Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Drop-in triggers for ARs.

I've a new Springfield AR that I like quite a bit except for the trigger. It HAS to go! I'm looking for something in the 2.5-3.5 lb pull range, price < 200 $.
I am flying blind when it comes to ARs so any advice is appreciated.

I put a Rise trigger in my last lower build, so far it's working well. I had a CMC trigger in a Stag several years ago that also worked well but was more $$ than the Rise and no better.

Geissele SSA-E trigger. On sale right now at Brownells and a few other places.

SSA-E Trigger

I'd also look at the Geissele SSA-E, or even the RRA 2 stage match trigger. Both great triggers for the money. Buy them when they are on sale though. $79.00 for the RRA and $100.00 more for the Geissele... Be aware though, the RRA may need a little polishing to make it better.. The Geissele will be damn near perfect right out of the box..

It sounds as if the Geissele is pretty darn nice. Gonna have to check out the Rise trigger, also.
Appreciate the input, folks!

It just really depends on whether you want a 2 stage trigger or a single stage.

Also, what is your use.

Geiselle's are 2 stage; you can buy the SSA-E as suggested for around $240, or maybe get it on sale for something less. Or you can buy the G2S, put a 3.5 lb trigger spring on & have the same trigger as the SSA-E for a lot less.

If you want a single stage trigger, the Elftmann Match trigger is unsurpassed, period. and expensive at $250.

Or the Elftmann Service trigger is also excellent for a little less.

I also have the Rise 535 & it is the best of the Rise triggers & is excellent...............it's non-adjustable but breaks like glass @ 4 lbs. each & evey time. It's a great trigger. But it's not cheap...........I got it from them gratis or I probably wouldn't have bought it.

MM

Trigger Tech makes a pretty nice drop in. They have an adjustable model but think it is over your budget.

I just finished updating one of my AR's and part of that was a Geissele SSA-E. Very happy with it. Bought 2 on sale.

The RRA 2 stage varmint trigger is about 3.5 lbs and a 3 min install and will cost about 90 bucks to your door. Best value in a AR trigger IMO.

Not knocking great triggers, but have to wonder "Why" unless one is going into combat, shooting competitively or the factory trigger sucks. (And yes, shooting "competitively" against yourself counts.)

I have a Timney on my 6.5-06AI. Great trigger, but I built the rifle for 1200 yards and use it to shoot clay pigeons at 600. For my other rifles, which never get shot past 600, a good trigger is "good enough", whether AR or bolt or lever. Given a decent trigger, I'd rather spend upgrade money on good barrel, better optics or a better stock.

Full disclosure: In addition to my Timney, I have a Wild West Guns trigger in my Marlin 375, a Ruger Elite 452 in one of my ARs and I've given a dozen Ruger bolt guns trigger jobs. One of these days I will probably buy Daughter #1 a replacement trigger for her Ruger 10/22 because the factory trigger feels like it has sand in it.

My question is basically this: In your experience, what does a $$$ Geisselle or whatever do for you that a a $90 RRA match or $150 CMC trigger won't do?

In all seriousness, I've never changed out a trigger in anything. It's always been a matter of learning that weapons quirks and flaws. The only trigger I've even installed was in the lower for my AR, and that was donated to my build by a friend as he upgraded to a Timmony trigger. I see the price tags on some of these triggers, and can't see how it could be worth the money.
This might sound like sacrilege, but to me, a trigger is just a trigger.

Well, that's really easy................gets rid of creep, grittiness & mushiness & replaces it with little or no creep, no grittiness. little to no take up, glass rod break & usually a faster reset, oh, did I mention consistency?

CMC triggers are not bad & I have used them, but surely not in the class of some of the other, better single stage triggers. (Read the assessment & look at the chart for a graphic view)

Read through this....................might help you out a bit.

www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/04/jeremy-s/ar-15-drop-in-trigger-roundup/

Of course, YMMV, & trigger feel is subjective & means more to some than others.

MM

You are a better man than me. A bad trigger drives me nuts!!!!! Although, if you are a spray and pray shooter, any trigger will work. For precision type shooting, a good upgraded trigger will really make a difference. If you don't believe me, ask the top 5-10 shooters in the black rifle challenge here, what kind of trigger they use. I bet most (if not all) will be using a matchgrade trigger of some type.

No, I was taught not to waste ammo. I will sight in a gun with two shots (as long as the first is on the paper) zero, fire, rezero, adjust to hole. Fire to confirm.

I love it!
The guy knows he wants a better trigger and has a $200 budget, and some of you guys that don't believe in good triggers are giving him advice.

Only on the fire.

How's wasting ammo & sighting in with 2 shots got anything to do with a bad or good trigger?

MM

It has to do with not being a spray and pray guy. I don't waste ammo.

I guess if you only fire three shots on a trip to the range to zero your rifle, a trigger becomes a minor thing.
I'm not sure exactly what "wasting ammo" is defined as, but I usually fire at least 100 rounds on each range trip, and I have found an excellent trigger adds immeasurably to both the enjoyment and the precision of my shooting.

I'm not arguing with you, nor telling anyone how to spend thier money. I am saying I can't see the benefit to me. It might be diffrent, if I were shooting competition, or maximum range, but the longest class A range here is 100yards. The nearest range is only 75 yards.
Ohio is fairly new to rifle, so I'm used to the accuracy of a shotgun for large game, and even with a sabot barrel, a rifle is more accurate than a shotgun. (With any factory trigger). And since I hunt meat, not scores, and what I pull a trigger on tends to oblige me, how could I justify the cost of the upgraded trigger?

Now, I'm not trying to derail this thread. I just mentioned that I couldn't see the value vs the cost, so I'm walking away here, to return this thread to it's intended path. My apologies to the OP.

A good trigger like a RR greatly improves Offhand shooting and even helps benchrest shooting. With a good trigger, you will actually have fewer misses in Offhand. Doesn't matter if that Offhand happens on the range or in the field.

Every now & then I try to ignore it by fielding an AR with a stock trigger, even one that feels pretty good to me. It never works. I always end up replacing the stock trigger.