Two stage trigger?

**AxiTech** · November 21st, 2008, 03:54 PM

Ok, I haven't been around the AR platform since about '91 when I got back home, but, I swear I never heard anything about "two stage triggers" in all my years marching for Uncle sam. Somebody let me in on the joke: What is a two stage trigger?

**pacodelahoya** · November 21st, 2008, 04:13 PM

http://www.fulton-armory.com/2stage.htm

google is your pal.

**AxiTech** · November 21st, 2008, 04:15 PM

Thank you.

**RONNIE77** · November 21st, 2008, 04:18 PM

Most of all civilian AR's come with a single stage trigger, which is when you pull the trigger, it breaks and fires immediately.

A two stage trigger on the other hand has the "take up" stage and then the "release" stage. When you pull the trigger, it is a little long and it will move back to the point that you can hold it at the second stage, which is much shorter. Make sure your sight picture is right and pull to fire.

IMO, it gives the shooter more control of the shot, instead of just pull and fire.
I like them personally, thats why I bought them for two of my AR's.

**wjkuleck** · November 21st, 2008, 05:34 PM

The AR-15 was originally designed with a machine gun trigger. Without writing a long dissertation, suffice it to say that the engagement between trigger and hammer is such that the hammer is actually cammed back by the trigger! You can see this by cocking the hammer and slowwwwly pulling the trigger with the rifle broken open. Be sure to put something between the hammer and the rear of the mag well. If you allow the hammer to strike the mag well, you can break it.

The two stage trigger, which in the AR platform follow the Garand/AK pattern, does two things differently compared to the standard AR single stage trigger. First, as described above, the trigger pull is broken down into two stages. Duh. The main advantage, as I wrote in the FAQ article referenced above, is that the second stage can be really light while maintaining the desired 4.5 lb minimum trigger pull weight. Thus you have the safety of a 4.5 lb trigger with the precision of a very light pull weight.

The second difference is that the release is more of a horizontal sliding that an "unhooking." The "feel" of the trigger can be made crisp and creep free, results very difficult to achieve with the standard AR trigger.

Regards,

Walt