How I adjusted the trigger on my Marlin 60 (Drawing)

[ArrowDodger]

Originally Posted by Mark75H

Isn't this usually related to the amount of sear engagement and therefore a safety concern to make too short?

You are thinking correct on the bolt action style direct-contact sear but on the Marlin semi-autos, there is additional "creep" or gaps on both ends of the disconnector besides the sear ledge that you refer to. The disconnector is a linkage between the trigger and the sear.

This pre-travel does not bother me because I squeeze the pre-travel out until I feel the sear drag. This is easily felt in the KAT trigger when you know you are at the tripping point.

One cannot eliminate the entire pre-travel on the disconnector because it needs slight clearance to wobble back and reset.

[Viejo]

Originally Posted by dayid

When using a trigger, you can normally feel "take-up" (the very low-pressure area before you really have to squeeze the trigger to move it), and then the "creep". Creep is when you are applying pressure and you have met resistance, but the trigger is still not "breaking" yet - it's when the sear is grinding/resisting before releasing the hammer.

In a perfect single-action trigger (preference...), from the moment your finger is on the trigger, the only pressure needed is the pressure that will make it go "bang" - and the trigger will then be all the way back (or against an overtravel screw) - vs having a little pressure for the first 50% of the pull, then more pressure for the next 30%, then finally getting "bang" and then having overtravel - the distance the trigger travels backwards after the bang.

In a ballpoint pen that is activated with a plunger to put the tip in/out:
take-up is how much movement before you feel pressure
creep is how much engagement with pressure there is before it toggles the tip in/out
overtravel is how much further you can push it down after it's "clicked"

Thanks. Thought that might be it, but wasn't sure.

Evidently, I got a good M60, trigger is slight resistence until it goes bang and then it stops. I know fairly well where it'll let go from experience, but it still surprises me when it happens (a little).

[Howtech]

After reading all 17 pages of this thread, all great advice, I must be one of the lucky ones with my 60. Granted, there is some creep but I find the pull to be "lite" compared to some of the horror stories here. Maybe from many years of use (it's an '85) she's not too bad. I can't fathom the fact that some of you can hold the rifle's weight by the trigger and not have it fire. I have to measure mine but an educated guess would be that it's down around 3 lbs. at worst. I'm going to incorporate a set screw on the trigger to take up some of the "play" and work the seer to shorten the creep but that's it. No spring changing or altering.

[ngzcaz]

First, my hat's off to the guys that have infinite patience and talent for diving into the internals of these weapons and modifying the triggers to a more acceptable level. All those diagrams and drawings make my head spin. I don't have it and probably will never have the expertise to do it. Soo... for the rest of us what is left ? It's hard in my area to find any gunsmith to do a trigger job, let alone on a Model 60. I recently did a replacement trigger on a Taurus G2 that was supposed to be around 30 minutes. I immediately thought, well I'll double that time. Turns out I can't even share how long it took, I'm that embarassed. Older shaky RA hands and fat fingers with no fingernails do not make for handling small little pieces and springs that take off on their own... anything that is doable for a guy like me ?? Or steer me toward someone that will do it reasonably ?

[Tsb3]

^^^^^ Check out Mcarbo's website. They have good products that have a straight forward installation.
Also many people speak highly of Arrowdodger. He is an RFC member.

[singleshotcajun]

Mcarbo has a lot of cool stuff. If your M 60 has the cheesy plastic trigger guard I would recommend a DIP trigger guard and trigger kit. Kind of pricey but the first time you break a plastic trigger guard tightening the rear action screw you will want one. DIP triggers are nice. Cheers.

https://www.diproductsinc.com/Detail...56306&CAT=3603

[ngzcaz]

Originally Posted by singleshotcajun

Mcarbo has a lot of cool stuff. If your M 60 has the cheesy plastic trigger guard I would recommend a DIP trigger guard and trigger kit. Kind of pricey but the first time you break a plastic trigger guard tightening the rear action screw you will want one. DIP triggers are nice. Cheers.

https://www.diproductsinc.com/Detail...56306&CAT=3603

I probably will take the trigger assembly out and try bending the spring first. I just can't justify spending a significant amount of money on something I'll shoot 2 or three times a year at the range. If money was no object, sure.. But it is a factor on a fixed income. At my age I have too many guns and not enough time left to shoot them all let alone messing with the internals too much. I did however, do a Savage .22 bolt action ( utube video ) that was very easy to do and actually turned out to be 1/2 hr tops. My .223 Compass trigger was even quicker. I think I mentioned earlier that I did a Taurus 9mm striker fire trigger with an aftermarket and it was a disaster to finish with older hands, small parts and virtually no fingernails. So long that I'm mad at myself for tackling it. Results at least were satisfying but would not have done it had I known what the real time would have been. The Marlin trigger spring bend is about all I'll do at this point in time. I'm realistic enough to know its not going to be a 3 lb trigger. Anything 5 or under will be a pleasant result. And if it results in almost nothing that's ok too. At least I gave it a shot.

[ferg]

You can easily remove at least one pound by replacing the actual trigger return spring with a spring from a 31/2" floppy disc slider. You'll have to bend it around some using needle nose pliers of similar. I have a couple of spares if you really need one, PM.

[ngzcaz]

Originally Posted by ferg

You can easily remove at least one pound by replacing the actual trigger return spring with a spring from a 31/2" floppy disc slider. You'll have to bend it around some using needle nose pliers of similar. I have a couple of spares if you really need one, PM.

I'm certainly not a youngster but I can't recall ever seeing a floppy disc slider. I've had Am, Fm, cassettes, VHS, 5 1/4 discs, Cd's. Dvd's Super 8's, 45's, 78's, 33 1/3, 16mm etc etc. Somehow a 3 1/2 disc and spring eluded me. I think I'll look on the internet to find out what the heck it is/was.

[ngzcaz]

Originally Posted by ngzcaz

I'm certainly not a youngster but I can't recall ever seeing a floppy disc slider. I've had Am, Fm, cassettes, VHS, 5 1/4 discs, Cd's. Dvd's Super 8's, 45's, 78's, 33 1/3, 16mm etc etc. Somehow a 3 1/2 disc and spring eluded me. I think I'll look on the internet to find out what the heck it is/was.

Well I just found what it is... Seems I did see them before and even had them before. It's just been a while... a long while.

[FredT]

Sorry - I KNOW this is an old thread, and I don't mean to be critical - really I don't - but I'm missing something here: Like ALL the text (explanation)... I too have an old Model 60 and would like to weaken the trigger AND reduce over-travel. THANKS..... FredT

[FredT]

Like so many Model 60 owners I would like to make this trigger modification to my own gun, but when I "click" on this topic all I see is a very complicated & involved assembly drawing of the Model 60 trigger group - NO TEXT OR EXPLANATION WHATSOEVER. So please tell me: What am I doing wrong, and where do I go to get step by step, written instructions of what to do? Please help. Thanks. FredT

[ngzcaz]

Originally Posted by FredT

Like so many Model 60 owners I would like to make this trigger modification to my own gun, but when I "click" on this topic all I see is a very complicated & involved assembly drawing of the Model 60 trigger group - NO TEXT OR EXPLANATION WHATSOEVER. So please tell me: What am I doing wrong, and where do I go to get step by step, written instructions of what to do? Please help. Thanks. FredT

Yeah, when you see the drawings it's certainly intimidating. Maybe what is needed is a " Quick Trigger Mod Marlin 60 " sticky or something like that and review the short cuts w/out tearing into the gun w/out proper knowledge. Stuff like Lubing, trigger spring bend or replacement, trigger stop set screw, etc etc and instructions that most can understand. A kind of " Model 60 Trigger Mod for Dummies' ". Gunsmiths in my area won't touch the Model 60 for fear of lawsuits though I think that might be overhyped a bit. I've done the rudimentary trigger spring mod and I really can't tell much, if any, difference. The trigger is the big bug a boo with the 60. One can't tell how accurate or inaccurate it is in it's stock form.