Model 69A Trigger Improvement
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Yes and no -
On the back of the magizine mount, there is an adjustment screw, it's about 8mm in diamenter. it's long enough to hit the stock so you may need to remove a little of the wood if it becomes a problem.
But, the over travel is not adjustable. It would be possible to make an overtravel stop but that would likely make it impossible to remove the bolt since the trigger is the bolt stop.
Those old 69a's are really amazing. Very very simple design, exceptionally accurate. Off the bags, will keep up with either of my Anschutz's and off hand, it's sporter weight is a real advangate in many forms of shooting. IMHO, one of Winchesters best.
Good shooting!
On the back of the magizine mount, there is an adjustment screw, it's about 8mm in diamenter. it's long enough to hit the stock so you may need to remove a little of the wood if it becomes a problem.
But, the over travel is not adjustable. It would be possible to make an overtravel stop but that would likely make it impossible to remove the bolt since the trigger is the bolt stop.
Those old 69a's are really amazing. Very very simple design, exceptionally accurate. Off the bags, will keep up with either of my Anschutz's and off hand, it's sporter weight is a real advangate in many forms of shooting. IMHO, one of Winchesters best.
Good shooting!
Model 69
I actually like the trigger on my 69 Target model.....nice and crisp and predictable. The pull is light enough for me to shoot decent scores.
Great gun and good value, pretty accurate when you find ammo it likes. Even the stuff it doesn't like is still plenty accurate for cmall game hunting.
R
I actually like the trigger on my 69 Target model.....nice and crisp and predictable. The pull is light enough for me to shoot decent scores.
Great gun and good value, pretty accurate when you find ammo it likes. Even the stuff it doesn't like is still plenty accurate for cmall game hunting.
R
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68 Posts
Tom,
I just got in from shooting a few rounds through my 69A. That gun is amazing! It shoots WMT into a hole that is just out of round at 25 yards. (after I cleaned it good)
I tried some cheap HV ammo and it didn't like any of it! I was discouraged and cleaned it real good and It shoots the WMT almost as good as my Anschutz. Not quite though
I did help my triger a lot. I cut the spring off a little and streatched it out a little. Then I took an Arkansas stone and straightened up the face of the firing pin catch just a little, as well as the trigger mating surface. The problem with the 69A trigger. other than the simplistic design, is that for the trigger to realease, it actually has to pull the firing pin spring back a little, and that is where the added weight comes from. The Ruger 77/22 has the same problem of the angle of the mating surfaces, and I also have done a lot for that trigger.
After I cleaned up the mating surfaces, I adjusted the trigger spring until it would just cock every time and not fire when banged on the floor. I put some glue on the adjustment threads and it has worked great ever since. It is a big improvement.
As dkemper said above, I don't think you can do anything about overtravel. I looked at that and noticed that as the firing pin is released, the part of the firing pin that travels across the top of the trigger catch is actually cut on an incline and if the trigger did not duck down out of the way completely it would interfere with the forward travel of the firing pin and possible cause FTF. I thought about grinding the incline flat, but it is acceptable as it is and I decided to leave well enough alone
I just got in from shooting a few rounds through my 69A. That gun is amazing! It shoots WMT into a hole that is just out of round at 25 yards. (after I cleaned it good)
I tried some cheap HV ammo and it didn't like any of it! I was discouraged and cleaned it real good and It shoots the WMT almost as good as my Anschutz. Not quite though
I did help my triger a lot. I cut the spring off a little and streatched it out a little. Then I took an Arkansas stone and straightened up the face of the firing pin catch just a little, as well as the trigger mating surface. The problem with the 69A trigger. other than the simplistic design, is that for the trigger to realease, it actually has to pull the firing pin spring back a little, and that is where the added weight comes from. The Ruger 77/22 has the same problem of the angle of the mating surfaces, and I also have done a lot for that trigger.
After I cleaned up the mating surfaces, I adjusted the trigger spring until it would just cock every time and not fire when banged on the floor. I put some glue on the adjustment threads and it has worked great ever since. It is a big improvement.
As dkemper said above, I don't think you can do anything about overtravel. I looked at that and noticed that as the firing pin is released, the part of the firing pin that travels across the top of the trigger catch is actually cut on an incline and if the trigger did not duck down out of the way completely it would interfere with the forward travel of the firing pin and possible cause FTF. I thought about grinding the incline flat, but it is acceptable as it is and I decided to leave well enough alone
trigger adustment on the 69A
i went to a local hardware store and purchased a lighter spring to fit (i took the old one with me to select the correct size and, actually, they came in a bag and there were 4 of them for $2.69. i don't have the stock number right now but it was at a True Value hardware store.)
i machined a brass guide that fits inside the trigger spring acting as a guide and left a rounded 'head' on it (it looks like a brass brad) with the round head resting on the surface of the trigger and adjusted the trigger with the mentioned spring adjustment screw.
i now have a very smooth, lighter, crisp trigger.
i went to a local hardware store and purchased a lighter spring to fit (i took the old one with me to select the correct size and, actually, they came in a bag and there were 4 of them for $2.69. i don't have the stock number right now but it was at a True Value hardware store.)
i machined a brass guide that fits inside the trigger spring acting as a guide and left a rounded 'head' on it (it looks like a brass brad) with the round head resting on the surface of the trigger and adjusted the trigger with the mentioned spring adjustment screw.
i now have a very smooth, lighter, crisp trigger.
69a
I bought mine (or Dad did) in 1951, when I was eight years old. It has never left my possession in all those years.
Most 69A's that old have been oiled to death, I know mine was. We used Three-in-One oil in those days for everything.
A couple of years ago, I noticed the firing pin fall getting sluggish, and the trigger pull increasing. I blasted the bolt, and trigger group with Gunscrubber, re-lubed with Break Free, and wow, almost a match trigger again.
I was amazed at the crud that came out of those 53 years old parts. Gummed Three-in-One looks like shellac, and is almost as hard.
The beloved 69A now sports a Merit Sight Disc for my old eyes. It still shoots like a 52.
I bought mine (or Dad did) in 1951, when I was eight years old. It has never left my possession in all those years.
Most 69A's that old have been oiled to death, I know mine was. We used Three-in-One oil in those days for everything.
A couple of years ago, I noticed the firing pin fall getting sluggish, and the trigger pull increasing. I blasted the bolt, and trigger group with Gunscrubber, re-lubed with Break Free, and wow, almost a match trigger again.
I was amazed at the crud that came out of those 53 years old parts. Gummed Three-in-One looks like shellac, and is almost as hard.
The beloved 69A now sports a Merit Sight Disc for my old eyes. It still shoots like a 52.
A walk down memory Lane
Awe man, reading about the Win. Model 69, I had the model 69a when I was a kid.
My father worked there and I learned to shoot @ the winchester club house basement with that 69a. They had duck pin bowling alleys and pool tables on the first floor along with a store that you could buy almost anything, even today the smell of gun solvent with banana oil in it reminds me of those times.
I remember Jack Lacy and Art Yeomans gave the course. Once they gave an exibition shoot at the airport, blowing up watermelons with shotguns, shooting coins in the air, I still have a nickle with a bullet hole in it from that shoot.
Wish I still had it, it was a tack driver!
Awe man, reading about the Win. Model 69, I had the model 69a when I was a kid.
My father worked there and I learned to shoot @ the winchester club house basement with that 69a. They had duck pin bowling alleys and pool tables on the first floor along with a store that you could buy almost anything, even today the smell of gun solvent with banana oil in it reminds me of those times.
I remember Jack Lacy and Art Yeomans gave the course. Once they gave an exibition shoot at the airport, blowing up watermelons with shotguns, shooting coins in the air, I still have a nickle with a bullet hole in it from that shoot.
Wish I still had it, it was a tack driver!
69a
Absolutly love my 69a was given to me 10 or so years ago by a neighbor <he told me how he used to shoot tree rats in the bronx where he lived in the 50s like that would fly now> nice accurate fun to shoot one of my favorite guns over all hell it even came with a prety old weaver scope too cant beat that for $20 that had to come off though lol---mack
Absolutly love my 69a was given to me 10 or so years ago by a neighbor <he told me how he used to shoot tree rats in the bronx where he lived in the 50s like that would fly now> nice accurate fun to shoot one of my favorite guns over all hell it even came with a prety old weaver scope too cant beat that for $20 that had to come off though lol---mack
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251 Posts
I know this is an old thread but….. I recently got a 69a and decided to adjust the trigger. In my case the trigger screw (which is more like a hollow cylinder that is threaded with a Spring in it.) Was too long when backed out completely and touched the wood stock inside. I know this because it left a mark in the wood and caused me to not be able to tighten the takedown screw hardly at all . So…..I opened up a little material with a flat tip drill bit.
This Dropped the weight from 5 1/2 pounds to 3 lbs. 4 oz. Anything under 3 1/2 pounds was going to be acceptable to me so I am good to go and glad I did not have to address any sear mating surfaces.
This Dropped the weight from 5 1/2 pounds to 3 lbs. 4 oz. Anything under 3 1/2 pounds was going to be acceptable to me so I am good to go and glad I did not have to address any sear mating surfaces.
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6,007 Posts
Old gunsmith trick told me by, duh, an old gunsmith 20ish years ago.
Clean the mechanism
Clean it again, let DRY
Oil the stuff that needs oil, but NOT the cocking notch and sear. Those get a dab of automotive anti-seize compound (available at auto part stores, maybe your big-box now, in small tubes).
Work the parts surfaces together a bit then go shoot.
Btw, it is counter-intuitive and too often mentioned, but cutting coil(s) off coil springs actually increases the stacking weight. Does usually make em too short so they need to be stretched out. That doesnt change the 'weight' but does change the pre-load. It is much better to get a spring made of a bit smaller wire.
Clean the mechanism
Clean it again, let DRY
Oil the stuff that needs oil, but NOT the cocking notch and sear. Those get a dab of automotive anti-seize compound (available at auto part stores, maybe your big-box now, in small tubes).
Work the parts surfaces together a bit then go shoot.
Btw, it is counter-intuitive and too often mentioned, but cutting coil(s) off coil springs actually increases the stacking weight. Does usually make em too short so they need to be stretched out. That doesnt change the 'weight' but does change the pre-load. It is much better to get a spring made of a bit smaller wire.
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251 Posts
My pull range was 3lb 4oz.- 3lb 7oz. So I guess just under 3 1/2 lbs is about what we can expect from the screw adjustment alone, like I said I backed it out completely and the gave it 3 full turns in. 3lb 4oz is good enough to keep me from going any further for hunting purposes.
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1,170 Posts
Did you try this yourself, & if so, what was the result? I've used anti-seize on pipe threads, but can't imagine using it on a sear-notch, or any other part of a closely-fitted firearm mechanism. It's true that ordinary oil is not the best lubricant, because it will eventually turn gummy through oxidation, but I've been using the synthetic "red grease" (which resists oxidation or other chemical degradation) for that purpose since it came on the market. You don't have to speculate about its effect, you can test it with a good trigger-pull gauge. With a really light trigger, say 1 lb or under, it may not be safe to use due to the possibility of slam-fires, but that's not what we're talking about here.
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6,007 Posts
Ive been doing it for, ummm, 20 some years
On trigger mechanisms with Proper geometry; ie, not prone to slide-off, but rather heavy with more than a little creep it does wonders. Basically just the thing for simple heavy 'triggers'. The anti-seize slides on the anti-seize, not metal; look up online what it is made of.
Result?
Improves trigger pull enough that every time it was worth the doing.
On trigger mechanisms with Proper geometry; ie, not prone to slide-off, but rather heavy with more than a little creep it does wonders. Basically just the thing for simple heavy 'triggers'. The anti-seize slides on the anti-seize, not metal; look up online what it is made of.
Result?
Improves trigger pull enough that every time it was worth the doing.
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251 Posts
My trigger had no creep, staging, pretravel. It was just stiff…around 5.5 lbs. A’int no oiling job alone gonna give you 2+lbs of pull weight reduction. No way no how. Not unless the gun is practically locked up with gunk and grit. We’re not talking about hosing down guns locked up with petrified grease here.
In addition to some minor in letting once the screw is backed out as far as possible I did have to stretch the spring slightly to maintain tension. Everything is now in working order with a 3lb 7oz. trigger pull. I believe this is as light as your going to get without polishing mating surfaces of the sear.
In addition to some minor in letting once the screw is backed out as far as possible I did have to stretch the spring slightly to maintain tension. Everything is now in working order with a 3lb 7oz. trigger pull. I believe this is as light as your going to get without polishing mating surfaces of the sear.
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