[JWSmith1959]

Okay, I bought an aftermarket Ruger spring. It was only $10 bucks....but didn't fit. Seller refunded the money, but has not returned any emails or correspondence to figure out if he had the right one. Hoping someone here can help. Can I grind off a little of the original spring to get a lighter pull? I can get an original replacement no problem. I am in a .204 Ruger shooting competition that I came in 2nd last September with a terrible trigger and thought I could do better with a better trigger.

Here is some photos.

Left is the replacement and right is the original.

Please help. Rifle is in pieces and I have to get my target in by July 4th.

Last years target.

 

[JBelk]

The two major factors of any over-ride type trigger is geometry and return spring tension. The 'magic cure' of a lighter spring will not solve problems in the sear-trigger interface.
Yes, you can cut a coil off your spring or go to the hardware store and buy a handful of trial and errors for less than a dollar.

 

[JWSmith1959]

Well Jack, that mumbo jumbo is all well and good, but does not answer my damn question?

 

[JBelk]

Of course it does-- If you remove spring tension you lighten trigger pull but only as far as geometry allows. Cut off a coil and try it. Any hardware store has a whole selection of little springs....the nearest ball point pen has one that's likely to work.
With the gun in the fire position and the over-travel screw backed way off, feel the return spring of the original trigger. Now, change springs and try again. If it's lighter, the trigger pull will be lighter too. Creep, grit, and over-travel have nothing to do with the return spring. That's all in the sear trigger overlap/connection.

 

[Pudfark]

Joel, Jack is right, exactly right. You didn't say what the spring was for? Trigger return or Sear? It won't hurt to take a coil off the original spring, try it. Would help, if you could say whether the pull breaks clean and grit free? And the problem is solely the weight the spring introduces to the 'pull'? Tried to call you a few minutes ago.

 

[JWSmith1959]

Jack...sorry I sniped at you. I have had a long few days working on a Rental property which requires me to climb a ladder many-many times. No excuses though. You have been nothing more than gracious with me and I apologize for my response. All of the places that have info on this particular trigger say to start with the spring. Timney does not make a dop-in without some additional work, so I thought I would start there. The other shops have no visible phone number and will only communicate through email or their web site contact info. It's been a bit frustrating. Again....I apologize.

Pudfark is looking into a trigger for me while I am on extended sheetrock and window work in the mean time. He has had good luck with them, so I am keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[JBelk]

No problem whatsoever. I'm really not familiar with that trigger except for a picture somebody posted.
Over ride triggers are made up of two main parts but they can look REALLY different:

A sear is being pushed on by the cocking piece. The trigger props it up. Both parts have a return spring to put them back in place. The rest are adjustments, safeties and bolt stops.

The old Model 70 trigger is one type, Timney is another, but they have the same two parts working to do the same job.

Half the trigger pull should be the friction of the two parts where they overlap (.015-.020"). Half the trigger pull should be the return spring force. Reducing friction without creating a skid angle is the job of a machine so the two surfaces remain flat to each other for the best security.

 

[Pudfark]

Once again, a perfect, sensible explain. Thank you Sir. This is what JW and I are considering? RU-VT Ruger M77 MK II Varmint / Target Rifle Trigger Replacement Thoughts and opinions welcomed.

 

[JBelk]

I've never seen one of their triggers, only advertising. Things like this " Electroless nickel plated to match factory action. " bugs me terribly. Are they using cheap, soft molded steel parts and plating them instead of heat treating? It's been done before.
At least you know what the Ruger trigger is made of.
Of course I could be wrong because I haven't seen the trigger in person, BUT, I see a molded or cast trigger that is admittedly plated. I wouldn't have it on any rifle.
For a hundred bucks, there should be ground surfaces in heat-treated steel. I suspect that describes the Ruger OEM trigger. What's wrong with it again? Is it just hard to pull?

 

[Darkker]

C'mon Jack, it's "available in silver only"; gotta mean it's quality construction. 🤣🤣🤣

I'm not a fan of Rifle Basix, from Savage experiences; They are light and creepy.

Honestly it depends on what trigger is in the Ruger. Because the only one I'm aware of Timney making, is not for the 2-stage. But frankly, if the tiny bit of filing that's needed to make their single stage trigger operate safely is daunting...
I posted about it, if someone needs pictures to explain what's needed.

If it's the 2-stage, then some explanation of "terrible" is needed. I'm sure Ruger has had a bad day or two, but honestly I've never come across one that couldn't easily be adjusted to a wonderful trigger. I've become a Ruger fanatic, and have had more examples of the 2-stage than fit in a bread box😉. Assuming the complaint isn't simply that they don't like a 2-stage. Adjustment really is easy, but it isn't a simple "Tighten screw A, then turn B 1/4-turn and you're in love". You have to sit down and start adjusting one screw. Then move on to another and see how they interact as a whole on the system.
Pretty sure I've covered these triggers in a few threads also, but am happy to do a redux if it helps the cause.

Cheers

 

[JWSmith1959]

Okay...Pudgark (we speak frequently) made me promise to post a follow-up on this as I have less than two weeks to complete my .204 Ruger shooting competition and I am quickly running out of time. I ordered another trigger spring from a different vendor, and it was identical to the previous one I ordered. Is it possible I already have an aftermarket (Timney) trigger that was installed poorly???

Here is what was/is in the rifle.

Here is the trigger springs I have gotten versus what was in the rifle.

Left is the replacements and Right is what came out of the rifle.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[JBelk]

Go to the hardware store and buy and armload of spring about that diameter of different wire diameters and experiment. If you don't have them, you'll need a pair of side cutter pliers and it would be nice to have little bench grinder to flatten ends.

Before going too much further, test the sear connection by trying the trigger with the return spring taken out completely. Re-set the trigger each time and find out how much of the pull is friction.

 

[Darkker]

That's not a Timney, which is available for the single stage series only.
The larger spring on the left, appears to be for the current LC6 single stage triggers. As can be seen side-by-side, In this thread.

Cheers

 

[Darkker]

After looking closer at the picture of the trigger you shared, and comparing it to mine in the link; you have some funny business going on..
Pull your pic up and compare it to the identical one in my thread(right profile of the trigger). Yours has a REALLY hard angle cut/ground/filed off of the top right face, as compared to the two I have.
Mine look like a three angle grind on a valve seat, but yours looks like a slash cut from front-to-back.... That's not supposed to be like that.
It looks like someone went to town with a tomahawk, on that piece.

It could just be an artifact of the angle of the photo, a few more from different angles would be helpful to be certain. If it is the case that someone with more ambition than sense started "fixing" that piece, the only real option is to send the whole rifle to Ruger and pay them to replace the messed-up parts...

Cheers

 

[JBelk]

Look at the surfaces that work: The top of the trigger and the bottom of the sear, assuming they're arranged that way.

 

[JWSmith1959]

That's not a Timney, which is available for the single stage series only.
The larger spring on the left, appears to be for the current LC6 single stage triggers. As can be seen side-by-side, In this thread.

Cheers

Thank you. I remember reading that thread many years ago but it did not apply to my Tang Safety M77 so I probably disregarded it. That helped a bunch.

After looking closer at the picture of the trigger you shared, and comparing it to mine in the link; you have some funny business going on..
Pull your pic up and compare it to the identical one in my thread(right profile of the trigger). Yours has a REALLY hard angle cut/ground/filed off of the top right face, as compared to the two I have.
Mine look like a three angle grind on a valve seat, but yours looks like a slash cut from front-to-back.... That's not supposed to be like that.
It looks like someone went to town with a tomahawk, on that piece.

It could just be an artifact of the angle of the photo, a few more from different angles would be helpful to be certain. If it is the case that someone with more ambition than sense started "fixing" that piece, the only real option is to send the whole rifle to Ruger and pay them to replace the messed-up parts...

Cheers

You are right. It is not lighting or shadows. The part of the trigger you mentioned has definitely been hit with a file (or something). The Sear is clean.

All of what has been posted might be moot at the moment as I cannot find the original spring. I thought I popped it back into one of the tiny zip-locks I had the other two spring in...but alas, I probably put it "Somewhere Safe" like the last several knives I have misplaced!

Midway has a OEM Ruger Spring for ~$3.50 but I doubt I can get it here in time. Luckily I did measure the length and diameter of the original and might have to take the approach that Jack suggested and head to Ace Hardware and hope for the best.

Not been on the forums much as I have been working like crazy to get a rental back on the Market. Ugh.

Expect a flurry of posts until I run out of steam!

 

[MZ5]

I wouldn't mess with the Rifle Basix trigger. I'm not a fan, and I am a fan of the factory 2-stage trigger on those Rugers. I'd send the gun to Ruger and ask them to put all new trigger parts in it. I realize that does not help you with your postal match; sorry.

I'm not sure what you have in the gun now. It doesn't look right to me at all. I can't even feel sure whether those are messed-up Ruger parts, or some sort of aftermarket pieces (that are also messed up, IMO).