Trigger for BLR

[Maol]

I don't see any aftermarket Trigger modifications. A GS can change out the main spring and also do some grinding polishing on the sear, but then it is a big LIABILITY for the GS. Most revolvers need to have the springs changed and also the sear ground & polished. The same for Winchester Model 70s and Lever Rifles. I did these modifications years ago mainly for personal firearms and for family & very close friends.
In todays Litigious society I will not modify any triggers.

The Winchester M88, like the BLR has a 'Traveling Trigger' generally thought to be 'horrible' and also is a PIA to work on.

Our family's M88 in 308's trigger has been reworked decades ago, and is so light that it's nickname is 'Killer'. It is my favorite hunting rifle. Its light, fast and extremely accurate, with a trigger so light your intention seems enough to trip it.

That rifle is like having having a highly trained protection/attack dog that you have to always be on guard with, lest it kill without command. Not quite as bad as a Sig, but it has caught folks unprepared several times. The M88s are known for their kick if you're ready for it, they'll give a you lesson if you aren't.

If you are going to lighten it up be careful and don't take it very far very fast. I like a light trigger,, but to me consistency is worth lot. 2.5 lbs doesn't seem like you have to far to go, so I'd definitely be cautious.

 

[hesse]

I don't see any aftermarket Trigger modifications. A GS can change out the main spring and also do some grinding polishing on the sear, but then it is a big LIABILITY for the GS. Most revolvers need to have the springs changed and also the sear ground & polished. The same for Winchester Model 70s and Lever Rifles. I did these modifications years ago mainly for personal firearms and for family & very close friends.
In todays Litigious society I will not modify any triggers.

My uncle who was a trained gunsmith always said the difference between a safe and an unsafe trigger job is about two strokes of the Stone because then they would fire on your bang them

 

[nksmfamjp]

Interesting topic. I would find an old school gunsmith to work on this. Someone used to turning lemons into lemonade. They often know how to get to a best place with these old designs for like $50 to $150.

Due to all that linkage reengaging every cycle good feel will be hard to achieve. Think Glock or XD trigger….lots of linkage. You say you want a 1lb trigger, but I suspect you want a better feeling, crisper trigger. Lowering the pull weight generally has the effect of giving you more feeling of every slop, hitch and drag in the trigger. Polishing can reduce hitches and drags, but not slop. Recutting angles can reduce pull length of the sear surfaces.

The trouble is that slop is hard to remove without fitting oversized pins and welding up parts to refit.

Also, rarely is there anything you can do about the lever length of the fundamental lever system. This means that the leverage on the sear and the trigger sweep vs sear sweep cannot be changed.

In a nutshell, find an old school gunsmith who will work on a BLR. Dennis Olsen comes to mind!

I don't know these folks:

Neil Jones Custom Products

Custom dies Reloading

neiljonescustomproducts.com

Well, everything I can find points towards Neil Jones.

 

[Philward]

Not sure I would want a 1lb trigger on a lever gun. I just changed the trigger on a M700 I have that had a horrible trigger. Installed a Rifle Basix set at 2.5lbs and I was surprised how light that felt. Does the factory trigger break clean?

 

[Chris F]

I'm going to be buying a new Browning BLR in 243, love these lever rifles, except for their terrible trigger.
What is the lightest pull trigger made to fit them.
Yes there are some spring mods available, but still not a light trigger. I would like it to be super light.

There are alarms going off in my head. The BLR is a hunting gun. If you're planning to go against the grain and turn it into a bench gun…then carry on and have at it. But if you're planning to hunt it with a "super light" trigger, I'd strongly recommend against that. We might be differing on our definition of "super light"…but in a hunting gun, I'd consider anything under 3 lbs super light. Maybe more depending on the design of the rifle. The BLR is a "bang around", "yank it out of the scabbard", "still hunt in the woods" type of rifle with a difficult to work on trigger.
I have two suggestions;
1). Pick a different rifle. If you need a light trigger, you're best looking at a bolt gun to get there.
2) if you're still set on a BLR, work on your marksmanship with that rifle. Dry fire the crap out of it and make your peace with that trigger.

FWIW, I love the modern levers with a BLR, two 88's, two Finnwolfs. But they get used in ways that match their design….and none have modified triggers.

 

[Chris F]

The Winchester M88, like the BLR has a 'Traveling Trigger' generally thought to be 'horrible' and also is a PIA to work on.

If you mean the 88's trigger follows the lever when you cycle the lever, that's NOT correct. The 88's trigger does NOT follow the lever.

 

[Hand Skills]

If you mean the 88's trigger follows the lever when you cycle the lever, that's NOT correct. The 88's trigger does NOT follow the lever.

 

[Chris F]

Awww crap (wiping egg off my face)!… I guess I better pull those 88's out of the safe and give them some attention!

 

[Small Lady]

Not sure I would want a 1lb trigger on a lever gun. I just changed the trigger on a M700 I have that had a horrible trigger. Installed a Rifle Basix set at 2.5lbs and I was surprised how light that felt. Does the factory trigger break clean?

No.
The trigger is stiff, and not smooth, its like they got to the trigger last when designing the BLR, and were both tired and broke, so said screw it.

 

[jpndave]

The BLR is a really great package. I have 4 here in various chamberings, 243, 308 & 325 WSM. A buddy has one in 270. All are take down versions that will pack small enough for a regular suitcase to travel. I have one complely disassembled and stripped for a custom two barrel set. I'd planned 6mm Creedmoor/375 Raptor but debating changing one or both. I'll try and get a few pics of parts and relationships to clarify what's being discussed.

On the trigger, it's for sure the worst part of the rifles. In original form it varies from heavy horrible creepy gravel to not quite that bad. They can be made much better but never will be great. You will never get 1lb or anything remotely close to it. There's simply too much going on/too many parts. You probably have more than a pound just moving parts to get to the hammer/sear. Then to polish and true up the actual parts are shaped such that normal stones and fixtures won't work. Special knife shaped stones, fixtures and jigs to keep surfaces flat and not mess up the angles are required. Again, need pics to clarify. The comments on timing the gear mechanism are no joke. Don't let someone unfamiliar with the BLR specifically touch it internally.

I'm planning to REM polish the entire action and have purchased the specialized vibration polisher for the shop but haven't had time to get it set up. I think that will help tremendously across the board on trigger and action smoothness. We'll see how it goes.

It's a cool package - especially the take down. Strong rotary lock up very similar to an AR15. Super cool pivoting hammer safety. They handle great and the detachable magazine allows modern high power cartridges with pointed high BC bullets. The trigger is a glaring deficit.

 

[nksmfamjp]

No.
The trigger is stiff, and not smooth, its like they got to the trigger last when designing the BLR, and were both tired and broke, so said screw it.

Sometimes it seems like that! I think it is just an older design that is pretty complex. Additionally, I think triggers were not made with quite the focus they were today. To a certain extent factory triggers are kind of pre-accutrigger and post-accutrigger. Before the Savage, a good trigger out of the box was 3.5lbs with some creep and additional issues. A bad trigger was like 5.5lbs and felt like a discount store staple gun! After accutrigger the pretty good 3lb trigger is the norm.

My XPR has a good 3.5lb stock MOA trigger. My M77 Hawkeye has a great 3 lb trigger. I was going to replace, but I asked myself what will be improved? It is a great trigger!

Those old 3.5lb plus triggers were basically the result of engineers designing a safe well sprung trigger mechanism without being able to really make it. The engineer wants fairly high spring and contact forces while delivering in specification force to the finger. It works in design and prototype. Then manufacturing loses control of fit and surface finish…..then you get a 3.0-5.7lb rough trigger that often breaks in ok at best.

 

[jjmp]

Small Lady, Just for giggles have you held any old Winchester Md88s , Or older Brownings like First generations, lots of older rifles that aren't trashed Or shot out ,might be a diamond in the ruff so to speak,yes your getting a new one but it doesn't hurt to look,some handle better some don't . The first 243 I reloaded for was a Winchester Md 88 , yeah go figure it shot great and I felt like a teenager even though I was in my mid twenties. Oh yes I'm a 243 fan all bolts & load for one Bar243 ,Cheers

 

[Hand Skills]

Careful though, a magazine for first gen BLR may cost as much as the rifle!

 

[Small Lady]

Small Lady, Just for giggles have you held any old Winchester Md88s , Or older Brownings like First generations, lots of older rifles that aren't trashed Or shot out ,might be a diamond in the ruff so to speak,yes your getting a new one but it doesn't hurt to look,some handle better some don't . The first 243 I reloaded for was a Winchester Md 88 , yeah go figure it shot great and I felt like a teenager even though I was in my mid twenties. Oh yes I'm a 243 fan all bolts & load for one Bar243 ,Cheers

No i haven't.
Have shot several newer BLR rifles, in various calibers, all handled nice, shot well, and had trash for triggers. Thankfully I have lots of spare time in the evenings, to take it apart, file, polish, change springs, and whatever else I may need to do, and put it back together, and keep doing so until I'm truly happy with it. Most of the time I am actually looking for projects to keep me occupied

Ordered a kit airplane to build, when it arrives that should help keep me occupied.