Trigger improvement on my 788....

[Bob Mc Alice]

......I know, I know. I said I would never buy an expensive trigger for a cheap rifle. But.....I found a new in package Timney 788 trigger for $90.00 shipped in the 6mmBR classifieds. They sell for $135. regular. It arrived from Utah Monday afternoon. The first thing I noticed was a very thin trigger blade. It measures at .150 wide, not good. The stock trigger is a .250 wide unit and smooth faced. I figure I will just have to buy a trigger shoe for it.

Bringing home that force gage showed that my so called 3.5lb.pull weight on the factory trigger was more like 3.8 to 4.0 lbs. Too heavy for my liking, but I got used to it. Out with the old and in with the new. The Timneys range is 1.5 to 3.5lbs. Using the gage I set it to a repeatable 2.2lbs crisp and clean. NICE TRIGGER....now about that shoe.

Searching the web for a shoe was fruitless, none to be had for this trigger. A call to Timney confirmed my trigger was in old packaging from 15 years ago. He also told me to forget about finding a shoe, no one makes one.

Oh really?

Not discouraged I decided to make my own. Two coins closely matched the radius of the front and back of the blade. I glued them together so I could measure the TIR run out between the two curves. It was an even .100. In the lathe I chucked up on a chunk of 303 SS bar and created the outer diameter. I switched over to a four jaw chuck and set the .100 off set and created the ring with the required face diameter and other features. I went for a .350 wide shoe, .025 wider than a stock Remington trigger. I even cut in a serrated surface.

The rest of the work was done with a hack saw (to separate the halves) , the Bridgeport mill and plenty of file work along with abrasive wheels to blend and break edges. The finger bow radius is on the small side at .375, but I had to leave a .040 wall for strength. My finger fits snug but is comfortable. I will take it out for a test drive on Friday.

I took a few photos of the steps.

http://s766.photobucket.com/albums/xx30 ... 8/trigger/

[Bob259]

Nice job!!!

[Trent]

Dammit, I should have been a machinist!!

Nice little shoe there McAlice. Do you have to take it off to pull the action from the stock? I have to punch the pins out of my Canjar every time I need to pull the action and it is frustrating. Not that I have to pull it that often.

Nice work. You've almost got that turd polished up!

[Bob Mc Alice]

Yep, has to come off, won't pass through the bottom metal plate. Loosen the 4-40 set screws and off it comes. TURD??????!! That 7-08 will shoot a perfect 40 in the right hands. I got 4 hrs. into that little steel shoe. I would have rather mailed off ten or fifteen bucks to someone for a ready made one.

BTW Trent. My mother wanted me to become a rock star, brain surgeon or a chef. I chose right.

[Jim Beckley]

I wonder what most companies do to employees that help themselves to time, material, and equipment? Probably like most if the employee was connected in anyway certainly a promotion and a hefty raise would be in order with a pot full of stock options!

[Bob Mc Alice]

Those sound like harsh words from a jealous man. I prefer to call it "fringe benefits".

[Bob259]

Those sound like harsh words from a jealous man. I prefer to call it "fringe benefits".

Bob, Be careful...... Don't upset your ride/taxi before you get to Phoenix, or he'll make you ride in the dump box