I was wondering what is considered the best aftermarket trigger to install in a m70? I've heard Canjar, Jewel and Timey, what's the verdict? Thanks, David.
Posts: 67 | Location: Australia | Registered: 07 September 2002
Not true! There is no way you can tune, adjust, hone or polish a Winchester trigger to match a Jewel trigger. There's no comparision at all. I'll take a Jewel trigger anyday. Course your gonna spend a few bucks.
Posts: 97 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 17 November 2002
I have never used a Jewel trigger, so cannot comment on how they compare to the "issue" M70 trigger. however, I have always been able to get a good, light, safe pull out of the factory M70 design.
Conversly there is no way you can tune or protect a Jewel trigger to match a Winchester M 70 trigger!
If the purpose of the rifle is hunting then the M70 trigger can be adjusted to any reasonable weight with no perceptable take up and no backlash. That design will prove to be more reliable than any other interms of the rigors of hunting.
My pre-64 trigger is adjusted to such a pull and its two pounds. I would not want any other trigger on this rifle which is used for varmints.
The post 64's have good triggers as well but I have seen some with a tiny bit of take up on occasion. Such a trigger might need the attention of a skilled metalworker. Once adjusted however I prefer it to all triggers.
If I had a Jewel trigger here, and I can easily afford it, I would not install it in any of my eight M70's period.
There are sites that show how to adjust a M 70 trigger. If you get stuck doing it just ask us here for help.
Hasn't Winchester done something to make the trigger harder to adjust lately(not sure what)? Also, could you let us know a good site for model 70 trigger adjustment? THANKS!
Posts: 129 | Location: Kennerdell,PA | Registered: 04 November 2003
If any of you have a recent production model 70 trigger lever that you have replaced please contact me, I would be interested in purchasing it. Thanks.
I have installed a Timney trigger in a Model 70 heavy varmint and preferred it to the original. But for a hunting gun the old M-70 is just fine for me.
Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003
quote:Originally posted by wiktor: Hasn't Winchester done something to make the trigger harder to adjust lately(not sure what)? Also, could you let us know a good site for model 70 trigger adjustment? THANKS!
The design is virtually unchanged aside from the fact that it is now casted rather than machined from solid like the pre-64's.
As far as a site for trigger adjustment, I wouldn't reccomend doing this yourself. To be properly adjusted requires the need of a properly trained gunsmith. The Remington trigger is pretty straight forward, and can be done quite easily, and safely by the amateur, but I highly don't reccomend this for the Winchester. What Winchester gains in simplicity of function, it loses in ease of adjustability.
When properly adjusted, the Winchester can easily be taken to 2lbs, which is quite adequate for big to medium size game.
My varmint rifles wear Jewels down to 8oz, but that's for shooting in controlled circumstances, and doing more shooting from a rest at numerous targets, rather than packing it around all day, most of time with a cartridge chambered. Might also ad, these are Remingtons, which need a trigger replacement, not Winchesters.
Posts: 1021 | Location: Prineville, OR 97754 | Registered: 14 July 2002
This information should get you to three or maybe 2.5 lbs. A lighter spring will get it down more. If the nuts are both down against the trigger and it's still too heavy you can remove one of the nuts as you don't need it or either of them perhaps at that point. However the spring must touch and have significant tension.
Note above that a professional in the firarms business washes his hands of this due to the liablity. For Pete's sake use common sense. It's the very light triggers that go off. You must test this by dropping the butt on the floor to see if a cocked rifle will go off.
Also you can clean the sear surfaces and put moly on them. This smooths and reduces friction and will not attract dirt.
Model 70s need a new (lighter) trigger return spring.
There is no adjustment for sear engagement and as you lighten the pull you may start to feel trigger creep appear. Unless you can do it you are now off to a gunsmith. If attempting be prepared to end up with a gun that won't cock and/or a ruined trigger.
The Jewell is a three lever trigger and that is what allows them to cover from 2 ounces to several pounds. I guess in theory if a Jewell and Model 70 were both adjusted to say 3 pounds then the Jewell would be safer because virtually the whole 3 pounds of trigger pull is the weight of the spring. With a Model 70 (and others that are not a 3 lever) a large proportion of the trigger pull is due to friction between sear and trigger. Thus for a given weight of pull the Jewell will have a stronger spring tension for the trigger return.
When you buy a Jewell you can order three different springs and these cover from about 2 ounces up 12 or so and from about 12 ounces to a couple of pounds and one that goes up over 3 pounds. Both weight of pull and sear engagement can be adjusted without taking the rifle apart.
Mike
Posts: 7206 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 22 May 2002
Thanks to all for your thoughts, I am thinking I will leave my Pre 64 in the capable hands of my gunsmith, but I might try a Jewell in my newer "classic SM" rifle. Thanks again. David.
Posts: 67 | Location: Australia | Registered: 07 September 2002
