I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question, but here goes. I have played with the triggers on most of my rifles. I installed a new Timney in one, and adjusted the factory trigger on a couple of Rem 700's.

I set all of these triggers to where they felt good to me. I'd guess that they are all about 3 lbs. give or take. I have shot guns with triggers that go off when you breath on them, and this is fine for benchrest only, but not for a hunting gun. As I'm at the range shooting these rifles now, they feel heavy to me, like I am having to pull fairly hard, and wait a long time before I have finally increased my pull enough to fire them. This is strange to me, cause two of these were 7 and 9 lb triggers before, and so are vastly improved now.

I know that them feeling heavy is mental, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this same situation occur? I'm also wondering if maybe I should drop them down to 2 lbs. or so?

How heavy do most of you want your hunting gun triggers to be? Or for the gunsmith's, what is the most common poundage requested for a hunting rifle?

3 to 3.5 on hunting rifles. lighter on varmint guns

Smoothness of the trigger will increase it's feel in weight If it is ultra smooth a 4 lb trigger will feel light as a feather. and if it rough but 2 lbs well it may feel like 12 lbs. It just depends. Sear engagement is a big factor too.
I typically set mine to 3 to 3.5 with minimal sear engagement as long as it doesn't sacrifice safety

The remmy's have no creep and are quite smooth and sweet. The timney has a "jump" in it before engagement that I can't get rid of without risking slam fires.

Just curious what the rest of you thought about pull weight. I know that while I feel these are heavy on the bench, that is because I am concentrating on my trigger squeeze. In a hunting situation, they'd still be quite light.

For a varmint rifle, 16 ounces is about right for me. Target rifles are 2 ounce Jewells, and for hunting rifles, 2 1/2 pounds is about right.
I do have a new FN Model 70 in 7-08 that has a pull weight of 5 pounds. But as mentioned above, the pull and break are so awesome, I'll leave it there. There's zero creep or overtravel, it's just that 5 pound pull, and the trigger breaks.. I love it. When hunting, pull weight becomes moot; I never think about it, or notice that it was too heavy, or too light.

Trigger pull is possibly the most subjective part of a gun. In the last month I had one customer who thought 3.75 lbs was way too light and one customer who thinks a very crisp 2 lbs is too heavy and takes forever for it go off. If a customer wants a trigger job and really has no clue abought what weight he wants I uasualy reccomend 2.75 to 3 lbs, and that satisfies 95% of most shooters.

Most of the ones I do get set to 2.5 pounds. Occasionaly I'll have someone who doesn't have a lot of feeling in their fingers, and will end up going as high as 5 pounds. Everything I shot for about 10 years had set triggers so most of my personal stuff is set at 12oz. except for my bench gun that is 1.5oz.

I have my varmint rifle set at 1 lb even and my hunting rifles set at a shade under 3 lb. What I have noticed however is that what feels good ( and safe ) in field shooting can feel twice as heavy on the bench as the concentration steps up a notch simply because the result is a hole in the paper that can be a quarter inch of expected poi and be more dificult to except than an inch or two from a centre hit on an animal. In the field you squeeze the shot of, while on the bench you are inclined to start and stop the squeeze as the sight picture changes. My experience anyway.

Von Gruff.

Hey Daniel, Try this before you do any adjusting. Get ready to shoot from the Bench position just as you normally would. Then immediately before you put your finger on the Trigger, reach forward so the tip of your finger is on the Trigger Guard. Squeeze on it as if you are attempting to take a shot, but add a bit more weight to the pull than normal.

Now, ease back to the Trigger and go on and do your normal shooting sequence. It will seem as if you have reduced the actual Trigger Pull.

Best of luck to you.

I am very flinch prone. My hunting rifles are all at 1lb. The Jewells are consistant, the Sakos and the Mausers vary by a couple of ounces that feel like a lot when aiming at a deer from a field position.

I agree with a previous poster. There is more to a good trigger than light pull weight. I have some 3 pound triggers that feel like 9 pounds. I have some 4-1/2 pound triggers that feel like 1-1/2 pound. Smoothness, lack of creep and overtravel, and a crisp release make the difference. If the triggers feel heavy on the bench it is due to your comcentration. Not a problem actually!

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
I am very flinch prone. My hunting rifles are all at 1lb. The Jewells are consistant, the Sakos and the Mausers vary by a couple of ounces that feel like a lot when aiming at a deer from a field position.

One pound That would scare the heck out of me for hunting. For hunting guns, I've always liked 3.5-4 lbs. It seems like a good compromise. For shooting at the range (not benchrest) 2.5-3 lbs is nice, but when I'm so cold I can barely feel my fingers 5 lbs is welcome. Like I said, 3.5-4 is a good compromise for field use in most conditions.

Wes

quote:

Originally posted by WESR:

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
I am very flinch prone. My hunting rifles are all at 1lb. The Jewells are consistant, the Sakos and the Mausers vary by a couple of ounces that feel like a lot when aiming at a deer from a field position.

One pound That would scare the heck out of me for hunting. For hunting guns, I've always liked 3.5-4 lbs. It seems like a good compromise. For shooting at the range (not benchrest) 2.5-3 lbs is nice, but when I'm so cold I can barely feel my fingers 5 lbs is welcome. Like I said, 3.5-4 is a good compromise for field use in most conditions.

Wes

Probably different hunting styles. This is UK so not truly cold and multiple shot opportunities on stationary deer generaly taken from a good rest or crossed sticks or not at all. I check safety frequently and am able to take up partial pressure.

I am told that BR shooters first into the game fined their 2oz triggers almost unmanageably light but end up riding them waiting for perfect wind. I draw the line at 1lb for hunting.

Having been full time for a number of years I might be able to share some insight on the subject.

If you are modifying triggers for other people you must consider liability. In doing so I take into account there is a big differance if one is using the gun for big game, varmints or for target competition.

If for the average sportsman hunting deer, elk, etc. you must consider the gun is being used in adverse conditions,ie: cold weather, moisture, in and out of vehicles and hunting blinds, hiking in the dark, sometimes with companions. So I always use a safe amount of sear engagement and no lighter than 3.5 pounds.

For varmint hunting and targets shot off of a bench I will go less sear engagement and no lighter than 2 pounds.

Competition rifles and pistols would require a few pages to cover, they have their own limitations and rules.

Colt 1911 style pistols for concealed carry and other protection no less than 4 pounds. For competition in certain disiplines I can go as low as 2.5 pounds safely.

For those who tinker with their own trigger adjustments I will make you a challenge. After adjustment when checking for being safe from accidental discharge. Instead of just bumping the butt of the gun, take a plastic or leather mallet and strike the bolt knob sharply a few times. All my work must pass this "acid" test and most amatuer's work will not. Also engage the safety and pull the trigger pretty hard, then dis engage the safety to see if it remains cocked.

The controversial Rem 700 trigger is adjustable with out disassembly. If you adjust them with out disassembly and cleaning you are risking an accidental discharge. They are suseptable to oil collecting there then getting gummed up and sticky. When this occurs and it eventually will, you will get an AD.

I always completely strip them, degrease, hone all rough edges, smooth sear surfaces and lube with drislide.

An additional wrinkle is to test for safety after the rifles been in the freezer for a few minutes. Tolerances change and lubricant (if present) thickens potentialy requiring greater spring pressure.