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FX FX Panthera trigger

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DaveT1

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Dec 2, 2019
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California, United States
I've been trying to tune my Panthera trigger to a fairly light setting. I also have a Dreamline which I've been able to tune to 8 oz., but I haven't been able to get the Panthera much below 13 0z. I've adjusted the first stage to the point where the gun no longer cocks, then back it out 1/4 turn. I've also worked with the second stage and nothing seems to help.
The Panthera trigger seems grittier than the Dreamline and there is lateral slop in the trigger blade.
Any suggestions on how to remedy my issues?
 
I have never messed with my Panthera trigger, but my M3 trigger liked to have drove me nuts. Several hours of playing with it and no good results.
Then I saw a video that suggested to back the safety screw out until the safety didn’t work and then start screwing it back in until the safety was reliable. Once I did that I was able to get a very respectable trigger pull. Not too sure what the safety had to do with the first and second stage but it made a big difference..
 
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The parts drawing seems to show that it is basically the same design as used in several other FX rifles, which has always impressed me as odd. If you polish the bearing surfaces of the trigger wheel and sear, you might notice an improvement, maybe something closer to the 8 oz of your Dreamline. But it really doesn't accommodate a light pull. The Boss match trigger design adds a couple of levers, and that geometry helps in obtaining a lighter release weight. I don't know if they offer one that fits your rifle.
 
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It took a little work but I got my Panthera trigger adjusted to a point to make me happy. It’s now a single stage and breaks cleanly at 8 ounces. I pulled out the trigger assembly and cleaned the thread locker from the adjustment screws. Then I pulled the sear and polished the contact points as well as the contact points on the trigger roll. Then reassembled and adjusted the second stage out of the trigger. I now have what I consider to be a great single stage trigger.
Kenny
 
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Kgphotos said:
It took a little work but I got my Panthera trigger adjusted to a point to make me happy. It’s now a single stage and breaks cleanly at 8 ounces. I pulled out the trigger assembly and cleaned the thread locker from the adjustment screws. Then I pulled the sear and polished the contact points as well as the contact points on the trigger roll. Then reassembled and adjusted the second stage out of the trigger. I now have what I consider to be a great single stage trigger.
Kenny
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Adjustment to a single stage operation can result in a better feeling trigger, as you have learned. I just want to point out one thing for those who might not be familiar with the operation of this trigger design. As with all fake two-stage triggers, there is a way to make it feel like one. FX uses the trigger roll, an odd thing, but functional. The "first stage" is movement of the trigger roll along the sear until the very edge of contact is reached, and then additional pressure will release the "second stage", which is actually just the trigger roll moving past the point of sear contact. If the trigger is adjusted so that the single stage operation is lighter than achievable in two-stage operation, then the minimum engagement overlap has been slightly encroached. I'm probably not explaining it clearly, and it's a unique design, not one I like, but it works, and it's simple and cheap to build. It also provides a margin for safety in the adjustment of the first stage travel, which gets to my point. When the first stage is adjusted out to achieve a lighter release weight, there is no remaining margin for safety, and accidental discharges can occur. I had my Royale adjusted in this manner for a while. It was fine for range shooting, but I would not recommend it for hunting, or any activity where the rifle would be carried in a cocked condition.
 
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Not recently but somewhere back in 2020 I guess I have mirror polished the Impact MK2 trigger mechanism (trigger roll and the sear) and lubed with molybdenum grease. Also replaced the limit setscrew with a spring ball setscrew. The friction between contacting surfaces is minimized so much that if I pay attention to the motion I can feel the spring in the plunger before the sear releases. I never touched the safety screw.
I don't have the tool and never measured the trigger pull, but for BR I can call the trigger very smooth and predictable. I think I would not support this on a hunter setups.
 
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elh0102 said:
Adjustment to a single stage operation can result in a better feeling trigger, as you have learned. I just want to point out one thing for those who might not be familiar with the operation of this trigger design. As with all fake two-stage triggers, there is a way to make it feel like one. FX uses the trigger roll, an odd thing, but functional. The "first stage" is movement of the trigger roll along the sear until the very edge of contact is reached, and then additional pressure will release the "second stage", which is actually just the trigger roll moving past the point of sear contact. If the trigger is adjusted so that the single stage operation is lighter than achievable in two-stage operation, then the minimum engagement overlap has been slightly encroached. I'm probably not explaining it clearly, and it's a unique design, not one I like, but it works, and it's simple and cheap to build. It also provides a margin for safety in the adjustment of the first stage travel, which gets to my point. When the first stage is adjusted out to achieve a lighter release weight, there is no remaining margin for safety, and accidental discharges can occur. I had my Royale adjusted in this manner for a while. It was fine for range shooting, but I would not recommend it for hunting, or any activity where the rifle would be carried in a cocked condition.
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Thank you for your insight. I really appreciate any opportunity to learn something new. As for hunting with a really lightly adjusted trigger; my method is to NEVER walk around with my rifle loaded. I also insist the same for those hunting with me. To me the only safety on a rifle is an unloaded rifle.
 
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This video will show you the shortcomings of the FX trigger design (fake 2nd stage) and show some options for improving what in my opinion is a very poor design in such fine shooting rifles:


I currently have one of my FX triggers set up as single stage - at about 3.8 ounces. Even at this light weight you can feel the slop as you move across the sear.

The remaining two FX rifles I have I’m using the fake 2nd stage. I can get the Dreamline Classic to about 10.5 ounces and the Crown to about 13.8 ounces. In both cases the trigger will not spring back to original position if you release 1st “stage” after pulling back to 2nd stage. This is discussed in the video.

I’d be interested in hearing for anyone who has come up with a way to get these FX “teeter-totter” triggers down to a consistent 6-8 ounces with 2-stages.

I’ve tried swapping the springs for different springs with various results. I was able to get the Dreamline trigger down to 6.5 ounces with two stages using a ballpoint pen spring - but the issue where it doesn’t spring back if you release 1st stage was present with this setup.

-Ed
 
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EPG said:
This video will show you the shortcomings of the FX trigger design (fake 2nd stage) and show some options for improving what in my opinion is a very poor design in such fine shooting rifles:


I currently have one of my FX triggers set up as single stage - at about 3.8 ounces. Even at this light weight you can feel the slop as you move across the sear.

The remaining two FX rifles I have I’m using the fake 2nd stage. I can get the Dreamline Classic to about 10.5 ounces and the Crown to about 13.8 ounces. In both cases the trigger will not spring back to original position if you release 1st “stage” after pulling back to 2nd stage. This is discussed in the video.

I’d be interested in hearing for anyone who has come up with a way to get these FX “teeter-totter” triggers down to a consistent 6-8 ounces with 2-stages.

I’ve tried swapping the springs for different springs with various results. I was able to get the Dreamline trigger down to 6.5 ounces with two stages using a ballpoint pen spring - but the issue where it doesn’t spring back if you release 1st stage was present with this setup.

-Ed
Click to expand...
I wish you the best, but you have a challenge. IMO, this is a crappy trigger (sorry Fredrik) for precision applications. It was a reasonable attempt at a low-cost trigger during the first generation of FX rifles. But, given the price point at which it competes, the trigger is now an embarrassment. Just my opinion, and my wife says I'm always wrong.
 
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elh0102 said:
I wish you the best, but you have a challenge. IMO, this is a crappy trigger (sorry Fredrik) for precision applications. It was a reasonable attempt at a low-cost trigger during the first generation of FX rifles. But, given the price point at which it competes, the trigger is now an embarrassment. Just my opinion, and my wife says I'm always wrong.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree with you. My Turkish rifles at the $450 price point have much better triggers.

Actually, the only rifle I own that has a “worse” trigger than FX is my $195 Umarex Gauntlet Gen 1 - and that single stage trigger is easier to adjust. I’ve even bought an aftermarket “2-stage” for it - so it’s now better (subjective) to any of my 3 FX triggers.

Surprised that no aftermarket replacement trigger has become available considering the shortcomings of the FX trigger design.

I love the way my FX rifles shoot - I’m not bashing… I’m BEGGING for some tips or replacement parts to improve on the current design. A ball on a spring as a fake second stage on $1,500+ rifles, c’mon - we need better.
 
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