View Full Version : Daniel Defense trigger question
Today, I installed a scope on a co-worker's DD AR-15 carbine. I was amazed at the horrendous trigger pull and grittiness, it’s like it almost has 3 distinct stages but obviously not. Is this normal for DD? I own an LMT that came with a heavier trigger than I like but at least it broke cleanly with absolutely no creep (after working the trigger group it now breaks at 3.5lbs). I could not get decent group with the DD at 86 yards, 2MOA or so, because of the trigger.
I'd appreciate your input.
The USGI trigger pull according to the manual is somewhere around 6-9.5 lbs. (I have to look it up) so it is not uncommon for the trigger pull to be crappy. It is what it is. The best fix is to get an ALG Defense trigger. They are nice and worth the 45.00.
I would advise against a 3.5 trigger pull. Especially if you use it for self defense.
Littlelebowski
06-15-13, 20:38
Lube the trigger correctly and dry fire. Dry fire a lot. Shooting the rifle may be substituted for dry fire.
NeoNeanderthal
06-15-13, 20:59
I have not been impressed with the quality of DD triggers that I have handled/owned. Most manufacturers are hit or miss with milspec triggers but DD's aren't great or very consistent. Got an ALG trigger and never looked back.
Lube the trigger correctly and dry fire. Dry fire a lot. Shooting the rifle may be substituted for dry fire.
^ this. once i lubed my dd trigger properly it was even more amazing (must have gotten a good one). it takes 5 minutes to grease and then run some dry fire runs.
The trigger in my v7 is reasonably crisp with no slop. I have my eye on a Geissele SD-C, but it is definitely a want rather than a need and I'm in no rush to replace the stock trigger.
My ALG ACT is really damn good for the $65 I spent on them. Grease them, and there is no creep, a nice pull, and a pretty good break.
It felt even better today than it did before.
A few months ago I built a few lowers and used DD parts kits for them. All of them had the exact same crappy, creepy, gritty trigger feel you describe. No doubt they would smooth out with some grease and a few thousand trigger pulls, but I opted to swap them out with Geissele triggers instead. All of the Geissele triggers break clean and crisp with no creep in the pull or reset from the very first pull. I am now happy happy happy... :D
While having a heavier pull than I'd like, the trigger in my lower breaks quite cleanly, I figure I lucked out.
pentosinjunkie
06-16-13, 01:42
Just switch to an ALG of your choice and don't look back; I saw this same issue in my roommate's Spikes build using a DD LPK. DD is usually on point, except in this regard. The ALG ACT fcg has a very high price-to-kickass ratio, IMO.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
I was not aware of the ALG triggers thank you for the tip. After reading on them they seem like a reasonable to stock alternative, but has anyone measured the expected trigger break of both their versions?
I do hope my ARs will never be used for defense purposes so I set my triggers where I can fully enjoy their accuracy capabilities. I also have a wonderful aftermarket trigger on my long AR, can't remember which now because I installed it 20 years ago. BTW, my carry weapons triggers are all crisp, in the 5lb range.
Creepy triggers truly gives me the creeps, I can't stand them and I've heard so many good things about DD so this came as a total surprise to me, especially when comparing this expensive weapon to a low end S&W AR which cost half the price and yet had a crisp 5lb trigger causing it to outshoot the DD in accuracy.
Do high end manufacturers with somewhat of a reputation not understand that once they loose their reputation they will loose our business? I long for the days when a new weapon was a prime example of workmanship and smithy professionalism. Enough of my rant, my apologies for externalizing my feelings!
Daniels triggers run from decent to horrible. it's the luck of the draw.
The ALG is a good option, but if there is a scope on it, I would probably pony up for a Gressle SSA.
gcp- someone did test the average break on both triggers, lubed and not lubed, If I remember it went from about 4.25 to 5.5 lbs between the two with the lower end # being the dry lubed version with grease. I have 2 and highly recommend them. That said they feel about the same as my lmt stock trigger that has 2-3000 rds on it now which felt like gritty junk when I first got it. Both of my stock DD triggers seem normal, guess I lucked out.
justin_247
06-16-13, 13:07
Creepy triggers truly gives me the creeps, I can't stand them and I've heard so many good things about DD so this came as a total surprise to me, especially when comparing this expensive weapon to a low end S&W AR which cost half the price and yet had a crisp 5lb trigger causing it to outshoot the DD in accuracy.
a) Older DD rifles have somewhat bad triggers. I'm not particularly pleased with my XV.
b) The idea that the accuracy of one rifle is better than another due to the trigger pull is a fallacy.
The factory assembled DDM4 I have from when they were still using non-CHF barrels has a great 6# trigger. It's incredibly smooth and breaks very cleanly. I don't know if that came from a Daniel Defense manufactured LPK, but I'm still using it.
The FCG that came in a separate DD LPK I purchased is pretty bad... Easily the worst factory trigger I had. Extremely gritty and inconsistent from pull to pull. It's now a spare part, and a Geissele SD-E took its place.
I've felt a couple horrible DD USGI triggers. I've felt a good one. Luck of the draw. If you want the closet thing to a garuntee for a good USGI trigger spend the $45 for an ALG QMS.
a) Older DD rifles have somewhat bad triggers. I'm not particularly pleased with my XV.
b) The idea that the accuracy of one rifle is better than another due to the trigger pull is a fallacy.
a) Newer ones do too. And their parts kits.
b) If scientifically measured in a lab with the right equipment, you are correct, but in any normal real world application, including basic range work, crappy, creepy and/or heavy triggers absolutely have an effect on group size. Granted, its the shooter's handling of said trigger and not the inherent accuracy potential of the rifle, but for practical purposes a better trigger will generally lead to better accuracy, all else being equal.
justin_247
06-16-13, 16:44
a) Newer ones do too. And their parts kits.
I respectfully disagree. I have held in my hands a few DD rifles since I purchased my own, and I think the triggers in the newer ones are much better. Apply a little lube and see how it works.
And, honestly, it's not a big deal. It simply isn't. If you can afford a DD, you can afford a $45 ALG trigger if you hate the DD FCG that much.
Maybe you missed it but in my OP I said this rifle is not mine but a coworker's. I simply installed his scope for him and zeroed it. I hated shooting it, and yes a smooth, light trigger makes all the practical difference in accuracy as humans are not machines and can not hold perfectly steady on a bench rest while waiting on a bad trigger to break. I have aftermarket triggers in both of my ARs so it's up to him to decide what to do with his DD. I can honestly say though that after this experience I will not entertain purchasing a DD. No excuse for such crappy triggers, especially when a company charges top $ for their rifle.
... I can honestly say though that after this experience I will not entertain purchasing a DD. No excuse for such crappy triggers, especially when a company charges top $ for their rifle.
I'd rethink that. The DD is such a fine rifle it's insane to write it off for a common milspec trigger. You're just as likely to get a rough trigger with Colt, BCM, LMT, etc. Luck of the draw as was said before.
I've bought LPKs from DD, Stag, ArmaLite and PSA. One of the DDs was great, the other wasn't. One Stag was very good, one ok, one awful. The ArmaLite was ok and the PSA is great. No way of knowing what you'll get in an LPK or rifle but it's not hard to fix.
justin_247
06-16-13, 19:34
No excuse for such crappy triggers, especially when a company charges top $ for their rifle.
Very confusing... DD does *not* "charge top $" for their rifle. Almost everywhere that I have seen them, the price was comparable to what was being asked for rifles from much lesser manufacturers, despite the fact that it is vastly superior. I purchased my XV for $999...
Compare that price to a Noveske, KAC, LMT (MRP), JP, or Wilson rifle, and you'll see that you're getting a lot of bang for your buck from DD.
I believe the reason DD puts the USGI trigger in their rifles is because trigger performance is totally subjective. If Daniel put an SSA in the lower and charged for it then someone may not buy the rifle because they want an S3G or an SD. Hard to fault DD quality.
SilverBullet432
06-16-13, 20:07
i shot my DDM4 today for the first time, the trigger was very consistent, (i cleaned and lubed before i took it out), not gritty at all. also, DD rifles can be bought straight from DD with SSA triggers.. its an extra $200 option though. DD makes a great gun, damn good guns, but as with other folks, no one is "perfect".
Guys, I've stated my beliefs clearly, in my mind there's no excuse for a creepy trigger. It can be somewhat harder than 5lbs but not creepy. Creepy means lack of attention to detail and appropriate smithy time allotted during manufacturing, and AR manufactures get away with it because users accept their substandard products as the norm. I shoot multiple platforms in both pistols and rifles so I know what good triggers should feel like and this isn't it. The rest of the DD rifle functioned well but the $700 S&W AR outshot it, in my hands, so that in itself speaks volumes.
Please understand, I did not intend for my post to cause hard feelings. I simply requested opinions to understand if this was the DD norm or an aberration so I can pass on the info to the rifle's owner. If you are happy with your DD AR fantastic, continue to enjoy shooting is because ultimately that's what it's all about.
Thank you for your inputs, peace!
A quality mil-spec trigger will smooth up after use. If you are doctoring up milspec triggers to make them smooth you are removing that reliability. Stone them too much and you're through the outer heat treating resulting in eventual doubling and trigger trouble. Using light springs results in problematic ignition which can be catastrophic in a self defense situation.
A bench shooting guy that only knocks out a couple hundred rounds in a year isn't going to see an issue with a doctored milspec trigger, but a guy like me that knocks out a couple hundred rounds a day is going to see problems eventually. My DD trigger has seen over 6000 rounds without a single issue and it's smoothed up nicely in the last year or so.
This website is primarily about fighting carbines, not long range bench guns. I have absolutely no issues hitting man sized targets out to my carbine's effective range using even the worst milspec trigger I have come across.
SilverBullet432
06-16-13, 20:21
i did not mean any negative input, i was stating my my trigger feels good, and yes, other's might not
justin_247
06-16-13, 23:15
Guys, I've stated my beliefs clearly, in my mind there's no excuse for a creepy trigger. It can be somewhat harder than 5lbs but not creepy.
"Somewhat harder"? Seriously? Keep trolling, dude.
Justin, learn to be civil even to those that may disagree with you as from disagreement we can all learn. Calling me a troll does not substantiate your position nor does it negate mine. Do you work for DD? if so listen closely to what a users like me may think of your product, positive or negative, and adapt. If you are only a user of DD, well, I did not call your baby ugly only that there's room for improvement.
I just measured the DD trigger, it breaks at 9lbs and has 4 distinct stages that's how bad the creep is. I'll lube the trigger for a bit of improvement and let the owner decide if an aftermarket is in his future. I appreciate all your inputs folks!
Justin, calling me a troll does not substantiate your position nor does it negate mine. Do you work for DD? if so listen closely to what a users like me may think of your product, positive or negative, and adapt. If you are only a user of DD, well, I did not call your baby ugly only that there's room for improvement.
Learn to be civil even to those that may disagree with you as from disagreement we can all learn.
Complaining about a stock trigger having normal characteristics of a stock trigger is just asinine.
A Daniel Defense stock trigger is just the same as any other stock trigger. You handle/shoot enough ARs with a stock trigger, you'll get some that suck big-time, you'll get a bunch of mediocre ones, and occasionally, you'll find that gem that's just awesome.
There is no 'smithy-time' to a stock AR trigger. They're assembled into the lower, function checked, and sent on...
I can't believe this thread has gone on for two pages.
I can't believe you would judge a product based on 1 guns trigger, and not purchase based on said trigger. And I don't know about calling a guy who puts a lower together on a assembly line a "smitty".
NeoNeanderthal
06-17-13, 14:17
I feel like it's a known issue with DD (inconsistent triggers). No one ever seems to complain about BCM lowers or their triggers. It might help their reputation a little if each DD gun came with a QMS trigger. It would barely add to the cost of the rifle.
Please understand, I did not intend for my post to cause hard feelings.
They're just "somewhat" hard. :haha:
I feel like it's a known issue with DD (inconsistent triggers). No one ever seems to complain about BCM lowers or their triggers. It might help their reputation a little if each DD gun came with a QMS trigger. It would barely add to the cost of the rifle.
I think it's just a matter of who buys the guns, what they know vs what they expect vs what they get.
I don't think anyone whose very knowledgeable on the characteristics of an AR ever made a big deal over a sucky stock trigger. It seems to be the noobs who think 'top tier' means all tricked out or something.
The last four new ARs I shot were a Noveske skinny MOE, two Colt 6920s, and a DD V7lw.
The Noveske and one Colt had horrific triggers that were perfectly acceptable, the DD had a decent trigger, one Colt had a trigger equal to, if not nicer than my QMS triggers.
That's just how it is with these animals...
WickedWillis
06-17-13, 14:34
I can honestly say though that after this experience I will not entertain purchasing a DD. No excuse for such crappy triggers, especially when a company charges top $ for their rifle.
Seriously? They make some of the finest rifles on the planet. Don't sell yourself short.
In fairness to the OP, we yanked one of the worst GI triggers ever out of a DD LPK. Felt like the lower was full of sand.
Triggers will smooth out. My creepy ALG ACT trigger has actually become quite tollerable after a few hundred rounds.
WickedWillis
06-17-13, 16:09
I have a DD LPK in my build and I put my 1st 190rds through my gun yesterday. The trigger was smooth I thought.
In fairness to the OP, we yanked one of the worst GI triggers ever out of a DD LPK. Felt like the lower was full of sand.
Triggers will smooth out. My creepy ALG ACT trigger has actually become quite tollerable after a few hundred rounds.
Triggers will smooth out. My creepy ALG ACT trigger has actually become quite tollerable after a few hundred rounds.
I blame that fancy coating....:sarcastic:
ridgerunner70
06-17-13, 17:34
On my DDM4 I have about 1700 trigger pulls and it seems to be getting better. When I first started shooting it the trigger was rough but seems to be smoothing out. I have greased it as well. Is there better spots to put the grease at; I basically put them on all the contact points?
This is a picture of a burr on the sear surface of a DD hammer I got with an LPK last year. I'm sure it would have smoothed out over time but I replaced it with a G2S and haven't looked back. It was the worst trigger I have ever pulled new.
http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t483/mko1024/photo1_zpsf969f493.jpg
A friend got a V7lw with a typical 5 lb rough trigger pull, but it had no creep. Just touched the engagement surfaces of trigger and hammer with a buffing wheel that had some Flitz in it. Cleaned it up and lubed with moly grease and its just fine- smooth, crisp and right at 4.5 lbs. Basically speeded up the break in process that would have occurred after a couple of thousands hammer drops. No harm in either dry firing a lot or speeding up the process with judicious polishing using a MILD compound.
Mark
Does anyone even grease their trigger group when they build their lower, so many newbies "building AR's", just asking
Again not to repeat myself but people are stating opinions based on individual triggers. Just cuz my uncle timmys ford wasn't the best motor he ever had doesn't mean ford sucks. Really Mark feed the frenzy
I blame that fancy coating....:sarcastic:
I fell hook, line, and sinker for that ponzi scheme. :rolleyes:
Does anyone even grease their trigger group when they build their lower, so many newbies "building AR's", just asking
I usually do. I'll hit the engagement surfaces with that Geissele grease... although with USGI triggers, I've never felt any difference.
Reading the above what amazes me is the amount of members who attempt to rationalize, and justify, poor trigger workmanship from ANY manufacturer not just picking on DD, calling poor workmanship and expediency for the bottom line the new, infallible, acceptable normal. Well, it is not the new normal as quality and fine workmanship will always win the day for those of us that appreciate the attention to datail called professionalism, in everything wr do. But then again if I am forced to explain the obvious it won't be understood. To each his own I guess. Btw, I've been shooting since 1980 so I am anything but :lol:a newbie :lol:
Littlelebowski
06-18-13, 09:42
Reading the above what amazes me is the amount of members who attempt to rationalize, and justify, poor trigger workmanship from ANY manufacturer not just picking on DD, calling poor workmanship and expediency for the bottom line the new, infallible, acceptable normal. Well, it is not the new normal as quality and fine workmanship will always win the day for those of us that appreciate the attention to datail called professionalism, in everything wr do. But then again if I am forced to explain the obvious it won't be understood. To each his own I guess. Btw, I've been shooting since 1980 so I am anything but :lol:a newbie :lol:
Wow, you've been shooting for so long! Someone make this guy an SME right away since he knows all and can outshoot all!
Reading the above what amazes me is the amount of members who attempt to rationalize, and justify, poor trigger workmanship from ANY manufacturer not just picking on DD, calling poor workmanship and expediency for the bottom line the new, infallible, acceptable normal. Well, it is not the new normal as quality and fine workmanship will always win the day for those of us that appreciate the attention to datail called professionalism, in everything wr do. But then again if I am forced to explain the obvious it won't be understood. To each his own I guess. Btw, I've been shooting since 1980 so I am anything but :lol:a newbie :lol:
You're a goofball. Ok? I believe you felt a crappy trigger, and I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. But you can't stop, and removed all doubt that you are really straight off the short bus.
USGI triggers are made to a specification. They aren't made to a "feel". Some are good, some are bad. They don't hire women to test every trigger to see if it meets the Okra Winfrey watcher crowd's sense of refinement. :rolleyes:
What's next? A thread on how bad Glock triggers are?
What's next? A thread on how bad Glock triggers are?
Those have poor trigger workmanship. :shout:
RogerinTPA
06-18-13, 10:23
Shooting since 1980 means you've learned nothing about production stock guns VS a custom built production gun, and have developed an irrational perspective. If said weapon would have been an advertised custom gun, trigger, barrel, etc..., THEN you'd have a legitimate complaint about the trigger. I have no issues with stock USGI spec triggers since they are the ones I have the most trigger time with. A stock trigger is by no means a lack of professionalism, it just means it's stock. That goes for any stock weapon. It is what it is. They are not custom triggers and weren't meant to be, so get over it, adapt to it, or change it out to one you prefer.
Shooting since 1980 means you've learned nothing about production stock guns VS a custom built production gun, and have developed an irrational perspective. If said weapon would have been an advertised custom gun, trigger, barrel, etc..., THEN you'd have a legitimate complaint about the trigger. I have no issues with stock USGI spec triggers since they are the ones I have the most trigger time with. A stock trigger is by no means a lack of professionalism, it just means it's stock. That goes for any stock weapon. It is what it is. They are not custom triggers and weren't meant to be, so get over it, adapt to it, or change it out to one you prefer.
Thank you, apparently he thinks the rifle is a custom hand fitted gun....
justin_247
06-18-13, 14:53
Thank you, apparently he thinks the rifle is a custom hand fitted gun....
Smithy time!
MarkM,
I just blew beer on the laptop. That's damn funny!!!!!!!
Laptop's clean though.
You're a goofball. Ok? I believe you felt a crappy trigger, and I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. But you can't stop, and removed all doubt that you are really straight off the short bus.
USGI triggers are made to a specification. They aren't made to a "feel". Some are good, some are bad. They don't hire women to test every trigger to see if it meets the Okra Winfrey watcher crowd's sense of refinement. :rolleyes:
Name calling or making fun because I disagree with your perspective does not validate your perspective, it simply detracts from your arguments plus it makes you appear childish.
To name a few examples, the Swiss K31s were not custom rifles, the Swede mausers were not custom, nor were their AG42b. They were battle rifles and yet all the ones I've owned and handled had crisp, non creepy triggers in the 5-6lb range, and accurate as all get out. Why? Because obviously pride in workmanship meant something to their fabricators and to the users. And it still does to me but like I said, if I have to explain such things.....
We can agree to disagree but there's no reason for ungentlemanly behavior, OK?
justin_247
06-21-13, 17:27
To name a few examples, the Swiss K31s were not custom rifles, the Swede mausers were not custom, nor were their AG42b. They were battle rifles and yet all the ones I've owned and handled had crisp, non creepy triggers in the 5-6lb range, and accurate as all get out. Why? Because obviously pride in workmanship meant something to their fabricators and to the users. And it still does to me but like I said, if I have to explain such things.....
The key word in this is "all the ones I've owned and handled" - by default, you're being very selective. There are numerous threads all over the internet by people who have trigger issues with the K31s and various kinds of Mausers. Not only that, most of the variants of these rifles that are available today are broken-in or well-used and many have been modified by their owners / previous owners.
Oh, and again, 5-6 lbs is on the low end. The specification per MIL-C-71186 states that trigger pull "shall be within the range of 5.5 to 8.5 pounds."
steyrman13
06-21-13, 17:29
Name calling or making fun because I disagree with your perspective does not validate your perspective, it simply detracts from your arguments plus it makes you appear childish.
To name a few examples, the Swiss K31s were not custom rifles, the Swede mausers were not custom, nor were their AG42b. They were battle rifles and yet all the ones I've owned and handled had crisp, non creepy triggers in the 5-6lb range, and accurate as all get out. Why? Because obviously pride in workmanship meant something to their fabricators and to the users. And it still does to me but like I said, if I have to explain such things.....
We can agree to disagree but there's no reason for ungentlemanly behavior, OK?
They possibly had plenty of break in firing before you acquired them, also they are a different style trigger system which in itself can attribute to the smoother or non "creepy" trigger
Daniel Defense's attention to detail is not lacking. They sell a milspec rifle and don't advertise it as anything else. Trigger pull weighs between 5.5 and 8.5 lbs, check. Trigger passes function check, check. Next please.
The are not SPR or DMR rifles. They are designed to hit man sized targets and that's it. They do happen to be accurate enough for those roles and if you want to use it for that, go buy yourself a Geissele trigger and be done with it.
I happen to own some truly shitty triggers and they are in a German milspec Mauser and a 1917 Enfield..not to mention an HK91 I owned. They make the worst GI trigger I own feel like a target trigger.
pentosinjunkie
06-21-13, 23:25
It's frustrating that these threads seem to invariably descend into a dick/ego-measuring contest. Playground rules. As a Tapatalk lurker, for all the smack-talking about TOS, M4C seems to me like merely a different side to the same coin.
Aside from all the pedantic bickering between parties, the relevant info can be summed as follows, IMHO:
- DDs are great rifles. They are built in excess of "mil-spec" and will likely last a civilian shooter several lifetimes, with the exception of normal wear.
- The rail systems are fantastic and world-class. Gold-standard benchmark for quad-rails.
- DD uses COTS parts from third-party suppliers for some elements of their LPKs, as do many other big-name builders. As such, the QC on the triggers is not always stellar, as they are not produced in-house. The opportunity for rifle-to-rifle tuning is not practical in their assembly-line environment, especially under today's pressure - nor is it for many of their major competitors who can deliver similar volume.
However, given that - especially these days - there are so many options on the market for aftermarket AR triggers (and that triggers are one of the easiest mods to install) I don't really feel that a bad USGI trigger or three really detracts from the overall value of their rifles.
Justin, steyer, and AKDoug, now we are getting somewhere! Your above observations are constructive and salient. True enough, it's unfair to compare "broken in" triggers to a brand new one. But again, this particular trigger of a rifle which cost my friend $1,699, consistently breaks at over 9lbs, and that my friends is indeed outside the 8.5lb specification. I know, some will think what's 1/2lb but if it's outside the MILSPEC it's outside the spec, period. The government inspector would fail it and so do I....well, it's not even mine to fail.
As I've stated before, this is the first DD I've handled so yes, maybe I was overly disappointed because I've heard nothing but good things about this company. From other posts here it appears that they honestly do have an inconsistent trigger issue they may want to address to further improve on an otherwise well made product. pentosinjunkie, very good last statement, you are exactly right, in that most of the AR manufacturers piece part their rifles together so, that in itself further validates the need for stricter QC....but isn't COTS Computer Off The Shelf....in my world at least it is...I know Commercial, just a bit of humor to brighten our day.... :smile:
I've been on business travel but just for kicks yesterday evening I stopped by the local gun store to specifically test AR triggers. Non were as bad as my friend's and as I've stated earlier I continue to be impressed with the S&W sporter which for a "cheaper" AR seems to have consistent non creep trigger and deadly accuracy due to its 5R barrel. To their credit, S&W engineering and quality control appear to be properly doing their job and no, I don't own a S&W AR nor do I have a vested interest in the company. I am simply providing my observations to a forum with like mined interests. Mine are comments which I believe can drive the fabricators to produce a better product. Remember, if we become more discriminating users the manufacturers will accommodate or go out of business.
Have a nice day all!
Mike Marley
05-04-14, 16:11
I had the same experience! I just shot my new DDM4 V5 for the first time last weekend. Beautiful weapon; however, the trigger had a distinct 3 part catch to it. Gently pulling it would catch a littleness, then a second time, then would fire after that. I took it apart and gave it CLP oil and worked on dry firing it. It definitely helped. The other thing I noticed was a tacky substance on the hammer which I cleaned off. I'm used to very crisp 3 lb triggers on my hunting rifles that break like an ice circle. This is my only complaint on the rifle
steyrman13
05-04-14, 16:34
I had the same experience! I just shot my new DDM4 V5 for the first time last weekend. Beautiful weapon; however, the trigger had a distinct 3 part catch to it. Gently pulling it would catch a littleness, then a second time, then would fire after that. I took it apart and gave it CLP oil and worked on dry firing it. It definitely helped. The other thing I noticed was a tacky substance on the hammer which I cleaned off. I'm used to very crisp 3 lb triggers on my hunting rifles that break like an ice circle. This is my only complaint on the rifle
Did you read through the whole thread? You need to fire yours more to break it in. If you want a lighter trigger feel like a hunting rifle, look at Geissele triggers.
Mike Marley
05-04-14, 16:46
Yes! And that was good advice. After throwing some CLP oil on it, I die fired it several dozen times and it freed up a bit. I just want to say that, for the money, this is a great weapon. They could have made a better trigger standard, but then the price would go up and people would bitch about that. I may eventually put a new trigger in it, but it's not such a big deal that I need it now
An Leo buddy of mine spent over $2K on a DD rifle. I've fired it some.
It came with fixed irons and an aimpoint pro. Neither was even bore sighted.
The trigger has a "bad spot" in it. Maybe it will clear up maybe not, but it sucks. One of the worst factory Ar triggers I've shot.
But otherwise, the rifle is pretty accurate and works fine. Didn't seem worth the $ to me, though.
I hated the trigger on my DDV5, ended up going with a ALG Combat and having a gunsmith smooth it out after that, wonderful. It was a $60 change, but well worth it. DD if you're listening, your trigger is your Achilles heal
I had the same experience! I just shot my new DDM4 V5 for the first time last weekend. Beautiful weapon; however, the trigger had a distinct 3 part catch to it. Gently pulling it would catch a littleness, then a second time, then would fire after that. I took it apart and gave it CLP oil and worked on dry firing it. It definitely helped. The other thing I noticed was a tacky substance on the hammer which I cleaned off. I'm used to very crisp 3 lb triggers on my hunting rifles that break like an ice circle. This is my only complaint on the rifle
That would be a Giessele SSA-E
ended up going with a ALG Combat and having a gunsmith smooth it out after that, wonderful.
I get nervous about gunsmiths messing with AR triggers. I have a pile of take outs that have been "worked on" in my parts box... but I'm affraid they're Bill Springfield nightmares waiting to manifest... The whole surface hardening thing is something I don't like to mess with.
I get nervous about gunsmiths messing with AR triggers. I have a pile of take outs that have been "worked on" in my parts box... but I'm affraid they're Bill Springfield nightmares waiting to manifest... The whole surface hardening thing is something I don't like to mess with.
The actual tuning of a trigger is not hard once you understand how triggers work, which unfortunately (or fortunately) is becoming a lost art. You would be amazed at how many 'gunsmiths' do not understand the difference between a positive, neutral, or negative trigger. But when customers ask for a trigger job on a GI trigger I try to bump them to a Geissele G2S after explaining the hardness issue and how the engagement surfaces will wear much faster and potentially become a safety issue.
I have two people, gunsmiths, that I trust fully with working on my guns, but it does take trust. Gunsmiths aim to please because their reputation rests on it. If you want to get a trigger done, ask around and start a report. My trigger is not as nice as a Geissele, but it improves the hell out of my DD.
Wolfpack45
05-05-14, 14:13
I have a few DD rifles and a few LMT rifles. Some have excellent factory triggers, some not so good at all. Brand has nothing to do with it, its the GI trigger. They are not precision cut like high end 2-stage triggers, aren't coated in special finishes for smoothness, and are not tuned. Its the luck of the draw with standard GI triggers.
Its the luck of the draw with standard GI triggers.
This is true. I'll usually just mindlessly power through bad triggers. But the DD we took out did feel like the lower was full of sand. I may run it just to see how it smooths out. ;)
I know the focus of this thread has been the USGI triggers in DD rifles, but others aren't immune. I bought a BCM lower a few months ago and it's trigger was awful. I mean awful. But it was in spec and I've learned not to expect much from a GI trigger, no matter who it was bought from. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes it's terrible, that's just how it goes.
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