My factory trigger breaks at 3.5 - 4 lbs, would you stone/lighten or not?
My gun breaks from 3.5 - 4 #, not real consistent on scale, but breaks clean.
That said, those that have Marlins what are yours, if you did a trigger tune, would you recommend me doing one? Normally set Bolts down to 2.5 lbs or so, but this gun is light. That said, trigger is factory and safe so I'd like to hear suggestions as to would I expect improved accuracy 'significantly' by doing a little stoning?
13 July 2008, 00:08
buckeyeshooterthat is good for a marlin, I would leave it alone.
Yeah, I was surprised thought it was heavier, being used to lighter triggers, scared to take it too low/mess it up, read a 'how to' where the guy only used 3 strokes on a medium stone to bring his down to 3 or so, hate to go too far......make for expensive replacement.
I'd thought it was 4.5-6lbs being a factory lever.....even bolts today are that high mfg in USA.
I haven't seen any good reasons to leave it alone yet. What has "good for a Marlin" got to do with it. And what is the reason a "hunting" trigger should be so heavy.
Needing to shoot in gloves would be my only concern. I routinely use 1 lb on a M94, which would be too light for "jerks",

or gloves.
22 July 2008, 02:16
Alberta Canuckquote:
Originally posted by 6.5BR:
Yeah, I was surprised thought it was heavier, being used to lighter triggers, scared to take it too low/mess it up, read a 'how to' where the guy only used 3 strokes on a medium stone to bring his down to 3 or so, hate to go too far......make for expensive replacement.
I'd thought it was 4.5-6lbs being a factory lever.....even bolts today are that high mfg in USA.
Here's an experiment you might want to try, to answer your own question in a way that would suit YOU:
If you have several older Marlins, measure their weights of pull. I'd almost bet at least some of them are both lighter and smoother due to use.
That tends to happen with both Marlins & Winchesters as they are used and "wear-in".
If those older Marlins suit you as they are now, I'd leave the new one alone. Sure, you can stone it down to match the older ones, but then they are still going to wear, and get lighter and lighter. You COULD end up with one which you had become "partners" with over the years, had lots of good memories of, and find the trigger becoming light enough to make you "edgy".
With mine I have chosen to let lots of use lighten them for me. A real fun method, for me. YMMV
22 July 2008, 05:33
Jeff SullivanThat sounds like a pretty good trigger for a Marlin, but I too like lighter triggers and don't like the "Marlin flop".
I have WWG triggers installed in all my Marlins that I shoot regularly and prefer them to factory triggers.
26 July 2008, 21:11
buckeyeshooterit is possible to lighten a lever trigger too much so it fires working the action. So, a bit heavier is safer.
Lighter than the 3.5 to 4lbs of the subject trigger? (A gunsmith did mine, but I still wouldn't work it pointed at a mate.) Jeese they've even had levers that fired on closeing on purpose.
27 July 2008, 23:32
nordrsetaUnless you're better man with an Arkansas stone than the other 99 out of 100 of us taking abrasives to the sear will end with a trip to the gunsmith.
In 1998 my Guide Gun "Mjolnir" came with a needlessly heavy and crunchy trigger. Several average gunsmiths (there are precious few real riflesmiths these days) said they'd rather not touch it. I installed the WWG Trigger Happy Kit myself and enjoy a perceptibly lighter pull with just a wee tick of creep. Other correspondents have reported even better results.
13 August 2008, 08:38
carlos111My late-model 39a came with a 7-lb trigger, and I had it taken down to 3.5 lb. I'm happy with that.
19 August 2008, 03:14
AtkinsonIf your not happy with it then get it fixed..I don't mind a heavy lever action trigger as long as it breaks clean..its up to you, but be sure you have someone do it that knows how because it will void your warranty if that makes a difference to you....