Lever Gun Triggers

[fourdollarbill]

I am a revolver shooter but I do have one rifle. It is an 1894CS 357 mag. with a terrible trigger pull. I tried a new scope this weekend and it runs well. To get any kind of accuracy @ 75 yds I had to really focus on trigger control because it is crunchy terrible. Can one do an action job on this rifle? I'm pretty well versed on revolver trigger jobs and have done a few so I may or may not tackle it depending on the info.

 

[greyling22]

yes you can. An idiot can do it. I know because I did 2. They're not as nice as the one I paid a gunsmith to do, but when I compare them to factory triggers it is night and day.

step 1: lighten the hammer spring.
step 2, google marlin 1894 action job.
http://marauder.homestead.com/files/TUNING_M_1894.htm
http://www.gunfighter.com/cgi-bin/bbs/cowboy-a/cowboy-a.cgi?read=39871
http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=7332

you can lighten your trigger further if you go with a 1 piece firing pin, but now you're buying parts instead of just bending springs and polishing metal.

 

[Sweden]

Any good Win 94 Smiths?

 

[Legionnaire]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=188646

Haven't tried one myself yet, but come highly recommended.

 

[rcmodel]

if you go with a 1 piece firing pin,

I don't like the sound of that, even though I know the Cowboy Action guys are using them.

Marlin invented the Marlin Safety two-piece firing pin over 100 years ago to prevent the gun ever possibly firing out of battery.

With a one-piece firing pin, the hammer could hit it before the bolt is completely locked shut.

May be a non-event with mouse-fart Cowboy loads.
But it would ruin your whole day if it happened with a .357 Magnum and you got the bolt stuck in your eye.

rc

 

[fourdollarbill]

Very Very good food for thought rcmodel, thank you.

 

[greyling22]

I'm still rocking the multi piece firing pins myself, and I know there are some safety concerns about the 1 piece pins, but the OP did ask how to lighten the trigger, and I know that is part of the way. As with all information gleamed from the internet, discretion your own personal research, and rcmodel should be heavily relied upon.

 

[Roccobro]

Wild West Guns 'happy trigger", as listed by Legionnaire. Drop in installation, and a darn nice trigger feel to boot!

Done a couple for myself and a brothers 1894.

Justin

 

[unlearned69]

I had the Wild West Trigger in the 336 I used to have. Broke very cleanly and wasn't hard to install.

 

[Stinger]

Go with the Wild West Trigger that was mentioned.

 

[fireman 9731]

A good cleaning, along with a drop of good lube can do wonders for gritty, heavy triggers.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Ditto fireman 9731;

I've done many, many S&W trigger jobs. Found the Marlin triggers more rewarding. (Most work on the S&W's is toward smoothing the DA, and reducing weight of DA pull. Can be quite tedious to get "right".

The Marlin triggers are very simular to the M1911 trigger and sear hooks.
I relieve the sear engagement slightly and polish the surfaces in more or less the same way I do those of an M1911 or similar semi-auto pistol.

One Marlin has a 2.75lb trigger pull, the other two about 3.25lbs.
No trigger spring cutting necessary.

Easier and less time consuming that a good S&W trigger job. I don't see the need for the expen$ive triggers mentioned above....