RE: Weight for me
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This is so true. We have similar tastes here. On a couple of my target rifles/pistols, I may go just under that, but same general area. The timing is very funny, I went to the range last weekend to push distance as you saw in my Kestrel/Sig Kilo post. What I did not mention in that post was that I also shot a Ruger M77 bolt action .22-250. I had this zero'd at 100 yards, and found it accurate at that distance.
I haven't shot it in a while and I suppose I've become spoiled with my other custom triggers. I measured the holdover at 200 yards with the strelok app and went to shoot. I found the trigger so hard to pull compared to my others that at first I thought the safety was on and pulled the rifle off target to check it lol. After I verified that the safety was indeed off, I pulled a little harder and sure enough, it fired. What I found though was no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep it on target while pulling that hard trigger, it was constantly pulling off at least a half inch to inch. I did get it more consistent after several rounds, but wow, what a difference this can make when shooting longer distances. I haven't measured it yet, but just guessing, it must be over 6lbs of pull. I'm sure I'll be upgrading that one as well. It's one of my favorite calibers to shoot.
Great timing I think, your Ruger M77 shoot...Clearly that happened simply to prove my point here. 🤔
When writing I was scratching my head to recall some figures to substantiate my claim but couldn't really remember anything definitively enough to write - Now you've done it for me.
The trigger weight is so important and I recall back to the early days, shooting with people who didn't really know, and wonder how they could possibly not have known this! I don't recall them ever having custom triggers though, or talking about pull-weight. Hunters though, not long range shooters.
I had an M77 (MkII) in .243, my first rifle as it turns out. I cannot remember the trigger pull but would have been similar I suppose. Pretty hard to keep on target when you're pulling so hard. I practice my trigger pull, work on making sure it's a smooth precise pull, straight back, on the trigger. Too heavy a trigger and it can pull or push one way and as you know, those minute changes can affect the FOS down range greatly.
This is the cool thing with firearms and shooting I think, it's all encompassing. One can't just do one part well, it all has to be done well.
Thanks for your data and comment, as always.
!ENGAGE 50
Well @galenkp, You may know me by now. I had to go and measure it. The ruger M77 trigger is currently 5 lbs. 6 oz. So, not quite the 6 pounds I thought, but the feel still seems even heavier than that for me.
I may be on my way to becoming a trigger snob, lol. I found it intolerable on that rifle, annoying at 100 yards, and just plain unusable at 200 yards (at least for me). I broke down today and ordered an adjustable Timney trigger for it. It looks like there may be some minor fitting and filing to do during install, but I just know that I will enjoy this rifle so much more with a good trigger.
Trigger snob 😂 Aren't we all? Well, those that know the difference between good and bad. So many do not and simply shoot what they have.
I only use Timney triggers if available although some factory ones are a little adjustable and I've brought them to a suitable pull-weight. (Acceptable, not suitable). Sometimes I'll make do if it means saving some money for more important things.
Let's see what you bring the Romney down to. Do a post.
ENGAGEtokens.