Gunsmithing Rem 721 trigger questions

[Biscuit]

I have A Remington 721 action, trying to re-barrel to a 25-06, still looking for a take-off barrel from a 700. The trigger on this 721, does anyone make an after market group it for it? How different is the 700 trigger? Will a Timney for a 700 work on a 721?

Can I just tweak the 721 trigger, I am after a 3-3.5 pound pull?

Thanks for any help you can give

Joel

 

[bwgdog]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

Joel-721 will take any 700 replacement trigger-safety is only thing different. barry

 

[gunnut284]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

I was able to adjust the trigger on my 721 to around 3.5lbs (I haven't used a gauge on it but it feels about that). It adjusted very similarly to a 700. There is a little creep but its quite good.

 

[rifleman1981]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

we took a milling machine and took just a little off the side for the safety and then installed a jewel, makes for a very nice rifle

 

[GasLight]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

I just modified a 722 (same safety issue as the 721) so it would take a standard 700 trigger. I milled a slot in the side of the action so it wouldn't invade on the safety. I would NOT use a 721 factory trigger in any rifle I was planning on shooting at all. The things are dangerous. They made changes other than the safety lever (dual sear for one), as they evolved the model 700. If you use the 721 trigger, you will need to modify a 700 stock to fit it as well.

Dave

 

[Biscuit]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DebosDave</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just modified a 722 (same safety issue as the 721) so it would take a standard 700 trigger. I milled a slot in the side of the action so it wouldn't invade on the safety. I would NOT use a 721 factory trigger in any rifle I was planning on shooting at all. The things are dangerous. They made changes other than the safety lever (dual sear for one), as they evolved the model 700. If you use the 721 trigger, you will need to modify a 700 stock to fit it as well.

Dave </div></div>

Dave, I was not aware the 721 trigger is dangerous. Would you mind explaining? I don't know much about these things. Is there a way to make it safer?

 

[swd]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

Alot of those 2 sear triggers adjust down very nice. If it passes all the safety tests after adjustment go with it. They work fine and some exceptionaly well. I've done plenty of them.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Joel.B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Dave, I was not aware the 721 trigger is dangerous. Would you mind explaining? I don't know much about these things. Is there a way to make it safer?</div></div>

There is a connector on the front of the trigger, this is the main design flaw. The connector can bind during recoil, or can get debris behind it, and this can and does cause rifles to fire when the bolt closes, when the bolt is opened, and the infamous when the safety is switched from 'safe' to fire'.

What makes the 721/722 and very eary 700 triggers slightly more dangerous is that they initially used a dual sear design. One half of the sear is used for the safety funciton, it is blocked on this half by the safety. The other half is only engaged on the connector. Due to this design, the ability of one side of the sear to be able to move while the gun is on safe, it can and has allowed the moveable half of the sear to drop when the connector has been jostled or anything else, and can aggrevate the 'fire on release of safety' condition.

swd,

I don't know what your experience with these triggers is, but if you have worked extensively with them, then you must be aware of these dangerous conditions that plague the connector design fire control systems. You can adjust any of these 700/722/721 triggers down to a 'very nice' pull, that doesn't change the dangerous nature of the design, but it can and does aggrevate the condition.

There is plenty of reading on this design flaw on the web, you just need to look for it.

Dave

 

[GasLight]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

Best recourse if you want a nice shootable rifle, is to modify the tang, so it can take a 700 style trigger. Then install an aftermarket solid trigger design. Timney, Shilen, and Rifle Basix make some affordable options. Jard makes an upgrade kit that works well in the old stlye body, and then there is Huber, Jewell, and CG which are more expensive but are excellent triggers.

DD

 

[Biscuit]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

Thanks Dave.

Did Rem recall these things?

 

[GasLight]

Re: Rem 721 trigger questions

They did one recall where they cut the bolt lock off the saftey lever, but other than that, their cost/benefit analysis must have told them it is cheaper to pay out for wrongful deaths than to recall all of these triggers. There have been many suits and settlements over the triggers, again this is easy information to find if you look for it. In 2006, they introduced an entirely new trigger design without the connector.