NB: ALG claims the QMS and ACT both have a milspec pull weight, but I think they're lying. My ACT measures under 4.5lbs and the QMS measures exactly at the advertised 5.5 lbs.
My act came with two different springs. One has purple paint on it to signify it has a lighter pull weight (somewhere around 3-4 pounds). The other spring is black I believe and is a heavier milspec pull around 5-6lbs
@@Hoplopfheil no issues with steel case .223 after 500 rounds but that's not a whole lot. Edit: the purple spring also doesn't work with .22 conversion kits like the cmmg one. Not enough oomph to set off rimfire reliably
I modified an act with green springs for a target rifle and have a qms, act and the palmetto version of the act. I would take an act all day. Also, I don't think the geissele g2s is a bad trigger if you can find one for close to 120
@@CrackinJacks138 ALG (Amy Lynn Geissele) is the sister company to Geissele, run by Bill Geissele, her husband. They are joined at the hip for manufacturing and the profit margins on Geissele products are better than ALG products so manufacturing is most likely going into Geissele instead of ALG, who hasn't had new stock in ages.
The LaRue MBT-2S is the best bang for the buck two stage trigger and the ALG ACT is the best single stage. Geissele triggers are great, but not worth the retail price.
@@sambegley9966 I own multiple Geissele triggers. The MBT-2S is still superior. Cope harder fan boy. Bill depends on idiots like you to keep his business afloat.
@@sambegley9966 You don't have basic reading comprehension skills do you? I said I own multiple Geissele triggers. The MBT-2S is still superior in my opinion. You're slow. Plain and simple.
I have several different triggers from Larue, Giesselle, CMC, Rise etc. and the ACT is the one I keep going back to. It’s like an old girlfriend, she might not be the prettiest and her sister gets all the attention but she just gets you and makes you feel better about maybe not trying harder for that promotion. She just wants to see that you’re happy and doesn’t mind your obsessive Warhammer mini collection or the fact that sometimes you speak in movie quotes. She deserves better god damn it 😭
Never understood why Geissele charges so much for their triggers. Like Hop I don’t care for 2 stage, give me a polished mil spec job all day. Don’t get me wrong, I have a Geissele upper that I love, it’s built like a tank (10.3” URG-I.) But for the most part their stuff is overpriced.
They're probably overpriced for what they are. But they are my favorite general purpose 2-stage triggers, and I'm a fan of 2-stage triggers. They're dead nuts reliable, and the compatibility with standard trigger and hammer springs is a draw for me. Polished mil spec job is passable, but the only reason to do that is if you don't want to spend the coin on a high end trigger. My buddy has a Large MBT. Good for the money, but I don't understand how people can say it's just as good as a Geissele. It's not.
So for shooting up close it is better to shoot a nice geissele but not THAT much better than milspec. When I really noticed it was long range. Milspec triggers at long range feel AWFUL. Edit: even the polished milspec feel really heavy when shooting long range
Their high-end ones have mil-standard certification. They QA test every single one. That's expensive. They also sell the exact same trigger that only gets spot QA checked, for a lot less money. ALG are the initials of Geissele's sister, I think, so that was their way of selling affordable triggers. A few years ago they had a sale and I bought a bunch of ACT's for 35 bucks each IIRC.
I guess if it is in any way based on something besides the name, it's for consistency, the QC while selling in large amounts and perhaps a feeling to not worry about it after installation and not worrying if spare parts will fit.
I'm one of those wierdos that actually likes the millspec trigger. They are heavy and not great for super precise work, but they are solid. Definitely better than many other millspec triggers out there. They also break in fairly well, so with some use they become much less gritty. I do think people put too much emphasis on triggers sometimes. A bad trigger will ruin a gun, but you dont need a match trigger to make it good either.
On a long gun, I agree that the millspec trigger is absolutely sufficient for most use. Now that I'm really thinking about it, I only get fussy about triggers (or grips) when talking about handguns.
@@JustIn-op6oy That actually fits, because trigger control on a handgun is far more important. A bad trigger press on a handgun regardless of how good it is, will result in a flyer.
@@brandonschwertley2723 absolutely. Also my situation is compounded by having freakishly large hands, so I find most pistols other than full sized service guns uncomfortably cramped from the get go. An awkward trigger pull is just the cherry on top of a shit sunday of ergonomics.
Can you have too many AR's? I think only if more than any two are exactly identical... Oddly, even while they may all look almost the same, small differences in accoutrements can make big differences in application, especially when it comes to barrel lengths, sights, and overall weights; that, without ever even considering cartridges and calibers. You ARE allowed to have a favorite, even if that favorite changes every few days!
@@FrontTowardsAnemone Do it all gun? My dude, there's like 32 knives in a set in your mommas kitchen for a reason....do you have a DO IT ALL tool in your tool box for construction? Do you have a DO IT ALL all golf club? Lmao 🤣 how about you bring back some cans or ask for another shift and you just add to the collection knowing you're free and able to do so at your leisure? These folks chasing unicorn rifles are usually just kids who are looking for identity...same with their possessions. Be happy you live in a country that allows ANY of this because before long, you may not.
I I stalled the geissele SD-C in all the M4A1s for 20th Group out here. I was never a trigger guy either but for hyper dynamic shooting I'd say it's definitely an advantage.
PSA's enhances polished triggers are really hard to beat considering the 35 dollar price point. Very clean break with mil-spec likeness if that's your thing. I'm not so into two stage or hair triggers
I have a bone stock mil-spec trigger in my AR, a Brownells XM16E1. It’s admittedly already good for a mil-spec, but I dry fired it a bunch to smooth it out and by golly it’s just a good trigger at this point. Match triggers are nice, but they’re usually used by people who don’t shoot well enough to truly take advantage of them, and as such are just a way to not need to grow out of bad habits you won’t even realize you have.
My favorite has always been always been a Timney Impact... However, that trigger is $134... From what I saw when you pulled the trigger, and from what you were saying about it, it sounds like I may want to use an ALG ACT in the next build I do.
I can definitely tell a difference between my Larue triggers and geissele triggers. Agreed they are over priced but they are pretty easy to pick out of a group if a blind fold test.
I am saddened by the lack of random shots of you shooting with nods sprinkled throughout but I have either the Alg ACT and Larue MBT triggers in all of my AR's and agree with you on everything you said about them.
All those Polished Nickel triggers are Schmid Tool. If it has the S roll mark, it's a Schmid, and they are only around $40. Most of what's out there are just rebranded Schmid's.
Most of the nickel teflon coated triggers are Schmid Tool triggers rebranded. Schmid tool also makes the best mil-spec lower parts. SOLGW uses their parts in all of their LPK's and a few other companies do as well.
@@mrs.vasquezz I'm sure they're fine, but I believe their supplier is actually Tactical Superiority. Schmid tool is one of the originals though and are absolutely proven, easily recognized by the S stamp on their triggers, safeties, and bolt catches(you might have some already). They provide parts for Colt, BCM, Sionics, SOLGW, and I'm sure many others, but the fact that those brands rely on their parts should tell you something.
I have two ALG ACT triggers and a PSA EPT. The quality control might be better on the ALG product, but in my small sample size, they all feel extremely similar. (And that’s quite good)
I have two of the PSA EPT's and really like them. On one of them I used a lighter mystery spring that came off something else (I wish I knew what trigger) and that thing is awesome.
I've built and shot more PSA kits than I'm pround to admit but the EPT triggers have been consistent. I only have one ACT and if I had to do a blind taste test I don't think I could say which is which.
Pretty sure the ALG ACT (and most other nickel teflon triggers; AT3, Centurion, BCM, PSA, Aero, etc… ) are all made by Schmid. Most have that “S” stamp on them.
I just recently became a ALG trigger fan boy. I finally got tired of the trigger slap on my Romanian SAR-1 AKMs (I have two) and had the ALG AK trigger installed. I immediately fell in love with how smooth it was. It was so smooth, I actually jumped when I fired it the first time. At that point, my AKM triggers were smoother than the milspec trigger on my Sig M400 Tread so I went and got the ALG ACT. Great triggers that are reasonably priced too. Highly recommended. MidwayUSA generally has them and if you time your order with their free shipping deal, it'll save you a fair amount.
I used to get ELG triggers from Unbranded AR a lot, then they started being out of stock fairly often. For around 30 bucks its really well made. Pairing it with other lighter pull springs doesnt seem to do anything but ive had nothing but reliable use out of the few that ive kept over the years. Recently i tried the ALG QMS and i cant feel much of any difference. If i can grab a few more ELG's from UAR id probably standardize on that just cuz it works fine, doesnt have any slop or grit and costs less than generally everything of equal quality.
One of Geissele's selling points for their triggers besides its pull qualities is the fact (so I've heard claim) is that it has a full power hammer, so that it's virtually immune light strikes. Is that a real thing, and how does that compare in that respect to other triggers on the market
The LaRue triggers have a full power hammer as well. In fact when you get a LaRue Triger it comes with two hammer springs. One is a milspec pull weight.
I bought a geissele,super slick,super expensive single stage trigger once.looked at it,felt it,returned it. Invested in quite a few different spring's, two different mill's,1 lathe and started cutting metal with metal. There are always retired machinists who really enjoy selling older machines and sharing decade's worth of knowledge. You might have to bring the 12 pack's,but more than worth every ounce!
"proof" lol. I love my Geissele SSA-E. Probably my favorite all around trigger, and I've had quite a few. For up close, I like a Hiperfire Eclipse or a Timney Calvin Elite. For a budget 2 stage, the MBT is hard to argue with, and if budget is extremely tight the ACT will do just fine. If you're happy with your purchase don't look for outside confirmation, just enjoy it, and know that Geissele triggers are well liked by a lot of world-class shooters.
I literally just polished my trigger contact points and bought a screw that basically removes most of the take-up on my Mil-spec trigger. Also replaced the springs. Functions well, though the reset is still pretty distinct. I have a CMC 3.5 lb drop in trigger in my Banshee. But that is only because it came with the pistol. It is pretty nice, I admit. But I don't feel like I shoot much worse with my polished and lightened standard trigger. Though I don't recommend removing material from your trigger components without knowing what you are doing or at least doing research, it is amazing what a little polish can do.
I agree with Hop. I have AR builds with the Geissele SSA-E, CMC 3.5 Trigger, PSA EPT, Trojan Firearms drop in and milspec triggers. I've made the ALG ACT my "go to" trigger for any new builds. I'm not a trigger snob, I was lucky and caught really good sales or was gifted the triggers. At this point im my experience with AR triggers the ALG trigger will serve most people very well.
The triggers I've tried, LaRue is best for the money. Best I own is Jard AR set trigger. But I also have a Fostech Echo II which is pretty bad in semi mode but have no problem banging plates at 300 yards, so trigger hype is just hype.
I used a psa ept for a while. It’s basically a milspec trigger. I upgraded to a Geissele g2s I got off primary arms on sale and it is a huge jump up. Geissele advertises the g2s as a budget version of the ssa.
I just got my first rifle. Seems to be milled steel, I can see the circular cutting marks on the parts. Very heavy and nice quality. As for the trigger, I'm not sure if its milspec but if it is, I cant see why people would ever dislike them. No give whatsoever, a crisp sexual full bodied click upon pulling at maybe 3 pounds. If that's what a milspec is like, I cant even imagine what these aftermarkets would feel like. A lifetime of pellet gun shooting probably makes even the cheapest ar15 part feel like gold
I like the Bravo Company PNT trigger. It's under 70 bucks and is much crisper over the mil spec ones, so it goes in all my rifles if it's in stock. Only time I ever shelled out more for a trigger was a "cassette" type from Rise Armament. It had a flat profile and I just found myself disliking it. Even worse, it 'felt' like the hammer wasn't striking the firing pin hard enough to ignite a cartridge. To clarify, it 'did' work 100% of the time I pulled the trigger, I just didn't have confidence in it holding up to use over time.
Another honest "Hop" review. For me the MBT 2S is the best trigger @ 89.00 and is better then the Giselle SSE 2GS. IMHO the 2 stage triggers are similar to the way Glock triggers work which is why I prefer them to single stage triggers.
FYI, Right To Bear sells a polished nickel Teflon trigger for $50. It feels pretty much identical to my ACT, at least when running JP Enhanced Reliability springs.
I like 2-stage triggers for precision shooting. I also like to give a light polish to my mil-spec triggers. It's a nice improvement, and only costs a few minutes of my time.
RRA triggers are incredibly smooth. It’s practically a tie between my larue MBT and my old NM. RRA has great triggers and ridiculously accurate barrels. I just wish they had better build practices when it comes to their rifles
Absolutely right about the geissele triggers. I do think they are "nicer", in all the areas people talk about with 2 stage triggers, than the larue. Maybe I got a lemon, but my larue is not great. Knowing what I know now after $1000 in triggers from Geissele, LaRue, BCM, and POF, I would also go with polished ALG or BCM triggers. I personally like 2 stage for shooting longer on a rest or bipod but thats about it.
+1 for the ALG ACT, I own several, but I do like the BCM PNT a little more, partly because it’s historically been a little cheaper, partly because it doesn’t look like it’s made out of aluminum like the ACT does (I know neither are aluminum, I’m talking about the color and finish), and partly because it’s a hair heavier I think. I have a Geissele, and yeah it’s nice, but yeah it’s WAY, WAY too expensive. Only got it because I needed something decent in a large pin Colt lower I was building into a match-ish DMR-ish A2. I won’t be buying another.
Hop is right that the EPT, ACT and PNT are essentially indistinguishable in actual use. I prefer a 2 stage and the larue is still the best bang for the buck on the market. The. RRA National Match is also extremely good, and still under $100.
The AR15 is a high precision platform, any trigger over 3 pounds is wasting the 1000 yard capability of this fine weapon. A hair trigger not only lets you stretch your 3 MOA pea shooter to 1 mile with ease, but your teammates will appreciate engaging multiple targets at mid and close distances along side you knowing that well over 2 pounds is separating them from your friendly fire.
Have to respectfully disagree on the hate of 2 stage triggers. After a lifetime of single stage only trigger use, I have fallen in love with a good 2 stage trigger. Have 2 Geissele SSA-E, and am going to have to get a LaRue MBT-2 in the near future. After moving an SSA-E from my main carbine to a new DMR build, going back to even a smooth mil spec single stage sucks balls, and while I am still effective with that carbine, I HATE shooting it now. 😕
So it's my understanding that Schmid Tool makes the ACT trigger for ALG. If I were to buy a trigger that is actually sold as a Schmid instead of ALG, would they be more or less the same? Or am I wrong?
They're going to be identical. FWIW the Schmid 2stage version of that trigger (also sold under a bunch of different brands i.e. Aero) is pretty damn good an can be had for around $50 if you look.
They make triggers for quite a few brand-name companys. Interestingly enough, I rarely hear anyone speak on it tho. If your trigger has a "S" forging mark on it, it's made by Schmid. I don't know if they are all the same, or some are propriety for specific company's, but I imagine the mil-spec style would be similar
A milspec AR trigger isn’t too bad but if you’re bench rest shooting or just enjoy a good trigger, the Geissele SSA is really nice. Don’t get some off-brand, gun show special. I’ve had those go full auto on me.
I tried a PSA EPT trigger and it had a nice pull like the other polished coated mil spec triggers, but it had a weak reset. It was tactile but it drifted further fowards than I prefer and there wasn't really any force pushing my finger fowards either. If you get an EPT trigger i'd recommend using strong mil spec springs with it instead of the springs from PSA. The BCM PNT had a nice pull as well and a much better reset. It definitely has stronger springs than the EPT. I use the BCM PNT in two of my lowers. I'd imagine the better of the two ALG "mil spec" triggers is about the same as the PNT, although i've never gotten ahold of one from ALG. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to put about 120 rounds through an old 16" Bushmaster that had a Geissele SSA-E in it and I was very pleased with it. I did some bill drills (its a fast trigger for sure) and I shot 200, 300, and 500 yards. First time i've shot a two-stage, first time i've shot a Geissele, and first time i've shot an AR past 100 yards (optic was an Acog, 3.5x or 4x or whatever, not that much magnification) and I was hitting very consistently at 500 shooting off a backpack without much thought or effort. It was actually very impressive to me for what the gun is, and the trigger pull/two stage was easy with an extremely predictable wall for the second stage, with a very, very light, crisp break. As I said, that was by far the furthest i've ever shot an AR and I feel as though the trigger made it noticeably easy. Know your holdovers (range was in yards and optic was in meters) and I could ring steel at 500 yards 95% of the time with IMI 55gr 5.56 FMJ. Also the Geissele had no light primer strikes and a good, strong, short, tacticle reset, so. I've considered getting one for a new 14.5" or 16" LPVO build I'd like to do for marksmanship practice and whatnot. I got the feeling Geissele aren't bullshitting about those being really reliable triggers with strong springs regardless of how light the pull weight was.
You'd probably like the Geissele 3 gun, it's a light single stage, but you're correct Geissele triggers have gotten way too expensive. I've got an ssa, that I put in my pws mk114, back in 2012, but I like 2 stage triggers. It reminds me of a much smoother, lighter, with less take up, and shorter reset version of my Gen 2 G20. That was my first pistol, back in 1996, and and I've gotten used to 2 stage triggers. It was only like $160, when I got the trigger from primary arms, but thought it was expensive at the time. Geissele has gotten a bit big for his britches, with the $240 triggers.
Good grief. When I say Geissele is trash (to paraphrase) which I have been doing so for _years;_ I get lambasted as a hater, a fudd, a noob, a poor and so forth. But when Hop reinforces my point then suddenly everyone agrees. Sycophants can be an amusing bunch of followers. Great overview nonetheless. Stay classy my friend.
I've so many different triggers (AR Gold, Timney, Triggertech, Geissele, Lantac, Aero etc.) They are all good and I don't feel a need to change any of them out of their platform. I get the love of the single stage speed, but I've landed on Geissele SSA-E as my favorite. I like the safety of a two stage and the crisp 2nd stage. I haven't tried the LaRue MBT-2S, so it might be the bang for the buck.
I don't think Geissele are worth the money either for what they bring to the table (2 stage doesn't bother me), but if you just have to have one and won't break the bank, the G2S is an option. When on sale, you can get one for a bit more than $100.
Always wondered what trigger was in my savage msr, it has that same light grey finish and polished internals with a pull or around 4lbs. I guess now I know what it is.
I have 2, I thought they were absurdly light with far too long a pull, so I filed the disconnectors to make them into 2-stage triggers, just to increase the pull weight. (And I don’t like 2-stage triggers.) Still heaps better than what they came with either way.
My first love was precision rifles- so I love light crisp triggers. I cut my teeth running drills with a bolt gun set at about 2 1/4lbs. Run what works for you. My current setup is the Larue 2s with JP springs. Very easy to shoot accurately, but still a whole class above bolt gun triggers. Not like you are going to double with it. It can shoot pretty fast too, when needed.
I had to get anti-walk pins out in my AR because my pin would walk out and cause “double-shooting” which was kind of a cool malfunction if it wasn’t so scary the first time. The gun would shoot when I pulled the trigger, and then shoot again when I reset the trigger, and it was like a “ramp” on a paintball gun and it effectively doubled my fire rate and it would be kind of cool if someone designed something like that intentionally
Lot of people get hooked up on "Mil-spec". Remember "Mil-spec" just means made by the lowest bidder in the military world. It only meets the _bare minimum_ specifications required by the military.
It goes both ways. Many commercial mfgs have lower standards than mil-spec (no AR is truly mil-spec but individual components such as the BCG may be). However, I do get a chuckle out of people spending $200 of commercial BCG’s advertised as mil-spec when AO Precision BCG’s used in the Army’s current FN M4’s are $100 or less.
However most military specifications are well above what the average civilian gun owner will ever do to his gear. I for one could not care less if my rifle passes the over the beach test or is capable of beeing used in a sandstorm. I also don't need the ruggedness of an Aimpoint or an ACOG. It is cool to have all that. But for most people it is absolute overkill.
There must be something wrong with my LaRue MBT 2S trigger? A burr or something. It has a very distant wall but I swear it breaks around 6 or 7 lbs. I also have ssa-e, super scar, lmt, and a Rise Armament single stage and the LaRue is WAY heavier than them all.
Grips: Are those on 2nd 4th and 5th K2 grips? If so, do you prefer them over the MOE? Would be interested in the same video format about grips, handguards, etc ! Short, experienced base thoughts without hype. Good work, thanks!
I kinda like your view on "after market" triggers and in your lack of care for them. Before I dove down the rabbit hole of building all my ARs. Milspec was all I knew. I shot 1 MOA or less with my Colt M4 in the army, I always shot 40/40 when qualifying and never once in any firefight over seas did I go "mannn if only I had a better trigger!" because I was just so well trained on that milspec trigger that its all I knew. I have friends who build ARs who feel my LaRues and Gisselles and immediately upgrade their triggers but have no time behind a Mil Spec trigger and think a new and "better" trigger will make them better and their rifle better. But I tell all of them - "You dont need this. Keep your trigger". Get good on a typical Milspec trigger until you start to feel the limitations of that trigger. You dont know how a Milspec trigger limits you until you use it and try to push it past its limits in your fundamentals.
ALG ACT is my goto, basic bitch AR builder recommendation. Affordable and efficient. I recently tried a TriggerTech Duty in my SPR and I’m digging it so far. Clean, CLEAN break but a little weak on the reset.
Unlike you, I am a huge sucker for aftermarket triggers. Flat-faced, no takeup, light pulls, crisp breaks, no overtravel and minimal reset travel. The POF Straight Trigger is my favorite with a close 2nd & 3rd place to Triggertech and RA. CMC in 4th place and not a bad choice for the price.
I'm not entirely sure what your opinion was on the cassette single stage gamer trigger. Good, but just not your thing? I was going for something similar in rise armament's RA 242.
Nobody likes LaRue triggers because the owner is anti-2A, but I'd take an $80 MBT-2S over a $199 Geissele SSA-E anytime. Especially after seeing the horrible QC on multiple Geissele rifles this past year.
@@sackychin6267 he was completely against the ownership of bumpstocks and was pro-regulation as it pertained to that item when the Supreme Court was deciding whether or not they were machine guns. He got so much negative feedback that he quietly deleted his statements and now says he's pro 2a. Pepperidge Farm always remembers.
@@joemoment-o1275 aimsurplus is generally regarded as the lowest quality around. If all you can afford is a milspec, have someone mirror polish the sear/contact areas and you'll be fine.
