Gunsmithing Are the new Remington triggers really junk?

silent runner

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Minuteman
Apr 6, 2013
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Klamath Falls, Oregon
Picked up my brand new 700 .300WM today from our local gunsmith, after having him install a muzzle brake. This gun has yet to have one round through it. The guy said, "the brake went on real nice, only one problem, I broke the trigger, they are junk anyway. I put one on that I had but it's not adjustable.
I'll try to get Remington to warranty it if you want it back." I wasn't real happy by the time I got home as I have been waiting for 2 months for him to get this done. I really didn't want to change out triggers on a new gun right off the bat, but I checked the one that was put in and it has right at 1lb pull. A bit light for me. I doubt I will ever use this 'smith again, so what would be the better way to go? Get a new assembly from Rem, or a Timney?
 
The new xmark trigger sucks balls. I have either 3 or 5 of them sitting her that all have sear mating surface erosion from failed metallurgy in very few rounds of firing.
Translation - your gun went off without your saying so. Xmark sucks.
 
I had to polish the holy shit out of the xmark in my buddies VLS. Prior to polishing and a tiny bit of filing of the sear (eek) the thing would only adjust down to 4lb 14 oz. We got it down to 3 lb 7 oz. I don't see it possible to get it any lower than that safely. No way.

EDIT - it is down to 2 lb 7ish oz...not 3lb7. I remembered wrong!


I just did 5 trigger pulls with the Lyman electronic gauge and it average 2lb 8 or 9 oz.
This is just an xmark stock trigger on the VLS Remmy. It is consistent within 2 to 4 oounces. I just pulled it over 10 times with the gauge. Xmark's are decent if you know how to work them.
 
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I've got 3 Jewels in target guns, 3 timneys, 1 accu trigger, 1 rifle basix, and 3 XMARK tuned by GAP. I like the xmarks as much as anything really. I believe their tough and they feel fine to me. I have them set at 2.5 lbs. I understand what most ppl think about them and thats fine. We've got 3 factory guns between me and my dad all with xmarks and 2 are pretty good and one feels like crap. My Xmarks are on Surgeon, Remmy, and Templar actions that are 100% custom other than triggers and the one trued action and shoot just as you would expect from those builders. I will not ever use a rifle in the field with a jewel again. They are pure trash in my eyes for a gun that you will put through the ringer and have to depend on.

If I don;t go with the xmark I have liked the Timney and feel it's a great buy. I'm happy with the RB too.

Good luck
 
They are the worst POS Ive ever seen on a 700 Rem, never even fired my SPSS until I installed a Jewell. I actually gave mine away to a guy in PA, I even picked up the shipping and said, BYE BYE!
 
Everyone trashes the X-Mark, but that is what GAP shipped on one of my rifles (with their tuning, of course), and it felt great.

On the X-Mark Pro, the screw on the trigger shoe is indeed useless... until one adjusts the preload screw on the front of the trigger housing.
 
I have 2 rifles that were built on the Rem 700 action. One is a .243 and the other a .308. Have a Jewell on the .243, which makes it my favorite rifle to shoot (at the moment). The .308 has a "tuned" XMark. It's around 3.0 pull. The Jewell is 2.4. However, it feels like a 5 pound difference between the two. I ordered a Jewell from Great Scott Triggers earlier this week for the .308. I had shot it for the first time to zero scope on sunday, and then ran about 50 rounds through it on Monday. I was shooting between .7 - .9 MOA at 300 yards with a 7 - 10 full value right to left wind. I'm no expert by any means, so those were good groups (espcially considering I was shooting factory remanufactured ammo). The .243 had a "tuned" XMark to approximately 3 lbs on it when I bought it, and I went from .75 to .5 MOA when changing to the Jewell. I'm anticipating a similar effect on the .308.

Coming from someone that just shot 2 different XMarks and switched to a Jewell, I can't imagine wasting ammo using the factory trigger. Unless GAP tunes it, you're likely better off with something else. Doesn't have to be Jewell. Timney would be a solid upgrade too. I've had Timney, but in my opinion, it doesn't even come close to Jewell. Save up a couple hundred bucks and spring for a Jewell before doing anything else to the rifle. You'll never turn back!

Also, I'd be damn nervous using the XMark at 1.0 lb.
 
I have three rifles that came with X-Mark triggers two were absolute junk and the third one is awesome. Adjusts fine and is crisp and performs well. Even as good as it is it is not long for my safe it will be replaced with a Jewell.
 
Yes, the new factory Remington triggers are junk.

How did your gunsmith break it?

He did not 'elaborate' on just how it was broken, just showed me a bag of trigger parts that were 'mine'. I had planned to upgrade later, but really felt that I should have been told ahead of time what happened. Instead, I got a call it was done, and only when I went to pick it was told, Oh,BTW I broke your trigger, but will sell you another one and only charge you wholesale. Small town, very few gunsmiths, and the list just got shorter. What he replaced it with is actually unsafe to shoot-safety don't work, and the bolt release is bent to hell. All the places I've checked so far are backordered for a couple of months.........so I won't be shooting this for a while. Thanks for all the input.

Mike
 
I hope no one slaps me down too hard. I love the x-mark. The Jewel is excellent trigger oozes quality but it has a very unique feel. Finally, the M40s in my reserve unit's locker sport x-marks that are pretty much stock "tuned" to a very crisp 3.5 lbs. Never heard of one breaking in combat.

I wonder if your smith torqued on the trigger while putting on muzzle brake. Please make sure your action did not get twisted in the process.
 
You should not get slapped down at all. Triggers, like any other part of a rifle come down to personal choice. If you like them and have good results then go with it. I use a few items that others have not liked but the items work well for me so I stick with it. Forums are a good place to get information but remember that everyone will support their own decisions over others (even if they have no experience with what they are bashing and are simply relaying information they heard from someone else).
 
sounds like he did you a favor. If that trigger you have on your rifle know went down to 1LB it most likely will adjust up to 3lb. A shit trigger is what you had, and now it sounds as if you have something worth having. Just my opinion. Things happen as we are all human. As long as he took care of you after his mishap is what matters. Im more than sure he didnt brake your trigger on purpose, and you wouldnt have liked the trigger that was on it anyway. If you care enough about your rifle to have work done to it, and it sounds like you do, the trigger you had wouldnt have made you happy or even show you what your rifle was capable of anyway, Try to adjust it up some, or feel free to PM me and i will help you adjust it up. Lee