I know. I have owned quite a few Pre 64 Model 70s and they all had great triggers.
- Thread starter mahiman
- Start date
i believe the only way to get a better trigger than the original Winchester is to have a Canjar and those went the way of the DO-DO years ago.
Love my mod 70. Have three..2 fn sprs and 1 mod 70. Thinking about replacing the triggers with the 2 stage triggers from rifle basix
I just purchased an switched out to a mcarbo trigger spring couple weeks ago for my m70. Was already using another aftermarket spring from ernie the gunsmith and i much prefer the mcarbo. I still had to massage the trigger with a dagger file to get a 2 3/4 to 3 lbs break, better than the 4 or 4 1/2 lbs
I looked at ernie the gunsmith's page and there were a number of different springs depending on what trigger weight you wanted. Which spring did you get from him?
It was the target trigger spring, i had been using it for the past 8 years or so. Either of the outfits springs is a vast improvement over the factory spring for me. I noticed little to no creep with mcarbo and the ernie spring had just a small amount of take up before breaking over. As i mentioned tho, i still had to touch up the trigger with a file to get where i wanted.
The trigger on my first SPR was the best trigger I'd ever felt until I got a PBR that had one that can be safely set to a slightly lighter pull weight. Same type of trigger. That PBR I got here has been great.
Just bang the epoxy off, turn to the weight you like, verify it's safe by dropping on the buttpad, and shove your glue of choice all over it. I use a 5 minute epoxy.
Just bang the epoxy off, turn to the weight you like, verify it's safe by dropping on the buttpad, and shove your glue of choice all over it. I use a 5 minute epoxy.
The main reason for using the Mcarbo spring is because the M70 trigger isn't safe under about 3lbs. I'd have to measure it but I think I have it around 1.5lb with the Mcarbo spring and it is drop safe.
What is the epoxy for?
Probably keep the nuts from moving.
My SPR a1 trigger is excellent, definitely under that 3 pound mark and no creep. I didn’t realize they unsafe under that 3 pound mark. I may have to buy a Mcarbo spring and install it.
If you can cock your rifle, empty chamber obviously, and hit the butt stock on the ground relatively hard, and it doesn’t fire, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
I will give that a try. The trigger right now is one of the better triggers I have. It’s right up there with my trigger techs.
Well did the test you said to do and my rifle failed it. I guess I will be ordering a Mcarbo spring and readjust the trigger.
This. I am considering one cause I want AICS mag compatibility.
Man, I've got one if the first gens with the H-S stock and it is amazing.
I bought it used as a 'police trade-in', complete with Leupold Mk4 10x with M3 dials and a 168gr turret (what freaking department thought 1 MOA elevation adjustments were okay?). Anyway, I purchased it in 2017, and it was in pretty good shape. The scope dated to ~ 2000 and is mushy as hell but works. I skim bedded the action, and gave the stock a coat of Krylon but left everything else alone. I did put one box of factory 168gr FGMM through it, and it produced a couple of groups in the .8" range.
Moved out to the ranch and decided to try a couple handloads through it for hunting. Very first group of (5) was .419". It has been my fallback deer rifle since, and I've killed five bucks with it. My 165gr NBT handload tracks absolutely perfectly with the mushy elevation dial to 400 yards. As much as I hate that dial, it works, and I don't mess with stuff that works.
I think that the later models were *supposed* to be an upgrade, but of the three I own (1st gen, A1, and A2), the first gen has been MY most accurate. My A1 is a shooter too...but the nodes are always much closer to the starting charge weights, and accuracy is abysmal near max weights. The A2 was a 3/4 MOA gun, but it took a lot of testing to get it there. I finally turned it into a 6.5x47L.
If you have a first gen, hold onto it...or if you want to sell it, let me know.
My favorite SPR is my 243 Winchester.
So regarding the recent trigger weight and drop test conversations, I put my Lyman (I know, not the best) digital pull gauge on my three SPRs just now.
First Gen - 3lb,15.8oz average. I've never messed with this trigger. The rifle shoots great, so I've never messed with anything aside from skim bedding the action into the stock.
A1 - 2lb, 5.2oz average. That worried me because I've just read all these posts about that being potentially unsafe. So I cocked it again and dropped it six times onto the recoil pad from about a foot off of my concrete floor. No issues.
A2 - 2lb, 6.8oz average. Did the same drop test, and passed.
I took my A1 and A2 triggers apart a while ago and polished the crap out of the contact surfaces with Mother's mag and aluminum polish on the head of a q-tip. Took probably 30 minutes to do each. Then I backed the two nuts off close to as far as they'd go and that was it.
I checked both at the time for safety. My little routine is cycling the bolt 10 times, then cycling the safety 10 times, then smacking the reassembled rifle off my knee 10 times again. If it passes that, then I'm content. If it doesn't, then I correct the issue.
At this point I'm of the opinion you can get the SPR trigger a touch under 2.5lbs and still be safe...but I don't think you could get it down to 2.
First Gen - 3lb,15.8oz average. I've never messed with this trigger. The rifle shoots great, so I've never messed with anything aside from skim bedding the action into the stock.
A1 - 2lb, 5.2oz average. That worried me because I've just read all these posts about that being potentially unsafe. So I cocked it again and dropped it six times onto the recoil pad from about a foot off of my concrete floor. No issues.
A2 - 2lb, 6.8oz average. Did the same drop test, and passed.
I took my A1 and A2 triggers apart a while ago and polished the crap out of the contact surfaces with Mother's mag and aluminum polish on the head of a q-tip. Took probably 30 minutes to do each. Then I backed the two nuts off close to as far as they'd go and that was it.
I checked both at the time for safety. My little routine is cycling the bolt 10 times, then cycling the safety 10 times, then smacking the reassembled rifle off my knee 10 times again. If it passes that, then I'm content. If it doesn't, then I correct the issue.
At this point I'm of the opinion you can get the SPR trigger a touch under 2.5lbs and still be safe...but I don't think you could get it down to 2.
I put the M*Carbo spring in my A3G and got it down to 1.5 lb. Did the drop test about 30 times, including a couple times where I was worried I would hurt the rifle from hitting the buttstock against the ground so hard. It never went off. Zero issues.
I guess I should have said got the trigger under 2lb with factory parts...however, I like the results you have and will probably look into that spring for at least my A2.
We had this conversation 15 years ago on shooting forums. Some guns will be safe at 2.5lb and some will fail at 4lb. There is a lot of tolerance in the factory parts. I'm of the opinion that if you adjust the trigger at all you should change the spring. Sounds like your three are fine but it could have easily gone the other way.
It probably could have. That is a great example of why one should always jolt/drop/smack the butt of their rifle a few times after adjusting anything trigger wise.
Mine made 2.5 with factory trigger. I may invest in the spring to get it a little lower.
Just to follow up. I decided not to use the Timney trigger I bought and went with the MCARBO spring. Installation was insanely easy, and the trigger has been significantly improved. It is crisp and light.
Has anyone had a problem with rings not clamping on the factory rail tight enough? I have my g2 razor in vortex pmr rings and when I torque the screws the rings will still move slightly. I’ve tried several other sets I have and no problem with them. my g2 razor has been on my match rifle for a while with no problem. R700 with the aluminum nightforce 20moa rail.
I’d compare the width of the rail to other rails and see how it stacks up before doing anything.
Does your rifle have the Near rail on it?
It is supposed to be factory mil1913 20moa
Checking with my mititoyo calipers it within +/-.002
Your rings are most likely out of spec or damaged from over torqueing. Grab a new pair or rings.
Still rocking my A3G. I did change to the Pacific tool bottom metal and detachable magazine and add a larger knob for the bolt handle but otherwise still in 2009 configuration. I never had a reason to change the trigger. When I got mine, they were doing a promotion; buy the rifle, get a "free" 5.7 FN pistol with it...
How do you like the PT&G? Any issues? What mags you run?
I am about 99% going to get one if it's a reliable as the FN stock mag.
I am about 99% going to get one if it's a reliable as the FN stock mag.
I've been running the ptg bottom metal with aics mags and it's been 100% even in matches. It's not my favorite design but we don't really have many choices since cdi is no more.
IMO, many old style triggers are going to be unsafe below 3lbs. The sear surfaces are just too ”wobbly” out where they are at, especially at lighter weights. I’ve always wondered why someone doesn’t recut the action and fit and oversized trigger and sear.…..maybe with improved geometry! ….or maybe make it narrow and sell a shim kit with it?? Seems like you could get a decent 2lb consistent pull.
I just found a new old stock SPR A1, now begins the scope acquisition process, I believe I will keep this one to less
that 16X.
Thinking of the S&B PM 10X mil-dot.
that 16X.
Thinking of the S&B PM 10X mil-dot.
What kind of shooting do you plan for it? And what budget do you have for the scope?
Apparently at least $2K
The SPR isn't metric, it's a CRF short action. It uses M70 short action parts. The CRF components were unique at the time but later used in other Winchester rifles.
I would get an ATACR 4-16
Might also want to check out the Leupold MK5 3.6-18 with the new pr1 reticle. I have one and they are fantastic optics. No problem using out to 1200+. You can find them around $1500.
I have actually researched the NF Atacr 4-16 and the Leupold MK 5 3.6-18 , both great scopes.
I have a Leupold M 1 MK 4 10X that I sent to Premiere and had their USMC Mil Dot reticle installed
and it is a great scope w/obvious limitations.
I have a Leupold M 1 MK 4 10X that I sent to Premiere and had their USMC Mil Dot reticle installed
and it is a great scope w/obvious limitations.
Last edited:
So I am still having problems with my scope rail. I’ve tried 4 different sets of rings and 2 work the other 2 do not. The 2 sets that work are vortex pro series 30mm and vortex/seekins 30mm pmr rings. The rings that will NOT work are warne mountain tech untralight 30mm and vortex/seekins 34mm pmr. I’ve gone over the ring clamps closely with other my calipers and it seems that the deeper the depth of the clamps the looser they fit. Any suggestions as to what might be going on?
Sounds like your rail is out of spec right? I have a number of SPR’s all with the original rails, and they’re all in spec, some are Near manufactured, others are unmarked, no problem whatsoever with (top tier) ring fitment (USO, Badger, etc)
Mine is a Badger .
Near rails on both of mine along with ARC rings , no problems and swapping scopes with rings attached between rifles results in little or no shift in impact @100yds!
The rail on mine has the recoil lug on it and I am under the impression that it is a Badger ordinance. It is whatever came from the factory. It doesn’t have any manufacturers marks on it.
This is the best picture I have of the rail on the rifle. Maybe one of you can identify it.
The manufacturer mark may be on the underside of the rail and they all should have a re-coil lug.
