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Adjusting the Anschutz 5109 Trigger on a 1712

34K views 38 replies 20 participants last post by  horseman2 
#1 ·
Ok. I've been convinced to show some love for the 5109 trigger that came on my new 1712. Now the question is how to adjust it.

The Anschutz manual is really opaque on this. They show a picture of a single-stage trigger, with the various screws numbered, and then move to a match trigger with the screws numbered. Nowhere is there a picture of the 5109 trigger detailed with the screws identified.

I put a trigger gauge on it and found that it took about 16 oz. to get through the first stage, and another 14-15 oz. to get the 2nd stage to break. I'd like to lighten both stages, but I guess that, if only one can be lightened, it should be the 2nd-stage.

Can anyone point me to some detailed adjustment instructions for the 5109? I'm a little leery about attempting this on my own, but, if I had good instructions, I might attempt it.

Apologies for my ignorance (and timidity) on this.
 
#2 · (Edited)
If I can do it, anyone can do it. ;)

You'll need a small screwdriver and a small hex key, I forget what size.



The screw in front controls the pull weight. Start with about 1/8" (3mm) of the screw exposed just to get some weight on it while we set the screw for the second stage (sear engagement).

With the weight screw put where we want it, we now start monkeying around with the screw for the second stage. The adjustment on this screw is pretty sensitive -- it doesn't take much of an adjustment to make a big difference, so make small adjustments, test your work, then try again. Start by turning the screw inward a turn or two. If it goes all the way in you will have a single stage trigger; no problem with that and that's not a bad place to start.

Now, back the second-stage screw out 1/8 of a turn and test the trigger by dry firing. Did you feel a sharp, crisp, positive stop between the end of the first stage and the final pull needed to trip the trigger? Did you get a nice crisp break as the trigger tripped? If not, turn the screw out another 1/8 of a turn, cock the bolt, and try it again. Lather, rinse, repeat until you get a positive, crisp stop between the first and second stage with a nice crisp break as the trigger releases. If you go too far you will have the trigger tripping without first feeling a stop as it hits the second stage. Just turn it in about a half-turn and start over from there.

Once you have the break you want between first and second stages, go back and fiddle with the first screw.... the one for setting pull weight... until you get it where you want it. Turning it in makes the pull weight heavier. Once you have the weight where you want it you might find you have to fine tune the second-stage screw again as adjusting one can affect the other.

On the flip side of the trigger you will find a small hex screw that loosens the trigger blade so it can be moved fore or aft to suit your preference for LOP.



After any messing around with the trigger I always do a couple of czechs to make sure I have a safe trigger. I do them with the stock removed just to avoid any risk of damage to the stock. I start by opening the bolt, slamming it forward, closing the handle and then pulling the trigger. Did the trigger release? If not, the gun went off when the bolt slammed forward. Need some more weight or more sear engagement (that second stage).

Next, I'll cock and close the bolt then whack on the action with the heel of my hand or a soft-rubber mallet. Does the gun go off? If so, the trigger needs some fine tuning. Note that you might have to pull the trigger to see if it has already gone off.... sometimes you can't hear that faint click with all the whacking going on.

Lastly, reczech the function of the safety. Close the bolt, set the safety, pull the trigger. The gun should not fire. Release the safety. The gun should not fire. Now pull the trigger. The gun should fire.

That's it -- as easy as cake, a piece of pie. :bthumb:
 
#9 ·
I should also have made a photo with the trigger turned the other way so you could also see the screw you loosen to move the trigger blade fore or aft.
One thing I will add to this is that this screw, the trigger LOP screw which has a hex head is very tight and has "loctite" applied to it's threads from the factory, it can easily be rounded out. It is recommended to first heat the screw with a heat gun before attempting to loosen the screw for adjustment, don't ask me how I know this. Why in the world the Germans would use Loctite on a screw this small and as tight as they set it is beyond me.
 
#3 · (Edited)
As usual Sophia has done an excellent job. And thanks for a little Otis Redding. :bthumb:

I went through this same exercise yesterday out in my shop with my 1712. I'm really not a fan of the two stage trigger, and mine seems to have a pretty long take-up on the first stage. I was reading somewhere and ran upon an article on how to adjust the Anschutz two stage trigger. In that article were instructions for reducing the length of the first stage. Hot dog!....I thought.

Upon getting mine out of the stock, I quickly discovered the article as about a different two stage trigger. So out of desperation, I pulled the CD that came with the gun from the box and took a look. It had instructions for adjusting the trigger....but in German and did not have them in English....:(. So I did the next best thing, I did a search on the 5109 trigger on Gunbroker and found excellent information. I also discovered there are basically only three adjustments.....you can move the trigger fore and aft, you can adjust the sear engagement, and you can adjust the trigger pull. No adjustment for first stage travel or independent pull adjustment for first and second stage....one affects the other. :(

One thing you can do is substitute a lighter trigger spring to reduce pull weight....just do as Sophia says and check to make sure it is safe. I left my spring as is. :bthumb:
 
#11 ·
As usual Sophia has done an excellent job. And thanks for a little Otis Redding. :bthumb:

I went through this same exercise yesterday out in my shop with my 1712. I'm really not a fan of the two stage trigger, and mine seems to have a pretty long take-up on the first stage. I was reading somewhere and ran upon an article on how to adjust the Anschutz two stage trigger. In that article were instructions for reducing the length of the first stage. Hot dog!....I thought.

Upon getting mine out of the stock, I quickly discovered the article as about a different two stage trigger. So out of desperation, I pulled the CD that came with the gun from the box and took a look. It had instructions for adjusting the trigger....but in German and did not have them in English....:(. So I did the next best thing, I did a search on the 5109 trigger on Gunbroker and found excellent information. I also discovered there are basically only three adjustments.....you can move the trigger fore and aft, you can adjust the sear engagement, and you can adjust the trigger pull. No adjustment for first stage travel or independent pull adjustment for first and second stage....one affects the other. :(

One thing you can do is substitute a lighter trigger spring to reduce pull weight....just do as Sophia says and check to make sure it is safe. I left my spring as is. :bthumb:
Pump .22s (or Sophia or anyone), I just got the spring set from J&P and am unclear just where to put it. Do you simply back the screw labeled "weight" in Sophia`s excellent tutorial above right out (i.e., temporarily removing it completely) and replace the spring that`s there with the lighter one, then putting that weight screw back to about where it was previously?
 
#5 ·
Wow! Holy Moses, what a great tutorial, Sophia. Many many thanks for taking the time and including the picture. Anschutz should put those instructions into their manual.

Now that I have perfectly clear, unambiguous instructions, I think I can overcome my fear of things mechanical, and will go ahead and probably screw it up....
 
#6 ·
As long as you do not lose one of those screws, you should be good!! :D

Just got off the phone with Pump22's and discussed this very thing. He told me this was already up on the board, so I came to check it out. I also have a 1712 and for me that one is good as it is now. Got lucky on adjusting it early on a while back. The reason for the call to Pump was so I could get info on A DIFFERENT two stage trigger. The 1407-U9 trigger. (Andyd, not your trigger, yours was already expertly adjusted!) I had pulled my old Anschutz 1407 and did a bedding job. I went to put the trigger back in and had a non-functioning trigger. I found that I needed to install that trigger with the bolt in the rifle for it to properly mate with the sear.

The reason for this monologue is to say, we could use a similar thread on each of the more common Anschutz triggers so we can all reap the full benefits of these fine triggers... They do tend to spoil us shooters. I go back to what I had always thought of as a great trigger in my CZ's and get a little chuckle... Not really a comparison, although, I can buy another CZ for what one of these new triggers cost!!! You seem to get what you pay for here for sure....
 
#13 ·
Well that went swimmingly. NOT. I removed the weight screw completely, but couldn't get the spring out. It seems to be held captive by something that I can't see. I had thought it might just drop out, but no. I pried at it with tweezers and a tiny screwdriver and couldn't get it to budge. So no spring replacement at the moment. Bummer.

One thing that surprised me a little is that the weight screw was easy to unscrew with just my fingers. I guess it had been screwed in to its lightest position.
 
#16 ·
After messing around with this trigger some more, I have additional respect for it. With the light J&P spring, and after adjusting the sear engagement also, I can get a very safe and repeatable pull of around 10 ounces. Without a separate first stage adjustment, it only accounts for about 2 ounces of the total, but it is a very good final release. The first stage works well in dispersing the pull weight if you are working in the 2+ pound range, which is required for the class in which the rifle is designed to compete, so I'm not complaining.

I found that the sear engagement of mine was a good bit more conservatively adjusted than necessary, which I understand, given current product liability issues. I didn't keep a record, but after going back and forth a bit, I estimate it had a half turn of engagement that was not really necessary for safety, which is a lot. That was surprising to me, because I felt no creep in the second stage letoff, probably a testament to some good hard parts and proper polishing. So I would encourage some experimentation with the sear engagement, and you might be very pleased with the results. Just be sure the engagement is sufficient to hold under some reasonable bumping around, as described above.
 
#18 ·
The old spring has to be compressed (small screwdriver blade,etc)(and watch you eyes-it could go orbital)to the best of your ability and forced out.I hesitate to remove the screw as it can end up being cross threaded on reinstallation.The new spring will go in very easily,as it takes so little to compress it.
 
#19 ·
I played with my trigger today. As received, it was 2 pounds 9 oz. The first stage was about 16 oz. Backing out the screw only allowed me to reduce the total trigger pull by about 3 oz. I haven't messed with the sear engagement yet. I fully expected a better quality trigger than this one. I feel that it is rather unsophisticated for a $2500 rifle. My airgun triggers are much better. I'd like to get the pull down to a total of 8 oz, but it appears that I'll have to do some major surgery on this. I would almost classify this trigger as unadjustable.
 
#22 ·
I installed a J&P trigger spring in place of the OEM part. I used the lightest one of the three supplied. That brought the 1st stage pull from 16 to 4 oz. Then I adjusted the sear engagement. The total trigger pull is now 10-12 oz. Hammer test was successful.
 
#23 ·
Just bought a 1712 and was reading this thread to help me adjust mine and I agree it’s almost a non adjustable trigger but I did find take the trigger weight screw and spring out of gun completely and it’s a decent trigger then. I guess the other internal spring inside that operates the first stage is enough to reset the trigger and break clean at just under 1 pound.
 
#29 ·
Back out the adjustment screw. Try not to remove it, as it is finely threaded and easy to cross thread on reinstallation.
Pry out the old spring. It's strong and will take a little effort. Insert the new spring, it's weaker and will go in easily, making sure it sits correctly on the point of the screw. Turn the screw in a few turns.
You'll probably want to adjust the sear a little. I'll let someone else pick up the ball for that one. My experience is with wing safety triggers, which are slightly different than side safety versions.
 
#31 ·
So, if I get the J&P spring set, and put the heavy spring in my 5098 (1416 AV), will it take it to 1# and 2# first and second stage? I understand it will take some fiddling/adjusting...but is that what it will do? My new 1712 has a 1# 2# two stage trigger (5109), haven't actually put the trigger scale on it, but I like it at the factory setting. Not liking the "light" 5098 now, since I can only get it to 8oz, and it feels a lot lighter than that with my finger.
 
#32 ·
The three set of J&P springs didn't help. I put the heavy one in, and the trigger for my 1416 AV still only went to 8oz. So I ordered the "extra heavy" spring today...hopefully that gets it in the 2# range. The J&P website says it's supposed to be 2-3.5#. Should have spent the extra money and bought that spring with the other ones, rather than spending another $10 on shipping for ONE spring.
 
#33 ·
Wanted a heavier trigger pull for my 1416AV, something good for "field use" since it came with the 5098 "light" two stage trigger. According to the specs, that trigger from the factory should be adjustable from 6oz - 16oz...best I could get it to do was 8oz. I tried the JP spring "set" with the heavy spring, which is supposed to be 14-21oz, could still only get it to 8oz. So, a second order for the extra heavy (2-3.5 lbs) and now I managed to get it "up to" 1.5 lbs. I really wanted an even 2 lbs pull to match my 1712 AV, but it will do.
 
#34 ·
My 1712 arrived and the trigger is a 5109, same as my 1710.
The 1710 is a two stage with a take-up stage before arriving at the "Fire" stage.
The 1712 was ordered as a singl stage, and the take=up is barely noticeable until it comes to the stop.

Does Anschutz use the same trigger in both models and takes the first stage out to make it a single stage?
 
#35 ·
If they're both 5109s they're the same trigger adjusted differently

When I changed the spring and adjusted my 5109 i took the first stage out just to see what it was like. Then I adjusted it to have the first stage again. I never thought I'd like two-stage triggers but I do now
 
#36 · (Edited)
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Having never used a two-stage trigger, I was somewhat disappointed when I missed ordering the single-stage on my 1710.
After a number of shoots, I like it more but it did take a while to adjust.
While I considered changing the 1710 to a single-stage, it is a thought that may never come to fruition.
Will perhaps weigh the trigger on the 1712 tonight.

1 5/8 lbs. That is 26 oz. Time for a spring or some trigger adjustment.

Out this morning, December 8th doing a break in procedure. At 100 yards, 10-shot groups with TAC22 and CCI SV were under two inches.

The best came with Some Remington Eley Match, 1067 fps published . . . c-c under 1/2"

 
#37 ·
Thank you for these excellent instructions! I adjusted my 1710's trigger. This being my first Anschutz, the trigger was already very nice to me. I tweaked it some though just because I could. I failed the ID 10 T test while messing with it. At one point, I couldn't get the trigger to fire at all. I was afraid I had royally screwed something up. Nope. Fortunately. I had apparently slipped the safety on. I'm ashamed to admit it took me a couple minutes to figure out the safety was on.
 
#39 ·
Last Christmas, Brad at Nordic was asked a similar question.
The best suggestion was to buy two 5119 triggers factory set at 180 grams ( about 6.5 oz.)
Love them.
Then a 1710 HB ES (SS) came available on CGN and I bought it too . . . it came with a 5119 trigger. All are very close to the 180 grams.
My Cooper JSR has a JARD 6 oz. trigger and it will lift the 180 grams. My granddaughter is comfortable with that trigger which i a single stage.

 
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