Buffalo gun creep?

[Ontario Hunter]

No this isn't a thread about a certain fancy hat double gun owner.

I'm wrapping up my 404 Jeffery build on a Mauser 98. Wondering how much, if any, creep I should leave on the Timney trigger? I thinking a fast and/or light trigger might not be a great idea for dangerous game rifle. Any thoughts?

 

[Doug3006]

To function properly, a trigger must have a certain amount of “creep.” In my opinion, the amount should be as imperceptible as possible. An unduly light trigger should be avoided on any hunting gun, but especially on a dangerous game gun. I like the triggers on all of my hunting guns to break at ~3 pounds with as little creep as possible and with zero over travel.

 

[Red Leg]

To function properly, a trigger must have a certain amount of “creep.” In my opinion, the amount should be as imperceptible as possible. An unduly light trigger should be avoided on any hunting gun, but especially on a dangerous game gun. I like the triggers on all of my hunting guns to break at ~3 pounds with as little creep as possible and with zero over travel.

Just under three had been my preference as well with minimal creep. However, over the last five or six years, I have really become spoiled with the 1.6 lb pull on my R8's. They also have no detectable creep. Works perfectly in .257, .300, or .375 role. That pull also is conducive to great accuracy from the sticks.

 

[Roller]

I set all my hunting rifle triggers at 2.25 lbs; 22LR to 416RM. They all work great for me ....from squirrel to cape buffalo. "Creep" is a bad word. I don't like creep. Same with "take-up" and "overtravel". That said, triggers are very personal preference thing. Set it how it feels right to you.

Regarding having a different setup for DG vs PG, personally I prefer having the exact same trigger (or as close as I can get) for every gun and every game . Your preference may be different . Timneys are great triggers. Have several.

 

[Doug3006]

Just under three had been my preference as well with minimal creep. However, over the last five or six years, I have really become spoiled with the 1.6 lb pull on my R8's. They also have no detectable creep. Works perfectly in .257, .300, or .375 role. That pull also is conducive to great accuracy from the sticks.

Trigger pull under 2 lbs seems a bit light to me, but if it works then it works! I think the big advantage is a consistent pull on all of your rifles. The notion of” being surprised“ when the rifle fires is mostly nonsense. The reason I have all my triggers adjusted to ~3 lbs is so I know when I’m squeezing when that last bit of pressure will fire the rifle. The R8 takes this to the next level, since the trigger/stock geometry is identical. Similar to the old axiom…fear the man with one gun.

 

[Buck0317]

I set all my bolt action triggers with no creep and at 2.5-2.75 lbs, but this is do to years of shooting match rifles and M40's. Any creep in a bolt action trigger and my little brain just can't handle it. I want the trigger to break when I want it to.

 

[Longwalker]

I set all my rifle trigger pulls at 3.5 lbs, simply because I need that much resistance to feel a trigger properly when hunting with gloves on in our cold local seasons. I prefer consistent pulls on all my rifles so I don't change from 3.5 lbs for warm weather shooting. I prefer as little creep as practical and same with over travel.

 

[fsrmg1]

I like to have my big game hunting rifles set up for about 3 lbs with as little creep as possible. That's about as low as I can go and still have pressure feedback on my finger with light gloves on. Plus I know a jar to the rifle is less likely to set it off.

 

[Inline6]

I really like 2 stage triggers, most heavy rifles are not setup that way. I'm with @Red Leg really like the triggers in my R8. On a single stage trigger I personally like the glass rod feel. No creep at all squeeze and break the proverbial glass rod.

 

[BRICKBURN]

My first thought at reading the title went to the collection more guns or upgrading to larger calibers, not trigger adjustments. See what happens when you hang around addicts so long.

 

[Inline6]

My first thought at reading the title went to the collection more guns or upgrading to larger calibers, not trigger adjustments. See what happens when you hang around addicts so long.

I thought the same thing, mine was 375h&h to 416REM to 458Lott now where to go

 

[BRICKBURN]

I thought the same thing, mine was 375h&h to 416REM to 458Lott now where to go

See, another victim. You can only keep going up.

 

[Nhoro]

I dont see why it should be very different to any other hunting rifle. The recoil happens after the trigger. I do a lot of walking with kids camps and so have about 3 lb trigger. I made sure there was a fair overlap on the sear. Both are to ensure that the gun doesnt fire accidentally rather than with accuracy in mind. I would say as light and low creep as you find safe. Also keep in mind that you will be handling the rifle under stress and do not want it to go bang before you are set up properly. Mine was polished up so it is smooth and feels lighter. But really it is around 3 to 3.5 lbs, short smooth creep then bang. You wont be bench resting with it. Then make sure it doesnt go bang when you bash it aroind or drop the butt on the floor.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi Nhoro,

Agree! I like the trigger as you describe in all my big game hunting rifles. Perfect to me!

Best!

CF

 

[fourfive8]

DG trigger does not need to be and should not be light. Light is for relaxed, limp hold paper target shooting- not oops trigger let off at wrong time with DG. For me no creep. Clean break at no less than 3.5 to 4. Most of the time a 4 pound trigger will feel like a 4 ounce trigger when the time comes. If wearing gloves then certainly no light trigger!

 

[fourfive8]

IMO, the finest trigger/sear ever designed for a bolt action hunting rifle. Elegant engineering genius.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

IMO, the finest trigger/sear ever designed for a bolt action hunting rifle. Elegant engineering genius.

View attachment 544941

Dad installed something similar to modify the two stage trigger in my Springfield 03A3. It helped take up the first stage creep to the sear but it could NOT be used to sweeten the pull weight. Then the gun would fail the drop test and striker jumped the sear. That setup employed a similar adjustment screw with lock nut but no spring. It went in the junk basket in favor of a more reliable and adjustable Timney trigger. Gad, what a world of difference, especially at the range!

 

[fourfive8]

The sear (the white metal bar in the pic that fits in the recess in the bottom of the action) has a very strong spring holding the contact surfaces between the sear and the trigger together. Something was amiss with the retrofit or aftermarket trigger/sear install done on the Springfield. Unless one has knowledge of trigger fit, function, theory and sear angles- only qualified gunsmiths should mess with them. I have no idea what trigger replacement was used and failed the drop test. IIRC Rifle Basix is/was one of the companies making Mauser type after market triggers that would have also fit both the Springfield and the Win M54.

Reminds me of Remington's woes with the adjustable box trigger in their Model 600s and 700s. A few adjustments here, a little monkeying "tuning" the trigger there, no knowledge what over travel is much less how to set it correctly in any trigger, a few accidental discharges along the way and voila no more Remington- no company, no more. Same with the original style Win Model 70 trigger or any trigger for that matter. Make a mistake and oops ..... The "new", post New Haven M70 Winchester trigger, is also a box design but factory preset. I had one of the early FN Win 70s but was not at all impressed with their new "MOA" trigger. I no longer have the rifle.

The Springfield trigger was based on and nearly identical to the Mauser 98 trigger. Not adjustable and nearly a mile of creep. One of the reasons the US government had to pay Mauser for patent infringement was because the Springfield design was so close to the Mauser 98 including that trigger. Those are basically non-adjustable triggers/sears that engage on the striker lug at the bottom of the bolt. The same design was maintained on the Winchester Model 54. Post Model 54, the Winchester Model 70 design team came up with the Win Model 70 trigger as in the picture. When FN acquired Winchester and moved the factory, they again redesigned the trigger to its current box form called the "MOA" trigger. But let any enclosed box trigger on a seriously used hunting rifle accumulate years of oil/grease caked crud or rust or corrosion then resort back on flawless function of internal trigger parts

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The sear (the white metal bar in the pic that fits in the recess in the bottom of the action) has a very strong spring holding the contact surfaces between the sear and the trigger together. Something was amiss with the retrofit or aftermarket trigger/sear install done on the Springfield. Unless one has knowledge of trigger fit, function, theory and sear angles- only qualified gunsmiths should mess with them. I have no idea what trigger replacement was used and failed the drop test. IIRC Rifle Basix is/was one of the companies making Mauser type after market triggers that would have also fit both the Springfield and the Win M54.

Reminds me of Remington's woes with the adjustable box trigger in their Model 600s and 700s. A few adjustments here, a little monkeying "tuning" the trigger there, no knowledge what over travel is much less how to set it correctly in any trigger, a few accidental discharges along the way and voila no more Remington- no company, no more. Same with the original style Win Model 70 trigger or any trigger for that matter. Make a mistake and oops ..... The "new", post New Haven M70 Winchester trigger, is also a box design but factory preset. I had one of the early FN Win 70s but was not at all impressed with their new "MOA" trigger. I no longer have the rifle.

The Springfield trigger was based on and nearly identical to the Mauser 98 trigger. Not adjustable and nearly a mile of creep. One of the reasons the US government had to pay Mauser for patent infringement was because the Springfield design was so close to the Mauser 98 including that trigger. Those are basically non-adjustable triggers/sears that engage on the striker lug at the bottom of the bolt. The same design was maintained on the Winchester Model 54. Post Model 54, the Winchester Model 70 design team came up with the Win Model 70 trigger as in the picture. When FN acquired Winchester and moved the factory, they again redesigned the trigger to its current box form called the "MOA" trigger. But let any enclosed box trigger on a seriously used hunting rifle accumulate years of oil/grease caked crud or rust or corrosion then resort back on flawless function of internal trigger parts

No trigger replacement as far as I could tell. Only a modification to the military trigger to take up the creep. It was adjusted to only a half mile of creep. I tried taking up all the creep and lightening trigger weight. I was at least smart enough to employ drop test afterwards, popping the butt against concrete floor. Oops. Set it back to half mile creep and it passed every test. Then I went on line and found a Timney striker safety friendly trigger.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

I want all my rifles from my .22 up to my .458 to have the same exact trigger pull weight with no creep that way there are no surprises and they go bang the same every time