Musgrave RSA Action TR

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Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Musgrave RSA Action TR

#1 Postby Beniah » Sun Feb 07, 2021 2:56 pm

G'Day Folks,

I use a Musgrave RSA 1982 vintage, according to the serial. I'd suggest that it's not seen too much work in its life.

While I know no better, other club members with deeper experience tell me my trigger pull is way too high. After a bit of fiddling around, it's some down to around 2.5 pounds (1.13 kg). I have to say 'about' because there's a variation of +/- .2 lb (90g) in a series of five tests.

Some questions for those with pretty good Musgrave knowledge:

[list=]
Is there a known alternate commercially available trigger group, which can easily be swapped over with the existing factory trigger?
What is the usual trigger pull range that the RSA should achieve?
Are there replacement springs that are commonly available for other makes that suit the standard factory trigger?
Are there any particular known 'tricks' to getting a RSA trigger to work smoothly and lightly?
[/list]

Might be a bit of a tall order asking details about a now obsolete action, but it's worth a shot.

Thanks for any guidance you might be able to offer.
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

johnk
Posts: 2211
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:55 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#2 Postby johnk » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:06 pm

Davies once made a trigger but they might be difficult to find now.

Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#3 Postby Beniah » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:35 pm

johnk wrote:Davies once made a trigger but they might be difficult to find now.


Thanks John, yes, the Fake Book page closed post 2018, so nothing to see there anymore. Dead end.
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

Bigfoot
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:40 pm
Location: Johannesburg, SA

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#4 Postby Bigfoot » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:51 pm

I saw a Barnard trigger fitted to a Musgrave action last week, absolutely fantastic.

Your gunsmith would need to mill the existing mounting off, lower the mounting face on the action and drill and tap for the Barnard mounting screw.
:D

Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#5 Postby Beniah » Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:10 pm

Bigfoot wrote:I saw a Barnard trigger fitted to a Musgrave action last week, absolutely fantastic.

Your gunsmith would need to mill the existing mounting off, lower the mounting face on the action and drill and tap for the Barnard mounting screw.
:D


Aaah... there lies the major problem.

1. Find competent gunsmith within 50km radius.
2. Have gunsmith capable and free to do work in reasonable time (i.e. under 6 months)
3. Get gunsmith to actually carry out work, check it for serviceability and return in reasonable time (i.e. under 6 months!)

We're short on skill and capability in this space now. As for plumbers happy to screw in barrels - we're flush with them. :?
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

lonerider43
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:55 pm

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#6 Postby lonerider43 » Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:21 pm

i use a musgrave with the trigger set to 500gms.
theres no reason yours can not be adjusted.
Australian's Against "Gun-A-Phobia"

KHGS
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#7 Postby KHGS » Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:49 pm

Beniah wrote:
Bigfoot wrote:I saw a Barnard trigger fitted to a Musgrave action last week, absolutely fantastic.

Your gunsmith would need to mill the existing mounting off, lower the mounting face on the action and drill and tap for the Barnard mounting screw.
:D


Aaah... there lies the major problem.

1. Find competent gunsmith within 50km radius.
2. Have gunsmith capable and free to do work in reasonable time (i.e. under 6 months)
3. Get gunsmith to actually carry out work, check it for serviceability and return in reasonable time (i.e. under 6 months!)

We're short on skill and capability in this space now. As for plumbers happy to screw in barrels - we're flush with them. :?


The Barnard trigger option will work, but cost to modify the receiver to suit the Barnard trigger along with the cost of the trigger will surpass the value of the Muagrave action. I suggest that the most cost effective course for you is to find one of those nonexistent gunsmiths in your area and have the original trigger rebuilt.
Keith H.

Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#8 Postby Beniah » Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:35 am

KHGS wrote:The Barnard trigger option will work, but cost to modify the receiver to suit the Barnard trigger along with the cost of the trigger will surpass the value of the Muagrave action. I suggest that the most cost effective course for you is to find one of those nonexistent gunsmiths in your area and have the original trigger rebuilt.
Keith H.


That's a good point. The Musgrave, while functional and fit for purpose, is now obsolete. Disposal value is limited. Much like Omarks. A valuable insight, thanks.

How do I get any work done by a non-existent entity?

Looks like I'll have to do some careful disassembly and reassembly. Glad we have movie taking cameras now.
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#9 Postby Beniah » Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:41 am

lonerider43 wrote:i use a musgrave with the trigger set to 500gms.
theres no reason yours can not be adjusted.


Thanks for your comment, Lonerider.

I've always been of the understanding that a statistical sample needs to be sufficient to represent a population. A magical number of 33 often is used in beginner statistics.

While your rig works fine, there's no reason to assume that mine has not been damaged, interfered with in the past or just happens to be poorly built. I recall reading the South African view of Musgraves is quite polarised. Some swear by them, the rest swear at them.

If you can get to 500g consistently then there's a fair way to go in refitting mine to get there. That's not just cleaning that's going to work, there's more mechanical matters that need work. At least it gives me a target outcome, and thanks for that.
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

mike H
Posts: 623
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 5:34 pm
Location: JUNEE NSW

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#10 Postby mike H » Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:11 am

I realize that light triggers are the magic bullet these days,however excellent shooting was done for years with 1.5 kg trigger pulls.

dgeorge52
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2016 7:02 pm
Location: north east victoria

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#11 Postby dgeorge52 » Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:50 pm

Ask keith Hills (khgs) nicely he may do it .....he is very good at his trade...

Rich4
Posts: 534
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2019 2:33 pm
Location: Chinchilla

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#12 Postby Rich4 » Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:34 am

If you can stand to be without it for a while, I’d talk nicely to the master above [-o< , I’m sure you would be happy after that 8)

KHGS
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#13 Postby KHGS » Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:37 am

lonerider43 wrote:i use a musgrave with the trigger set to 500gms.
theres no reason yours can not be adjusted.



There is actually, you are one of the lucky ones to get a std Musgrave trigger down to 500 grams "safely". The thing about Musgrave triggers is that some are "good", but many are not!! The trigger on these actions are quite variable in their quality and are often not retrievable. The Barnard trigger option is the best way to go now that the Davies option is gone, except for the cost factor and unless the rifle has sentimental value the Barnard option is not viable cost wise.
Keith H.

Beniah
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:14 am
Location: About 15 mins from Belmont range complex

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#14 Postby Beniah » Fri May 14, 2021 10:17 am

KHGS wrote:
lonerider43 wrote:i use a musgrave with the trigger set to 500gms.
theres no reason yours can not be adjusted.



There is actually, you are one of the lucky ones to get a std Musgrave trigger down to 500 grams "safely". The thing about Musgrave triggers is that some are "good", but many are not!! The trigger on these actions are quite variable in their quality and are often not retrievable. The Barnard trigger option is the best way to go now that the Davies option is gone, except for the cost factor and unless the rifle has sentimental value the Barnard option is not viable cost wise.
Keith H.


Thanks Keith, I can see where you are coming from. I'm no expert, but with my basic mechanical aptitude and a few hours fiddling around, I did conclude that 'near enough' was the best I was going to get without the result being dangerous. They are quite agricultural in comparison to some devices.

Thank you. An no disrespect to other opinions, just by observation, they don't conform to what was in front of me...
Doing my best to get it all together... One round at a time. :wink:

BD28
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:14 am

Re: Musgrave RSA Action TR

#15 Postby BD28 » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:43 pm

Beniah have you tried Trentech? He is also about the same distance from Belmont range as you, he does excellent work and I am sure you wont be waiting 6 months for a job like that.


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