Ruger trigger upgrade recommendations please

[jeepmor]

I have two M77/MKII rifles that both need a new trigger due to Ruger having them woefully heavy. One is my hunting rifle and the other is my 223 bench style varmint rifle.

I prefer to start with the Varmint rifle. I don't want the trigger too light for I do carry it in the field, but around 2-3# would be much better than the 8# or so the stock trigger is providing.

Please offer any recommendations and anecdotes of how simple (or not) they are to install. I am a gear head type, so I'll be installing these myself.

So far I read a lot about Timney, but just want some more opinions on the matter before I place an order.

All input appreciated.

jeepmor

 

[Fumbler]

How much of a gear head are you?

The reason I ask is a factory M77 trigger is very easy to work on compared to other triggers.

I just did a trigger job for a friend's M77. His factory trigger was about 8 lbs with lots of creep and it was gritty.
When I was done it was a very smooth and crisp 4-5 lbs.
Taking out the long creep and grittiness changes the feel of the trigger a lot more than shear pull weight.

If you want to try it, then all it takes is:
-stoning the sear hook down to 0.025" (this is a conservative number)
-stoning the engagement surface of the hook until it's mirror polished
-stoning the trigger engagement angle to about 89 degrees (no more than 90 degrees, you still want it acute)
-putting a light chamfer on the trailing edge of the trigger's engagement corner

It's very much like a 1911 trigger (actually easier) if you've ever worked on those.

If you've never done a trigger job then forget I ever said anything.

 

[jeepmor]

I have never done a trigger job on a rifle or 1911. But this sounds pretty easy and I do have the tools to do it. Easy enough that I'll take apart my rifle this weekend and have a look at it and decide then.

Thanks for the input. I'm going to have to go find a trigger pull gauge. I wonder if Sportsman's Warehouse carries them.

 

[jeepmor]

Found some good info with pictures of exactly what to do. I dug all over the place and found this stuff was posted on several websites. It's probably already buried here in THR somewhere too. Anyhoo, here it is.

Finally, some good drawings on what to do, should be cake. Having all three of these documents made it so I finally understood it.

Article
http://www.centerfirecentral.com/77trigger.html

Images
http://www.centerfirecentral.com/77trigger2.htm

Drawings
http://www.centerfirecentral.com/images/trigger.gif

 

[Fumbler]

I'm glad you found those. I was going to give you detailed instructions, but pictures are worth much more in helping you understand the trigger and what affects the pull weight..
They should help out a lot.

I think its easiest to cut down the sear hook by taking a 0.025" feeler guage and placing it flat under the hook, then laying the feeler/sear on top of a ceramic stone to stone it down.

The most difficult part is stoning the top of the trigger evenly and at 89-90 degrees.

 

[jeepmor]

Worked great.

First test made the creep a lot more noticeable since it smoothed the pull up so much.

Second round took a little more off the sear hook, added the bevel to the trigger portion and got some flitz and buffing wheel touch up.

It's at least half the pull weight it was before, no testing device to tell for sure, but it feels much better now and acheived exactly what I had hoped for. Less pull weight and no money spent on a a new trigger.

And yes, the trigger portion is the most difficult to get correct. I was pretty conservative on that portion, but the bevelling reduced the creep a lot and the buffing dropped the pull weight down significantly.

I would recommend this to anyone that can sharpen a knife, it was very easy and well worth doing before you drop any money on an aftermarket trigger.

 

[Fumbler]

Cool, I'm glad it worked out.

In the past to help with keeping the hammer perpendicular to the stone I've screwed a piece of wood to another piece at a right angle (measuring carefully) then laid the stone on one piece and hold the trigger against the other piece.