Trigger can they be to light?

[ncageneral]

Good evening everyone,
I have a Rem 700 that I bought of GB a few years ago, it came with a very nice trigger, almost to nice for hunting. I am beginning to think it may be to light for my intended use. I just dont feel that I have the control I am used to in my other hunting rifles. Has anyone else ran into this problem? I can adjust it well enough, just wondered if anyone else has ran into this issue?

 

[AWS]

I have a Rem 600 I bought in 1966/67 after the recall it was a really great trigger, you could set it up until it would go off when you thought it should and yet was still safe. I shot it like that off the bench but when fox and coyotes were on the menu I would tighten it up.so I could feel the trigger with wool gloves on.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

2- 1/2 # is as light as I can go in the winter and shoot with nomex flight gloves on. I wear mitts over them for warmth. Below zero and wind doesn't allow for much bare hand time. Fall game rifles I ok with any weight above 1 and 1/2 pounds, shooting bare hand. All must still pass a safety check.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Yes. I find that too light is a thing, whether rifles are shot in position or off a rest.

It's an individual and context thing. 4 oz for F-Open and 14 oz for PRS for me. 2# plus for a hunting rifle...

 

[RegionRat]

I'm 2.5# for a carry hunting rifle bolt gun.
I have hunted in -25F and +125F with that weight trigger, no problem.
On a hunting AR, I use the same trigger I use in Service Rifle where the rules are 4.5# minimum.

 

[1raggedhole]

In my experience, less than 2-1/2 to 3 lbs is a little risky for hunting rifle. When you’re jacked up on adrenaline, I have had some surprising discharges with lower trigger weights. This can increase the risk of discharge without sight on vitals. Combination of cold fingers, gloves, etc is bad. When hunting, you won’t notice a little extra trigger pull weight, and it is more tactile, which will help you keep the sight on vitals. For me personally, 3-4 lbs is ideal for light deer rifle.

 

[17cal Fan]

Yes
When I had my shop, I would not set a hunting rifle trigger below 3 lbs for customers. I run mine around 2.5 lbs and do fine with thin gloves or pull the glove off to pull the trigger. Just worked on one of mine yesterday. I originally was only shooting it from the bench but decided to hunt with it. I had the trigger set about 1.5 lbs which after hunting with it a few times decided it was too light. Moved it to 2.5.

 

[jepp2]

I just dont feel that I have the control I am used to in my other hunting rifles.

That should tell you everything you need to know.

Personal preference and your gun handling practices dictate what your trigger should be set at. I have 2 hunting rifles that have Timney Calvin Elite triggers in them. Both are set at 8 oz. BUT, these are rifles I use in weather before I am wearing gloves. And with all my hunting rifles, I never chamber a round until I am in position and ready to shoot. NEVER. It is just a practice I started a number of years ago.

 

[K22]

Yes, too light, at least for me is a big no-no.

Even though I spend more time range shooting these days than hunting, having a consistent trigger pull on all my rifles is essential for me to shoot well. I have adjusted all of them or had them adjusted to a consistent pull weight. Thus, there is no "learning curve" to overcome when I change rifles.

I won't state the amount because I don't want some inexperienced shooter adopting some arbitrary pull weight since I have no control over the manner in which they handle firearms. Suffice it to say, it is in lbs. not ounces. Safety has to be the overriding consideration in any firearms modifications / adjustments.

 

[pintopete]

What is done on the range is different than in the woods, and fields in my opinion.

Having said that, this is very smart!!

”never chamber a round until I am in position and ready to shoot. NEVER. It is just a practice I started a number of years ago.”

This topic is subjective. Those with daily shooting experience will have different preferences than those that shoot every 6 months or annually for hunting season.

I have adopted a habit that I think is good, and some standards that work for me. Others will likely have different opinions.

I have manilla tags with strings that I attach to the trigger guards of my rifles with notes. One important item on that note is trigger pull. For bench rifles (I am not a competitor), those triggers are in ounces. For hunting rifles, the last one I set at 4lbs. Some of my Mauser sporters are 5lbs because they are factory military triggers.

Where I hunt, when time permits, shots are 125 yards or less. The only way to get a long shot in the 300 yard distance would require shooting from one field to another, through a hedgerow. Therefore, for me, at the range I shoot, or would take a shot, a heavier pull is not an impediment. Practice, practice.

Safety should be #1, paramount concern.

Also, as much as pull is important, ensure 100% that you have adequate sear engagement. No one wants to suffer an accident.

Be safe & best regards, Peter.

 

[LiveFire]

If im shooting anything living I want it to be a very deliberate trigger press. A smooth pull and crisp break in the 4-4.5lb area.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Many years ago while elk hunting here, I heard twigs snapping in the drainage I was approaching. The temp was far below freezing, so I had gloves on. As I slipped off the safety, my finger found the trigger on my .338-06AI, it discharged into the ground. The trigger was set at 2.5 lbs.

Upon returning home, I immediately reset it to 4 lbs for elk and cold weather, and since that time have had zero AD's when cold weather hunting. A varmint or target trigger is NOT a hunting trigger, and we should know the difference.

 

[Rook 6]

Agree with others. Light trigger too much of a good thing in a hunting rifle. My rule is 3lb minimum and if slightly above I’m inclined to leave it alone.

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I love 2.5 pounds for my hunting rifles.
Be careful adjusting Remington triggers. If not done correctly, they can be prone to going off when the safety is flipped off.

 

[Tommie]

I’ll take it one step further. My game is shooting prairie dogs off a portable bench and I’ve found that a crisp 1 pound pull with minimal overtravel is about as light as necessary. Tried lighter trigger pull and it can result is unintended discharges when the shooting gets fast and furious with rodents scurrying in all directions.

 

[BlueWater]

Trigger can they be to light?

On a Rem 700 .243 used for paper punching at the range, I installed a Jewell HVR. On one occasion, I used the lightest spring and dialed-down the pull weight to just a couple of ounces. Bumped the stock a bit too hard, and had an unintentional fire. Readjusted back to the 6-8oz range, as the bare minimum. Was plenty light. (This was a replacement for the X-Mark Pro factory trigger, decidedly lighter pull weight than the 3.5lbs of the XMP.)

On most hunting rigs, I've much preferred a pull weight in the 1-1.5lb range. So long as it's adjustable, has nearly zero creep, and breaks crisply and consistently.

On some lever-action rifles, I've made do with the factory heavier pull-weight.

Hard to say what's "too light" for a given person, IMO. Comes down to the combination of feel and safety one is comfortable with.

 

[Webster]

Good evening everyone,
I have a Rem 700 that I bought of GB a few years ago, it came with a very nice trigger, almost to nice for hunting. I am beginning to think it may be to light for my intended use. I just dont feel that I have the control I am used to in my other hunting rifles. Has anyone else ran into this problem? I can adjust it well enough, just wondered if anyone else has ran into this issue?

You want to make sure you don't touch it off by accident. I would guess about 5 pounds for a hunting rifle. I shoot my varmint rifles laying on the ground 2 pound pull.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Good evening everyone,
I have a Rem 700 that I bought of GB a few years ago, it came with a very nice trigger, almost to nice for hunting. I am beginning to think it may be to light for my intended use. I just dont feel that I have the control I am used to in my other hunting rifles. Has anyone else ran into this problem? I can adjust it well enough, just wondered if anyone else has ran into this issue?

My 17hornet , and 204 ,and all 22 hunting rifles have all been done professionally to break at 1pound,all have been drop tested. i wouldn't recommend this weight for novices,or weekend hunters who may be prone to excitement when game is spotted. For me it's the only way to go.

 

[ncageneral]

I appreciate all the input, I am guessing this trigger is right around 2 lbs, I set all my triggers to 2 3/4 lb, light enough to be clean and crisp, heavy enough to demand a cognitive effort to break the shot. This is my coyote / bobcat calling rifle. I think I see a trigger job in its near future. It shoots great as is, on paper I've put 5 into one hole, and 1/2" groups are so commonplace as to be boring. So you see why I actually hate to take it out of the stock.

 

[Tommie]

I appreciate all the input, I am guessing this trigger is right around 2 lbs, I set all my triggers to 2 3/4 lb, light enough to be clean and crisp, heavy enough to demand a cognitive effort to break the shot. This is my coyote / bobcat calling rifle. I think I see a trigger job in its near future. It shoots great as is, on paper I've put 5 into one hole, and 1/2" groups are so commonplace as to be boring. So you see why I actually hate to take it out of the stock.

Man I wouldn’t change thing on that rifle. Sounds perfect for predator shooting.