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Best AR trigger


torrpd

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I am putting together a rifle for 3 gun. I was wondering what is the best all around trigger people are using.out there, two stage, single stage, complete drop in etc. Thanks for the input.

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Triggers I typically recommend (or use myself):

Jard drop-in comes with it's own safety, which you have to use. Adjustable from under 2 to about 4 pounds. If it would take the Noveske short throw safety, it would undoubtedly be my #1 pick. At about $200 with the included safety, decent value too.

POF drop-in with the Noveske short throw. This is a bullet-proof trigger. It is a bit heavier and it is what I use in my "has to work" AR. I have put several of these into friends ARs who are LEO.

CMC drop-in, again with a Noveske short throw, has got to be the value leader. There are others a tad lighter, but these are darn good triggers and I have several of them.

JP original really is a standard by which I judge the others. They are very good, but at some point, they will need readjustment. But Benny is right, they have to be installed correct. I have shot JPs installed by a bunch of different "smiths" and Benny, Jim at Firebird and JP are the only three places I would recommend to install an original JP. The JP EZ trigger is easier to install, but I do not like the feel as much. By the time to pay to install the original JP, the price is pretty close.

AR-Gold drop-in is to me, another standard setter, but it is a "two-stage" trigger. Works with the Noveske short throw safety as well.

There is a lot of personal preference that really means you should try them before you buy one.

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Of course as always, sage advice from Benny and Mark!

I have several triggers and at this point, I am still recommending a JP trigger installed by Benny or JP. I have an AR Gold and it is very light/smooth/awesome but there just something lacking that I can't put my finger on. I love the Jard triggers and I have them in everything from my 10/22 to ARs and they are great. Also, excellent customer service at Jard - can't say enough about them too.

Never tried the CMC but have thought about it. I want to try the Wilson but again, haven't got around to it yet. The Geissele triggers are on par with the AR Gold in my opinion but not as smooth. However, I was able to get better splits with the Geissele trigger than the AR Gold.

If I had to purchase another one today, it would be the JP installed by Benny, the next would be Jard or Geissele, then the AR Gold (in that order).

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I have a JP in mine. Works great but maybe just a little heavier than I'd like. My dad runs a CMC. If I was building a rifle that's what I'd use, drops right in and has a great feel to it.

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I put a Jard, single stage 3# fully adjustable in mine. It's amazing. Also, unlike the aforementioned Jard triggers you can use whatever safety you want. It was my first time installing a trigger and it went smoothly, just follow the directions. On the other hand it is a little time consuming to install and you have to loctite quite a few tiny screws.

Most people like something a little bit different from each other but there are tons of great choices, what's perfect for one person is not quite perfect for another. You really won't go wrong with anything MarkCO recommended.

Edited by KungPfoo
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Of the triggers I have tried:

#1 - AR Gold (Literally a custom 1911 trigger for your AR but with no perceptible creep or over-travel whatsoever. It rivals many of the custom 1911 triggers I have tried. Only issue might be the light reset which is again similar to a 1911 reset.)

#2a - Wilson Combat TTU Single Stage (**Tentative. I just received this trigger and have no rounds down range yet. Reminds me of a heavy bolt gun trigger. No perceptible creep, minimal over-travel, very crisp break. In dry-firing it, my only issue is the hesitant/laggy reset. I'm not sure if this is typical but if the hesitant reset persists, I will contact Wilson Combat about this issue. Even with this issue, the pull quality is sufficient enough to place it near the top of my list.)

***ETA: So after taking it for a test spin with live rounds yesterday afternoon, the hesitant reset is less apparent while firing but still there. Looking at it more closely, I am noticing a lot of drag on the disconnector and the hammer. I'll have to see what Wilson Combat has to say about this. I must say that I got this trigger at a relative bargain. I'm not sure if I would pay the full retail price for it. I'm still very tempted to give the JP the edge back on this one especially with the weird reset issue. Between the two it is very close to splitting hairs.

#2b - JP installed at JP (This is deservedly the standard by which AR triggers should be measured against. When I first received it, I also thought it felt similar to a good bolt gun trigger. After a little more time with it, I can detect the smallest amount of creep in it. Outside of that minute amount of creep, it is an excellent trigger with a crisp break, positive reset, and minimal to zero over-travel. If not for the minute bit of creep, this would still be the king of the single stage for me.)

#3 - CMC (Basically a JP in modular form. Ever so slightly more creep than the JP but otherwise a very good to great trigger. Possibly the best value)

#4 Geissele S3G (Best way to describe it is like a glass smooth Glock trigger for your AR. Similar creep to the CMC. I wanted to like it but my first AR trigger was an AR Gold and this was the second. Comparing it to the AR Gold made this trigger very disappointing. Longer trigger pull, reset, and over-travel than the triggers listed above. Price and build materials used were additional reasons for me not to rank this trigger higher. I might have liked the trigger better if it were priced closer to the CMC. I would only recommend this trigger if you like Glock-type triggers and/or just absolutely have to have a Geissele.)

I still have an ALG ACT trigger yet to install and try and of course MarkCO's endorsment of the Jard has me wanting to try that trigger too.

Edited by bagdrag
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Funny you should mention. I just installed an ALG for a buddy who doesn't compete and wanted a decent trigger, on a budget. With some JP springs it wasn't half bad! About 4lb, crisp break and felt pretty good. Drop in a JP adjustable safety to limit over travel and you've got a pretty decent trigger for about $120. Not sayin it's as good as a JP trigger, but if you don't mind a little more over travel, you can have the ALG and springs in your gun for around $65 shipped. So maybe not the best trigger overall, but might qualify as a best value.

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I am just curious why I don't see more people running Timneys. I have the 4lb single stage in two rifles and love it. Of the other popular triggers mentioned, I have tried a Geiselle S3G, which I hated, and a JP, which I liked but didn't find to be particularly better than the Timney. I also won a Geissele trigger (not S3G—I think it might have been the SSA) which I put in one of my ARs; I like it, but not as much as the Timney.

Oh, I went with the ALG Combat Trigger (ACT) in my 15-22. Very nice take a milspec 2-Stage for not a lot of money!

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I have a Timney on one gun, it is a nice trigger, however I have been informed that a little bit of dirt will make it a no go.

I have an ALG Combat on another gun, I like it as do the folks who have tried it. YMMV

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A couple of timney's and Bill Springfield triggers here. I sent one timney back due to some doubling and got a new replacement within a week, and a nice email... so I guess YMMV with their customer service. I like the timney's crisp break and would buy one again.

Also, the Bill Springfield worked triggers are very good - probably the best bang for the buck trigger you can get. Got a 3-4lb Bill Springfield worked trigger on a 16 incher and it is the perfect trigger for that rifle.

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A couple of timney's and Bill Springfield triggers here. I sent one timney back due to some doubling and got a new replacement within a week, and a nice email... so I guess YMMV with their customer service. I like the timney's crisp break and would buy one again.

Also, the Bill Springfield worked triggers are very good - probably the best bang for the buck trigger you can get. Got a 3-4lb Bill Springfield worked trigger on a 16 incher and it is the perfect trigger for that rifle.

Just proves that there are preferences...Bamboo likes two triggers I would not put in any AR.

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Just ordered a AR Gold today so I can let you know what I think of it next week. Replacing a Geissele SSA-E which I didn't care for. Too long 1st stage and the reset was longer than I expected. Have a 4 pound Timney and it's a good trigger. Clean break and short reset. Have a CMC trigger which is nice but heavier than I wanted. I was up in the air between a JP and the AR Gold and figured I would try the AR Gold first as they have their 30 day money back guarantee so I figure if i don't like it I can return it but with all the praise they get I am not planning on having to use it.

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A couple of timney's and Bill Springfield triggers here. I sent one timney back due to some doubling and got a new replacement within a week, and a nice email... so I guess YMMV with their customer service. I like the timney's crisp break and would buy one again.

Also, the Bill Springfield worked triggers are very good - probably the best bang for the buck trigger you can get. Got a 3-4lb Bill Springfield worked trigger on a 16 incher and it is the perfect trigger for that rifle.

Just proves that there are preferences...Bamboo likes two triggers I would not put in any AR.

Yeah...People say I'm nuts 'cuz I run a Cats-peeing in open, too! :P

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I've shot the AR Gold and the Wilson TTU 3 Gun Trigger. I like the Wilson better because it's a true single stage, feels crisp and has a faster reset.

I must have gotten a lemon because my Wilson actually has a slower reset, but I think I've isolated it to heavy drag on the disconnector. Wilson has offered to take a look at it for, but right now the reset on it is a drag (pun intended).

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My current Tac Ops rifles use the Geissele SD3G trigger and my 308s (HM/O) I use the SSA-E. I've tried JP, Timney, and CMC and with most dont like a straight single stage trigger. One I've played with is the HIPERFIRE trigger and wonder to see how that'll work in a new build overtime.

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I have a Jard 2# fully adjustable, CMC and JP. My JP is worn a bit, and used to be my favorite. That rifle is now a back-up. If I had to chose a favorite, the Jard is the one. It is also one of those triggers, like a JP, that when you get it just right, it is just right. I am not a fan of the CMC, and will be replacing it with another Jard 1.5 / 2# fully adjustable, not that it is a bad trigger, but it is not for me and my shooting style. YMMV

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