Watch our exclusive video on YouTube:Testing out The Best AR-15 Drop-in Triggers/Fire Control Groups - See How They Compare.

Choosing the right fire control group/trigger for your rifle is extremely important. If you're still using the mil-spec stock trigger on your AR-15, it's time to upgrade. If you are investing in a quality rifle, then you absolutely need to invest in a quality trigger. The stock trigger is heavy and difficult to pull, especially under stress. While they may get better the more rounds you put downrange, they lack the precision and reliability you want.

If your current trigger isn’t meeting your needs, upgrading to a new trigger can improve your accuracy and make shooting your AR-15 more enjoyable. There are many triggers available on the market, so how do you know which one is right for you? In this blog post, we'll discuss the different types of triggers available and help you choose the best one for your needs. Let's get started!

Important questions to ask yourself when deciding on a new trigger:

• Is your rifle used on duty, for home defense or just a range toy?
• Does your department have a trigger pull weight policy?
• Do you have a trigger weight preference? A finger placement preference?
• Will you be in a situation where your adrenaline will be pumping and a forgiving trigger is necessary?
• Are you shooting at a distance where accuracy or point of impact (POI) is critical?

All of this must be taken into consideration when choosing the right trigger needed. So that leads us to the question, which should you purchase?

Types of Triggers: Single Stage vs Two Stage

For AR style systems, there are two main categories of triggers to consider - single stage and two stage.

Single Stage Triggers

Single stage triggers are the mil-spec norm and are what you will find in almost any off-the-shelf AR-15. Ideally, they should have minimal to no travel before you feel a “wall” that you will pull through to fire the gun. They are simple, inexpensive, and reliable. When you pull this trigger; it does its job.

Unfortunately, single stage triggers are notoriously heavy and gritty, usually between 6-9 pounds in pull weight. While the heavy pull weight is an intentional design feature especially if you are in a situation where your adrenaline is pumping and the chance for an accidental trigger pull must be prevented. This is also a good choice when shooting in the cold can make your fingers feel cold and less sensitive to movement and travel.

Two Stage Triggers

Two stage triggers have an intentional “travel” stage before you feel the “wall”. This allows you to prep your shot slowly and then do little to pass that wall when you want to take your shot. In general, two stage triggers have a lighter pull weight compared to single stage triggers, often around 2 pounds per stage for a combined pull weight of 4 pounds.

Not only is that second stage very light, allowing minimal input for the weapon to fire, but the combined low weight allows for rapid fire - you can just pull straight through both stages quickly.

When fractions of a second is critical, the ability to excel at both long range shots and close shots is what makes the two stage trigger the preferred choice. Let’s explore the top brands and their quality triggers to choose from.

Geissele Automatics

Geilssele is well known for their quality products in the combat and duty area with a reputation for safe and reliable triggers. They live up to their motto “We are Weaponmakers.” Geissele develops a variety of triggers from drop-in single-stage-, two stage, and semi auto triggers designed to dominate 3-gun competitions. They are often a top choice for military, service, and civilians alike. All their products come with a Lifetime Warranty.

Geiselle’s Two Stage Triggers

Two stage triggers made by Geissele are almost universally used by the special forces community with the Super Select-Fire SOPMOD trigger being officially adopted by such groups in the early 2000’s. Since then, it has amassed an impressive, combat proven track record for reliability and smoothness. This trigger behaves like a two stage trigger in semi-automatic fire and a single stage trigger in fully-automatic fire.

Geissele’s Super Semi-Automatic (SSA) trigger is the closest commercially available equivalent to the SSF trigger. It features a smooth, 3 pound first stage and a crisp, under 2 pound second stage. This is an absolutely top-of-the-line trigger that will flat out perform in whatever setup it is in. This trigger, as well as other precision triggers are compared to the feeling of snapping a carrot.

Geissele has several variants of the SSA trigger- the Semi-Automatic-Enhanced (SSA-E) features a slightly lighter pull on both stages and would shine in a DMR setup where you want even finer control over shot breaking

The Super Dynamic Combat trigger (SD-C) features the same pull weight as the SSA, but features a flat bow trigger shape vs the traditional curved face. It is a great combat trigger.

The traditional curved shape of the trigger naturally places your finger at the center of the curve with consistency. Consistent finger placement pays dividends in distance shooting as does consistency in almost any form of input given to a weapon system, provided its form and technique is optimum. Some prefer a flat bow design to the curved shape, as it allows more specific finger placement - for example, placing your finger lower on the trigger face will give you noticeably more leverage.

Some applications where a curved design might shine would be:

• in a larger caliber system where the curved design will more evenly and consistently distribute your finger pressure
• if you want a more tactile confirmation of finger placement on the trigger face, especially for rapid trigger pulling or in wet environments

Some applications where a flat bow design might be beneficial:

• when more specificity/options are desired for where you will place your finger on the trigger face to utilize different amounts of leverage

Geissele’s Single Stage Trigger

The Geissele Single Stage Precision trigger (SSP) is a next level improvement to the traditional mil-spec single stage trigger. The SSP was Geisseles for entry into the single stage arena. It has no takeup or travel and has an incredibly clean break at only 3-4 pounds. When using this trigger, it is hard to perceive the movement when firing.

In the YouTube review of this trigger from “Guns & Tactics,” Dave compares the trigger experience to the likes of “flipping a light switch.” While it isn’t the lightest, or crispest, it is a great choice for duty, patrol, and home defense. It comes in both curved and flat trigger face designs.

See our full selection of Geissele Triggers.

LaRue Tactical 

Mark LaRue is well known for his excellent barrels and many innovations to the AR system over the years. His attention to detail is fully present in his MBT-2S two-stage match trigger MBT, or “Meticulously Built Trigger.” LaRue originally sold his rifles with Geissele triggers, however amidst a pricing spat, he decided to build his own. The MBT comes in both traditional curved and flat bow designs. It is a fantastic performer at less than half of the cost of a Geissele. 

Rock River Arms

The Rock River Arms 2 Stage National Match trigger predates Geissele triggers by a few years and continues to be an excellent and affordable 2 stage trigger with a consistent combined pull weight of 4.5 pounds.This is a great trigger on a budge.

It is important to note about the above triggers that they all use full-power trigger and hammer springs - unlike a tuned competition style trigger that will achieve a lighter pull weight through weaker springs. These full-power springs ensure that the hammer will strike the firing pin with enough force every time to reliably ignite a variety of ammo. This is exactly what you want in a weapon that your life will depend on.

Ultimately, trigger selection is a very personal decision; some will prefer a single or two stage and some will feel more comfortable with either a curved or flat trigger face.As long as you select a reliable and consistent trigger (like those that Charlie’s sells), the most important thing is that you train with the trigger you’ve selected. When you’ve built the muscle memory to know how to control and work with your trigger and not against it, you can achieve the results you want downrange.

If you’re looking to upgrade your trigger and want something that will give you a competitive edge in the field, look no further than Charlie's Custom Clones.

Upgrade today and see the difference it makes in your accuracy and precision downrange.

Don’t forget to watch Charlie’s Exclusive Video to see how these triggers compare in real life.

Looking for a trigger for a different platform? See all the triggers for sale

Further readings:

Read Brent McGuire’s article “Trigger Warning: Your Guide To Upgrading Your AR-15 Trigger.”