I'm not really new to AR rifles, was in some form of the Army for about 11 years, but haven't shot AR's since I left in 2008. I'm putting together my first one to use for hunting and am pretty overwhelmed about trigger options. For you guys who hunt with this style rifle, do you prefer single stage or double stage triggers, and why? Recommendations on a trigger that is a "best buy for the money", not just the super expensive top of the line stuff? Thanks.

Adam

Two stage. For your description a RRA varmint or a Geissele G2S.

I use both single and 2 stage

Geissele G2S and rock river 2 stage

I have several different singles
Wilson Combat 3 gun
Timney 3.5
CMC 3.5
Rise Armament 3.5

for just hunting RRA Varmint will be fine.

Never tried the RRA Varmint, but really like their 2-stage trigger.

For hunting, you can beat the Timney or McCormick

RRA if you are on a budget, Geissele if you don't mind spending a little more. I prefer a two stage trigger for a hunting rifle.

Another vote for the RRA Varmint trigger (which is a 2 stage, if that's not clear already)

RRA varmint and look no further. Even my 2 stage hating friend was impressed....

TIMNEY!!!!

I'm a newbie when it comes to building ARs but I just received a Larue two stage. It was back ordered for 3 months but it was $125. It is also my first two stage. Haven't shot it much yet. But I think it is worth considering.

You can get it without a wait if you want to pay more.

My son has a 2 stage National Match that's really sweet. I have a Hiperfire 24E that I like a lot.

The 24E comes with 3 spring sets that allows you to adjust the weight of pull. The lightest set of springs give the heaviest hammer drop which is great for some surplus ammo. The lightest pull is about 2.5 lbs. The springs allow you to adjust the pull to just over 4 lbs.

Dan

For hunting, the ALG Defense ACT is what you seek. They supply 2 sets of springs now. Mine breaks at 4.5 lbs. and still retains mil-spec reliability. Definitely a best buy IMO.

I also run a RRA 2 stage, which is also excellent for the money. It also breaks at 4.5 lbs overall. It may be better for target shooting, but I think I have come to prefer the ACT for hunting.

BTW, ALG = Amy Lynn Geissele......

Yes you can. For half the price a RR NM 2 stage is pretty nice and safer.

I would not call a 4.5 pound trigger good, for target shooting unless required by rules. Thats what we shot under for years. 4.5 minimum.

Guess what? All of our non match guns don't have triggers anywhere near 4.5 pounds....

You have lots of choices. I just put one of the Rough Justice 3.0 triggers in an HBAR and think pretty highly of it. The last two Timney triggers I bought were disappointing.

I asked the same question not long ago and simply took rost495's advise.
He and a few others here have more time on an AR than the rest of us together and hes spot on here as per norm.

I put one in and could not be happier. Might be just a tiny bit light but Im getting used to it and really like it

You can bend the trigger spring just a hair to pick up weight if you want a bit more...

I'll second these choices. I have one of each on my two AR's.

Ed

Thanks, but the more I shoot it the better I like it! Probly run as is for a while, good to know they can be adjusted some though

I'm happy with the two ALG ACT triggers I have.

PM me if needed, you can usually get a bit eihter way, up to a pound difference sometimes, but just a tweak of the legs of the spring. I suggest buying a couple spare trigger springs before doing it, cheap enough they are anyway....

Unless running a higher end AR, I think a polish, JP spring kit and a set screw above grip screw to remove some creep doable.

Did it to my Stag, shoots under 1" at 100 with 2-7X redfield rev off bags w 55 gr V max.

Even did it to my iron sighted beater Frankenrifle.

200 and in stuff, works for me.

True varmint rig, yeah, needs something better.

I can shoot sub moa groups with worse triggers... but nice ones make a difference.

The difference one made by polishing and tweaking and set screws is significant. A bit dangerous. And in the end you still have a junk trigger.

All it did was change the engagement. Still plenty left IMHO.

Could take more out, but would need further mods that could possibly make things touchy.

No probs with the yellow JP springs either (but then I don't run the cheapest ammo I can find).

Several hundred rounds without issue. Not worried.

Polish is polish, not grinding (no doubt some folks don't know the diff).

1 inch for 10 shots with a polished trigger! Epic! Next time I am going to polish instead if spending $70 on a RRA varmint! And just change the engagement a tweak, this is stupendous.

1" aint [bleep] scoped/benched. For serious chuck rig proly need to half that. IMHO that would entail a nicer trigger than can be had with prev mentioned setup.

My cuz owns my old Stag AR now. He is not the best shooter.
Even he can get 1.5" or under benched.

The JP spring kit and set screw do help.

But if you suck it probably won't.

Similar

http://www.ammoland.com/2009/03/ar-15-trigger-job/#axzz46H6ySl1O

I have a Geissele G2S and love it. I have also used Wilson Combat's 2 stage Tactical Trigger and it was very nice but for the price I would go with the GS2

Hookeye, you provided good, and relevant, information to the post. Ignore James' sarcasm [ Jimmy, have a Snickers :-)]

Here's my (very) limited experience.
A PSA Enhanced Polished Trigger is a big improvement over straight mil-spec, and worth the sale price. I bought the yellow JP spring but haven't felt the need to install it.
I just installed a Rise Armament single stage trigger and I can't believe how light and crisp it feels. I don't have a trigger force gauge, but it feels a lot lighter than the advertised 3.5# to me. I wouldn't want to it to be any lighter for my deer hunting gun.

I'm slowly acquiring better triggers. The LaRue MBT that I pre-ordered should be delivered tomorrow, and I have a Geisselle G2S in the parts drawer. I am anxious to finish up the project guns to see how much better these triggers feel.

Some of us, you excluded due to limited experience, get Jimmy's point.

We've btdt.

If you only have time and no money, then polish and tweak away.

But for 60 bucks I"ll spend the money and get a known safe and decent trigger every last time. BTDT and have a tiny bit of time and experience messing with AR stuff for a few years. I"m pre replacement trigger days... some of you likely were note even born back then...

And sooner or later if you are pushing to a good trigger with polish, set screws etc... sooner or later that trigger is going to start doubling....

I run my marathon Sunday but after that I think we could use another MOA challenge. Lot's of talented shooters here...

For the trigger question, I've polished plenty of them and tried Jewells, Millazo, RR NM, Geissele G2S, BM 2 stage, ALG ACT, PSA's "enhanced" model, Timney, McM and an Armalite.

I use the G2S not because it's the best out there but because it's the best for the money, robust, a good smooth pull, solid wall, made from tool steel and is good enough for me.

Have yet to see any serious shooter stick with a polished stock trigger.

My buddy has the custom ultra varmint rigs with the couple hundred dollar triggers. They're sweet.

But I don't try for PD's at 500+.
Coyotes inside of 200 are rather large. Mob of thugs proly larger.

I figure 1" or a lil under is good enough for the amount of $ I spent. Not really an AR fan anyway (used to creekbank chucks with an FNC para).

BTW, used to work under miscroscopes, materials development and metallurgy labs, decent sized corp too. Was THE fine pitch build/repair guy.

I aint diddly, but the guy with a Stolle Panda was rather PO'd when I outshot him with his rifle, after driving a lifted beater Jeep 1.5 hrs to the range (he even popped it from the cradle due to stuck cases, twice, said that'd F my group). Five at a half inch at 225. Not too shabby for just hopping out of the truck. Breezy it was.

BTW, I see a fair amount of clods running high dollar AR's with $$$$ triggers. Having it, and being able to benefit from it, are not always linked.

But if your gun does what you want, who gives a flip?
Topic says "hunting trigger".

Could be long D and high mag scopes or creekbanking close with irons or reddot (or anything else).

My current hunting spot for deer is small, 100 yards is about max.
That's a gimme distance. 2 MOA would be fine there (unless threading the needle). Small groups do help confidence, but sometimes outside of that, they really don't make much diff in the field.

What ventricle of the deer heart must one hit to be considered a serious shooter?

If I take my AR yoting it's for 200 and in work. Am content with the trigger it has. It's for me a general use rig, not specific to anything. In that role I think it's fine.

Seems to work. Bud popped it at 75 yards on the run (my old Stag rifle). I reluctantly assembled another AR just because of social decay. Same trigger mod. Alas, I have been taking a little TC carbine more and more. Joy to tote. Little more range than the Python

I've often said that a 2 MOA gun could kill any called coyote anywhere. I've also said that I could do anything I wanted to do with a 1.5 MOA gun but hope for an MOA gun or under.

We did a challenge last spring for 2 10 shot groups on the same piece of paper with a bi-pod, no heavy bag and surprisingly very few made it. I did not.

But junk triggers are the least of my worries when shooting groups, they can be overcome.

My concern is reliability. I shoot a lot when I shoot and sooner or later a tuned trigger will bite you. Just depends on how many rounds you shoot. For a hunting gun that is shot very little, (250 rounds a year) most anything will work but start shooting 500 rounds a week and things start wearing and breaking. Heck I even saw a RR NM hammer that broke on another forum just this week, about 2500 rounds I think.

And yes coyotes are big and easy, until they're not big and easy...

if slop works for you, then slop works for you.

Have been very happy with my RR two stage varmint WTF they call it.




Dave

Not by any means an expert on anything, but I've polished triggers, bought expensive single stage triggers and was more impressed by the Geissele G2S than any trigger for the money. Buy it, lube it and be done.

its great that you also reduced the amount of engagement on the sear that probably really helps!

It really does help to cut the sear engagement some. Thats one of the first places to start, to get less creep.