Trigger failures

[redleg1013]

I had an old Remington 700 trigger that fired twice taking the safety off. I replaced it with a timney that I'm not very pleased with. When you push the Remington trigger to the fire or safe position there's a noticable click when it's engaged . My timney doesn't really click into the fire position and Ive had a few times where I go to fire and nothing happens .I have to force the safety forward and then can fire .Going to replace it some day with something better

The click of a Remington safety isn't very reassuring, especially when the click is actually the sear letting go.

As far as your Timney, when you were setting it up did you ensure that the safety could move freely in it's range of motion? I only ask because it sounds like something I had happen when I replaced the factory trigger in a Savage. When I tore it back down and re-did it, I found that I had the screw that engages the safety was too tight by about a quarter turn. It now functions flawlessly. If you're still having problems, their customer service was pretty awesome about talking me through the trouble shooting (no pun intended).

 

[mikea5232]

Ive never had it personally but seen it personally buddy's i hunt with have jewels and they lock up solid. I think freeze up when out coyote hunting. Ive never had my factory Remington, trigger techs or shilens do that.... yet... (knock on wood)

 

[25WSM]

Compatition shooter shoot way more than the average shooter does so you would think they would have more problems but I don't find that to be the case. First comp shooters clean their rifles alot. And use proper bore quotes that keep dirty cleaning fluids from going down in our triggers. Third is comp shooters know not to put wd-40 in the triggers. I have fixed tons of factory triggers that had wd gelled up in them so bad the trigger return spring couldn't even reset the trigger. Plus bolts so bummed up in the firing pin and spring that when they got cold for hunting wouldn't fire. The only lube you will ever need for triggers and firing pins is zippo lighter fluid. I squirt it all through the trigger and it will flush out any dust and it leaves a very light film of lube when it dries. The model 70 trigger is Definatly one of the most robust easy to maintain triggers out there for sure. And 98 mauser. But I have had no issues with my multi lever 2 oz jewel triggers. One can of zippo last a long time. Shep

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

I've seen a few factory triggers fail to work properly. The 2 worst were the Browning A bolt and 700 Remington .
I've also seen Interarms Mark X triggers lock up . And something in the fire control system on tang safety Ruger M77s malfunction so that the rifle wouldn't fire.
I have never seen a 98 Mauser or P14/1917 Enfield fail .
I've also never had a trigger failure with a factory trigger in a Ruger M77 Mk2/Hawkeye .
The LC6 triggers in the Hawkeye is a good hunting trigger out of the box. In my 6.5 , I trimmed a little bit off the spring and the pull weight is around 28 oz. Just enough weight for a chilly finger to not accidentally touch off. But light enough to easily time the shot.

I have seen a couple pre 64 Model 70 triggers get out of adjustment and be down in the 1-3 oz range. But they were easily adjusted to a proper weight again and all was good.

 

[Danehunter]

I have noticed no trigger failures while competing.

From magazine articles on competitive and sniper rifles I gather the main cause of trigger failure os DIRT.

Thus rifles with trigger modules that can quickly be removed and cleaned without removing the barreled action from the stock/chassis are considered the best design. The Barrett MRAD is one of these designs and Accuracy International is another. My Ruger Precision Rifle certainly is not.

Eric B.

 

[J E Custom]

In my mind a good trigger is like a fine watch, If you take good care of it and keep it cleaned and avoid messing with it, it should last for many years and give good service.

The most common cause for failure is someone adjusting it that don't understand how to, and what the different adjustments are for, and how they function.

If you buy an after market trigger, I recommend that you order it preset. many triggers are not made to adjust at all and others have a range that they can be safely adjusted to.

The only triggers that I have seen fail for one reason or another have been tampered with. Now due to the unauthorized adjustment being made, companies are using a trace element in the adjustment sealer
so if it is tampered with it can be proven.

I have not personally had a trigger failure with any of the different brands, so I feel good maintenance is all that is necessary. If a trigger is not to ones liking, buy one that is, and don't risk having a dangerous situation.

J E CUSTOM

 

[GonzoK34]

In 60 years of shooting, hunting, and competing there has been a few failures. The first was a Model 70 with the sear breaking. The second on an elk hunt with temps in the -20s and I had failed to clean the trigger before the hunt. Gun oil froze and the trigger broke. Then the third was 8 years ago on an elk hunt in Colorado. It was a Jewel in my 300WM Rem 700. Again I had cleaned the trigger with lighter fluid and disassembled the bolt to degrease it as well. After a long week hunting in dense timber and tripping over downfalls, and falling down constantly and elk appeared. Click nothing happened and the elk went on it's merry ways. The trigger broke. Back at camp late that evening I changed out the Jewel with a factory spare I always carry in my tool kit. A few days later I shot a nice 5x5 at 68 yards with the spare trigger.

I still prefer Jewel triggers. However in my varmint rifles I install Timney triggers.

There is also a couple of spare factory and Timney triggers in my cleaning kit that is carried in my truck tool kit. Not that I'm concerned something many go wrong. But many of my hunting buddies just don't clean their firearms. It's much easier to change out their triggers than to try and figure out why their rifles don't shoot.

Good Luck and even a bad day in the field is better than work!

20 years retired and everyday I get to play outside!
SEMPER FIDELIs
From and Old Jarhead

 

[S.B.Actual]

I have personally had a Huber trigger fail due to rust in the back country. It was on a "Guide" rifle and abused. (Said guide is also a Marine) I have also seen a few 3 or more Trigger Tech AR triggers fail. A couple of them were on law enforcement rifles.

 

[S.B.Actual]

The Trigger Tech AR triggers are made up of cast parts.

 

[Shawn the printer]

I've had some trouble with a Timney on a Ruger tang safety. Just needed a little more clearance work on the stock and all was fine.

 

[Craveman85]

The click of a Remington safety isn't very reassuring, especially when the click is actually the sear letting go.

As far as your Timney, when you were setting it up did you ensure that the safety could move freely in it's range of motion? I only ask because it sounds like something I had happen when I replaced the factory trigger in a Savage. When I tore it back down and re-did it, I found that I had the screw that engages the safety was too tight by about a quarter turn. It now functions flawlessly. If you're still having problems, their customer service was pretty awesome about talking me through the trouble shooting (no pun intended).

The Remington had a little detent call or something in it iirc. I don't think the timney does. I cleared out extra room around it thinking that was the problem and no change

 

[Wiley J]

Only time I ever had trigger failures is when I've stuffed around with them to make them "better".
Message there somewhere.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have had one, and only one trigger failure on my own rifles.
This was my Win Model 70 Classic Stainless in 375 Weatherby. I had only just re-assembled the trigger group and adjusted it after re-chambering from H&H to Weatherby.
I went to my property to boresight the gun, then sight-in, all went well, no mishaps sighting back in, recoil was down due to fire forming brass.
In the afternoon, knowing foxes would be out around the newly born calves, I went for a wander and look-see to find a fox to shoot with the new chambering. Didn't take long and a Fox was trotting along the fence line and hadn't seen me, I swung and fired and the fox at roughly 220yrds rolled over, but quickly rose and started biting it's rear leg.
When I proceeded to reload, the fired case kicked out as it should, BUT the rifle wouldn't cock, no matter how many times I racked the bolt, the sear wouldn't engage the cocking piece. After all this the fox managed to flee on 3 legs.
I pulled the rifle down and found the sear wouldn't rise out of it's recess, a little jiggling got it free and the rifle cocked as it should again. I have no idea why this occurred, the sear was never touched when dis-assembling the trigger, so I am baffled as to the cause.
The only other failure I have seen was a buddies rifle that had been adjusted by a GUNSMITH, and it was getting lighter and lighter in trigger pull that it became dangerous to the point that he had 3 ND's without even touching the trigger. I tore it down for him and discovered the locking nuts were NOT tightened.
This Win Model 70 in 300WSM wouldn't even register pull weight on my trigger scale.

And I agree as to early Win Model 70 triggers being the very best of the best in regard to ease of adjustment and keeping them clean.

Cheers.

 

[Pulpwood]

I have timney triggers in all my Winchester model 70 s and have never had s issue . Good luck