Jewell Trigger problems

G

GLT721

Guest
I have a fairly new Jewell trigger on my Rem 700 varminter and I am having problems with it not cocking about 20% of the time. When it doesn't cock I have to raise the bolt handle, put it on safe, close the bolt handle then when I take it off safe the rifle fires without touching the trigger. Then it will work for a while then the same thing happens. I am fireforming brass so I do not want to eject the round because the bullet is in the lands and will pull out spilling powder everywhere. I have not did any adjusting on the trigger myself, it is as I got it. Could I be getting some oil in the trigger or other debris that could be causing this?
 
I suggest that you clean and adjust it, or if you are not confident in your ability to do this (certainly no crime) I would take it to a gunsmith that is experienced with Jewel triggers. In any case, you should stop shooting the rifle until the trigger is fixed.
 
Before you do anything else, remove the trigger & flush some lighter fluid through it. Shake it out, don't blow it out. When the lighter fluid air dries, it'll leave a residue that will lube the trigger as much as it needs to be. It will also (hopefully) flush out the debris that is causing your problem. If it don't work you're only out .50 woth of lighter fluid.
 
As suggested, first clean the trigger with lighter fluid. Then adjust the trigger using the instruction sheet that came with it. Generally, situations like you describe indicate that more sear engagement is needed.

Good shootin'. -Al
 
Al Nyhus said:
As suggested, first clean the trigger with lighter fluid. Then adjust the trigger using the instruction sheet that came with it. Generally, situations like you describe indicate that more sear engagement is needed.

Good shootin'. -Al
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Thanks for the replies. I contacted my gunsmith and he said the same thing. I use this rifle in the prairie dog fields so I'm thinking if its that touchy about dirt I need to do something different. I think I will clean it up and put it on the market and get something different. I don't need to be cleaning triggers when I'm out on the praire shooting.

Thanks again for the replies, I appreciate them.

GLT721
 
Jewell can rebuild your trigger for a reasonable cost, like under $50 shipped if I remember correctly. Please, do not put a defective trigger up for sale!!
 
sounds like a simple fix to me. sounds as if you dont have enough sear engagement. the trigger is real simple to adjust. read the instructions and go for it. I always enjoy learning about the equipment i use, and a little playing around with your trigger and about 30min time, you will be a pro!! I always take every jewell trigger i get apart and polish all the internal parts. that might be a little much for you at this point, but do yourself a favor and learn to properly adjust your trigger. let u know how it goes. lee
 
skeetlee said:
I always take every jewell trigger i get apart and polish all the internal parts.
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Me, too. It makes a noticeable difference. The sticky trigger could be caused by a burr, roughness or debris in there.
 
Jewell trigger

I will give you a hundred buck for your Jewell trigger, I know this old janitor with no teeth that can adjust it.

Sam Duke
 
GLT,

I had a lot of creep in my Jewell after changing trigger weight springs. Did the adjustment and put it back in the action. No good. Tried the adjustment again - still no go. The firing pin would not set. Found out that I had the trigger-mounting rods tapped too far into the action, causing binding, and that kept the trigger from re-setting. After I figured that out, I adjusted the trigger again and got rid of the creep. I think the secret to adjusting the Jewell is to not use too much force on the trigger blade when adjusting the overtravel. A light touch and all the creep is gone! Now I have a crisp 3 ounce trigger! And the lighter fluid is the way to go.

Dennis
 
If you puncture a primer with a Jewel on a 700 you can break a part in the trigger that the factory will not sell and only they can replace. Because it works some of the time this part is not broken and it can be adjusted. Watch out for over hot loads!!
 
Some time back, equipped with the right size Phillips screwdriver, and an illustration of its internal workings, I took mine apart, and cleaned,inspected, reassembled, and readjusted it. It was really no big deal. Next time, I am going to polish the insides of the side plates, and make sure that there are no burrs to cut into them. Mine is a HVA, and thankfully, it has been very trouble free. Than being said, the Bix N' Andy trigger that I have been trying is very sweet, and can be safely adjusted to a fraction of an ounce, a place where I prefer not go. I have heard that Mr. Boyer holds his in high regard. I understand that they are becoming more common. Have any of you tried one?
 
After reading the posts here and talking with several gunsmiths I believe Jewell is not the trigger for me. I do not shoot benchrest but set out on the dusty windy prairie shooting little rodents. I think Jewell makes a great trigger in bench matches and a more controlled setting. I do not want to be cleaning triggers on the prairie so I am going to clean this trigger and see if I can sell it for the price of a Timney Trigger. The Jewell worked well for about a 150 rds then started to have problems. I would open the bolt, put it on safe, close the bolt then the rifle would fire when I took it off safety. After that the trigger worked just fine for 15 to 20 rds then I would have to repeat the process.
I think the trigger is ok just dirty. Thanks for the feedback.
 
If the Jewell trigger is dirty, AJ recommends periodically flushing them out with lighter fluid from the top without taking the trigger out of the rifle. You might try that and see if it helps. By the way, shooting in match conditions or in field conditions as to one being cleaner or dirtier than another is probably not correct. Shooting at a match, you shoot in whatever conditions are there for the match. If you are going to complete the match, you don't pack up and go home. Although, I have seen competitors pack up and go home without finishing the match. However, if someone is out shooting prairie dogs and a dust storm blows in, more than likely you pack up and go to the house. Match conditions aren't necessarily clean conditions.
 
Mike,
The only match that I left was in Lafayette, La. several years ago. I was doing soooo bad that I thought traveling home and mowing the grass would be more fun.
 
I had the same problem out of my Jewell trigger. After flushing it out with lighter fluid and tring agian it still done it. I had bought the gun second hand so I didn't know what had been done to it so i decide to pull the trigger apart and learn becuase it was pretty much useless to me as it was. But when I pulled it out I notice that the spring behind the trigger was broken. How when where I dunno I know i called jewel and got another one Installed it adjusted the trigger and it works like a new one. As far as the jewell being really picky about getting dirty I can't say that is a real problem the only time I can tell you that i had a dirty trigger that really affected me was when I dumped a case of powder in my gun and got powder in the trigger. I have had a jewel in my huning gun for the last 12 years and have never cleaned it. I know shame on me but it has not gave me any troble and i have it set to about 1.5 pounds. I might could see it being a problem if i was using the benchrest trigger in my hunting gun.

Sorry for the long reply
 
I had a new Jewell trigger sitting ready to put in one of my rifles when a fellar pulls in my drive wanting a new Jewell in his rifle so I sold it to him and installed it for him. Several months went buy and I had just got in a new Jewell to put in that same rifle of mine when that old boy calls mad as hell about his rifle going off when he closed the bolt.
He had taken the rifle apart and tried to put it back together and everything was a mess looking in there I said did you take the trigger apart he said no. I said have you ever jammed a bullet in the lands then unloaded yer rifle and spilled powder all down in your mag well and trigger, he said no.
I showed him I had a new trigger ready to put in my rifle again I said I'll just put this one in yours so you can go shooting and deal with your mess later, made him happy.
I took his trigger apart later and found a piece of gun powder in it.
Not long after that he calls me up says I found a rifle on the internet and bought it, I'm bringing it over for you to put a Jewell in just like my other one, I said the only one I have is this one I was about to put in my rifle it's set up just the way you like them, so I sold it back to him installed in another rifle.
I recently got in some new triggers and guess who calls me up? I have now removed that trigger from that rifle and polished it worked some of the springs over and installed it into his newest rifle and put in a new one back into the second rifle all 3 set up at 1#4oz.
This has all took place over the past year I now have a new Jewell sitting on the kitchen table ready to put into my rifle. I was just looking at it this morning thinking about how much I have learned about installing triggers disassembling and reassembling and now blueprinting triggers and dealing with people all over that one trigger.
No apologies needed!
 
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