The Winchester Model 70 classic trigger is one of the simpler spring swaps in the bolt-action world. One rear pin, one spring, ten minutes. The job rewards a methodical approach because of one detail most guides gloss over: the ejector spring that wraps around the trigger pin and needs to go back exactly right. Know that going in, and the rest is straightforward.
Before You Start – Confirm Your Trigger Generation
This guide covers the post-1964 Winchester Model 70 through 2008 – the classic trigger with the exposed adjustment screw and lock nut. It does not apply to the MOA trigger (2008-present enclosed housing) or the pre-1964 trigger.
Look at the trigger mechanism from the side before starting. If you see an exposed mechanism with a visible adjustment screw accessible from outside, you have the correct trigger for this guide. If you see an enclosed housing box, stop – you have the MOA trigger and this is the wrong procedure.
For context on pull weights and whether this upgrade is right for your use case, see the trigger spring overview on this site. For the full Model 70 platform overview including generation history, see the Model 70 trigger upgrade article.
Watch the Installation First
The video below shows the complete installation on the actual rifle. The ejector spring detail – the longer spring that wraps around the trigger pin – is the one part that is much easier to understand by seeing it than by reading about it. Watch before starting, especially if this is your first time inside a Model 70 trigger.
The written steps below follow the same sequence. Use both together for the best result.
Tools You Need
- Action screwdriver – correct size for your Model 70 action screws
- Torque wrench – recommended for reassembly
- Small punch set – the rear trigger pin on the Model 70 requires a punch that matches the pin diameter closely; having a selection covers this
- A second punch or slave pin of the same diameter as the trigger pin – useful for controlling the ejector spring during reinstallation
- Lightweight brass or nylon hammer
- Small wrenches for the adjustment screw lock nut – 1/4″ thin offset wrenches work best; standard wrench jaws are often too thick to work the nut comfortably
- Small flat screwdriver
- Non-marring mat or folded shop towel
- Magnetic parts tray
- Phone for photos before disassembly
- Trigger pull gauge
A note on the 1/4″ wrenches: the adjustment lock nut on the Model 70 trigger requires thin wrenches to work properly in the tight space. Standard combination wrenches are often too bulky. The small Craftsman ignition wrenches (#9-42319) are a common recommendation among gunsmiths working on Model 70 triggers – they fit the nut and the space both.
Safety First
- Remove the magazine if present
- Open the bolt and lock it rearward
- Look into the chamber – visually confirm empty
- Put your finger in and feel – confirm empty
- Remove all ammunition from the bench
- Muzzle pointed in a safe direction throughout
Once the action is out of the stock, do not pull the trigger until the controlled safety tests at the end. Every time, no exceptions.
Step 1 – Remove the Bolt
Move the safety to the middle position on the Model 70’s three-position safety – this allows the bolt to be removed while keeping the trigger blocked. Pull the bolt straight rearward and out. Set it on the mat.
Step 2 – Remove the Action From the Stock
The Model 70 uses two or three action screws depending on configuration – front guard screw, rear guard screw, and on some stocks a middle screw. Note the position of each. Remove all of them and lift the barreled action straight up and out of the stock. Set the stock aside. Barreled action on the mat.
Step 3 – Study the Trigger Group Before Moving Anything
Place the barreled action on the mat with the trigger group facing up. Look carefully at the entire trigger assembly before touching any part of it.
Find the rear trigger pin – this is the pin you will be removing. Now look at what is around it: you will see a longer spring that wraps around or sits against the trigger pin. This is the ejector spring. It is not the trigger return spring you are replacing – it is a separate component that actuates the ejector. It looks similar to a trigger spring in the same area, which is why it catches people by surprise if they have not been told to look for it.
Take photos now. The ejector spring position, the trigger pin, the trigger spring, and the overall layout. The ejector spring orientation is critical to get right during reassembly – your photos are the reference.
Step 4 – Confirm and Tighten the Adjustment Screw Setting
Before removing the trigger pin, verify that the adjustment screw and lock nut are tight. Use the thin 1/4″ wrenches – hold the adjustment screw with one wrench and snug the lock nut with the other. This prevents the adjustment from shifting during disassembly. Note your current adjustment position as a reference point.
Step 5 – Remove the Rear Trigger Pin
Using the punch and light hammer taps, drift out the rear trigger pin. The pin will come out from one direction – confirm which direction your specific rifle’s pin is designed to drift. Work slowly.
As the pin comes out, be aware that spring tension in the area will be released. The trigger spring and the ejector spring will both lose their retention. Control the trigger assembly with your fingers as the pin clears to prevent parts from jumping. Work over the mat with a white paper towel underneath if you have one – small parts against a white background are much easier to spot.
Set the pin immediately in the magnetic tray.
Step 6 – Remove the Factory Trigger Spring
With the pin out, the trigger spring is accessible. Note exactly how it sits – which end is where, what it contacts, which direction it tensions the trigger. Take a photo if anything looks like it might be ambiguous during reassembly.
Carefully remove the factory spring. Set it in the parts tray. Keep it. The ejector spring stays in place – you are only removing and replacing the trigger return spring.
Step 7 – Install the New Spring
Orient the new spring exactly as the factory spring sat. Same direction, same contact points, same position relative to the trigger and sear. This is a direct replacement – the new spring goes in where the old one came out, same orientation.
Seat the spring correctly before attempting to drive the pin back in. If the spring is not properly positioned, the pin will not go in cleanly or the mechanism will not function correctly after assembly.
Step 8 – Reinstall the Rear Trigger Pin
This is the step that benefits most from the video. Driving the rear trigger pin back in requires managing the trigger spring, the ejector spring, and the pin simultaneously. The ejector spring needs to be held in its correct position as the pin is driven through it.
Using a slave pin – a second punch of the same diameter as the trigger pin – makes this significantly easier. Insert the slave pin from the opposite side to align the holes and hold the springs in position. Then drive the actual trigger pin in from the correct side, pushing the slave pin out as the real pin advances through. This technique keeps everything controlled during pin installation.
Drive the pin fully home – seated completely with no protrusion where it should be flush. Verify the ejector spring is sitting in its correct position after the pin is fully in by comparing to your photos from Step 3.
Step 9 – Return the Action to the Stock
Lower the barreled action back into the stock. Confirm it seats correctly with no binding or misalignment. Install the action screws and bring them up evenly before applying final torque. Torque to the manufacturer’s specification if available. Reinstall the bolt with the safety in the middle position.
Measuring Pull Weight
Confirm the rifle is unloaded. Move the safety to fire. Cock the action by cycling the bolt. Attach the trigger pull gauge to the center of the trigger shoe. Apply smooth rearward pressure until the trigger breaks. Repeat five times and average.
Expected range: ~3.5-4 lb depending on the adjustment screw setting. If the result is significantly outside that range or inconsistent between pulls, check the spring installation and verify the adjustment screw has not shifted before proceeding to safety tests.
If you want to fine-tune pull weight within the range the new spring enables, use the thin wrenches to loosen the lock nut, adjust the screw to your preferred setting, and retighten the lock nut. Make small adjustments and measure after each one. Add a small drop of nail polish or removable thread locker after final setting to keep it in place.
The Four Safety Tests – All Four, Every Time
All tests on an unloaded rifle. All four must pass before live ammunition.
Function check: Cock the rifle and press the trigger. Clean release, correct reset. Cycle and repeat eight to ten times. Every pull identical.
Safety check: Test all three positions of the Model 70 safety with the rifle cocked. Position one (fully rear) – bolt locked, trigger blocked: neither should function. Position two (middle) – bolt operable, trigger blocked: bolt opens freely, trigger does not release sear. Position three (forward, fire) – normal function. All three positions must behave exactly as designed.
Bump test: Cock the rifle with the safety in fire position. Hold firmly and strike the buttstock solidly against your palm several times – deliberate impacts, not taps. The firing pin must not release on any impact.
Drop test: Cock the rifle and from two to three inches above a padded surface let the butt make firm contact. Repeat several times. The firing pin must not release.
Fail any test: stop, do not use the rifle. Reinstall the factory spring, correct the installation, or take it to a qualified gunsmith. A failed safety test on a trigger job is not a tuning issue – it is a problem to resolve completely.
Long-Term Care
The Model 70 trigger mechanism benefits from keeping the ejector spring area clean – field use can deposit debris in the trigger group over time. Periodic inspection and light cleaning with compressed air or a soft brush is sufficient. Light gun oil on metal contact points. Avoid heavy grease.
After any season or hard use, verify that pull weight and all three safety positions still feel and function normally. Any change from baseline warrants a bench inspection before the rifle goes back out.
The ejector spring is a separate, longer spring that wraps around or sits against the rear trigger pin on the Model 70 trigger. It actuates the ejector – a different function from the trigger return spring you are replacing. Both springs share the same pin area, which is why the ejector spring needs attention during installation. It must return to its correct position and orientation when the pin is driven back in. The video guide shows this clearly – watch before starting.
A slave pin is a second punch or rod of the same diameter as the trigger pin. You insert it from one side to hold the springs in alignment while you drive the real trigger pin in from the other side. It makes reinstallation significantly more controlled. You do not strictly need one, but it makes the job easier and reduces the chance of the ejector spring slipping out of position during pin installation. A standard punch that matches the trigger pin diameter works perfectly.
The adjustment screw on the Model 70 trigger controls pull weight. With the action out of the stock, use thin 1/4-inch wrenches – one to hold the adjustment screw and one to loosen the lock nut. Turn the adjustment screw to your preferred setting, tighten the lock nut back down, and add a small drop of nail polish or removable thread locker to keep the setting in place. Make small incremental adjustments and measure pull weight after each change.
With the rifle cocked and unloaded, test all three positions. Fully rearward: safety on, bolt locked – neither bolt nor trigger should function. Middle position: safety on, bolt operable – bolt should open freely for unloading but trigger must not release the sear. Forward: fire – full normal function. All three must work correctly after any trigger work before the rifle is used with live ammunition.
Thin 1/4-inch offset wrenches work best – the space around the adjustment screw and lock nut is tight, and standard combination wrench jaws are often too thick to work comfortably. The small Craftsman automotive ignition wrenches are a commonly recommended choice among gunsmiths working on Model 70 triggers. Having two of the same size lets you hold the screw with one while turning the nut with the other.
With caution. At least one buyer has successfully installed the spring in a 1949 Model 70 and reported good results. However, the pre-1964 trigger uses different geometry from the post-1964 design this guide is written for, and the installation details may differ. If you try it on a pre-1964 rifle, compare carefully to your specific rifle’s trigger layout at each step, do not assume it matches this guide exactly, and perform the complete four-test safety sequence regardless of how the installation went.