Simple trigger improvement on a Ruger Hawkeye

[Andrew NOLA]

I have a number of Ruger Hawkeye rifles from 300 WinMag to 416 Ruger

They come with the Ruger LC6 trigger which Ruger calls light crisp

The triggers have a good break, but they are a little heavy

I’ve been replacing the trigger spring with one from Ernie the gunsmith

All you have to do is take the rifle out of the stock push,push the trigger pivot pin out. Take the old stock spring ,out put the new stock spring in.

Drops the pull 1 to 1.5 pounds

 

[Captain Munro]

Did the exact same thing on my Ruger African and it was a great improvement at a fraction of the cost to get a Timney or the like.

 

[45-70guy]

I have gotten so used to just buying a timney with any rifle that I missed the boat on this one. Much cheaper option thanks!

 

[BAY]

I have a number of Ruger Hawkeye rifles from 300 WinMag to 416 Ruger

They come with the Ruger LC6 trigger which Ruger calls light crisp

The triggers have a good break, but they are a little heavy

I’ve been replacing the trigger spring with one from Ernie the gunsmith

All you have to do is take the rifle out of the stock push,push the trigger pivot pin out. Take the old stock spring ,out put the new stock spring in.

Drops the pull 1 to 1.5 pounds

I need to do that to my 35 Whelen. I have the spring from Ernie. Is there anything tricky about the disassembled and reassemble of a Hawkeye? I’m not that experienced with DIY Thanks!

 

[45-70guy]

I need to do that to my 35 Whelen. I have the spring from Ernie. Is there anything tricky about the disassembled and reassemble of a Hawkeye? I’m not that experienced with DIY Thanks!

It’s super easy, 3 action screws and a torque sequence , which I’ve noticed depends on your stock material as a wood stock normally will not take the factory 95 Inch pounds on the front screw without compression.

 

[BAY]

It’s super easy, 3 action screws and a torque sequence , which I’ve noticed depends on your stock material as a wood stock normally will not take the factory 95 Inch pounds on the front screw without compression.

I have a wood stock. It’s the African. Yeah, the front screw is what concerns me. Thanks!

 

[45-70guy]

I have a wood stock. It’s the African. Yeah, the front screw is what concerns me. Thanks!

So basically what I have done which is not exactly what you need to do, but on my wood stocks, and my new African model was I installed pillars and I bedded the action at the same time.
This allows me to torque the front screw to 95 in pounds and the rear to 50 inch pounds.
The center screw finger tight.

In your case if you do not want to pillar bed it I will need to look at what the factory says to set them at but I know even that spec I have noticed inconsistency.
To be honest every single Ruger I have 5-6? I have bedded them or I have changed to a bedded stock ( all weather guns)

Even my laminate stocks I Piller and epoxy bed the actions

 

[BAY]

So basically what I have done which is not exactly what you need to do, but on my wood stocks, and my new African model was I installed pillars and I bedded the action at the same time.
This allows me to torque the front screw to 95 in pounds and the rear to 50 inch pounds.
The center screw finger tight.

In your case if you do not want to pillar bed it I will need to look at what the factory says to set them at but I know even that spec I have noticed inconsistency.
To be honest every single Ruger I have 5-6? I have bedded them or I have changed to a bedded stock ( all weather guns)

Even my laminate stocks I Piller and epoxy bed the actions

It was glass bedded and free floated by a GS after I bought it.

 

[45-70guy]

It was glass bedded and free floated by a GS after I bought it.

In that case what I do for my rifles is I follow the factory spec of 95 inch pounds on the front.
My personal sequence is as follows :
Thread front and rear screws in finger tight,
Then I torque evenly the front and back to 50 inch pounds.
Once that’s done I then do the front to 95 inch pounds.
Center screw I finger tight and I whiteness mark the screws to monitor any backing out.
I test floor plate latching etc… and I make sure my mag box is floating as to not exert any pressure onto the receiver center once all tightened.
Free floating barrel has always benefited my rugers so your good there

 

[BAY]

In that case what I do for my rifles is I follow the factory spec of 95 inch pounds on the front.
My personal sequence is as follows :
Thread front and rear screws in finger tight,
Then I torque evenly the front and back to 50 inch pounds.
Once that’s done I then do the front to 95 inch pounds.
Center screw I finger tight and I whiteness mark the screws to monitor any backing out.
I test floor plate latching etc… and I make sure my mag box is floating as to not exert any pressure onto the receiver center once all tightened.
Free floating barrel has always benefited my rugers so your good there

Thanks One last quick question. Can I use my basic torque wrench or do I need a special tool to get 95 pounds?

 

[45-70guy]

I use a 1/4” drive toque wrench to do my screws.
I dont have any straight handle drivers that go that high.
Many guys have mentioned starting the front screw at 50 inch pounds and testing accuracy, and the majority seem to like the 65 inch pound range.
You can play with that setting and see what your rifle likes but personally I run them all at 95 inch pounds and I stay within 1 MOA in my 35 whelens

 

[Andrew NOLA]

Make sure you use inch pounds not foot pounds

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I've done the spring replacement on several of my Ruger Hawkeyes too.

@Andrew NOLA you mentioned taking the pivot pin out. I've never done that. Simply compress the spring with a small screwdriver to remove the old spring. Put the new spring in utilizing the same method. Very quick and easy job that anyone can do.

 

[BAY]

I use a 1/4” drive toque wrench to do my screws.
I dont have any straight handle drivers that go that high.
Many guys have mentioned starting the front screw at 50 inch pounds and testing accuracy, and the majority seem to like the 65 inch pound range.
You can play with that setting and see what your rifle likes but personally I run them all at 95 inch pounds and I stay within 1 MOA in my 35 whelens

Swapped it out. Brought the pull down to 2.20 lbs. About 1.5 less than the factory spring. Easy peasy, so far. Hopefully test accuracy later this week. May need to buy a torque ratchet to get the front screw to 95. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[dgr416]

I need to try that on my 264 win mag hawkeyes both could use better triggers .I might try it on the 338 win mags too but dont want them too light of pull .

 

[45-70guy]

I need to try that on my 264 win mag hawkeyes both could use better triggers .I might try it on the 338 win mags too but dont want them too light of pull .

When I swapped in the timneys it almost scares you how light they are from the factory.
Once I got used to it now it feels heavy when your actually concentrating

 

[analog_peninsula]

I ordered the spring kit for my .416 Ruger. We'll see what we see.

 

[DaleGribble82]

Hadn’t heard of this, just went the Timney route with my M77. Great find!

Edit:

I also don’t crank that front screw down to 95in/lbs. I noticed a drastic increase in consistency and accuracy when I dropped it down to 65in/lbs. I’ve heard a lot of complaints from users that have wood stocks that 95in/lbs had led to cracks. Mine is a laminate stock, but stick 95in/lbs seems extremely excessive to me.

Anyone else doing less than the factory specs and getting improved results?

 

[45-70guy]

Hadn’t heard of this, just went the Timney route with my M77. Great find!

Edit:

I also don’t crank that front screw down to 95in/lbs. I noticed a drastic increase in consistency and accuracy when I dropped it down to 65in/lbs. I’ve heard a lot of complaints from users that have wood stocks that 95in/lbs had led to cracks. Mine is a laminate stock, but stick 95in/lbs seems extremely excessive to me.

Anyone else doing less than the factory specs and getting improved results?

I tried all sorts of different specs, but I only tired over 50 inch pounds after I pillar bedded a stock. Just like you said it would crack or probably eventually would.
The difference between 65 inch pounds and 95 inch pounds is minimal, with pillars in you eliminate the compression of the stock and your just torqued on the pillar for a consistent number.

I’m very curious what guys did for year and year before anyone pillar bedded though as accuracy seems hit or miss depending who you ask.

 

[DaleGribble82]

I tried all sorts of different specs, but I only tired over 50 inch pounds after I pillar bedded a stock. Just like you said it would crack or probably eventually would.
The difference between 65 inch pounds and 95 inch pounds is minimal, with pillars in you eliminate the compression of the stock and your just torqued on the pillar for a consistent number.

I’m very curious what guys did for year and year before anyone pillar bedded though as accuracy seems hit or miss depending who you ask.

My stock has a full length aluminum bedding block, I haven’t done anything other than reduce the amount of torque to 65in/lbs.