Ever have trigger problems?

[.338 mag.]

As most of you know I am a Model 70 Winchester fan but I know it is not the only suitable rifle for hunting. My favorite thing about the older ones is the trigger assembly. It is so simple and robust, easy to adjust, clean, and does not have the potential to trap crud, such as dirt, grease, oil, water, etc. like enclosed trigger assemblies can. You can look at all the parts with the stock off. So I am wondering if any of you have had any issues with the triggers on rifles and what the issue and type of rifle was. I am not trying to start bashing any ones rifle just wanting to have some honest information exchanges between forum members. I do believe a priority is placed on stocks, scopes, sights, barrel's, etc. and not enough of a priority is placed a simple and reliable trigger. No, I didn't forget about actions, extractors, ejectors and safeties. Just thinking about triggers and wonder if others share my thoughts.

[back country]

I used to use only Abolts religiously for all hunting - I always loved the safety location, the way the floor plate dropped down to reload, the magazine is removable so using on a quad is workable but on 2 separate unrelated elk hunts where we had temp. dips 2 different Abolts froze up to the point that I could not thaw then without taking them to camp and firing up the wood stove - Until I can't do it anymore I plan on backcountry hunts and I can not bring myself to trust Abolts, even though I am aware of the potential problem - I am just now embarking on a wildcat project to convert a New Haven 270 WSM to a 338 WSM wildcat and if that works out I will have the ultimate elk & north country big game rifle, simple model 70 trigger and all (have been using a Kimber Montana for 2 seasons with no malfunctions BTW)

[Smitty of the North]

My favorite thing about the older ones is the trigger assembly. It is so simple and robust, easy to adjust, clean, and does not have the potential to trap crud, such as dirt, grease, oil, water, etc. like enclosed trigger assemblies can. You can look at all the parts with the stock off.

I'm sure that trigger is all you say, except for the adjustment part.

My gunsmith, told me you have to hone them. (I got him to adjust one for me.)

My thoughts are, that they are certainly SIMPLE to adjust, but it would depend on the surfaces, how smooth, and the angle of them. It may require some skill to get the weight pull you would like, depending on the particular one.

I never reely cared for the MDL 70, probably for no good reason, though.

Smitty of the North

[BrownBear]

The only real trouble I've had with a trigger followed hot dip treatment of a gun. It would sporadically fail to engage the sear as I closed the bolt, and no amount of adjusting would make it go away. One scary situation, because it only happened once in every half dozen bolt closures.

Brand of dip and brand of gun don't matter for the point I want to make. After all sorts of confusion and messing around, I finally disassembled the fairly complicated trigger assembly. As near as I can tell, in the process of removing the assembly for hot dipping and putting it back on a flake of the varnish I'd used to set the adjustment screws had peeled free and worked it's way into just the wrong place in the trigger assembly. It was floating around, and periodically it would block the sear from swinging forward to engage. No one's fault but my own, and I forever swore off varnish, lacquer, nail polish etc for locking the adjustment screws. Mark me down as a fan of blue Loktite.

[back country]

I have adjusted several model 70 triggers with no ill effects - a good friend of mine who unfortunately now lives over 400 miles away is THE model 70 "trigger man" and yes he hones them - I never felt quite that proficient so I just "adjusted" them but every one has been safe and plenty good enough for big game hunting at 3 lb +/- an ounce or two (and none of them ever froze up on me neether) My buddy likes "his" triggers to break at 8 - 12 oz and there-in lies the difference as I don't even like my varmint rifle triggers below 2 lb or so (as a side note, it seems that I'm alot happier if'n I am not in those environments that can freeze ANY trigger but habit is habit) "blue loktite" ? is that the "permanent" stuff ?

[BrownBear]

"blue loktite" ? is that the "permanent" stuff ?

Definitely not. I don't know all the different grades, bu know for sure the red is nothing I want near a trigger adjustment screw. Mine might be purple or some such, but I'd have to go dig it out to check. Whatever the color (and whether you're color blind or not), make sure it's the non-permanent stuff.

[Snowwolfe]

Was a life long Remington fan until we started to deer hunt at Kodiak. Every year we went had the triggers ice up in both my 700 and my son's as well. We would pour a small amount of "heet" over the ice and it would disappear. But always thought sooner or later it might freeze up when trying to pull a trigger on a charging brownie.

Please don't lecture me on cleaning the trigger. The freeze up's were a result of water getting into the trigger and since the entire mechanism was boxed the water had difficulty escaping and then freeze when the temperatures dropped.

Sold all the Remington's we owned except a new 300 Ultramag I been saving (for what I don't know, lol) and went to Winchester 70's (or MRC's) and Rugers and never had another trigger problem.

Anyone need a lefty Rem 300 Ultra?

[pinehavensredrocket]

this is a favorite winchester m70 classic in 30-06, with it's great and easily adjustable trigger. the design is simple and very strong........once adjusted, will hold it's setting. a lot is said about it's controlled round feed, hammer forged barrel and swing safety, but for me it's all about the trigger.

this rifle is "stock" except for the tuned trigger, lapped bolt lugs and barrel. as a concession to the flexible stock forearm i used glass bedding for the action and also bedded a rod in the forearm. my groups do not change, shooting with a sling or tripod.

[kodiakrain]

So, what's up with "No Red" Loctite? Is it too permanent?

Blu is mostly what I like to use, but I do have some red up on the shelf, never figured there was too much difference,...?

Good Thread idea tho 338mag,
I had never seen a trigger problem until recently trying to figure out a zeroing problem for another guys rifle. A Ruger 77 mkII, that we narrowed down to the trigger being just really Creepy, Scratchy.
had a few scope mount isues also, but in the end, that Trigger was a BIG factor

Was noticeable enough to me at the bench, that I was sure affected accuracy,
My hands were tied a bit, because the owner didn't want another trigger swapped out, couldn't swing it into a "Smith" nearby to do any filing or tuning on it.

But Interestingly Enough, I did some reloading work for him, and by the time I had about 350 rounds run thru it, it was noticeably about 70% better on the scratchy creepy deal. Kind of figured in my head, that I just plain broke it in some, the old fashioned way. wasn't smooth like butter, and I learned a LOT about the value of the trigger in a rifle purchase decision, but that Ruger was quite improved, after just going to work for a while.

So I returned it to him, with a bunch of boxes of ammo, and little cutout target groups from the final of every load worked up
(y'kno confidence is everything, "this rifle will do this, with these bullets,....")

and I'm Bettin' he's gonna have years worth of "Fur Flyin', the Meatgrinder a Whirrin', Steak knives a Flashin' all as a result of gettin' in the woods with that rifle," and that same old trigger, and chances are good,

I'll be the only one who knows,.....that the trigger isn't quite perfect

[BrownBear]

So, what's up with "No Red" Loctite? Is it too permanent?

Oh yeah. Between the tiny screw driver slot or nut and fine threads on adjustment screws, red locktight might as well be arc welding. You'll cobble the screws or nuts trying to free them. For a long time before the blue came along I used fly tying head cement, but as I recounted in my trigger problem, I've quit that.

Was a life long Remington fan until we started to deer hunt at Kodiak. Every year we went had the triggers ice up in both my 700 and my son's as well.

I've never had that happen, but the first time would sour me, too! After my experience with the lacquer, it's easy to see how a little ice would do the same thing. The tolerances are so close between all pivoting part and the trigger housing, ANYTHING that gets in there from ice to grass, and lacquer of course, would almost certainly cause problems.

Did you swear off 700's altogether, or have you found a good replacement trigger? I've been using the model since the 1960's and have accumulated close to a dozen counting rebarrels and customs, mostly because they're lefties. Kinda late in life to switch, but in any case I'm still pretty sold on them. I'd feel better with another trigger though.

[Snowwolfe]

Did you swear off 700's altogether, or have you found a good replacement trigger? I've been using the model since the 1960's and have accumulated close to a dozen counting rebarrels and customs, mostly because they're lefties. Kinda late in life to switch, but in any case I'm still pretty sold on them. I'd feel better with another trigger though.

For Alaska big game they are history for me. Any after market trigger has the same basic design, tight tolerances and enclosed spaces. But have owned a couple of varmit/bench model 700's. I am not much of a brand loyal shooter but the older style Win 70 trigger came into my life in my 40's and the design is perfect for harsh conditions.

On average, I think Remingtons are more accurate and the triggers can be adjusted more precisely than Win 70's but for me it is a matter of function. The CRF of the win 70's is not an important factor either. I would not hesitate to own Remingtons if I were hunting in a warmer climate and never had a problem with the so called "weak" extractor.

Hunting Kodiak in mid November going in and out of a tent into blowing rain and snow and sub freezing temperatures will bring out the bad in any rifle. Carry a container of Heet

[BrownBear]

Hunting Kodiak in mid November going in and out of a tent into blowing rain and snow and sub freezing temperatures will bring out the bad in any rifle. Carry a container of Heet

Don't I know it! I suspect I've just been lucky, because I've hunted conditions so tough we needed crampons to get across the wet and icy beaches and up the bluffs even to start hunting.