Below is my story of "smithing" my own rifle on an upgrade - if you have similar stories, please feel free to share below.
I decided that I wanted to upgrade an old K98 Mauser sporter in 8mm that I have by installing a better trigger. The original trigger was a loooong pull that broke between 7.5 and 8 lbs, and I felt that needed to be improved.
Timney seemed to be the most logical choice for an aftermarket trigger upgrade, so after consulting with Timney about which model of trigger to use, I placed my order for the #202 part, and because I ordered it from Timney, I had them set it at a factory setting of 3 lbs.
I didn't know this, but when you order a trigger from Timney, they ship it to you with a Tootsie Pop - it's just a tradition that they adhere to, and part of it is with the idea that installing the trigger is faster than getting to the center of a tootsie pop.
This was NOT the case for me.
installing the trigger housing on the action was simple enough - simply pop out the pin from the stock trigger and using that same pin and set screw, install the new one. The issue I ran into was with the stock.
I think that if this had been going into a standard Mauser stock it might have been a drop in, but it was going into an aftermarket sporter stock of indeterminate brand and origin - inletting was required, and a fair amount of it.
I got out the Dremel and got to work, slowly and carefully, trying to remove only the material needed to get it to fit.
But that wasn't the only issue.
Once the action was assembled into the stock and the screws were snugged up, the next issue arose - the trigger bottomed out in the trigger guard and would not budge.
I once again consulted with Timney. I sent them photos and a description of what I'd done and what I was experiencing. They said that the solution was as simple as it was annoying - I needed to trim the trigger itself.
Once again I got out the Dremel and some sanding disks, and slowly and carefully took metal off of the trigger, trimming both length, and thinning it a bit on the bottom side. It took me 3 tries to remove the necessary amount of metal, but it worked.
The trigger works perfectly with the Buehler-style low-profile bolt safety, and it breaks clean and crisp, right at 3 lbs according to my Wheeler trigger pull gauge.
I ordered some Oxpho blue, so once that comes, I'll do a final polish on the bare metal of the trigger and touch it up with blue.
For the record, I have no illusions that because I can build out an AR from the ground up, or that I can do minor upgrades and repairs, that it makes me any kind of a gunsmith - I'm not - but I do think I'm capable enough for some things.
I decided that I wanted to upgrade an old K98 Mauser sporter in 8mm that I have by installing a better trigger. The original trigger was a loooong pull that broke between 7.5 and 8 lbs, and I felt that needed to be improved.
Timney seemed to be the most logical choice for an aftermarket trigger upgrade, so after consulting with Timney about which model of trigger to use, I placed my order for the #202 part, and because I ordered it from Timney, I had them set it at a factory setting of 3 lbs.
I didn't know this, but when you order a trigger from Timney, they ship it to you with a Tootsie Pop - it's just a tradition that they adhere to, and part of it is with the idea that installing the trigger is faster than getting to the center of a tootsie pop.
This was NOT the case for me.
installing the trigger housing on the action was simple enough - simply pop out the pin from the stock trigger and using that same pin and set screw, install the new one. The issue I ran into was with the stock.
I think that if this had been going into a standard Mauser stock it might have been a drop in, but it was going into an aftermarket sporter stock of indeterminate brand and origin - inletting was required, and a fair amount of it.
I got out the Dremel and got to work, slowly and carefully, trying to remove only the material needed to get it to fit.
But that wasn't the only issue.
Once the action was assembled into the stock and the screws were snugged up, the next issue arose - the trigger bottomed out in the trigger guard and would not budge.
I once again consulted with Timney. I sent them photos and a description of what I'd done and what I was experiencing. They said that the solution was as simple as it was annoying - I needed to trim the trigger itself.
Once again I got out the Dremel and some sanding disks, and slowly and carefully took metal off of the trigger, trimming both length, and thinning it a bit on the bottom side. It took me 3 tries to remove the necessary amount of metal, but it worked.
The trigger works perfectly with the Buehler-style low-profile bolt safety, and it breaks clean and crisp, right at 3 lbs according to my Wheeler trigger pull gauge.
I ordered some Oxpho blue, so once that comes, I'll do a final polish on the bare metal of the trigger and touch it up with blue.
For the record, I have no illusions that because I can build out an AR from the ground up, or that I can do minor upgrades and repairs, that it makes me any kind of a gunsmith - I'm not - but I do think I'm capable enough for some things.