs. I thought that was too light, so i told him to set it (again, if I remember correctly) between 2.5 and 2.75 lbs. Again, it is a light trigger, but it is by far my favorite trigger.

My next favorite trigger is actually on the Tikka. I think that it is easily adjustable but, in any event, it feels almost like a Jewell trigger. Again, I don't have a trigger measuring device, but I would guess that it is about 3 lbs.

So, here are my questions: 1) what is the trigger pull on your rifles, and 2) have you had a trigger job done on your rifles?

Zachary

John R. · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2012, 05:41:19 AM »

I've had trigger jobs on all of mine, they run 2 1/2 to 3 lbs on most, around 1 to 1 1/2 on varmit rigs.

drdougrx · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2012, 06:03:49 AM »

I have replaced the factory triggers on all the remeington and ruger bolt guns with Timneys. I have left the triggers on my #1 alone, I find it not to be a problem. My SAKO has a fully adj trigger and is set at 2.5lbs. My Ruger 77/17 and 10/22 have had trigger jobs by CT Prec.

charles p · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2012, 07:45:15 AM »

My Rem triggers are original. I adjust them. A gunsmith adjusted my 30 year olf Vanguard. I have one Mod 70 Win that I adjusted and a newer one that I installed a Jewell trigger. I prefer 3lbs or slightly less.

I know Rem has received bad press for their triggers but I have had problems with Mod 70 Win triggers after working on them myself.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:32:00 AM »

I don't want it to light , we hunt with dogs and alot of shots are at running game often with gloves on. 3-3.5 lbs is light enough. On the range lighter is better . I just like to feel the trigger and not set it off reaching a gloved finger in to shoot.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2012, 03:16:37 PM »

All of them have had trigger jobs. I've never really checked them with a gauge but suspect them to be around 4. I really like the old canjar set trigger better than any after market triggers I've used.

charles p · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2012, 04:08:58 PM »

When dog hunting, I'd remove the glove on my trigger hand whenever the dogs are headed my way.

flintlock · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2012, 04:27:39 PM »

All of my rifles have had trigger jobs, if I can't do it then it happens before they come home...Mine are set at 2 1/2 pounds...

I even had a trigger job on my Remington 1100 shotgun I bought in the mid 70s and my Remington 552 semi auto .22 I bought in 1971 when I was 16...

My flinters have double set triggers...

George Foster · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2012, 11:58:02 PM »

I prefer 2 to 2-/12 lb trigger pulls and that is what I have on all my rifles. I have Timney triggers on my Ruger 77's and Remington 700 rifles. I have a pair of Remington 581's and a Remington 788 that I did the triggers on and they are all 2-3/8 lb triggers.

Swampman · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2012, 12:27:48 AM »

I like about a 2.5 and I do my own trigger jobs.

roper · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2012, 12:34:30 AM »

In my deer/elk rifles 2 1/2 lbs to 3lbs some of my Rem rifles I replaced some trigger with the old style Rem 40x trigger other been reworked. My #1 put the Kepplinger set trigger some of my varmint rifle that I shoot off bench use 2oz triggers others same as my hunting rifles. I put a Jewell with bottom safety on Rem in 243AI and most everything I have trigger have lighten.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2012, 12:41:29 AM »

2-2 1/2 do some myself and the ones like leverguns that take a bit of gunsmithing go to my buddy. Im more of a shooter then a fixer. I dont care to experiement on guns as i want them safe and dont like replacing parts i screw up.

Zachary · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:21:59 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on March 23, 2012, 12:41:29 AM

2-2 1/2 do some myself and the ones like leverguns that take a bit of gunsmithing go to my buddy. Im more of a shooter then a fixer. I dont care to experiement on guns as i want them safe and dont like replacing parts i screw up.

I totally understand. I am very much a "hands-on" kind of guy, but I just don't have the skills/experience to allow me to be comfortable enough for me to do my own trigger jobs; and a trigger is a very important safety mechanism. From reading this thread, I am surprised at how many people have the skills/experience to do their own trigger jobs. Interestingly, when I get some free time, I'd like to take up a gunsmithing class or two...not to get into the business, but to do is as a hobby so that I can do some work on my own guns.

Brithunter · « **Reply #13 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:43:19 AM »

Well I have checked some of mine with an old spring balance fishing scale but cannot recall what th weights are now. I am not a fan of very light triggers. Brought a P-H MIdland 2100 in 243 for the collection on which some one has messed up the Timney type trigger to get it way light. After much cussing and playing with it I have got it to about 2.5 lbs but that's too light so if I ever get it back the trigger will be replaced with a newer un-messed with unit. When it came to me I doubt the trigger pull required more than about 1lb pressure to fire................................... way to light for a hunting rifle and way below the units design spec which is 2-5lbs.

I have lightened the trigger pulls on the P-14 bases sporters and the Swedish Mauser. They are not really that hard to do just take it slow and look how the parts fit together and work together.

If a trigger like that on my P-H Supreme No4 sporter which is on a Mk1/2 action that has had the trigger pivot moved the the action body rather than the trigger guard and this pull is like a glass rod but has a let off weight of about 6lbs I guess. this is not a problem as it's consistent and as I say breaks like a glass rod with no creep.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:32:42 AM »

My Remington's all break at 3 1/2#, I set them myself. I have a Mod 70, newer one that breaks at 5#, never been fooled with and doesn't bother me. My favorite trigger is on my Paul Jaeger 03 Springfield. It is the origional 03 trigger cleaned up when the rifle was built. Lot of take up, takes 6# to do it. Then there is over travel but the hammer falls at two more pounds. It is the easiest trigger for me to shoot by far. I believe that the reason for that is it allow's me much more control of the trigger by adding pressure to the finger with the take up and allows follow thru with the over travel. Trigger control is shot when I go from it back to one of my other's but I can go from the other's to it and trigger control is no problem at all. If you get down much under 3#, there really isn't much trigger control because you can't very well feel the trigger. I hav an Anschutz 22 mag years ago, with an adjustable trigger and had it set under a pound. I could shoot it very well but few other people could cock it without it going off. When I shot on the small bore team in the service, one of our guy's had an Anschutz match rifle with a 2oz trigger. Tried my best but never could cock it without it going off.
I think that one difference between my 3# trigger's and the 5# Win and 03 Springfield that makes them easier to shoot is I load my finger first. By the time I feel much in the way of pressure with the 3# Rem trigger's, the rifle has already gone off. To shoot a trigger much lighter than three pounds at this point in my life, I would have to develope a new sense of feel in my finger.

An after though. Years ago I was in a gun shop in Ft. Collins, Colo, I lived in Greeley then. They had a competation 38 Smith in there. It was a bobbed hammer and designed to be used in competation that way. I picked it up and tried the trigger. Lot of take up but it hit a point where you would easily stop before fireing and then just a bit more let it off. It was designed to break like a double action fired with the hammer pulled back. I felt it was even better. There was noticeable take up, then verv evident stop and then the nicest let off I ever felt. As I recall it was built by pistol smith something Clark. Forget his name. California gunsmith.

Huffmanite · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2012, 11:12:54 AM »

When possible, I do a trigger job any new rifle. I do not hunt, just shoot paper with mostly centerfire rifles....so prefer my triggers around 2 lbs.

charles p · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2012, 04:35:45 PM »

I hunt from box blinds. All my shots are at standing deer. I like 2 3/4 lbs. I only shoot doe deer, and often line up two in a row for a double kill. A double head shot is the cat's meow. I lelave all bucks for the kids. I am a meat hunter only.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2012, 06:53:14 PM »

I had a trigger job done on my Rem 7600. I can't remember what it's set at but the mushy creep is gone. I have a Ruger MKII stainless I sent to Timney back in the 90's and Mr Timney is a trigger job and it's a crisp 3-3.5 lbs. I adjusted my M70 to 3.5 lbs and my Rem 660 to the same. I adjusted my Win M52B repro to 3-3.5 lbs. When it's cold here and I have gloves on a lighter trigger pull weight isn't something I want.

jeclif · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2012, 10:18:37 AM »

I shoot a cz 527 in 762x39 the trigger came set at 3,5 the set is 10 oz
that is the way it came from the factory

Ladobe · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2012, 10:55:37 AM »

It's always depended on useage for me, and firearm design. Many I have used just as they came with no problem at all and I just adapted to them. The early years shooting verses down the road made the change to where almost all my triggers were reworked and lightened. I like the lightest yet tightest trigger I could have without negating safety for its dedicated use. So some I went part way to lighten for walk around hunting; some I have made intentionally strict bench rifles for long range bench hunting that bordered on scary and were not chambered until I was actually ready to shoot. IOW a 2 ounce or less trigger demands 110% focus anytime a cartridge gets close to it. So probably many I've had most other shooters would have considered too light and not been comfortable with. I got away with it by always hunting alone and always being focused on safety. Even so I touched of a few in the digger fields off a bench before intended with a Remy 700VS 223 I had installed a follower in to make it a single shot and a 2 ounce trigger that eliminated the mechanical safety. With miles of uninhabited land down range not dangerous to others as per se, but it certainly gets your attention.

I don't hunt or even shoot anymore, but if I did, what I am confident in, both for safety and the shooting intended for each is where my triggers would be.

GLShooter · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2012, 03:04:17 PM »

My varmint rifles like the 700's are at about 2 pounds except one I will put a 2 ounce in when I am the only one going to be shooting it. That is to light for 90% of the kids I take hunting with me.

My two CZ 527 204's are about six ounces on the set rigger.

My AR's run between 2 and 3 pounds though I have been using a Giselle lately that runs about 12 ounces on the second stage set up for a match rifle that I will use for PD's this sumer also.

Greg

jhm · « **Reply #21 on:** March 25, 2012, 05:52:10 AM »

My main rifle is a rem. 700 titanium 7-08 and it has a jewel trigger in it set at 2 lbs. I hunt out of a box blind and feel vary safe and confident with it, other rifles I use are in the 3.5 range or stock and havent been checked. Jim

deerandduck · « **Reply #22 on:** March 25, 2012, 04:42:49 PM »

Most of my bolt action rifles are set to about 2 lbs to 2 1/2 lbs. A buddy and I do all of our own trigger work. I have a digital guage so we get it pretty close. All are very safe and tested alot before seasons. When we find a 3 -4 lb trigger, we both marvel at "how heavy it feels". We mainly do stand hunting for deer, etc.
Deerandduck

Hooker · « **Reply #23 on:** March 25, 2012, 07:31:48 PM »

My Remington 700 308 has a Timney set at 1 1/2 pounds
My custom Marlin 25n .22 is a factory trigger tweaked and tuned to a crisp and smooth 14 ozs

Pat

LanceR · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2012, 01:31:46 AM »

To me the feel of the trigger matters a lot more than the actual pull weight. I spent a lot of years competing in civilian and military service rifle matches with two stage triggers in the 4-1/2" pound range. You need to hold around 1 to 1-1/2 MOA at 200 yards shooting from the standing position to be really competitive so for hunting use I've never felt much need for a really light trigger pull.

My hunting rifles, muzzleloader and slug rifle all have two stage adjustable triggers (except one CZ 550 in .308) and I often hunt in quite cold weather wearing heavy gloves so for that reason and the all the trigger time with service rifles I keep the trigger pulls on everything but my varmint rifle at 4 to 4-1/2 pounds. I need to feel the trigger through the glove with a cold finger.

Lance

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #25 on:** March 26, 2012, 01:48:44 AM »

Quote from: charles p on March 22, 2012, 04:08:58 PM

When dog hunting, I'd remove the glove on my trigger hand whenever the dogs are headed my way.

I do also but I have this knack of jumping deer on the way to the stand or seeing one slipping from other hunters as they head for the stand

MZ5 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 27, 2012, 04:00:31 AM »

Quote from: LanceR on March 26, 2012, 01:31:46 AM

To me the feel of the trigger matters a lot more than the actual pull weight.

I agree. I like a crisp, clean break. If I can achieve that, I find that I actually prefer a heavier pull than what one often reads about in the popular press/websites (speaking of hunting rifles here). In fact, the Timney on my Ruger Hawkeye is too light for my taste, for a hunting rifle. If it was a target gun, it'd be pretty good or maybe even a little too heavy still. OTOH, if it was a target rifle, it'd have Ruger's excellent 2-stage trigger!

As for 'trigger jobs,' I don't guess I have had any of those. I have polished engagement surfaces before, and just slightly squared off crooked angles, but never sent anything to anyone else to work on. The Timney on my Ruger was already there when I bought it.

Tom47 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 05, 2012, 02:05:21 PM »

My varmit rifles are 2 -2 1/2 lbs and hunting rifles are 2 1/2 -3 lbs. I like a crisp triger pull.

Bart Solo · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2012, 03:57:49 AM »

On a bolt action hunting rifle for safety reasons I like between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds, but I don't tolerate creep. A clean break is what I look for. I don't want an AD because my fingers are too cold.

On my action competition rifles, I prefer something around 2.5 pounds. Again I want a clean break.

I have a target AR with a bull barrel and a two stage trigger with the second stage break at about 2.5 pounds. That is pretty good.

scootrd · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2012, 04:42:50 AM »

Quote from: MZ5 on March 27, 2012, 04:00:31 AM

Quote from: LanceR on March 26, 2012, 01:31:46 AM
To me the feel of the trigger matters a lot more than the actual pull weight.

I agree. I like a crisp, clean break. If I can achieve that, I find that I actually prefer a heavier pull than what one often reads about in the popular press/websites (speaking of hunting rifles here)......

I don't shoot a lot of paper, With hunting rifles I too prefer a heavier pull than what the majority posting seem to prefer.