G2 trigger modification, zero overtravel 3.5 lb. trigger

After taking my new Axis trigger apart, and studying other makes of triggers and some online ball point pen spring modifications, I'm in my own experiment. I see that $109 Timney does not have overtravel adj. I do not care for overtravel in triggers and this one one had plenty, I noticed when the coil spring is removed the hole it is in is tapped for 10-24 screw. By cutting down a 10-24 machine screw and placing a spring over it from a Pilot G2 pen, I succeeded in reducing both overtravel and reducing trigger pull to 3.5 lbs. I did not attempt any change in sear engagement as break is crisp with clean and greased surfaces, (Savage suggests dry Moly Lube). I made sure safety adjustment still allows no movement of sear when engaged. I used a 10-24 stainless machine screw which was about 2 inches long before cutting to correct length. I just ran screw in until I got the near zero overtravel reduction I wanted, then cut screw with hacksaw and used dremel to make screwdriver slot in it. I took threads off the screw above trigger because spring fits over it fairly close, and I wanted it to slide up and down without any binding. ( chucked in drill press cut with file), I used blue loctite on the screw threads. Actually took me longer to make a 7mm-08 snap cap. After adjustment, I pounded action and barrel with rubber mallet to see it there was anyway light spring would let it fire. I put barreled action back in stock and dropped rifle to floor, on recoil pad, from 2 feet, again no discharge. Basically I'm dependant on a stainless steel spring made for a good quality ball point pen, which is supposed to take hundreds of cycles. But, there is Murphy's law and we really have no history to speak of about this trigger as it is. However, I'm very happy with the results, the trigger feels very good. I would advise you to attempt this only if you understand how trigger works, and keep a careful and safe watch on it's operation. The pen spring is about 75-80% compressed and total trigger travel is about 1/8". The spring is well captured, if screw moves up, it will not fire, if it moves down the overtravel will just increase. The danger is the spring pressure, it has to be enough to fully reset sear. This is what should be watched, along with any dirt or lack of light lubrication of all moving parts. This was done on new 7mm-08, just purchased. Any feedback on how it works for you would be good for all. Nothing was altered, so all stock parts can be replaced to bring it back to stock configuration.

Some pictures of installation:

http://www.keepandshare.com/userpics...?ts=1367691000

http://www.keepandshare.com/userpics...?ts=1367691000

First of all, nice job. 8)

What you are calling "backlash" I believe is usually called overtravel, that is, trigger movement to the rear after the sear has released. I am not trying to be nit picky, but by everyone using standard terminology, we all tend to communicate more efficiently.

Having said that, I did something similar to my MKII to reduce trigger weight and trigger overtravel. I used a nylon screw, but the basic theory and practice was the same as what you did.

The downside to this method is that with no overtravel, one can not remove the bolt from the action without taking the action out of the stock and backing out the overtravel adjustment screw until the trigger can be pulled back far enough to allow the bolt release to work.
I suppose you could drill a very small hole in the stock at the appropriate point so you could access the overtravel sdjustment screw from the outside, but because it is right behind the trigger, that may be difficult. One alternative would be to to drill and tap a hole in the trigger guard (easy) or the trigger (Harder) and put the overtravel adjustment screw in one of those more conventional locations.

Congratulations on being an "out of the box" thinker and for sharing your ideas here.

Overtravel is correct, had a brain----.. ::) Up too late...... I did have some interference at first adjustment with the sear travel when pushing down on it to release bolt. You can open up the overtravel, easily by just removing triggerguard on Axis, which gives access to bottom of trigger ( one of it's nice features of Axis design). I just backed out screw until I can just push bolt release/sear all the way without any interference. At that point, overtravel is minimal and bolt can be removed. My finger is not good enough to tell if overtravel could be reduced more. But, if one wanted to, top surface of trigger, leaving sear area alone, could be ground a few thousands allowing sear to not be bound up during bolt removal. This might have more to do with cross pin slop between different trigger assemblies. BTW, the trigger can be tested without bolt in, just push down on the bolt release putting pressure on sear, and pull trigger. The 10-24 thread is not as precise as a finer thread, so a good fitting 10-24 machine screw and loctite are needed. I keep looking at the Timney $100 trigger photos, and it says it has overtravel adjustment, but I don't see it, and it is not mentioned in the installation instructions, on their website????????? Some videos refer to the safety overtravel screw as the overtravel adjustment?? Anyone have one, chime in please...

From Timney instructions:

http://www.keepandshare.com/userpics...?ts=1330894581

Now up to about 100 trigger pulls with snap cap, spring scale still reads between 3.25 and 3.50 lbs. Smooth and crisp break. I obsessed over the threads left on top of screw that might rub on spring coils during it's maybe <1/8" of travel. So, I removed it, chucked it in my drill press with thread area protected with tape and with a mill file turned it down until all the threads above trigger where gone and then polished it with emery cloth. Made no difference in trigger feel. Also installed a thin #6 SS washer on trigger pin to reduce side to side movement as others have suggested.

For lack of any other description, I'm naming it the "Pilot G2 trigger".

Nice Job! I replaced the trigger spring in a Ruger M77 .243 that i used to own with the Pilot G2 spring about a year ago and it is still working very well for a friend that owns it now.

On both my Axis 7mm-08 and .223 Remington, I just cut the spring down a coil and half like an earlier post shows to do. Then lightly honed the sear with a sharpening stone and got both of mine under 2 lbs. and it doesn't interfere with removing my bolt to clean the bore frequently which I have found on both of mine that the groups start opening up after 8-10 shots. I'm glad we have a common place to share things like this and save ourselves some cash.

Glad to see womeone finaly figgured this out, been doing this mod to Savage for a few years now, it works well on accu-triggers .