Trigger Adjustment

[GregM]

If the trigger on a new rifle doesn't feel good (gritty, too much travel, etc) should I take it to a gunsmith right away, or wait until after I've used it a while?

[Pezhead]

I'd make sure it's really clean try spaying Gunscrubber in the action & probably shoot it awhile. Clean, lubricate, shoot. Sometimes they need a few rounds through. If it's really bad could you send it back to the manufacturer? I know others out there have more knowledge.

[GregM]

A guy out at Oakdale told me how to adjust the trigger, so I went ahead and did it myself. Breaks real nicely now.

[westhope]

What rifle? They are all different!

Here is for the Rem 700.

http://www.quarterbore.com/library/articles/rem700trigger.html

Do a search for others.

Be sure to check it for proper engagement. (That is when you are done, bang the butt on the ground hard several times to make sure the sear does not drop. It should not fire. Also check the safety. Pull the trigger hard with the safety on, then push the safety off, it must not fire.) If you have any doubt of your ability, take it to a gunsmith. It will be cheaper for him to do it than to replace the trigger assembly later.

[GregM]

Yes, I know they're different. This fella happened to have the same model and told me which screw reduces the creep. That was the only adjustment I did.

I tried the cocking the gun and banging the butt on the floor --- no click. I pulled hard on the trigger with the safety on --- no click. Thanks for the safety tips!

[1911fan]

Its a crap shoot nowadays in the land of lawyer triggers.

The two component triggers like the accu-trigger are one way around it, buying a new trigger is another, and there are some other tricks.

One trick that is often touted is filling the trigger with some sort of abrasive medium and then working it until it smooths out. I would most whole hearted argue against that method as there is no control on what is being altered. Understand that angles and geometry are immensely important in safe triggers and sears and you can change those angles enough to cause a reduction in safety fairly fast. I know someone who filled a S&W handgun with some valve lapping compound and got himself a really slick trigger, problem was on single action, all it took was one mild jounce and that slick trigger let go.

Same has happened with some remington triggers I know about.



the safety test for a trigger that has been played with should be

work action

safety on and off, bounce FIRMLY on a hard surface to see if sear releases. repeat once.

work action

safety on, pull trigger hard, safety off, and then repeat bounce test. I usually do not just bounce the gun once but a few times.

[GregM]

One trick that is often touted is filling the trigger with some sort of abrasive medium and then working it until it smooths out.

That's kinda why I posted the original question. I've heard that handgun triggers smooth out with frequent use, so I figured that the same principle must apply to rifle triggers. No abrasives or anything --- just regular use.

In other words: if I adjust a brand new trigger, will it need adjustment again next year? Or is it normal for the same trigger to need periodic adjustment?

Should I do the butt-bounce and safety-on-pull-hard test every so often to make sure the trigger hasn't gotten too loosey-goosey?

[hammAR]

It is a good idea to check all of your weapons for correct functioning occasionally, as things do wear and break...................................

Only drop test when you surrender...............

.

[1911fan]

I would say it all depends on use, if you shoot like a action shooter or a prairie dog shooter, where a coupld of thousand rounds per trip is not out of the question, then yeah I would recheck them from time to time, I would also think that those guns might find the triggers wearing.

Imagine sears and triggers as being two L shaped notches, in order to hold, they are kept as Square as possible. I dont have the ability to draw it, but look at it as one L up and one 7 down, with the short legs as the contact parts. as soon as those contact areas become less than 90 degrees, some sort of a jolt can cause them to move, if the angle gets to a degree or so off, those are the trigger jobs you hear about where the gun doubles or more. If you get a trigger that is the other way, that is you have to pull the sear up and over a hill you can get the ten pound trigger that some people get, and even with hardly any return spring, there is still a monumental trigger pull.