Old Remington 700 trigger.

[Rustystud]

I am semi retired from gunsmithing. Had a long time friend call and ask if I would look at his dads pre 69 Remington 700. His dad closed the bolt and it went bang.
He brought it over and I opened the bolt to insure it was clear of any ammo. I then closed the bolt with the safety on. I pushed the safety forward and it fired. Today I removed the barreled action from the stock. Examining the trigger I could see someone had been into the trigger and sealed the screws with red paint. I removed the trigger from the action and put it into cup of acetone and let it soak for an hour. After retrieving it from the acetone the paint was disolved. I completely dissasembled the trigger. I inspected the screws, springs, trigger, sear, safety, etc. After a thorough scrubbing with Q tipps soaked in acetone, I reassembled the trigger. I adjusted the overtravel and sear engagement screws until the trigger would was centeted an had no movement. I then placed the rebound spring (poundage) in the bottom front screw hole. I tighten the screw so as the spring had 1/4 turn beyond contact. I replace the sear spring and sear with the front trigger hanger pin. I pushed the trigger assembly with the sear into place and inserted a punch into the action from the bolt stop side. I then drove thr rear trigger hanger pin in just shy of the bolt stop. I installed the bolt stop and bolt stop spring before finish driving in the rear hanger pin. I put the bolt back into battery. The bolt was cocked. I backed off the trigger engagement screw until the rifle fired. I lifted the bolt handle and turned the sear engagement screw back 1/4 turn. I recocked the bolt and pulled the trigger and It fired. I recocked the bolt. And screwed the overtravel screw in until it stopped. I then pulled on the trigger and unscrewed the overtravel screw until it fired. I continued unscrewing the overtravel screw for another 1/4 turn. I then adjusted the trigger pull screw until I could just feel the spring touching the trigger. I checked the trigger pull with a scale 2 1/2 pounds. Due to the geometry, leaver friction, and spring weight this factory trigger can not be safely set any lighter. I cocked the bolt and dropped the muzzle on a rubber matt giving the sear/trigger a couple Gs. I then reversed and dropped cocked rifle tang on the rubber matt. No discharges. I slammed the bolt closed cocking the rifle. No discharges. I feel ths rifle has a 2 1/2 pound pull with little to no creep and no noticable overtravel. If one wants a lighter trigger you should get Jewel trigger.

 

[swd]

The individual trigger will tell you where it’s safe. Production tolerances are all over the place. I’ve seen a rare 700 trigger that was safe at 1 pound and have seen a crapper or two over the years that wouldn’t safely go below 3.5 lbs.

 

[hoz53]

I am semi retired from gunsmithing. Had a long time friend call and ask if I would look at his dads pre 69 Remington 700. His dad closed the bolt and it went bang.
He brought it over and I opened the bolt to insure it was clear of any ammo. I then closed the bolt with the safety on. I pushed the safety forward and it fired. Today I removed the barreled action from the stock. Examining the trigger I could see someone had been into the trigger and sealed the screws with red paint. I removed the trigger from the action and put it into cup of acetone and let it soak for an hour. After retrieving it from the acetone the paint was disolved. I completely dissasembled the trigger. I inspected the screws, springs, trigger, sear, safety, etc. After a thorough scrubbing with Q tipps soaked in acetone, I reassembled the trigger. I adjusted the overtravel and sear engagement screws until the trigger would was centeted an had no movement. I then placed the rebound spring (poundage) in the bottom front screw hole. I tighten the screw so as the spring had 1/4 turn beyond contact. I replace the sear spring and sear with the front trigger hanger pin. I pushed the trigger assembly with the sear into place and inserted a punch into the action from the bolt stop side. I then drove thr rear trigger hanger pin in just shy of the bolt stop. I installed the bolt stop and bolt stop spring before finish driving in the rear hanger pin. I put the bolt back into battery. The bolt was cocked. I backed off the trigger engagement screw until the rifle fired. I lifted the bolt handle and turned the sear engagement screw back 1/4 turn. I recocked the bolt and pulled the trigger and It fired. I recocked the bolt. And screwed the overtravel screw in until it stopped. I then pulled on the trigger and unscrewed the overtravel screw until it fired. I continued unscrewing the overtravel screw for another 1/4 turn. I then adjusted the trigger pull screw until I could just feel the spring touching the trigger. I checked the trigger pull with a scale 2 1/2 pounds. Due to the geometry, leaver friction, and spring weight this factory trigger can not be safely set any lighter. I cocked the bolt and dropped the muzzle on a rubber matt giving the sear/trigger a couple Gs. I then reversed and dropped cocked rifle tang on the rubber matt. No discharges. I slammed the bolt closed cocking the rifle. No discharges. I feel ths rifle has a 2 1/2 pound pull with little to no creep and no noticable overtravel. If one wants a lighter trigger you should get Jewel trigger.

that is much good info. thank you

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

I am semi retired from gunsmithing. Had a long time friend call and ask if I would look at his dads pre 69 Remington 700. His dad closed the bolt and it went bang.
He brought it over and I opened the bolt to insure it was clear of any ammo. I then closed the bolt with the safety on. I pushed the safety forward and it fired. Today I removed the barreled action from the stock. Examining the trigger I could see someone had been into the trigger and sealed the screws with red paint. I removed the trigger from the action and put it into cup of acetone and let it soak for an hour. After retrieving it from the acetone the paint was disolved. I completely dissasembled the trigger. I inspected the screws, springs, trigger, sear, safety, etc. After a thorough scrubbing with Q tipps soaked in acetone, I reassembled the trigger. I adjusted the overtravel and sear engagement screws until the trigger would was centeted an had no movement. I then placed the rebound spring (poundage) in the bottom front screw hole. I tighten the screw so as the spring had 1/4 turn beyond contact. I replace the sear spring and sear with the front trigger hanger pin. I pushed the trigger assembly with the sear into place and inserted a punch into the action from the bolt stop side. I then drove thr rear trigger hanger pin in just shy of the bolt stop. I installed the bolt stop and bolt stop spring before finish driving in the rear hanger pin. I put the bolt back into battery. The bolt was cocked. I backed off the trigger engagement screw until the rifle fired. I lifted the bolt handle and turned the sear engagement screw back 1/4 turn. I recocked the bolt and pulled the trigger and It fired. I recocked the bolt. And screwed the overtravel screw in until it stopped. I then pulled on the trigger and unscrewed the overtravel screw until it fired. I continued unscrewing the overtravel screw for another 1/4 turn. I then adjusted the trigger pull screw until I could just feel the spring touching the trigger. I checked the trigger pull with a scale 2 1/2 pounds. Due to the geometry, leaver friction, and spring weight this factory trigger can not be safely set any lighter. I cocked the bolt and dropped the muzzle on a rubber matt giving the sear/trigger a couple Gs. I then reversed and dropped cocked rifle tang on the rubber matt. No discharges. I slammed the bolt closed cocking the rifle. No discharges. I feel ths rifle has a 2 1/2 pound pull with little to no creep and no noticable overtravel. If one wants a lighter trigger you should get Jewel trigger.

Excellent write up you have a way with words, I've dealt with the same issue dozens of times, sometimes the cause was incompetent trigger jobs and adjustments others were from oiling the trigger and barrel cleaning fluids dripping down into the trigger and turning to varnish inside the trigger housing causing the trigger to not return to battery when the trigger is pulled with the safety engaged, when the safety is disengaged the gun will fire because the safety only blocks the sear.
I try to educate my clients about cleaning their rifle with the barreled action removed from the stock so they can safely blow the trigger out with carburetor cleaner to remove any fugitive gunk that migrated into the trigger housing, carburetor cleaner dries leaving a light lube, don't use brake cleaner unless you follow up with a squirt of lighter fluid.
Both of these automotive cleaners can cause damage to the stock so use caution.
Rusty I'm sure you already knew all this; I intended it for the average casual shooter.
I hope this helps people avoid trigger problems.
Ya'll have a great day.

 

[hpshooter]

"I try to educate my clients about cleaning their rifle with the barreled action removed from the stock so they can safely blow the trigger out with carburetor cleaner to remove any fugitive gunk that migrated into the trigger housing, "

I will clean most of my rifles while I have them upside down (trigger on top side) in the cleaning cradle to reduce the chance of getting solvents and debris in the trigger, also a quality bore guide with "O" ring seals is a must in MHO.

 

[AlNyhus]

That's exactly how I do them plus a visual through the side hole for setting the amount of sear engagement. After the drop test, I like to cock the bolt, engage the safety, pull hard on the trigger then push the safety off to make sure it doesn't fire.

Every one I've seen with a unintended firing issue has eith been not maintained well (gummed/gunked up and dirty) or has been messed with. Or a combination of both. Many have no spring force on the trigger spring and very, very little sear contact. That's when things get scary...

Good post and an excellent tutorial and advice! -Al

 

[DaveTooley]

No rifle leaves my shop until I can tap on the bolt shroud with a plastic hammer and trigger holds.