Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Best trigger for the money?

I never had much interest in owning an AR, but everyone has one and I found some deals on parts, so I built one. It shoots pretty well with Hornady 75 BTHP's. I've had a couple 5-shot groups under an inch at 100, which isn't easy for me with a 1-4x scope and this mil-spec trigger. I'm not sure on replacing the scope, but I HATE the trigger. I also don't want to spend $200, because that seems like blasphemy when the last Timney I bought for a Rem 700 was $109. Any suggestions?

While I certainly understand about not wanting to spend the money, I just purchased a Geissele SSA-E when PSA had their sell at 179. A little lump in my throat when i hit "checkout" but once it came in and I got it installed, it was well worth the money and the guilt went away. That is one insane and awesome trigger. I recently purchased a Ruger MPR with their elite 452 trigger, its nice but Geissele is a step above for sure.

I went the yellow jp spring route for a few years. Fine for the range but did cost my 6yo a deer this year due to a misfire. That's when I purchased the geissele. He took a grandma doe with it saturday afternoon, perfect shoulder shot at 50yds with 62gr federal fusions.

I have several timneys in my 700s and model 7s. They get the job done, but if you ever shoot a nice two stage trigger, you'll understand the difference in money.

Lots of sales currently and lots of choices. I would recommend by experience the CMC or the Rock River match trigger. There are better triggers out there for sure but I mixed the budget vs performance. For an economical variety the Rock River Varmint trigger gets good reviews but I have not used one.

For under, way under $200, I'd get a Rock River. I honestly don't think they get any better until you get into a Geiselle NM trigger and then only because they are adjustable. You have to be extremely practiced to notice any difference.

Off topic but how well does the 6yo handle the AR? Any issues with noise or recoil? Planning my 5yo’s future. Lol

The LaRue MBT is hard to beat. Especially when they are on sale at $100.

no issue at all, with the stock all the way up, shorter than a youth/compact stocked gun. A standard youth stock is still too long for i imagine most 6yo. Right now, he's on a psa midlength 16in stainless upper with the lightweight forearm. He can move it around the shooting rail with ease. Topped it with a leupold 1-4. We are 3 for 3 with the federal fusions.

My 9 yo has graduated into a model 7 youth in 7mm08. I loaded up some youth loads from the hodgdon site and very little recoil. Kicks less than my 243 with those loads.

Good to hear. The adjustable lop was one of the biggest plusses of getting him shooting an AR.

RRA

A Geissele G2S is the gateway to the decent into trigger madness.
I started there, but after awhile I needed a bigger fix with longer lasting high so I went the SSA-E route. It lasted awhile, but the knowing that there was still something out there better and faster kept tugging at me.
Now I think I may have hit rock bottom; I have a Hi-Speed National Match on the way.
May God (and my heirs) have mercy on my soul.

Either the Ruger Elite 452 or the LaRue MBT - which ever goes on sale for $99 first. A good trigger makes a world of difference.

I think I've posted this link before:

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

I went with the Rise Armament SST and am very happy with them. They're pretty easy to find for $100 and I've seen them for around $80 at times.

Just a heads up but PSA has a sale right now. Geissele SSA-E and 10 30rd Pmags for $240. Nice deal if you also want some pmags.

I have tried numerous aftermarket triggers on AR's. My favorite is https://geissele.com/super-semi-automatic-enhanced-ssa-e-trigger.html. They have them on Sale a couple times a year for $50 bucks off or so. Watch Geissel and Primary Arms http://www.primaryarms.com/MCategories+AR-15-Triggers

budget wise I have a lot of experience wtih RRA NM and RRA Varmint. If priced low enough on sale, hands down for most folks thats all they'll ever need.

Past that all mine would be Gieselle these days if it was important.

So many out there I have not tried though others may be good also.

Sometimes the RRAs need some shooting or a bit of tuning. just an FYI.

I have something, maybe a CMC, that I was talked into trying and probably will have it installed in something this summer...

For the money RRA 2 stage.

My RRA two stage triggers bought on sale were real bargains.

I have the velocity in two Colt 6920's. Most of my bolt guns have timney's, so I guess that's my baseline to compare to.... I also have shilen in my 40x, couple Anschutz 54's, Kimber, steyr. I really like my velocity. For $135 bucks they're a bargain.

RRA 2 stage, but make sure and get the varmint version

I like the cmc, fwiw.

A couple suggestions:
As noted a few times already- Larue MBT for a 2 stage trigger, especially when on sale for $99
I am surprised no one has mentioned ALG Defense ACT trigger for a single stage- hard to go wrong for $69

I have 4 RRA NMs and 2 are really mushy right out of the box and 1 is OK. The last one is spectacular. I'd get something else. I put a Del Ton 2 stage in my buddy's 6.8 when I built it and it is excellent. Thinking about getting a couple for my 2 large frames. If not I'm ordering MBT.

I think it was noted that some RRA need a bit of tweaking. Easy to do. And at one point they were under 75 bucks... that makes it a win all the way around as they can be tweaked to almost amazing for cheap money.

I bought 2 of mine for $62 each 2 years ago at Xmas. Unfortunately RRA did some shady dealings as a compromise and selling gun owners rights down the river. Them and Springfield Armory go to the boycott list.

Thats interesting on gun owners rights I had not heard that.

Maybe I can find a trigger as good for as cheap... I'm not much to support folks stabbing us in the back.

Moving to another state I'm good with, but back stabbing to compromise etc... not so much.

Here's one

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general...-deal-with-gun-banners-in-IL-/5-1988839/

And their denial and subsequent pee pee slap here

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Rock-River-Arms--Springfield-Arms--and-IFMA/5-1990925/

They can say what they want but they ducked from this for a while and had no comment. They were complicit no matter what they say.

I'd have stood up to them, and or moved if need be. Seems money drives everything though. A shame that is.

Its one reason I refused Ruger for so long and still to this day they will be my last choice, but I admit having bought 2 of their pistols lately. But I'll do everything I can to avoid them.

From what you are saying a RRA Varmint would be a great upgrade for you. They do go on sale from time to time. I don't have a single "stock" trigger in my AR's. I have a couple Jards and also I have three varieties of Giesslele's, and they are "better" at the higher price points. Also have one now that's doubling, but maybe it's not the trigger. That's for me to figure out. I also have several of the RRA's including one that was to White Oak for tuning. Or so I was told. Hard to tell much difference between them after 1K rounds. Get the RRA. It will make you happy.

If the one that is doubling has a Jard in it, they are known for that...........................seen it on more than one & that would be the 1st place I'd look

Easy to replace it with a known good trigger & find out.

MM

Had that been the case I would not have discussed the Giesslele's immediately prior to mentioning I have one doubling rather than in the format you rearranged making it seemed as though that was my meaning. It is a lower with a Giesslele that is doubling.

The Jards have been good triggers. I've never had one double or fail in any regard.They break crisply.

Not my intent to re-arrange what you meant, just pointing out that the Jards have some issue as you didn't specify which one was the problem, unless I just misread it................seen it on 3 out of 3, & Jard's response was less than comforting.

Never seen it happen in a Geiselle unless someone tried to re-tune it to a level that it wasn't intended for.................not saying it can't happen, but I just haven't seen it.

Best trigger available is an Elftmann, IMO.

MM

I put a velocity 3lb curved trigger in mine. It feels really good with no creep at all. I found it for $135 and free shipping.

Perhaps a bit off topic but PSA currently has a deal where you pay retail for a Geissele SSA trigger and they will throw in a complete lower with Magpul MOE furniture for $60 for anyone that might be interested in such things.

Must be a reason nobody mentioned the JMT Saber. He is a local guy and the trigger got good reviews but it has way more creep/takeup than I like. It’s smoot and not heavy but creep in a trigger is something I hate most....

Thanks for all the input. I had never heard of the LaRue MBT, but they seem to get great reviews. In fact, I can't find a negative review on them. And they went on sale for $99. I've got one on order.

I ordered one during one of the recent $99.00 sales, and it really is nice. I think you will be pleased with the LaRue.

I ordered an mbt on sale about a month ago, had it within the week. People talked like I might wait months. Hopefully you get yours quick too.

I had a Geissele S3G trigger that would routinely double if I was shooting from awkward positions. It wasn't a trigger malfunction, it was just that the trigger lent itself to bump firing.

Yeah, well try to get that distinction without a difference to fly with the cops. Oh! Wait!! lol

Actually good to know. That may be why one of mine is doubling, too. I'll have to see if it has the S3G in it. One does.

Check these out.

https://precisionmp.com/product/gold-strike-trigger/

Im liking the RRA Varmint. can get em for $89 shipped. Have a couple of them and no complaints thus far.

LaRue

I'm officially sold on the Larue. Got mine installed the other day, first pull at 3lbs, 2nd at 1 1/2. The break feels different from the ssa-e I have and love...but for 100 bucks less. If you've never shot a ssa-e you'd never know the difference in how the break feels. The take up on the ssa-e is a pound lighter, but I'm more worried about the break and last pull. Save some money and go with the Larue.

I like my Rock River Varmint triggers

Just got in a Daniel Defense with the same trigger installed from factory. Took it to the range this weekend and it was doing exact same thing to me.

Some folks are much more prone to doubling than others are. Have a brother in law that does it almost every time he fires an M1 Garand.

As noted its not really a trigger issue, other than you may not be able to use it as set, you may have to set it differently.

Not all that uncommon at times actually from what I've seen. And tuned up single stage factory triggers were worse about it than anything I've seen on the AR.

Last 64 dollar RRA varmint I had( on sale) came in at about 2.5 and 1.0 on the breaks....

I see Geissele has a new single stage trigger set at 3.5 lbs for those who don't like 2 stages.

Jeff,

Was that with or without tweaking it?

What do you do when you "tweak" those triggers?

I was about to buy another Geissele SSA-E...

Ed

Last one was without. Had a bit of creep but good enough for non match.

Bend springs and a bit of stoning sometimes. Replace rivet one some.

Some triggers require more discipline than others.

For instance, shooting subguns gets one in the bad habit of immediately releasing the trigger once it has been pulled. This can cause bump fires with some triggers. To break this, practice holding the trigger back and concentrate on releasing it.

A good rapid fire cadence is to shoot, listen for the action to cycle, THEN fully release the trigger and begin your next pull. As opposed to a "bang-pull" cadence where you never fully release the trigger. Practice the former method enough and you can get to a proper trophy-trigger method.

When it comes to sloppy trigger control in rapid fire, I find 2-stage triggers are easier to manage than a light single stage. A 2 stage can be treated like a heavy single stage, but a light single stage can never be treated like anything other than a light single stage.

Purchased a Ruger Elite 452 for one of my ARs. Vast improvement over the standard trigger.for about $100. Better trigger than I'll ever need.

Thanks to several people who chimed in, I ordered the LaRue MBT on March 1st for the $99 "I got plenty of time" special price. It finally arrived on Wednesday, and I put it in last night. Only dry fired so far, but it's as good of a trigger pull as I could ever want. Thanks for all the help.

Heck I thought everyone figured out trophy trigger and that was the only way to run em in rapids.

If you have trigger OCD like many of us do, your groups will drastically improve with a good trigger. Im sure that Larue is a pretty good one. Are you still thinking about changing out the scope too? If its shooting as good as you say, you should put something with a little higher magnification on there and shoot the black rifle challenge.

I actually did swap out a Cabela's (Conquest) 4.5-14x44 that I found in the bargain cave for only ~$365 after tax. Gonna go give it a whirl this afternoon.

I don't really know what the black rifle challenge is. I've seen the thread, but never had the interest to delve into such a long thread that I probably have no business in. I can't post pictures from my phone because they're too big, and don't have a PC anymore because I really don't need one these days. I'd have to go to the library just to print out the targets. And besides, aren't there several companies that make guaranteed half-inch AR's? I doubt my Heinz 57 rifle would be competitive...

It might be. My mutt rifle out shoots my Noveske. Sometimes the ones you put together yourself, shoot just as good or better than a high dollar factory rifle.

never had a factory put together gun really. Have had folks like White Oak provide parts though.

Have never been wanting for accuracy.

YMMV.

I may not know what I've been missing, but I never was really upset with how far wife and I got in service rifle matches.....