Making a Custom Trigger Guard

This custom trigger guard was made for a Model 700 Remington action bedded into a Remington Model 40X modified stock. The loop is somewhat larger than the standard Model 700 or 40X aluminum trigger guard and much more durable. The part is made from a block of flat hot or cold rolled steel, the thickness matching the width of a standard factory trigger guard to fit the rifle’s stock mortise and guard screw hole pattern.

Start with a Trace First, I traced a pattern of an existing Remington trigger guard and made it just a little larger to fit a gloved finger and the pattern transferred to the metal block in preparation for machining. Then, while still a rectangular piece with square corners, I placed the block in the milling vise.

At this point the majority of the metal is removed from the inner margins The loop of this custom trigger guard is somewhat larger than factory issue and is designed to comfortably fit a gloved finger. of the trigger guard, forming a nearfinished inner configuration. Tool bit choice here can range from drills to hog out metal, to end mills forming the necessary oval curves. A knack in simultaneously controlling both milling machine feed knobs is quickly learned.

The key here is to go at it slowly and to stay clear of the pattern edges. The inner loop can nearly be completed at this time, including file and stripping work. Working around the outer boards can then be formed using a steel saw such as a steel cutting blade in a vertical band saw, a good coping saw, or similar. With the piece thus formed, I shaped the end corners to fit the stock trigger guard mortise. A good eye with a steel buffing wheel, or even a flat file, will do well here.

As the part fits the stock mortise, the action screw holes are marked and drilled. Be sure these coincide with the actual holes in the action because stock holes area less precise means of determining hole spacing. Holes are then beveled or recessed to fit the guard screw heads. The trigger shoe slot is cut with an end mill while the part is held in a mill vise. Depending on the width of the trigger shoe, the remaining rails on the guard can get quite thin, so

watch it here and be sure the trigger guard remains at full width of the stock mortise. Be especially careful with after-market triggers as some of them have wider shoes. Once this slot is right, the trigger guard is then ready for final touches. Finishing the Trigger Guard The similarity between a wood carv er and a metalsmith is quite close — wood chips and sawdust, or metal chips and filings. Each medium yields a product equal to one’s talent and touch, with a good measure of satisfaction for your efforts.

Proper machinist files, including the round and half-round, are excellent tools for shaping the inner loop of the trigger guard. A thin strip of aluminum oxide paper is then used to shape and polish the curved surfaces of the trigger guard, along with a good buffing wheel. The final step is bluing. If well polished, cold bluing can do quite well depending on the metal you have selected, but the high luster of hot bluing is worth waiting for. Conclusion Making a custom trigger guard is not a mass-production effort.

This hand-crafted part is meant for the discriminate gun owner who knows precisely what he or she wants; a la pre-1964 Model 70 Winchesters, and the like. AG