Converting pre-66 110's to modern triggers

[Newtosavage]

Has anyone done this? I acquired a pre-66 110 that I am putting back into service. I've worked with the original trigger, and a replacement trigger, for a while now. I'm still not 100% satisfied. Any time I get either trigger under 4 lbs. I begin to worry about slamfires.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has replaced the entire assembly (Sear/bracket/safety/trigger) with something like the Jard system, using their 3-position safety?

Or have you replaced that pre-66 safety with a later model 110, and then used the newer sear and a Timney or another trigger system?

I'm not wanting to go Accutrigger (wouldn't look right at all on this vintage rifle) but I'm not opposed to upgrading to a modern trigger that won't detract from the vintage look of the rifle.

Thanks.

[Robinhood]

the safety is a problem.

[Newtosavage]

the safety is a problem.

Can you elaborate? I understand the original safety would have to be replaced, but it looks like the post '66 safety, or one of the Jard 3-position safeties, would drop right in.

[Robinhood]

Well, you forced me to look at parts and research. What does your safety bar look like?



I think the RB SavII will work.
You will need the pre accutrigger safety and (dumbell) pin.


I may let the guru answer this one as I really don't remember much about the older models. When parts got obsolete i sold and moved on.

[mnbogboy2]

All the parts including safety & sear will fit but the side of the receiver will require a little milling to clear the bolt release lever on the sear. (Bending it will most likely break it "dont ask"��).
I believe the Jard comes with its own sear but assume it is like the newer Savage.

There was a post on here a few months ago where it was done by a member. A search for "Jard" should find it.

Edit: this is the post i was talking about

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?67195-110-trigger-group

[Newtosavage]

Thanks. My safety bar is the "tall" one, but I think the pre-accutrigger safety will fit right in it's place.

Here's what I have:

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/999170.jpg

But I think this later safety should fit right in it's place, opening up the opportunity for modern replacement triggers.

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/138230.jpg

[Newtosavage]

This is the sear I have now:

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/998940.jpg

Are you telling me that if I replaced it with the more modern sear like this one, I'd have to mill the receiver?

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/139590.jpg
I'm not opposed to going with the full Jard (safety and trigger/sear combo) setup, but they only go up to 18 oz. and this is a hunting rifle. I'd like to keep it between 3 and 4 lbs. if I can.

[mnbogboy2]

This is the sear I have now:

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/998940.jpg

Are you telling me that if I replaced it with the more modern sear like this one, I'd have to mill the receiver?

https://d1zzd228d7bvdx.cloudfront.net/products/139590.jpg
I'm not opposed to going with the full Jard (safety and trigger/sear combo) setup, but they only go up to 18 oz. and this is a hunting rifle. I'd like to keep it between 3 and 4 lbs. if I can.

My guess is that the Timney or Rifle Basix Sav-1 would be a better fit for you (and a lot cheaper than the Jard).
You will need a trigger hanger in addition to the newer style sear and safety bar.
As far as the "milling" the guy in the post i linked actually used a die grinder to make clearance on the side of the receiver. As i mentioned i tried to bend one once and broke it (the heat treating is done after it is formed). But i have heard of others having success bending it, but they may have heated it.
Its been a while since ive done this.
I gave the last one i had to a grandaughter and cleaned up and reworked the pre-1966 trigger. It breaks at just under 3#. She has killed 3 or whitetails & a bear with it!

[Newtosavage]

My guess is that the Timney or Rifle Basix Sav-1 would be a better fit for you (and a lot cheaper than the Jard).
You will need a trigger hanger in addition to the newer style sear and safety bar.
As far as the "milling" the guy in the post i linked actually used a die grinder to make clearance on the side of the receiver. As i mentioned i tried to bend one once and broke it (the heat treating is done after it is formed). But i have heard of others having success bending it, but they may have heated it.
Its been a while since ive done this.
I gave the last one i had to a grandaughter and cleaned up and reworked the pre-1966 trigger. It breaks at just under 3#. She has killed 3 or whitetails & a bear with it!

Okay, thanks. I just realized yesterday the hangar is different from the pre-66's to the post-66's, so you are correct about that. I think a Timney or Rifle Basix would look appropriate in that old gun. I don't want to detract from the vintage appearance, but I also want to use it and I can't stand mushy, inconsistent triggers, not to mention unsafe ones. Right now it breaks at 2 lbs. 12-14 oz. pretty reliably, but it just feels "mushy" and a few times it wouldn't reset when I was chambering a round. That worries me, maybe more than it should. But the last thing I want to be worried about on a rifle is the trigger.

[sharpshooter]

You are still going to need the pre-accutrigger safety, which is tough enough to get, but the the part that is hard to find is the detent spring that screws to the safety. You might get lucky and find one as an assembly, that's how they were sold back in the day.

[Robinhood]

You are still going to need the pre-accutrigger safety, which is tough enough to get, but the the part that is hard to find is the detent spring that screws to the safety. You might get lucky and find one as an assembly, that's how they were sold back in the day.


Yep. It will look like this assembled. It is what the little "dumbell" shaped pin slides into when changing safety positions.
https://i.imgur.com/0IZ6NVT.jpg

[mnbogboy2]

Okay, thanks. I just realized yesterday the hangar is different from the pre-66's to the post-66's, so you are correct about that. I think a Timney or Rifle Basix would look appropriate in that old gun. I don't want to detract from the vintage appearance, but I also want to use it and I can't stand mushy, inconsistent triggers, not to mention unsafe ones. Right now it breaks at 2 lbs. 12-14 oz. pretty reliably, but it just feels "mushy" and a few times it wouldn't reset when I was chambering a round. That worries me, maybe more than it should. But the last thing I want to be worried about on a rifle is the trigger.

I have been lucky to successfully adjust these in the past. Not having one to explain how each screw works makes it difficult to describe. You can adjust the level of safety protection & "feel",, the overtravel and the spring return pressure. You must visually inspect the sear & and its mating surface for excessive wear and stone accordingly if you are comfortable with that.
There are several posts on here and other places that explain how & what they did, right or wrong.
Certainly worth your while to investigate. The ones i worked on were approx 3# and broke clean not mushy/creepy.

[Newtosavage]

You are still going to need the pre-accutrigger safety, which is tough enough to get, but the the part that is hard to find is the detent spring that screws to the safety. You might get lucky and find one as an assembly, that's how they were sold back in the day.

Actually, I just bought one off FeeBay. Should be here in a few days. I figured that whole assembly would be hard to locate, so when I saw that one, I jumped on it.

[Newtosavage]

I have been lucky to successfully adjust these in the past. Not having one to explain how each screw works makes it difficult to describe. You can adjust the level of safety protection & "feel",, the overtravel and the spring return pressure. You must visually inspect the sear & and its mating surface for excessive wear and stone accordingly if you are comfortable with that.
There are several posts on here and other places that explain how & what they did, right or wrong.
Certainly worth your while to investigate. The ones i worked on were approx 3# and broke clean not mushy/creepy.

I've done all that already to two pre-66 triggers. There is no spring to adjust unless you're talking about the sear return spring. Mine breaks consistently at 2 lbs. 14 oz. but I just don't like the way it feels. Hard to explain. It's not "crisp" and I'm sure it's due to my lousy stoning job.

[Newtosavage]

Yep. It will look like this assembled. It is what the little "dumbell" shaped pin slides into when changing safety positions.
https://i.imgur.com/0IZ6NVT.jpg

That's what I have coming. That whole assembly. Now I just need a post-66 sear, and they are proving very hard to find.

[mnbogboy2]

http://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?129-Early-Savage-110-Trigger-Adjustment

The screw in the end of the trigger serves 2 purposes. One is to hold the detent ball which holds the pivot pin in. The head of the screw controls the actual sear engagement. With the screw turned all the way in the sear engagement is the smallest. If this screw is backed out very much then the trigger will feel "creepy". Thats as much as i remember without actual tearing into one again. If it were me i would turn it all the way in before making the other adjustments.

Hopefully you can find all the parts for the more "modern" trigger.

[Newtosavage]

http://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?129-Early-Savage-110-Trigger-Adjustment

The screw in the end of the trigger serves 2 purposes. One is to hold the detent ball which holds the pivot pin in. The head of the screw controls the actual sear engagement. With the screw turned all the way in the sear engagement is the smallest. If this screw is backed out very much then the trigger will feel "creepy". Thats as much as i remember without actual tearing into one again. If it were me i would turn it all the way in before making the other adjustments.

Hopefully you can find all the parts for the more "modern" trigger.

Funny you wrote this. As you were writing this, I decided to pull the gun apart once again (hopefully the zero will hold, again) and back out that sear engagement screw you're talking about. I wanted the peace of mind that there was a little more "meat" holding that sear than I had when it was screwed all the way in. I backed it out about 3/4 turn. That gave me another 8 oz. of trigger pull. So it went from 2 lbs. 14 (ish) oz. to 3 lbs. 8 (ish) oz. That's good. This is a hunting rifle and I don't mind a 3 1/2 lb. trigger, especially since it doesn't have the safety blade of the Accutrigger.

In the past when I've done this (backed that screw out) the pull was smooth for the first 5-10 then I could tell the pull weight increased gradually. Hopefully it doesn't do that again.

In the meantime, I'll keep accumulating the parts I need to replace the whole assembly with a Timney or Rifle Basix or the like.

I really do appreciate everyone's help on this. You guys are great.

[Newtosavage]

BTW, after really paying attention, it's not creeping at all. I looked very, very closely, and there is zero creep before it fires.

I think what's throwing me is the overtravel. It can only be adjusted so much, and it has more overtravel than either of my Accutriggers have. They seem more "crisp" but that's because they feel lighter and have less overtravel.

On the pre-66 triggers, if you reduce the overtravel by backing that screw out on the trigger, you can only go so far before you interfere with the safety. I have it as short as I can get it, with everything still functioning properly.

At this point, I'm just being a whiner because this trigger is actually pretty good if I have to be honest. I'm just a little spoiled by my newest Accutriggers. :D