An unreliable trigger can be frustrating to a shooter, create accuracy problems, and in rare occasions, be deadly.
For example, in the summer of 2011, Zachary S. and his younger brother Justin were alone at home in Columbia, Miss.
Zach was holding his Remington Model 700 deer rifle, which was loaded.
Justin was sitting in a chair nearby.
“When I got up from the couch to put the rifle up, I heard a click, and the gun went off and shot Justin in the head,” Zach claimed.
And Zach said he never pulled the trigger.
But, no one else was in the home, so there were no witnesses to the shooting.
Six days later, Zach was arrested at his brother’s funeral.
The boy’s father didn’t believe it was an accident.
Roger S. testified in court he believed Zach meant to kill his brother.
He also said he’s never known a gun to fire without the trigger being pulled.
But, the Remington 700 is the subject of several lawsuits because of a faulty trigger.
Remington has always claimed the rifles are safe, yet they have settled many lawsuits.
Roger eventually concluded that his son had been telling the truth.
Roger called Remington and gave them the gun’s serial number.
He had bought the rifle for Zach’s Christmas gift in 2008.
And Remington confirmed Roger’s fears.
The rifle is subject to a recall issued in April 2014.
Zach was released from prison after serving five years and he now resides with his father.
Some folks will claim that guns don’t fire unless the trigger is pulled.
This is mostly true.
In my 20 plus years of being around guns, I’ve only seen it happen once. (A cheap AK-47 went off without the trigger being pulled when someone put it down on a table.)
Today, there are millions of rifles in the hands of citizens, with the AR-15 being America’s favorite.
The fact is, many of these guns could use a better trigger pull.
So, even if you aren’t worried about the quality of your trigger, you may still want to upgrade it to a better one.
That’s because, aside from any safety reasons, with some stock AR-15 triggers it can be difficult to tell when the break is coming.
An upgraded trigger will provide a crisp break.
It will improve the overall feel of shooting the rifle.
After all, the trigger is the main interface point on your rifle.
And it can have great effect on accuracy and safety.
This is why you may want to consider a drop-in trigger.
A drop-in trigger is a preassembled, fire control mechanism.
It includes the hammer, trigger, sear, and disconnector of the trigger.
Most AR-15’s lower receivers are the same no matter the brand.
So, drop-in triggers are an easy upgrade to your rifle.
The lower receiver of your AR-15 holds everything in place with two pins.
There is a hammer pin and a disconnector pin.
With the hammer un-cocked, you remove both pins and the old trigger mechanism.
Then drop in the new trigger and put the pins back.
You shouldn’t have to modify anything.
If you are considering a trigger upgrade, here are three drop-in triggers you may wish to check out…
Velocity AR-15 Curved Trigger.
Velocity triggers have been in the business for over 30 years.
The AR-15 curved trigger gives you a clean single pull.
It is available in three different pull weights, up to 4.5-pounds.
This is a single-stage trigger so it will function the same as a stock trigger.
But, it is relatively thin and may not be best for competition shooting.
The trigger comes in black and installation is easy.
The Velocity trigger sells for $150 and is one of the best values for your money.
Timney AR-15 Drop-In Trigger.
Timney makes this drop-in trigger with 3, 4, and 4.5-pound pull weights.
All of them feature a small curve on its body for a slight grip.
The aluminum alloy body adds a sturdy design that handles the stress of shooting.
The nice thing is the alloy doesn’t add much weight.
This is a single-stage trigger, so it will function similar to a stock trigger.
The installation is the same no matter which weight choice you choose.
This trigger requires you to use the original pins from your stock trigger.
The Timney trigger sells for $200 new.
Elftmann AR-15 Match Trigger Curved.
This trigger can have an adjustable pull weight, ranging from 2.75 to 4 pounds depending on the setup you use.
It includes aircraft-grade sealed bearings that keep the trigger from slipping.
The bearings keep the hammer and trigger from coming loose.
The trigger is designed to provide a short take-up and a crisp, clean break without any over-travel.
The aluminum body offers a lightweight upgrade.
The Elftmann AR-15 Match Trigger sells for $250 new.
There is no question that a drop-in AR-15 trigger can help improve your shooting and even the safety of your gun.
These triggers should all be easy to install.
You can also check with your local gun range personnel, or gunsmiths if you need help with installation.
