Ep-11: AR-15 Triggers Down & Dirty: Anatomy, Functionality, Stages, Break, Reset, Creep... MORE.

[@At3tactical]

*AT3 Tactical Available @ Amazon* amzn.to/46ot4am *New Monthly Giveaways & AT3 Tactical Videos* (No Firearms Sales) content.at3tactical.com/

[@larrytomenga1312]

Best straightforward coverage of this I've seen.

[@At3tactical]

Thank you, that really means a lot.

[@ZpapM92]

I’m scared to take apart my fcg. too many springs & pieces. 😂

[@mikebeddingfield2144]

Polish your sear get the spring wight you perfer and tune your trigger yourself! It's very rewarding when you are done and you gain alot of knowledge about Firearms when you do the research to do the job.

[@SenorGato237]

A thing about mil-spec triggers, I have never had trouble qualifying expert with one. If you already have a mil-spec installed, it will nit hold you back from becoming a great marksman, you really don't need to replace it. Take that money, spend it on ammo, and practice. If you're building from new however, this video is a great guide. I personally do not recommend very light triggers for shooters who are not completely confident already.

[@Darthdoodoo]

Exactly, $100 worth of ammo will make you a better shooter more than a $100 trigger

[@ericorasi6837]

Bro, thank you for this opportunity to help me understand triggers! I hear the phrases all the time and now I understand, take up, brake,and most importantly what the heck a 2stage is. Appreciate your work!

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! Glad to help. IDK if you wanted to get a little deeper, but here's a little thicker explanation and something to help you "Grade" your trigger. Check it out too if you haven't already. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqTRgZidoJl-o6s

[@jeffmurphy9987]

Been running my milspec for almost 30 years. I just cleaned it up with a stone and some polishing. Then shot a lot of rounds making it even smoother and crisp. I couldn’t be happier. Hade everything needed at home and an hour of my time.

[@sammichmanjr]

The icicle vs carrot analogy was so good. As a chef, it totally makes sense haha

[@96SN95]

3:39 The center groove is for the j spring in the hammer to detent and keep the pin from walking out. It does not center or align your fire control group.

[@johnnyadams1755]

Well yes you are correct.

[@claudiodominguez.]

It's also a component of the hammer that wasn't mentioned.

[@KiNgChArLeSIII3006]

You are the goat bro. From the detailed explanation, to the visuals, and walk through man oh man. 👌🏾 I love it

[@At3tactical]

Wow, high praise my man. I really appreciate it! Just trying to inform the masses the way I learned, "Barney-Style". Except we get to do it on video instead of days and days of forums, blogs, other vids...you know how it goes. -Randy

[@brenttesterman3171]

Dude! I learn so much every time I watch one of your videos. I appreciate you and the content you provide. You help me realize how much I don't know and need to learn.

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! Glad to help out where we can. Some of this info is just difficult to put together in one place. :)

[@briancutlip8526]

2:39 the Schmid single stage hammer with the backward spring is a nice touch 😂

[@briancutlip8526]

AND 6:00 & 6:20😅

[@O5FS]

What about it?

[@danefuentes3877]

I did a triple-take thinking, “wait a second. Are ALL my hammer springs backwards?

[@clloydhi]

The center notch in the trigger pin is to lock into the spring in the hammer to prevent the pin from walking side to side. Same with the side slot cut near the end of the pin, it stops the trigger pin from walking as it is held by the hammer spring.

[@At3tactical]

100% Right! That little guy inside the hammer is called the J-Hook. The geometry of that swinging hammer on a single axis has to be absolutely perfect shot after shot, which is where the J-Hook thought process came from.

[@TheChristonline]

@@At3tactical yeah man

[@derek3154]

Geissele G2S can be had for around $110 and is 2 stage trigger with a medium pull weight - best upgrade over any mil-spec for the money.

[@At3tactical]

💯

[@garyK.45ACP]

I've done 6 AR builds. And also own 3 factory built rifles that date back to the early 90s. In the first build I used a "Mil-Spec" lower parts kit. Very cheap. That was disappointing. While most of the parts are fine, and still in place and working, the trigger assembly was a complete disappointment. I replaced it with a drop in, single stage unit and have lived happily ever after. I have used these on every build since and installed them on my three "factory" AR rifles, all "pre-ban", 2 Colt's and 1 Bushmaster. A good trigger is the BEST upgrade you can make to a AR rifle. There are so many, I won't try to tell you which is best, and I have several in my rifles. Choose the one you prefer.

[@bropocalypse2065]

Dang! Great reef tank videos and now great gun videos! What a combo!

[@At3tactical]

Haha! Glad to see you here too! I hung up my reefing hat and got back to my Army Training roots.

[@johnlong384]

Thanks for your very detailed info-clip and yes, as much as you have presented in "high gear" I'll have to watch it again with a piece of paper to write down all the "good-to-knows". take care!

[@At3tactical]

Haha! Just goes to show how deep that rabbit hole can actually go. Thanks for checking us out, glad to help!

[@teinh22a]

BRS TV? RANDY? Cool seeing you here. Happy to see you here!

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! It's so cool to continue seeing more and more salty shooters wander their way over here. HA!

[@ShogunAutoworks]

I always take my trigger assembly out and Dremel polish all the friction surfaces to mirror finish and they function like a knife in butter. Free upgrade. Always be sure to wash your parts off thoroughly in the sink, dry well, and either dry lube or BARELY oil it using a rag when done. Don't want grit in there 😊

[@derek3154]

Instructions unclear, now it runs full auto😅

[@jebj1]

@@derek3154 Awww man that sucks. That rifle is useless now. Send it to me and I'll give it a proper burial.

[@TL50-r9f]

Great video, I learned something today. I just use mil-spec trigger and hammer and disconnect, but I change the trigger spring to a lighter 4 pound and use the 'Paracord AR-15 Trigger Job' to lower the 4 pound pull to around 3 lbs. I would not polish the sear engagement surfaces because the surfaces are hardened and removing material will reveal softer metal that will wear and cause problems later. The 2 stage works great too.

[@At3tactical]

Thanks for checking us out!!

[@timl2116]

Great video that explains triggers with images showing what's going on inside the lower thanks to the window showing the moving parts!!! Video is high quality resolution! Great job AT3 Tactical!!!

[@hi_how_are_ya_]

I'm running a cmc 2.5lb trigger and never had problems with it runs great

[@dakinesc09]

I bought a lot of different triggers. Then I bought the elftmann tactical hollow curved trigger. Now all my ars have that trigger

[@maxwellmortimermontoure7274]

That is one of the best I’ve felt.

[@shootinbruin3614]

Excellent demonstration of how the triggers function. Gorgeous closeup footage! Your studio lighting and camerawork are perfect for this kind of thing. If I may make a small correction: the second stage of a 2-stage trigger can never be lighter than the first. In your example (2.5 lbs. first, 1.5 lbs. second), the 1.5 refers to the additional force required on top of the first stage to release the hammer, not the total force required. So after you pull 2.5 to take up the slack, you're pulling a total of 4 pounds (2.5 + 1.5) to get past the wall. You're a very good presenter. Keep up the good work!

[@At3tactical]

^^^ FOLKS ^^^^ Fantastic correction/addition here from @shootinbruin3614! (Steel sharpening steel...Thanks for the comments!) -Randy

[@prongATO]

Best explanation I’ve seen ,Ty.

[@GettinAuld]

This is a great series, Randy. We've come a long way from doing water changes & keeping zoas alive. Thanks for ALL the great stuff you've taught over the years. Fishies are still doing great, btw.

[@At3tactical]

Thank you, so much. There's so much here to explain and talk about. It's going to be a wild ride over the next few years!

[@GettinAuld]

@@At3tactical looking forward to it

[@a.joegevara3519]

Awesome content! I just picked up one of those jigs and a scale to do some experimenting.

[@At3tactical]

Very cool! Thanks for watching!

[@hphillips7425]

The best AR trigger video I have seen

[@At3tactical]

That really means a lot. Thanks. -Randy

[@frankpippin7932]

Thank you for the informative video … I’m going to upgrade my stock trigger.. that being said I’ve researched pros and cons of single vs double triggers … I’ve decided on the geissele g2s … again thanks especially the visuals as you pull the trigger and explain

[@At3tactical]

Fantastic! So glad to help. I'm certain you'll fall for that trigger...I did for my .300BO truck/bag gun! - Randy

[@KevinWood44]

Im buying a 2 stage TriggerTech Diamond but I can not decide between straight or curved. It is for a precision-style SPR build so opinions lean towards curved but for some reason I think I would like the feel the straight. I like the sharp edge it has opposed to the rounded curved blade I see on their site.

[@At3tactical]

Both are nice, it comes down to personal preference. Ultimately the question is what trigger profile gives you the most consistent finger placement and trigger squeeze.

[@ToxicAndFriendly]

Straight to the point. Very good information. Great explanation. New Sub.

[@At3tactical]

Thank you and welcome aboard. There is a lot more to come over the years.

[@dandahermitseals5582]

Very useful info.

[@Happy-Trails-To-You]

Excellent presentation. Thank you for doing this.

[@At3tactical]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BrennanShilts-bh9km]

Here I was sad Randy left BRS... now I get to see him on AR videos!

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! Glad to see you here too!

[@fightfan7993]

Excellent videos, easy to understand

[@At3tactical]

Glad you like them. Thanks for watching.

[@BigMike3063]

You missed a category of trigger, the Binary trigger. If you've not tried one I recommend the Franklin Binary Trigger, Flat not curved. It's pull is 4lbs-41/2lbs if memory serves correctly.

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! Didn't want to murky already dirty waters with options that aren't available to the vast 80% or more majority of us. BUT....we're not done yet AND we just brought these into the site, so we'll definitely see more!

[@BigMike3063]

@AT3 Tactical If you happen to the time I'd like to see a true head to head comparison of Franklin and Fostech. Most videos on here say Fostech but the BFS I got runs flawlessly, 50rd drum in bout 4- 4 1/2 seconds... thanks. God bless the 2A community.

[@recoiler4545]

Excellent video.

[@At3tactical]

Thank you very much!

[@tonyy33055]

Bro.... I can't stop thinking about BRS when I see you...😂😂😂😂

[@At3tactical]

😂😂

[@DAMIONMCCHEEKZ]

Amazingly clear and direct educational video. BUT- I live in California and I have a 325 lbs trigger. I need me and my lawyer,and maybe the criminal to help me pull the trigger. Don’t have a grip or mag release,still have a trigger. I GAVE UP ON RIFLES FOR HOME DEFENSE,I USE A PISTOL OR SHOTGUN AND ONLY SPEND 3 days in jail and almost a year of court to prove I was home when suspect broke in,plus about $60k. ( or I use a ghost 30 cal ebr with a can and dig a hole……..)wtf 2a?

[@russhayes4882]

Great information !

[@At3tactical]

Thanks!

[@iPig]

Thank you for this awesome series. Trying to navigate the AR world as a noob is overwhelming. You're a natural instructor! I also appreciate that you keep politics out of this. It's difficult for a lot of guntubers to stay apolitical (understandably) and it grows tiresome very quickly.

[@At3tactical]

Glad to help!

[@otherbob23]

$50 milspec lpk makes gun bang the same as $300 trigger..... 🤷‍♂️

[@joshuas390]

Yeah... I never understood people putting those expensive triggers in their ARs that they only ever shoot max 100 yards.

[@CM-ve1bz]

Both of triggers will make the gun bang, but not bang the same. That’s like saying a Yugo and a Dodge charger will get you to the same place, and they will. But it won’t be the same experience.

[@JamesCzerwinski-zk4qu]

Not the same or as fast

[@Cloud4hundred20]

Your right the gun still goes bang but with a lot less effort resulting in more accurate shooting and faster follow up shots.

[@OwwMyEye4240]

But have you actually used them before saying you don't understand

[@spellenerrer6648]

Very informative. Thank you

[@At3tactical]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cliffarrington1875]

Bro I just found this page and was taken back because I knew you from somewhere else. Good ole BRS. Didn’t know you did other content.

[@At3tactical]

Dude! It amazes me to see at least one comment like yours a week. So awesome to see the salty shooters naturally finding our channel. Yeah, I rolled out of there a year ago to try the dang thing on my own for another local MN company. Those 16yrs of Army really bodes better for this type of content...and my guns don't need to be fed anything other than pure FREEDOM! Glad to see you here, my man. -Randy

[@a807511]

I've been shooting for 42 years, and have never gotten the deal about triggers. Personally, to me, every single trigger I have ever squeezed felt the same. Squeeze a little bit, gun goes off, repeat. I've shot $29 BB guns all the way up to $3000 sniper rifles.... All felt the same to me.

[@daveabee1]

Nice video!! Lots of knowledge and you speak very well. Question is about those grips with your demo triggers, are those available for purchase anywhere? Would be great at testing pulls and function checking at home! Thanks!

[@rosswitte]

Fantastic video! Thank you!

[@At3tactical]

Glad you liked it!

[@YooperDanKulka]

What about the trigger that fires when you pull and when you release?

[@At3tactical]

Oh, those Binary Triggers? We'll definitely come back to those very soon...along with some trigger product testing on the horizon.

[@Liborator88]

What about an electronic trigger? Like digitrigger

[@jeffreymichael1154]

At exactly 1:12 you pick up the “jig” with the pistol grip and fcg- where do you get that jig or section to do trigger tuning? Is that called something specific? Do you have a link where to purchase one? Love your videos! Thanks in advance for the answer!!!

[@timothymusson5040]

Damn good video!

[@mickelkerr]

What is that part called that you put the trigger in and test it called ?

[@At3tactical]

That is a trigger jig. Pretty handy little tool, but also about $50. If you test or try a bunch of triggers...worth the purchase!

[@allanbador7316]

Wow. Great info

[@At3tactical]

Glad you liked it. Thanks!

[@DAP_86]

Great video. can you tell me name or brand of bad lever mounted on FDE Lower?

[@At3tactical]

Thanks! That's the Phase 5 Extended Bolt Release. A little extra work to get it installed, but solid as a rock. I'd share a link, but KZbin doesn't appreciate links like those. Haha. You can easily find these things on our site at AT3 Tactical. ;)

[@DAP_86]

@@At3tactical Thanks a lot.

[@Roger-ji4cg]

Nice videos...I recently bought a BCM trigger assembly and with all of these discussions...I want to know if it's legal to install it in my AR . I know it may be a "stupid"question by hey... they are coming for solvent traps that are... Legal to own but only for a car...so...? I live in NC...

[@Mikes_ASMR_guns_and_crypto]

My trigger won’t budge and my selector switch is stuck in the fire position. I’ve tried the charging handle and nothing - never fired it, all I did was change the grip - any suggestions🤷‍♂️ I’m stumped

[@At3tactical]

Pull the pistol grip and check the safety selector spring and detent.

[@Mikes_ASMR_guns_and_crypto]

@@At3tactical initially the spring was missing so I ordered a new spring and replaced the spring and detent but the trigger doesn’t pull and when I pull the charging handle the selector switch doesn’t budge🤷‍♂️

[@mikebeddingfield2144]

Every one trying to build a better mousetrap has made it difficult for the public to decide on the best one! That said good luck finding the best one for you.

[@12chuck0351]

4:12 trigger spring is on upside-down.

[@12chuck0351]

6:20 as well. Regardless great video with tons of good information.

[@At3tactical]

Yeah.... "movie magic" can correct those little slips. 😅 Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@jdmack1]

Good job 👍

[@At3tactical]

Thanks!

[@youngerk420]

So basically the spring attached to the trigger is what makes the trigger pull weight? Couldn't you just change that spring to adjust the trigger pull weight then?

[@SuspiciousGanymede]

There's more that goes into trigger pull such as the weight and length of the hammer, its travel distance, the amount of surface area contact, the roughness of those contact surfaces, etc. If you go modifying springs, you will increase the bolt velocity and reduce liability when using ammunition with harder primers.

[@sunnybv]

Is it me or are the pics of the hammer spring on backwards?

[@faded_mbs593]

Larue Larue Larue

[@VZBudgetBuildz]

I have a Rise Armament Ra-535, and it’s a solid trigger, well worth the price but I keep hearing about the Larue so I may have to pick one up

[@skylinefever]

This is what I have on my AR-15 and AR-10. They are an awesome deal.

[@activemanishere]

Question for you. My sear gets caught on the hammer when the rifle has been sitting for a while. It's easily fixed by pulling the charging handle a couple times. What can i do to fix this issue? I don't want to have a need for the trigger to work and it doesn't! It always continues to work during firing after that first issue, it's just after sitting for a while.

[@At3tactical]

It sounds like there is potential moisture/debris on those parts either prior to storage or humidity in the ambient room. That might be creating a very thin layer of rust. I would first start by putting a light dab of CLP on a Q-tip and then lightly touch those interfaces. Not enough to wet it, but enough to block moisture/debris. Come back after month or so and see if the issue continues.

[@activemanishere]

@@At3tactical is the concern too much liquid or rust? I forgot to mention it's basically a brand new weapon and it did this from day one. I installed the trigger group myself and did research first but am not 20 level. I can say I'm a dump the lube in kind of guy so there is definitely an excess of it in the trigger assembly.

[@At3tactical]

​@@activemanishere Sorry for the delay here. YT is terrible about the way they notify us for reply threads. With the additional knowledge, I would suspect two things. 1) CLP all up in the trigger assembly. (It's one of those...does "more bad" than it does good, being that lubrication attracts more debris) 2) Some issue with the trigger installation. (Maybe an upside down hammer spring; maybe the hammer spring isn't seated correctly). You can definitely call into our support line and talk with Kevin about how the whole thing came about. He's a knowledgeable dude.[phone]

[@activemanishere]

@@At3tactical thank you for your info! I will reach out to Kevin later in the week!

[@kevinanderson1936]

What happens if the disconnect is modified not to catch the hammer in the single stage trigger?

[@At3tactical]

Well... The first rule of Fight Club, is that you don't talk about Fight Club. 😅

[@Twst704]

Sounds like you're a big fan of Bill Geissele! He has a video out thats 10+ years old where he used the description of a Carrot/Icicle break.

[@At3tactical]

Hey, now there's a true scholar of the platform! 😉😉

[@joshuabravener3856]

Thanks

[@At3tactical]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks.

[@bob65656565656565]

This is an incredibly triggering video

[@22bdunlevy]

I have fired from a AR 15 but I'm realizing trigger types and their systems.

[@braddaudron3243]

Whatever you do, don’t buy a rise trigger. You’ll have to send it back and it still won’t work right.

[@donniek7182]

It's hard to beat a Wilson ttu trigger , it just works, well.

[@CasaMcCleese]

Did he did he say lingerie shooting at 8:52

[@At3tactical]

Hey Man, don't "yuck someones yum". 😂 But for the record...no I don't shoot at women's underwear nor would I, at "distance.... 50yrds on a mannequin is a different story. 😅 -Randy

[@CasaMcCleese]

lol! I really enjoyed the freudian slip!

[@mikeweatherbee2]

I'm new to the ar-15 platform. What's your take on putting penetrating oil on the sear or any other part of the trigger assembly?

[@At3tactical]

There are parts on our rifles that need/benefit from lubrication. Some for optimal function, like the BCG. Others, like a little grease on your buffer spring. Then there are AR parts that most steer away from any lubrication at all. Parts like your magazine spring/follower...or...your trigger assembly. "Keep it dry & keep it clean" is the thought process here, where these parts are designed to operate optimally without the need for additional lubrication. ACTUALLY, lubrication is discouraged because it tends to attract more dirt, grime & debris than it repels. Granted you will get some lubrication down there, it's inevitable, but maintaining that minor bit is relatively easy with some swabs. Hope that helps!

[@mikeweatherbee2]

@@At3tactical Thank you!

[@MichealJACKSON-ly6cd]

Buy cmc

[@chrisgualtieri]

I’m warning you all now, especially if you have several AR-15’s. Do NOT buy a Geissele!!! I bought one and then I bought one for every AR-15 I own. My wife still glares at me when I go shooting.

[@chrisrobben9361]

CMC single stage 2.5 lb all day

[@ShogunAutoworks]

Trigger warning 🎉

[@Grunt49]

Breathe Relax Aim Slack Squeeze

[@At3tactical]

Steady Position Aim Breathe Trigger Squeeze .... Man us Army folk sure sucked with acronyms! 😂

[@dandahermitseals5582]

Why can't the industry just build guns that don't have to be modified from the beginning?

[@mmkevguy7973]

Great explanation... but before I go, I must warn everyone not to purchase red dots from this company,, they do not work outdoors as they are not bright enough. Solid builds but would reccomend for indoor range use only(incase you don't agree with my statement)... stay dangerous 💎

[@At3tactical]

We definitely appreciate your feedback on one of our optics. It's this type of information from the trenches that we need to make our next round of products even better. I sent your message along to our product developer for further investigation. If possible, could you please shoot us an email at [e-mail] with which optic of ours you had a poor experience with and we'll absolutely find a way to make this right for you. We stand behind our Lifetime Warranty, so if that particular optic doesn't fit your bill... we might have a new one that will.

[@DaveS71]

@@At3tactical Sounds like they just wanted to moan. Respect for the response.

[@teslamodhammer]

Anyone here run triggetech diamonds

[@CharlesLaBuhn]

I stopped listening when you said the trigger pull was measured in inch pounds.

[@At3tactical]

Bummer, hopefully that little human slip didn't make the information throughout the rest of the episode unusable/untrue. Thanks for pointing it out to us! Steel sharpens steel around here. 👍

[@CharlesLaBuhn]

@@At3tactical Sorry, it's not you it's me. I am just so upset because I know I will have to fight, again, for this Country. I am RETIRED and supposed to be able to rest after 35 + 6 in the service. But I know the only way to save my Grandchildren is to fight and most probably die to stop this Coup. I just wish someone would get it started already, I'm not getting any younger.

[@killpidone]

Triggered

[@PreciousOpal]

You got stl's?🫣🙄😶‍🌫️