X-Mark Pro Trigger

[davidjoe]

I cannot discern a theory for this perfectly smooth trigger shoe. Am I missing something here, besides all bullets touching at 200?

I can hardly bear to waste these things; they are as robust and reliable as K5 Blazer. But “ice” describes both how they break and the surface’s coefficient of friction.

Why would they do this? What in marksmanship or anatomy changed since the Walker trigger?

I have a gun that I know will group no better with a $500 trigger, if I can keep the same purchase on this shoe. I’ll even live with the heavy pull.

Can I take a Dremel to it, tape it, tig it? It “looks” to be the hardest steel part of a gun, but are they? I’d be willing to, ironically, sand it in order to rough it up.

Does anyone else have the impression these are actually high quality triggers?

 

[swd]

It's been a really long time but I've adjusted probably 50 of them. They are basically a lawyer design. They seal the weight adjustment in the housing and give the user the stupid little weight screw in the trigger that never goes light enough. The secret is to disable the weight spring in the trigger by quickly heating it and killing the temper while pulling the trigger to collapse it then just take the screw out and toss it or shorten it and put it back in to fill the hole. The sealant on the housing needs to be heated to get all the screws out then chase everything with tap to get the last of the sealant out. You can then adjust it just like a Walker. If I recall the safety needs to be constantly checked and if you make it too good the safety won't work. I found them to be pretty consistent and very good triggers and once you figure them out they break nice and clean and reasonable light. Once you lighten it up you won't feel as much of a need to roughen the shoe up, lol

 

[ELR LVR]

I cannot discern a theory for this perfectly smooth trigger shoe. Am I missing something here, besides all bullets touching at 200?

I can hardly bear to waste these things; they are as robust and reliable as K5 Blazer. But “ice” describes both how they break and the surface’s coefficient of friction.

Why would they do this? What in marksmanship or anatomy changed since the Walker trigger?

I have a gun that I know will group no better with a $500 trigger, if I can keep the same purchase on this shoe. I’ll even live with the heavy pull.

Can I take a Dremel to it, tape it, tig it? It “looks” to be the hardest steel part of a gun, but are they? I’d be willing to, ironically, sand it in order to rough it up.

Does anyone else have the impression these are actually high quality triggers?

Having worked on many Walkers for people and compared them to the X Mark
The X Mark is actually decently made, except for a couple aspects of overlooked QC
But what I found is the 2 sear surfaces are not parallel with each other
So one side touches while one side does not making for a weird inconsistent pull
Combined with the fact when you concentrate all the force into one spot instead of having it spread across the whole surface of the sear, makes things try to cock themselves awkwardly as the part pivots on its pin.
The amount of work required to fix this negates puytting the money into the trigger when it can simply be swapped out for a walker
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Now if Rem only thought ahead and made the relationship of the sear and pin locations the same as the walkers so the parts are interchangeable would have also been a big plus
But they didnt even do that meaning only X Mark parts fit an X Mark
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If everything was square internally, they could be turned into a decent trigger
Walkers are just better made and also easier to work on
There's a reason they dont get much more than $20 for an X Mark on Ebay

 

[ELR LVR]

Here are a couple pics of what I am talking about on the X Marks
One closeup
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The amount of time it would take to surface grind and square up the sear so they are both parallel and have equal contact??? it's just cheaper to buy one of my finished Walkers
But a guy who has the time to do it himself can certainly improve them.
Just not going to make any money at trying to sell improved X Marks while there are still quality Walkers left on earth.
And I don't know why they use a press on star washer instead of an easily removeable E-Clip?
And that round side spring safety arrangement?
Just - meh
It works but in the end , how is the function much any different than the walker design?
So why didn't they stay with the Walker design?
I dunno, maybe just so they could tell the Lawyers they changed their trigger.
Now I'm seeing Rem doesn't even offer the X mark but a Timney Impact which is non adjustable period
So yes, Keep the X Mark, enjoy it, work on it, and you will be able to improve it I guarantee
A decent 2 lb pull when it's done is not unrealistic for that trigger neither.
It's still a better trigger than many other factory offerings such as a Browning X-bolt or something.
(Alum Housing, non-serviceable etc)
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The last and 3rd Pic is the sear engagement relationship of a factory Walker
"Perfection" without any work needed

 

[davidjoe]

Is the non-parallel issue prevalent on them?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I’m pretty conservative but I will drop the coin on a aftermarket trigger.

 

[davidjoe]

I’m pretty conservative but I will drop the coin on a aftermarket trigger.

I hear you there, and I sure wouldn’t migrate one of these to a more costly action. On some of my Rem 700’s, it can be an interesting challenge to see how economically they can be made to shoot before diminishing returns kick in. A few others live in that realm of “definite keepers”, while not in line for any upgrades, for one reason or another.

I don’t think there is anything in our gear more expensive by the ounce than a B&A or Flavio competition trigger, and the next most expensive item would be a mid-tier trigger.

I’m guesstimating that at the point where a pile of acceptably “basic” replacement 700 triggers balances the scale with a tactical Nightforce scope, there is equal money on both sides.

And then there is the fact that the whole trigger, some of which are now admirably finished, is completely hidden from view anyway.

I realize this train of thought is likely all related to losing Jewell triggers. A Jewell trigger was always “heftier” and appeared harder to make, than what it replaced.

Some of the “upgrades” on the market today, when held and manipulated before installation, for the minute or so of stand alone attention they get, just don’t seem more substantially made than the Remington trigger.

Still not sure how the combination of smooth, rounded, and heavy, makes sense on the shoe. Take away any one of those and it works.

 

[swd]

If you need a nice 2lb trigger it’ll do that with as good or better break than a Trigger Tech. If you need lighter than that, unless your really confident with trigger work just buy aftermarket.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I’m pretty conservative but I will drop the coin on a aftermarket trigger.

@ Kracken,.. Yup,.. All Day,.. Every Day !!
Sold my Walker and Mark X, Rem 700 Triggers and Bought, a $135.00 Timney "Hunter" model, IIRC and NEVER,.. Looked Back on my 1981 model, Rem. 700, in .22-250 ! It's Now, a CRISP, smooth,.. 2.25 Pounds.
The Walker worked Fine,.. "Sometimes" & Sometimes It,.. wouldn't ! The Mark - X just,.. Sucked !!!
IMO,.. Life's too Short to,.. "Deal with",.. either Trigger !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Bought, a Jewell BR model, 4-5 years ago for, my extremely accurate and Semi expensive, custom,.. 6 XC and Love,.. It !!!
It's set at, a light / crisp, 1 pound pull and it's, a Sage Rats,.. Nightmare !

 

[davidjoe]

I’m curious what the Rockwell Hardness is for this trigger shoe. Remington has stuck with the knurled bolt knob, after all. I took a Dremel wheel to it that got the worse end of the meeting.

They never had a problem with trigger shoes breaking, but you wouldn’t know that from the steel used in this shoe.

I think legal and engineering got together and said our triggers must never be criticized again; whether the shooter’s sweat is 90% salt, they clean by acid bath soaking, or there is a residential acetylene accident, this trigger must be the last part of this rifle remaining in matter’s solid form. I’d like to know what that blend of steel actually is. Spark streams revealed a lot.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Isn’t there a story about a Pig and Lipstick or something.