Trigger problem

[doug smith]

I have a CVA mountain rifle I just acquired. When I pull the rear trigger to set the front, it clicks, but then when you pull the front trigger you get a light click but it doesn't trip the sear. Pulling the front trigger farther past the initial light click will release the sear. It will also release by just using the front trigger unset. I have shimmed the front of the trigger plate, but that had no effect. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[geb324]

remove the trigger from the gun and see how it
functions. If it functions fine. Then it is a problem with the wood around the trigger.
Or the sear may be to close to the trigger
assembly. (release)

 

[doug smith]

thanks Geb, when the triggers are out they seem to work fine, when the locks out it works fine. when it's all together is when I have the problem. That's when I tried the shim with no luck.

 

[Chevythunderman]

Is the fly installed in the lock? I had a very similar issue awhile back that acted very similar. I swore I had put it back in when I reassembled the lock but low and behold I didn't. Just saying its very easy to overlook that little piece of steel.....

 

[EC121]

Smoke the triggers in a candle flame and carefully install them. Then snap it a few times and remove them. See where the soot rubbed off and remove the wood or adjust the metal and try again. Also check and see if the sear bar is bottoming out on the other side of the inlet hole. If it is bottoming out in the wood, that could cause the hang, and you could still pull it off with the front trigger.

 

[crockett]

I'm not sure how to fix that. The idea that wood is binding may be it if everything working okay outside of the stock. On the fly, I thought that was to get the tumbler past the half cock notch, in other words without the fly the hammer falls but only half way.

 

[Zonie]

If your unsuccessful in finding some place in the stock where the rear triggers blade is rubbing, give the spring that powers it a good look.

Many set triggers have a small screw pushing against the heavy spring that powers the rear trigger.
If your triggers have such a screw and it is adjusted incorrectly, the spring won't have enough power to push the rear trigger forward resulting in there not being enough force to trip the locks sear.

I've also seen set triggers where some previous owner has loosened up the big screw that holds the rear trigger spring in place.

Doing that can also reduce the power the spring can develop, again causing too little power to trip the locks sear.

If the screw is loose, tighten it up and try the triggers again.

 

[fishmusic]

What Zone said is a good starting place. I had a similar issue that was cured by adjusting the set trigger spring tension. It's an iterative process. Adjust the tension by tightening the screw, try and readjust as required.

I did this with the front trigger adjustment screw backed off. Once I got the lock to fire I adjusted the front trigger "tension".

 

[necchi]

It can be tricky,
The big screw holding the "Leaf Spring" (on the left) adjusts the leaf tension (power),, but take a closer look at the screw underneath,, That screw adjusts how far the leaf spring drops (delivered power).
Too high and there's no power.
Now if that screw is too far down,, then the rear trigger cam can get too high when un-set and will interfere with the sear arm and holding full cock.
(it's a balancing act)

 

[Chevythunderman]

I reread your op and you are correct the hammer would fall to half cock if it was the fly. I guess I went off half cock on my response......

 

[doug smith]

thanks to everyone for the ideas. Zonie, and Necchi, I think you guys are spot on with your thoughts. I have tried adjusting all screws but the rear stirrup just doesn't have enough ummpf to trip the sear when set. The previous owner had all screws tightened down all the way, so I'm assuming he was having a problem also. Deer Creek shows they have replacement set triggers for these so that might be the way I eventually go.

 

[geb324]

Hi Elija,
You said when you have them out of the gun they
work fine. Ok remove the lock and install the trigger
see how much is showing in the sear hole if anything if you see most of the trigger in the hole it is most likely the trigger inletted to deep.
Then remove the trigger and install the lock and see if it rotates freely if not you need to remove some wood in the area of the sear.

 

[doug smith]

Ok Necchi, I kept looking at the picture of the lock you posted and playing with the different screws, and I got the triggers to set and release the way they should. Thanks again for everyones help. I was ready to call them broken and replace them.

 

[necchi]

:applause:
Atta boy, I was about ready to have ya send it to me.
You mentioned you shimmed the front.
The trigger bedding going bad on those Mountain Rifles is so common it's almost the norm now that there all 30+yrs old.Years worth of drying and over tightening screws takes it's toll.
The biggest trouble is the rear of the trigger plate where the through stock tang screw is, and the most common trouble caused is the rear cam get's so high it presses against the lock sear arm,, the lock won't go to full cock unless the trigger is set.
I'll bet someone had that trouble with your rifle and pushed that spring travel screw way high so the rear cam wouldn't be so high,, only they went too far with it.
Mine was so bad I used epoxy to bed the rear of the trigger mortise,, I'll bet I added 3/16" of bedding to get it right!
Good on ya for getting it working, :thumbsup: