Adjustable triggers and fancy firearms are really great, if one has two valid skill sets.
1.) Obviously is the ability to employ said weapon properly as mentioned in OBG's post regarding M1A knock-offs. (BTW Good shootin')

2.) One must be skilled at adjusting said trigger mechanisms. (Or employ a competent gunsmith) I have personally witnessed several PPC and IPSC competitors end up with a full-auto 1911 government model due to unskilled hands tinkering with John Brownings finest creation.

My favorite butt whipping I ever received was during run-ups for the junior olympics in trap and skeet. I stood on the line with my finely tuned 1968 model Winchester 101 ready to do battle with the best in the state. Along walks up a young man with a Savage single shot 12Ga. In my mind I laughed and thought it was time for someone to learn from his betters. Someone did. I still think my father has the picture of that young man, his Savage single 12 and the trophy my snotty nose thought was mine.

Don't get me wrong, Every firearm I have except the Glock's have the finest triggers (and everything else) I could afford, but there is a reason for the word RIFLEMAN. The man is in control of the rifle and their destiny.

"...1968 model Winchester 101..."

Good choice! mine has 28" full/mod barrels, bought at the rodman naval stn, canal zone, bx.

many years ago i outshot much older guys shooting high dollar guns with my winchester mod 37 single shot 12ga.

there is no doubt that knowing YOUR particular weapon makes a hugh difference...

"... mine has 28" full/mod barrels,...."

Any trouble with the extractors/ejectors? Admittedly my 101 has really been used, but I have had to have them replaced previously and it is time again. They let the empty fall underneath them occasionally instead of ejecting them. It is a real pain to get the empty out once that happens. I don't even know if parts are going to be available if I do try to get it repaired. It now sits in retirement. Also had to have the barrels re-soldered as the bands between them were coming loose. This is a gun that once got over 1,000 rounds per week, so some wear was expected.

"..Any trouble with the extractors/ejectors?..."

nope. when i first got it i was shooting A LOT of trap, plus dove, quail, and pheasant hunting. never got to 1k rounds a week tho. i reloaded, so i held my hand close and had the empties ejected into my hand...

The hand close is EXACTLY (I reloaded then also) how the problem started. I would have my hand too close and the empty would rebound back at the ejectors. As they wear out they get lateral play in them and the hull (brass and all) ends up under the ejector.

Parts were almost impossible to find in 1990, so I am sure those remaining (if any) are prized possessions ($$$$$). Sounds like the old girl is going to become a vault queen.

I have a Henry Lever Action 17 HMR and it is - by far - my favorite small game gun, the most accurate of my rimfires and the easiest to handle. If it were legal here, I could DEFINITELY take a deer via a head shot with it because I'm so confident of shot placement and speed to target with it.

For small game, especially groundhogs, it's a fantastic round. I've done some farm clearing myself and just sitting in a chair and with a scope and some patience made a dozen kills in no time at all, all across the fields from 50 yards out to about 175 yards.

"...take a deer via a head shot..."

having never shot one, i have to wonder, would the little bitty .17 bullet penetrate the skull, or just blow away a lot of skin? i would think that a skull would be different than a grounhogs body...

At 2,500 FPS, at about 60 yards, the .17 hits HARD. I've fired into a range of objects for fun and I'm very sure that a deer skull would present absolutely no problem for it.

This idea of taking a deer or larger game with a 17 or even 22 round is just silly. Sure, there are those 1 in a million shots threaded right through the animal's eye socket, but for day in day out game taking a 17 or 22 just doesn't cut it.

When making a firearm purchase decision consider what the weapon is good for, not what it can do in the hands of an Olympic caliber shooter on a good day.

Though I would never try it the 17 hmr would probably kill a deer at close range. You should see what it does to a ground hog skull. And they make any shooter look good. I'm no sniper but I can cover 10 shots with a dime at 100 yards and a quarter at 200. They are tack drivers.