What's a unsafe trigger for hunting.

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bungiex88

New member
I inheareted a remington 700 6mm from my pap years ago. The rifle shoots .25 groups at 100 yards. I've been using for deer hunting for 8 years now. I've noticed the trigger is very light and finally measured it the other day and it breaks at just over an inch. Theareticaly is this considered an unsafe trigger for carrying around hunting. And I'm not looking for smart comments like it's as safe as the person carrying it. I'm talking about in general. Would this gun being such a light trigger could it go off with the saftey on if it gets bumped to hard.
 
I'd agree with 10-96.

The traditional way to rate a trigger is by how much weight (not length) it would take to set it off and like 10-96 says 3 or 4 pounds for hunting is certainly in the ball park.

You can measure it with just plain old weights or get fancy with a gauge.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/192807/wheeler-engineering-trigger-pull-gage?cm_vc=ProductFinding

FWIW some target shooters (dedicated range rifles) go under an ounce which of course is too light for a field gun but there are triggers that can do it.
 
My Rem700 in 6mm Classic and my 7mm Mag in BDL version both have triggers set at 1.25 pounds of pull after I re-worked both.

Any lighter with factory triggers is not safe for most hunters, but I prefer light triggers due to the amount of target shooting I do.

My two 50BMG target rifles are set the same weight.
 
I've never seen trigger pulled measured in distance, so I can't speak on that. I generally wouldn't have the trigger pull below 1.5 lb. That doesn't mean it's unsafe below that, it's just my personal preference.
 
If your unsure about the trigger on your fathers rifle. My advice:
Replace it with a factory pre-set Timney. I've changed out 3-model 700s here with Timney triggers. Not because they needed new or repairing. THIS:> I wanted all of them factory preset to one pull weight. (3 lbs.)
Could have had each rifles trigger reworked by a smith. No thanks. I prefer to keep their original triggers in factory pre-set condition.

As far as a safe trigger in the woods. I wouldn't take a big game hunting rifle afield it having a trigger pull (less) than 2-1/2 lbs.

Just so you know. Unlike a factory trigger. Timney 700 triggers have very little noticeable rearward movement or slack take-up in their triggers. Timney's model 700 trigger do have a better designed (trigger safety.) also.
 
If you're comfortable with the trigger you have now it shouldn't make a difference how lite or heavy it is.
 
I think stand or blind hunting you would be safe with a lighter trigger.

Stalking through the woods or hiding in a bush... Heavier.

I stalked and I carried the rifle with my hand over the trigger guard.
 
An inch?

There have been a lot of attempts to scandalize Remington on trigger safety.
I would do some bump testing to see if it would hold when jarred and when the safety catch was released.

Two pounds is plenty light enough for me, anything but benchrest.
 
Inch = oops, I believe he meant pound and we all know it to be true.
Although I've had a few factory triggers that felt like I was pulling them an "inch" before tripping the sear.

When I draw a pistol from a holster, my trigger finger is not on the trigger but beside the frame in a safe position. The same should be practiced on any longarm, your finger must not be on the trigger until you are ready to fire your weapon. With this practice and thru practice, you can hunt with a lighter trigger than "normal" and obtain better accuracy if you practice taking longer shots. If you hunt with a glove on the trigger finger, you may want a 2.5 pound trigger pull.

When stalking, my hand covers the trigger group in a manner to prevent firing of weapon if brush were to remove the safety.

YMMV.
 
I've hunted with really light pull triggers-right up to the day I had an AD and scared a nice buck away. Glove contacted trigger before sights were aligned and BOOM. From that point, anything under 2-3# stays on the range or has a red stripe on the cheek piece as a reminder for "no gloves".
 
If you stand/blind hunt, carry it empty to and from the stand/blind, and only load it once in the stand/blind, then unload it before leaving the stand, then I wouldn't have an issue with the pull weight.

If you carry it loaded and on safe, then 1 lb is way too light for my tastes. If you forget to put it on safe, or if the safety fails, a 1 lb trigger can be set off pretty easily by butt striking/dropping/banging the gun around... This is the reason Savage invented the accutrigger. Can be safely adjust down to 1.5 lbs and still pass a 10-foot drop test and not go off.
 
I've tested the butt bump but only 1 foot of ground and didn't go off but that's not saying it won't go off with me falling to ground. I never forget the saftey on that gun when I'm out hunting.
 
1 lb is light for a field gun. Normally i go in the 2 to 3 lb ballpark for customers.
I think i had one wanted 1 1/2 lbs, and i did it for him, but he clearly knew what he was about, so i was not concerned.
Generally, if it will pass the bump test, the rifle itself is safe.
Then, it becomes a matter of shooter safety. Can the shooter be safe with a light, or very light, trigger? Hunting will add some excitement not found on the range.
If the rifle is passing the bump test, and you can safely operate the rifle in the field, there is nothing to say dont use it as is.
If you feel it is light for your use, it should be turned up to where you are comfortable with it.
However, a 1 lb trigger isnt for everyone. Id be cautious about lending it to friends, unless you know they can be safe with it.
 
Any trigger on a hunting rifle under a pound is extremely unsafe. Even if it doesn't go bang when you bang the rifle either with your gloved hand or on the ground. Light triggers don't belong in the field. Minimum of 3 pounds and that is light.
 
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