Browning A-Bolt II Trigger Job

[eagle rider]

After years / decade of owning and hunting with an A-Bolt II Stalker 'Aught 6, I finally got around to dealing with the trigger tonight.  The trigger was literally a 3.5# pull, zero creep but a real hard squeeze.  I figured a couple of weeks ago to poke around the Internet to see what can be done about this.  I was thinking if I can shoot an inch with a really heavy pull the gun would just do better with a lighter weight trigger.  Well tanks to Al Gore for inventing the Internet, I found this guys link, 

erniethegunsmith.com

Turns out I was able to get a 1.25 pound trigger spring for my rifle for $6.00!  The Browning trigger is really simple to change the spring on.  It literally took longer to take the gun apart than it did to change the spring.  Anyway, wow!!!!  What a difference.  I'm sure the gun will be much easier to shoot well now.  

 

 

 

[NFA-ADK]

Now lets see if your grouping is changed.  Lets us know!

[dbHunterNY]

1.25 lb rifle trigger is really light.  if I shot competition then I'd be okay with it but for a hunting rifle that is definitely light.  I think my varmint rifle is a 2 lb pull.  my browning abolt II stainless/walnut stalker I turned the trigger weight screw all the way down.  it's probably around 3 lbs.  I think it breaks pretty clean, with no creep, stacking, or take-up.  lighter triggers do help, but only so much.

[dbHunterNY]

...I remember that little pull weight screw was pretty soft.

[eagle rider]

My Rem 700 has a 1.25# Timney which was their factory X-Crap, sorry meant X-Mark Pro, were set at.  I'll take a clean breaking, light trigger, anytime over a heavy one.

[ATbuckhunter]

Wow that's really light. I think my TC icon is somewhere around 3-3.5. Let us know how it goes. 

[eagle rider]

The TC triggers are installed by lawyers lol.

[steve863]

1.25 lbs is way too light for a hunting gun. Cold hands, gloves, a little snag of something on the trigger with the safety off and boom it goes. That extra accuracy you are getting at the range from that light trigger don't mean JACK in the field.

[Pygmy]

I agree with the majority here..1.5 pounds is light for a hunting rifle, for the reasons expressed by Steve, PLUS the adrenaline factor.

2.5 to 3 pounds is about right for me.

I don't have any aftermarket triggers, but I have had all of my Remingtons, Rugers and Winchesters worked by a competent gunsmith.

The only one I have done myself is the single set trigger on my CZ 550, and it came with DETAILED instructions for trigger adjustment, easily understood even for a ham handed klutz like me...<<grin>>...

[eagle rider]

I've been hunting with 1.25 to 1.5 pound triggers for 10 years or so.  Ever since I got the Weatherby SubMOA.  Those are factory set at 1.5 pounds.  Never had an issue.  Safety is on until the rifle is shouldered.  As far as a snag goes you can have a 5 pound pull, just the weight rifle pulling on a snag is more than that.  By that logic we should be hunting with 8 pound triggers.  It's 1 1/4 not a set trigger at .33 pound.  

[WNYBuckHunter]

My Rem 700 has a 1.25# Timney which was their factory X-Crap, sorry meant X-Mark Pro, were set at. I'll take a clean breaking, light trigger, anytime over a heavy one.

My xmark was aet at 3.5 to 4 lbs from the factory on my 700. I put a 2.5lb on it which is very light for a hunting setup, but thats the same weight as my Encore, which I like. I wouldnt go any lighter though.

[eagle rider]

That's light for a factory Encore trigger.  TC's usually come out closer to 4 pounds.  Its made Mike Bellam a fortune.  Remington sets the XMP as low as 2 pounds in the factory.  And my bad the Timney in my 700 is 1.5 pounds incase I said it was lighter.  

[Pygmy]

Eagle... I respect your personal preference, and since you are an experienced hunter and rifleman, I have no doubt that the lighter trigger is safe and perfect for you.

However, I will maintain that for " Joe Average Deerhunter" a trigger of 2.5 to 4 pounds is a better and safer choice.

[WNYBuckHunter]

That's light for a factory Encore trigger. TC's usually come out closer to 4 pounds. Its made Mike Bellam a fortune. Remington sets the XMP as low as 2 pounds in the factory. And my bad the Timney in my 700 is 1.5 pounds incase I said it was lighter.

Its a custom shop frame, not really factory.

[eagle rider]

Oh.

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[eagle rider]

I'm sure it's a beauty them.

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[philoshop]

Depends too on how you hunt. I spend a lot of time stillhunting and sometimes crawling on the ground, and my fingers are frequently pretty cold and stiff when the shot comes. I prefer to feel a little bit of the trigger before it makes its clean break, under these circumstances

OTOH, my go-to squirrel gun has a trigger at about 1 1/4# because of the precision required, and the fact that I'm able to keep the ol' digits up to temp and still feel it. The target guns are lighter yet.

A crunchy, jumpy creep in the trigger can blow a shot at the biggest of targets, but as long as the break is clean and crisp, I can't imagine much difference between 1.5 and 3# in a typical deer hunting scenario in NYS.

To each his own though. Let us know how it works out.

[eagle rider]

I put a 2.5# spring in the A-Bolt now.  Just waiting on a new stock for it, ordered a Boyds walnut.  Can't stand those black tupperware stocks.  

[philoshop]

Sounds like a great setup, eagle rider! Boyd's makes some very nice stocks.

Best of luck to you this season.

[eagle rider]

The stock will be Browning meets Remington meets Winchester.  The steel being John Browning, the stock being Remy CDL style with a classic Winchester checkering pattern.  

[philoshop]

Can't wait for the pics.

[eagle rider]

And here it is in the new furniture.

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[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats a really nice looking rig!

[philoshop]

Sweeet!

[eagle rider]

Thanks it's in the middle of being bedded.  I should have it next week.