Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

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Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by NTSOG » 23 Jun 2018, 12:12 pm

G'day.

I have a new HW 60J which I have been shooting off a bench out the back paddock just to run in the barrel. I thought the trigger was a bit too light - perhaps close to the triggers on some of my 10M target air rifles which are about 6-8 ounces or less. I bought a Wheeler spring trigger gauge. Undoubtedly it is not as accurate as a more expensive electronic gauge, but I didn't need an exact reading, but simply to compare relative trigger weights. My new CZ Model 2 in .22LR is at 3.5 lbs and a Lowey kit will go in next week. My Anschutz 1532 [.222 Rem] is at 2.3 lbs as are a number of my heavier power air rifles. To my surprise the HW60J trigger is at 11+ ounces! I consulted the manual as to how to increase trigger weight but the very small hex screw in front of the rigger guard is already at maximum setting for trigger weight. I cannot increase trigger weight, but can make it lighter! To me 11+ ounces is too light for a hunting rifle. A review in an English magazine of the HWE60J in .17 HMR reported: ''There is a smooth, precise first stage to the pull then a deliberate stop, followed by a crisp 1.75lb second stage with no creep or backlash.'' 1.75 lbs would seem quite reasonable, but how to increase the factory-set weight??

I would welcome any advice or recommendations about how heavy a trigger on a hunting rifle should be for safety and how I can increase the weight to over 1 lb or slightly more. It is wonderfully light off my bench, but a potential liability in the field at such a light weight.

Jim
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by brinny » 23 Jun 2018, 12:52 pm

I like very light triggers on my fox rifles mate.... currently running two Sako 85 varmints in 223 and 204 and both are around the 4-6 oz... I had a 17 Mach 4 at one stage and ran a 2 oz canjar on it... my gunsmith refused to go any lighter with my Sakos...
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by Flyer » 23 Jun 2018, 6:03 pm

There are two HW60/66 triggers - single stage and dual stage (match) - as well as two different springs that will fit both triggers. The match spring adjusts up to a maximum 600g (21oz), while the sporter spring starts at 600g (up to 1.4kg, I think). Phone Alcock and Pierce and ask for the heavier spring, as it sounds like your rifle has the match spring in it. I've got a match trigger with match spring in my HW66 and it was set up very light from the factory, but I like it that way and have left it alone.
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by Stix » 23 Jun 2018, 6:09 pm

brinny wrote:I like very light triggers on my fox rifles mate.... currently running two Sako 85 varmints in 223 and 204 and both are around the 4-6 oz... I had a 17 Mach 4 at one stage and ran a 2 oz canjar on it... my gunsmith refused to go any lighter with my Sakos...


Sorry to butt in here...
Hi brinny...so the triggers in your sako's are done by smith...?
& if so, are you aware of the lightest weight they you can get them with factory trigger...?
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by Stix » 23 Jun 2018, 6:10 pm

Deleted double post
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by Stix » 23 Jun 2018, 6:12 pm

I dont know much but i thought i had heard somewhere that triggers on factory made rifles imported into Aus had to have a min pull weight of 2lb or something...?
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by allan » 23 Jun 2018, 6:54 pm

The trigger you have in that rifle can be adjusted in a number of ways. Believe it or not, you can take that pull weight adjustment screw RIGHT OUT of the rifle and there is no spring in there!!!
The weight of pull and first stage take up can be adjusted to a degree but it involves doing small adjustments to both the pull weight screw and the sear adjustment screw located inside the trigger guard itself. This is NOT a job for the in-experienced so please don't attempt it if you are unsure of what you are doing. I have both the single stage & two stage HW60/66 triggers. They come from the factory with lots of sear engagement and are very safe but can be refined considerably if you know how to adjust them.
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by marksman » 23 Jun 2018, 7:13 pm

“If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed”. Mark Twain
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by NTSOG » 24 Jun 2018, 7:50 am

Thank you all for your advice. I will contact Alcock & Pierce for advice about springs and the types of triggers available. As I said the rifle is ''new'' in terms of being unfired when I bought it. However the bloke from whom I purchased it is a very experienced professional shooter/pest exterminator who never got around to setting it up for his use. It may be that he ordered it with a very light trigger that would suit someone of much greater skill than I. I will not be mucking about with the trigger - I'll leave that to a gunsmith when the times come. In the meantime I will just shoot off the bench and enjoy the accuracy of the rifle.


Stix I did wonder if there is an Australian Standard specifying minimum trigger weight for factory rifles, however I have not been able to find anything in a brief search. It may be that the range of firearms and the purposes and situations in which they will be used and by whom, e.g. experienced versus inexperienced, is so diverse that a strict standard would be useless.

Jim
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by Flyer » 25 Jun 2018, 2:50 pm

allan wrote:The trigger you have in that rifle can be adjusted in a number of ways. Believe it or not, you can take that pull weight adjustment screw RIGHT OUT of the rifle and there is no spring in there!!!
The weight of pull and first stage take up can be adjusted to a degree but it involves doing small adjustments to both the pull weight screw and the sear adjustment screw located inside the trigger guard itself. This is NOT a job for the in-experienced so please don't attempt it if you are unsure of what you are doing. I have both the single stage & two stage HW60/66 triggers. They come from the factory with lots of sear engagement and are very safe but can be refined considerably if you know how to adjust them.

The spring is actually inside the grub screw: the screw is hollow with a small cap on it, and the spring is inside, under the cap.

If you undo the grub screw and pull it all the way out - which is about 15 turns - you can press your finger down on the cap to feel the spring tension and ensure it is actually springing back when you push it (that it hasn't bound up inside the grub screw). When you put the screw back in, count the turns - there should be 14-15 for it to be fully seated at maximum trigger weight. If all that checks out and the trigger is still too light, then you probably have the match spring in it.

I do agree the adjustments are very touchy!
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by allan » 26 Jun 2018, 12:38 pm

Flyer's description is correct - Serves me right for assuming others know what we're talking about here ;)
If that pull weight screw has been fully seated (and they usually are), it usually looks like the screw is a solid unit when fully removed.
I'm fortunate in that I have parts diagrams for these rifles so I'll add a couple of pics here - May also help someone if they remove the pull weight screw and the internals go flying off into the unknown.
Image
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Re: Weihrauch HW60 J [.222 Rem] - VERY light trigger

Post by NTSOG » 29 Jun 2018, 8:34 pm

Thankyou Allan and Flyer - Please excuse my belated response to your posts: my computer decided to wipe all information and saved sites, so I am slowly getting organised again. I will study your posts carefully,

Jim
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