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I recently learned that Jard offers triggers for the Howa Mini. I ordered one and patiently waited like a kid to get it. Once it arrived I pulled the OEM trigger out of the rifle without even trying it. It was simply one screw attaching the trigger to the receiver and no sooner one was out the other was installed. The first thing I tested was the safety. The leading edge of the safety plate (on the side of the trigger housing) was binding against the slot cut into the receiver. I loosened the trigger and shifted it closer to the slot to give it some space and snugged the trigger back down. It was still binding so I put some moly grease on it but it still bound. I pulled the trigger out and stoned the edge of the safety plate and then polished it on my cardboard knife sharpening wheel. That did the trick and the safety moved freely.
Jard has designed this trigger with screw adjustments for over travel, sear engagement, and pull weight. Following their instructions, I adjusted the over travel first, followed by the sear engagement, and finally the pull weight. I tested the pull weight at 1lb 9oz. While not initially alarming (I ordered the model that adjusted from 16oz - 48oz), I was unsuccessful in my attempt to adjust it to 3lbs. I tried everything to get it any higher but it wouldn't adjust above 1lb 9oz (25oz). I called Jard and after some discussion about the steps I took to adjust the trigger it was decided they would send me two new trigger springs with increased wire thicknesses.
Today I got those springs and took to measuring them to determine which was which. The spring I originally received with the trigger measured 0.015" while the other spring wires measured 0.019" and 0.022". The 0.019" increased trigger pull to 1lb 11oz. I swapped it out for the 0.022" spring and this is where everything started to got downhill. The set screw/pull weight screw doesn't have much of a point on the back and makes it difficult to center on the spring while pushing it in and grab threads to tighten it. I struggled significantly with this and the screw spun and spun kicking out shards of aluminum trigger housing everywhere. I removed the spring and would chase the threads with the set screw by itself. After many failed attempts to compress the spring and turn the adjustment screw in it finally bit. I will add that it only bit because I backed out both the sear engagement and the over travel screws which allow the trigger to move and create more space for the pull weight spring and lessen the compression needed.
Now the trigger wouldn't move so I took back to the instructions and started adjusting the over travel. When I got that to where I thought I had the screw in a good spot, I started adjusting the sear engagement screw and WHAMOO! The pull weight screw and spring had flung! They were lost to the abyss I call my workshop. The pull weight screw had lost it feeble grip and what threads were left in it's hole.
Now I'm back to the OEM trigger until I can discuss my dilemma with Jard on Monday.
The Oregunsmithing bottom metal works fabulously and is what these fine rifles should have been designed with from the start. I had to ever so slightly whittle a small amount of material from the stock inlet to fit it in. I did, however, need to remove a bit of material from inside the trigger slot to have it fit the Jard trigger, which is curved a bit more than the OEM trigger that Wayne designed the bottom metal to work with. I could not be happier with the feed and function of the bottom metal, spring, and follower. I ran about 20 rounds of factory ammo thru the gun today and it fed smoothly.
I'll provide an update tomorrow after I talk to the folks at Jard. I really, really like the trigger. It has an adjustment screw on the side to adjust the tightness of the safety lever as it travels over the ball bearing detents and the safety lever itself is shaped more like that of a Remington. I hope to get mine replaced after I cut out the trigger slot on the bottom metal to fit it.
Thanks, Dinny
IMG_20200502_55749.jpgIMG_20200502_41700.jpgIMG_20200502_56792.jpgIMG_20200502_22486.jpgIMG_20200502_43939.jpgIMG_20200502_631.jpgIMG_20200502_9664.jpgIMG_20200502_50463.jpgIMG_20200502_44836.jpgIMG_20200502_36245.jpg
Jard has designed this trigger with screw adjustments for over travel, sear engagement, and pull weight. Following their instructions, I adjusted the over travel first, followed by the sear engagement, and finally the pull weight. I tested the pull weight at 1lb 9oz. While not initially alarming (I ordered the model that adjusted from 16oz - 48oz), I was unsuccessful in my attempt to adjust it to 3lbs. I tried everything to get it any higher but it wouldn't adjust above 1lb 9oz (25oz). I called Jard and after some discussion about the steps I took to adjust the trigger it was decided they would send me two new trigger springs with increased wire thicknesses.
Today I got those springs and took to measuring them to determine which was which. The spring I originally received with the trigger measured 0.015" while the other spring wires measured 0.019" and 0.022". The 0.019" increased trigger pull to 1lb 11oz. I swapped it out for the 0.022" spring and this is where everything started to got downhill. The set screw/pull weight screw doesn't have much of a point on the back and makes it difficult to center on the spring while pushing it in and grab threads to tighten it. I struggled significantly with this and the screw spun and spun kicking out shards of aluminum trigger housing everywhere. I removed the spring and would chase the threads with the set screw by itself. After many failed attempts to compress the spring and turn the adjustment screw in it finally bit. I will add that it only bit because I backed out both the sear engagement and the over travel screws which allow the trigger to move and create more space for the pull weight spring and lessen the compression needed.
Now the trigger wouldn't move so I took back to the instructions and started adjusting the over travel. When I got that to where I thought I had the screw in a good spot, I started adjusting the sear engagement screw and WHAMOO! The pull weight screw and spring had flung! They were lost to the abyss I call my workshop. The pull weight screw had lost it feeble grip and what threads were left in it's hole.
Now I'm back to the OEM trigger until I can discuss my dilemma with Jard on Monday.
The Oregunsmithing bottom metal works fabulously and is what these fine rifles should have been designed with from the start. I had to ever so slightly whittle a small amount of material from the stock inlet to fit it in. I did, however, need to remove a bit of material from inside the trigger slot to have it fit the Jard trigger, which is curved a bit more than the OEM trigger that Wayne designed the bottom metal to work with. I could not be happier with the feed and function of the bottom metal, spring, and follower. I ran about 20 rounds of factory ammo thru the gun today and it fed smoothly.
I'll provide an update tomorrow after I talk to the folks at Jard. I really, really like the trigger. It has an adjustment screw on the side to adjust the tightness of the safety lever as it travels over the ball bearing detents and the safety lever itself is shaped more like that of a Remington. I hope to get mine replaced after I cut out the trigger slot on the bottom metal to fit it.
Thanks, Dinny
IMG_20200502_55749.jpgIMG_20200502_41700.jpgIMG_20200502_56792.jpgIMG_20200502_22486.jpgIMG_20200502_43939.jpgIMG_20200502_631.jpgIMG_20200502_9664.jpgIMG_20200502_50463.jpgIMG_20200502_44836.jpgIMG_20200502_36245.jpg
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