Timney Trigger Installation on the Winchester Model 70 Rifle

Part of the accuracy workup on the Winchester Model 70 Stealth II short-action rifle shown here included installation of anew trigger. Timney makes an excellent trigger’I used their Model 401and found it to be quite fg. Inc.; sonable, at around $115. The improved performance, as I’ll detail in a moment, made the cost seem even more reasonable. Installing the Trigger This trigger for the Model 70 was designed by Timney back in the 1960s to alleviate one of shooter’s biggest complaints with this rifle.

The rugged but lightweight Timney trigger is made of 6061 T-6 aluminum alloy, with hardened steel at all wear surfaces. It’s adjustable from under 2 pounds to nearly 4 pounds, without creep or overtravel. Complete instructions come with the trigger, written in easy to understand language. The rifle must be unloaded’of course’and the barreled action removed from its stock. This will give you access to the trigger system. To begin the installation, place the barrel in a padded vise with the trigger assembly upward.

All parts will then be accessible and held steady. Remove the factory trigger by tapping out the pin. Remove the bolt stop, bolt-stop pivot pin, and its spring. (The boltstop pin releases the coil spring that activates the bolt stop.) This spring is under some pressure, so be careful not to lose these parts’t hey will be reused. After lifting out the old trigger from the action, place the new trigger into position with the pin holes aligned. Then work in the pin that holds the bolt stop and spring in position.

Some downward pressure will be needed against the coil of this spring to insert the pin. Then tighten the retaining screw located at the forward part of the trigger, and put moderate tension on the lock nut. As it would be on other Model 70s, installation of the Timney trigger on the Stealth II shortaction was totally without complication. Using a Lyman digital scale for testing, I was able to adjust the trigger pull down to a safe 1 pound 4 ounces. The adjustments are easily performed but must be done carefully.

All you’ll need are an open-end, 1/4-inch wrench and a small Allen wrench. Positioning the action in the stock will retain the pins, so no adhesive is necessary on reinstallation. The lower front screw is the trigger-pull adjustment screw. It’s set at 3 pounds from the factory. Turning this screw counter-clockwise lightens the pull weight. Timney does not suggest going below 2 pounds on trigger-pull weight. The upper front screw is the trigger "backlash" or overtravel adjustment screw.

Avoid excessive tightening of this screw or the firing-pin fall can be slowed or even stopped. I didn’t find it necessary to alter this adjustment. The rear screw is for the sear ad-

The supplied instructions clearly detail both the installation and the adjustments. justment. Sear engagement is preset at the factory when the trigger is tested. Timney says it should not be decreased below the factory preset. The knowledgeable gunsmith, however, can perform a more sensitive sear adjustment in conjunction with trigger-pull weight. Depending on the individual rifle, it’s possible some stock material may need to be removed where the trigger mechanism passes through the mortise.

A small chisel does the job here. Some attention at the sides of the trigger guard may also be required. If the trigger shoe is too long, minor grinding to shorten it may be required. I did not find this necessary. Further Instructions If, after the trigger installation, the safety fails to function correctly, it may be necessary to make additional The Timney aftermarket trigger is held securely in place by the two original pins and the forward locking screw. adjustments within the bolt.

The instructions provided cover this in detail, if required. I’ve installed the Timney Model 401 trigger on many Model 70 Winchester rifles. All went without a hitch, and the original bolt-type safety worked fine. The Winchester’s three-position bolt safety can be hard to move from one position to another right out of the box. Most of these safeties will work more easily after working the thumb lever back and forth, as needed, and applying a good lubricant.

The firing-pin assembly can be screwed out of the bolt with the safety in the centermost position. Conclusion Installation of anew Timney trigger on the Winchester Model 70 will result in a very smooth and safe trigger. Moreover, the Timney aftermarket trigger is designed to outlast the rifle. If you don’t feel comfortable doing the installation or if your customer is in a hurry, Timney will install the trigger for an extra $40 plus $8 for shipping and handling. I

AGARAD6 Armorer’s Course Spread Ad (p/u from 4/08 issue)

AGARAD6 Armorer’s Course Spread Ad (p/u from 4/08 issue)