Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger #1 trigger upgrades ... what's available?

I've been out of the #1s for a while. Thinking again. The factory triggers are awful, even adjusted. It looks like Kepplinger is gone. Moyer is gone. Canjar has been gone a long time. What's available today? Anything?

Tom

I suspect two things have reduced demand for after-market triggers: 1. triggers are better now than ever, and 2. the factory triggers can be improved by a smith.

I have several examples, and all but one have very decent triggers. They aren't 'hair' triggers, but they're very crisp and plenty light.

Did you check with EAB.com? I bought a Kepplinger from them last year.

The triggers on the few I own are not bad...better than factory Rem M700 triggers these days!
But I would be willing to add a #3 to your list--the #1 just isn't as popular these days. If they were flying off the shelves there would be aftermarket parts galore. Production is down to what...1500 rifles a year (6 models, 250 each)...plus or minus some odd examples like the Bill Ruger commemorative. And how many of those 1500 do we see sit on Gunbroker for a year or more? Tough market for aftermarket specialty pieces.



I agree...I currently have 4, each of a different model and vintage, and they are all decent triggers. The only one I would really pursue changing is my 1V Swift...but its serviceable as is.

The very early #1's had a screw to adjust sear engagement. Guess the lawyers axed that one.

The Kepplinger is good, but very expensive. I installed one and it was OK. Great when set, you can feel movement, although smooth, unset.

+1 on a good smith smoothing up the factory trigger.

DF

Before I did another Kepplinger, I'd try this. It's an improvement over the factory trigger and has adjustments not too unlike the early #1 trigger, as mentioned.

I believe I could install this trigger, tune it to perfection. I'm not too keen on single set triggers, would prefer this one set up at around 3#'s.

And, it's about half the cost of a Kepplinger.

http://www.eabco.net/Ruger-Number-One-Trigger-Replacement-Black_p_15061.html

DF

Thanks, I bookedmarked the link.

I sent mine to Mark Penrod. Money well spent!!!

Now, that may be the best idea of all...

DF

David Clements used to make a fine trigger. Not sure that he still is.

Seems I had that discussion with Dave a few years ago.

IIRC, he no longer makes them.

DF

I've got a Jard trigger that looks exactly like the one in the EABCO link. My guess is they both come from the same source. Not sure who's rebranding whom. In any case, the Jard trigger is simple, easy to install, and functions extremely well. I like it better than the Kepplinger, after having installed/used both. They're a little crude as far as looks go. Pretty much as is, after coming out of a EDM machine, by the looks of things.

Jeff

The Moyer referenced earlier was a bit crude, in my opinion.

Too bad we can't get those first gen Ruger triggers.

DF

The only Moyer I've used replaced a 2-screw factory trigger. It was done by a very good local gunsmith. It was an improvement in my particular gun.

I wound up not buying the #1 I'd been thinking about. There are 6-8 of them at the Springfield, Oregon Cabela's, mostly #1As. .270, couple 7mm-08s, 1-2 .280s. What I was looking at was a #1 RSI in .257 Roberts. The wood on all of them is kind of flat color, satin finish, and bland as dishwater.

Tom

I bought a Kepplinger from Brownells a few months ago. They had just recieved a shipment. Expensive but worth it if you shoot your gun.

Weird. Brownells doesn't list them at all now, not even as out of stock.

Might be worth a call. I have two No. 1's and both have Kepplingers. I really like them.

I have installed three Kepplinger and two Moyer triggers. On the Kepplinger I found that by polishing the top of the Kepplinger housing and the bottom of the sear bar it contacts it improves and makes the unset pull lighter and smoother.

The Moyer triggers I got to replace a couple of the two screw Ruger triggers were really rough castings, so rough I almost returned them, but decided to do a bit of work. I took my Foredom grinder and completely removed the grooves in the trigger face, and then filed and stoned the sides and back until the trigger was totally smooth. I was careful not to reduce the width where the pin goes through so I would not induce any side to side slop. I also slightly angled the face of the trigger for a right handed shooter, much like the triggers on a couple of higher grade sxs double shotguns I have. I then rounded the edges where my finger contacts it and then gave it a high polish on my buffing wheel followed by blueing and installation. Turned out rather nice and adjusted to a better pull than the old two screw factory triggers.

Bob Snapp in Clare, Mi did the factory trigger on my 22-250 but that has been many moons ago.

I took my 99 and my #1 to the range today.
Started out with the 99.
Trigger sucks.
Made the #1 downright pleasant.

If I get a #1 for varminting, it'll get a trigger upgrade.
My deer rig is OK as is.
Have not scaled it.

Previous Post:
My Ruger No 1B, 25-06, had a factory trigger that was almost like starting a chain saw. My group sizes ran about 1 to 1.5 inches at best. A friend who works with the AR platform said that Jard, Inc. was making a good trigger for the Ruger. It greatly simplifies the complex geometry of the stock trigger.

I ordered one, had him install it with the 2.5 lb spring kit for my hunting,and floated the forearm. The kit comes with 1 3/4 to 4 lbs.

My next group using Nosler's 100 gr BT @ 3,200 fps went .653 .

I can recommend it as a really good alternative to the stock trigger.

The Moyer is still available. Call him; I talked to him about 10 days ago. He's in Mountain Home (ID). Website is http://www.moyersgunrepair.com

Kepplinger is still in business, too, but nobody brings them in to the USA now. If you want to import one for your own personal use, you need a permit from ATF.

I bought a Moyer, it looked like it was cast pot metal with no finish work so I returned it. Since Kepplingers were hard to find at the time I went with a Jard.
It's a good trigger, the tiniest amount of creep, but the finish is nice (miles above the Moyer)and the pull weight chosen at 2.5# has helped with accuracy by large margin compared to the factory 5.5# that I had.

I did keep the Mould's speed hammer I purchased along with the trigger; I had this installed at the same time I did the Jard, so it's hard to tell if this has provided any advantage.

I would recommend the Jard.

I mentioned the roughness of the Moyer a few weeks back. From my experience it seems to be a fairly good grade of cast steel. After carefully grinding, filing and polishing the roughness off and shaping like I wanted, it blues quite nicely. Honestly if I had to do it again I would probably go with one of the Jard triggers.