I have a Rem 721 that has a 5lb trigger. I did a search on how to adjust it and only really came up with this. There is a book titled Bolt Action Rifles by Frank De Haas that has a description on how to adjust the Model 721 trigger. Does anyone have this book?, and if so, is there someway you could please get me that information.

Thanks in advance, Jeff

If I remember correctly the 721 and the later model 700 both adjust the same.
There are two screws in the back of the trigger housing and it has been a while since I adjusted one but this is how I think it works.
The one in front is simply spring tension adjustment.
The one in the back closest to the action adjusts the sear engagement, and the lower one is overtravel adjustment.

If that is correct and I believe it is you whould be able to figure it out from there.
Just remember though that after you get it set it always has to stand for the drop on the butt and slam close the action drill.

I don't know if the 721 and 700 triggers are the same, but here's an article I used several years ago to adjust three different 700 triggers from 5-6 lb down to 3.5 lb. Two worked out great by just following the instructions carefully. One had trigger creep I was trying to work out and took a lot of trial and error. Be sure to record your starting points on all adjustments in case you need to go back and start over. Good luck and be safe.

http://quarterbore.com/library/articles/rem700trigger.html

I have now reduced the trigger pull to just a little over 3 lbs and it has no overtravel. However, ther is a large amount of creep and I cant figure out how to get it out. Any ideas?

Jeff

Yeah I do.
make sure its unloaded, and then work the bolt and close it.
Now take your little screw driver and start turning the top rear screw in very slowly.
At some point you will screw it in to the point where you have disengaged the sear and it will go "snap" as if you pulled the tigger.
At this point you have reduced the sear engagement to the point where it will not reingage.
Now back your screw up 1/8th of a turn and work the bolt again. At this point it should reingage, but I doubt if it will be as safe as you will want it.
But try it,, put the action back into the stock and tighten the action screws down reasonably, don't need to get carried away just yet because more than likely you will need to break it down again shortly.
Now SLAM the bolt closed, as hard as you ever would if you were beyond excited and needed to get another shot off at a bear charging you.
Did it go click by itself? No? good, then take it and firmly but not designed to break anything whack the buttpad down on something hard like a tile floor.
If nothing still then hold it up in your hands and whack the butt pad with your palm about as hard as you can..
If non of these makes it go off then I would say your safe, if any of them do then break down again and turn your screw as little more out as you can and still say that it actually moved and then repeat the entire process.
As soon as you have found the point where you can just not make it go click no matter how you bang it or drop it or slam the bolt then your probably safe.
I bet your going to like the way it feels.
Now take everything apart again and cover the screw heads with something that dries hard, I personally use red nail polish.
But whatever you use clean the screw head with something to remove all grease or oil and make sure that whatever you choose to lock the screws in place with does not ever , ever let them turn on their own again.
Don't need to put it down on the threads, you may want to change soemthing again someday.
Just coat the top really well and let it set for a day to harden.

Thanks for taking time to help with this. You say to "turn the top rear screw in very slowly". In the rear there is only one screw, the trigger engagement screw. But there are two on the front, the top is the trigger overtravel screw. Just to make sure, which screw is it you are describing?

Thansk, Jeff

Ok I dug one out and it does appear I am out of touch. There are two in the front, not the rear.
There should be a spring under the top screw in the front that adjusts the spring pressure on the sear.
The bottom screw in the front is the over travel and the one in the back is the sear engagement.
The one in the back is the correct one to start turning until the sear breaks.
If you get the creep how you like it but it does not pass the bump test you might want to tighten the top front screw in just a bit as well.
It helps hold the sear engaged.
You can check that the bottom front is the overtravel, simply work the bolt and then tighten that screw in until you feel contact, at that point you should not be able to pull the trigger far enough to disengage the sear.
Just a bit of hunting advice for you trigger adjustment if I might,, a lot of folks want absolutley as little overtravel as possible, bad move on a hunting rifle.
I have done it and had a tiny bit of dust get in my trigger on a hunt and when I went to touch one off it didn't want to break. I had to grit my teeth and crush that little piece of grit before it would go bang.
Tad bit disconcerting when your crosshairs are on game.
Since then I have always put a bit more over travel on my hunting rifles than a lot of folks, makes then user friendly in the bush, and frankly once you break the shot it don't make a bit of difference how much over travel you have.

Thanks so much for your help. I worked on it a bit more and have everything, including the safety tests working perfect.

Jeff

Jeff your very welcome, I am glad that it all worked out.
I do apologize for my confusing directions, it has been a while..
Thats a pretty good testament to your mechanical skills ! happy blastin, let us know what you whack with it.