New trigger vs. optic

[turnburglar]

Geiselle G2S ($160), Larue MBT 2s ($90) , and Schmid and Tool Two stage ($65); are all quality triggers at an affordable price.

I own all three and the schmid is really nice after it breaks in. My favorite trigger through is the Larue for price and having the best trigger pull.

For a Red dot on a second gun; just grab a holosun for like $150. They work great. I own like 3 or 4.

[mpom]

+1 on what turnburglar said.
When picking magnified optics, buy quality the first time, so its the last time.
Don't waste money on Strike Eagle or other Chinese variable optics (Holosun is Chinese but not variable), as you will surely upgrade and likely lose money.
After red dot and trigger (MBT is great, especially if the sharp edges of trigger shoe are rounded off), if you want a low power variable scope, looks at Burris RT6 as lowest
price option, Philipino glass, beats the Chinese, not as good as Japanese glass, but a topic best reserved for the Optics subforum.

Mark

[ST911]

So I am in the middle of a decision.. Get an optic for my GP carbine or a new trigger for the lower. The cost of an upper end trigger will be less than a quality optic but not cheap by any means. What I get isn't really decided yet, I'm looking at options. I already have an upper receiver group with an optic that works quite well. It has a 16" lightweight barrel + Geissele rail. The current trigger is an ALG defense and it works but I want something better. The new trigger would benefit both uppers as well. I think I've talked myself into the trigger... What would you all do? The GP carbine upper is a 14.5 PW Centurion HF SOCOM barrel that is currently running irons.

Optic, something that says Aimpoint on it or a high quality LPV.

Which ALG trigger, QMS, ACT, etc? The QMS is a good mil type trigger, the ACT is better, and until you can shoot to the limits of those maybe work on you.

[1986s4]

You have a lot going on in what seemed at first like a simple question, so I broke it down into five parts.

1- On first look, the immediate answer is that of an optic.

2- If a trigger is expensive, it sounds like you would benefit most by dry fire and saving your money. There is nothing wrong with using iron sights while you train and save up money. The Centurion Arms 2 stage trigger is something like $90, so call it $100 with tax and shipping if your state taxes. In the overall scheme of things it is a fantastic trigger, and the price is phenomenal. I would use this trigger in each of my guns and be ecstatic. Still, if $90 is too much money right now, save and wait.... especially because good optics tend to be a lot more money.

3- Wait a minute, if you are going to throw in that you have a URG complete with optic, this changes things. I would be looking at picking up another lower to build up. Two guns are better than one.

4- Drop a better trigger in the second lower, and once that is done, start looking at optics. Leave the current trigger in the current lower.

5- The problem with giving you an answer is that you bounce around a lot and give portions of info. Now you are mentioning that your second upper runs irons, but no mention of rail, lights on either upper, or what optic you have on your first URG. If your current upper with optic is using a craptastic optic, I would address that first. Otherwise, I would save up and build a second complete lower, and then decide what optic I wanted for the second upper. No one is going to ban optics or triggers, but if a new AWB is coming, I can guarantee that lowers are a large portion of that ban. Get yourself taken care of with a lower and build that up first, that is my final answer.

Thanks all for your answers, it has given me much to think about. The upper with optics is no slouch, 16" Colt skinny barrel and Colt BCG mounted to a BCM upper. Aimpoint Comp M4 with Aimpoint 3x magnifier. My GP carbine has 14.5 PW barrel. I like the shorter length of the 14.5 and both have a standard front sight tower which I also like. I'm using a DD A1a rear and the whole set up has a rugged simplicity to it. Today I looked at a SIG Romeo 4T RDS that had a nice reticle and the small size that I want.

I am coming to believe another lower is the way to go and this one will have a better trigger. Not that the ALG one is all that bad but I am making/attempting to make, shots out to 300m. I can do it with the CompM4 and 3X but target identity with irons and my middle age eyes is a little dodgy.

[TBAR_94]

I would agree with Stickman’s curveball about building up another lower to just make 2 guns—I came up in the 2 is 1, 1 is none school of redundancy. My other question would be what is your light situation—to me a light is priority 1B behind sights, and good ones get expensive.

That aside, I think you can train through a trigger but there are more obvious limits of what you can do without an optic. I like to shoot irons, but optics are better. I have also personally found that while better triggers do feel better, I notice more quantifiable improvement in my shooting with a better optic. Especially for any kind of dynamic shooting, or shooting at distances inside or outside of my zero where I have to hold under or over.

[308sako]

Barrel, trigger sights in that order is how I describe what must be right to have an accurate rifle. Yes best trigger possible will be your best current choice

[bamashooter]

I see you are going for distance. I would absolutely get a very good quality, 2-stage trigger. For the average Joe, if it's shooting multiple targets (or single for that matter) in rapid succession, trigger doesn't mean much except for reliability. You'll be squeezing for all it's worth. Just the way it is. 10 lb trigger will feel like 2 lbs. Otherwise, a very good quality trigger (single-stage) can greatly improve the speed at which the shoot reacquires the same target or acquires additional targets.

Quality glass is nice of course but nothing is worse than a shit trigger. If I rate standard triggers as 1.0 - 1.5, I give the ALG, PSA EPT, and those like them a 2.0 - 2.5. A bit of noticeable difference but nothing to write home about.

[CrowCommand]

Optic, sling, white light, trigger in order of priority for me. Though, I do agree building another lower with better trigger would be the way to go here.

I will second or third the Larue MBT trigger, I just couldn't justify a Geissele for the price.... but 2 out of three of mine have basic mil spec triggers.

Optic, I would shoot for Aimpoint or Eotech for dots....really like my PRO for the battery life, but I just picked up the 3-2 and G33 magnifier and love the reticle...can't comment much on scopes, I don't have a lot of time/experience with many.

[99cobra2881]

PA has the SSA and SSA-E on sale for $174.99 that price is if you also have a .mil/veteran or LE account w them

Id like to take advantage of this sale but Ive got an EXPS3-0 already in the mail and the rifle the trigger would be going in needs an optic so theres my opinion on what order to outfit a rifle.

Barrel and bcg spend money here first
PNT milspec trigger w kaw valley springs
Optic or iron sights
Good scope base or mount american defense is my go to
Shoot the rifle, once the trigger is what you can honestly say is holding you back upgrade it.

Who wants to spend $174.99 on a trigger thats behind a 2 moa w match ammo barrel? Not me.

[utahjeepr]

Everybody likes a nice trigger. But triggers don't make hits. As others have said, trigger upgrades are a luxury item. Worst a "bad" trigger will do is make you slow down a tiny bit to focus on the pull.

Now I'll admit, I ain't a high end trigger guy outside of bolt guns. Most of my guns have the GI triggers they were born with. Maybe I aint a good enough shooter to care, or maybe I just ain't that picky. I'm slowly adding ALG and upgraded Schmids. I have one giessle, and I'll probably pull it out of the SBR it is in and save it for a precision build, I don't care for it in a carbine. Hell, I have a Tantal that is gritty as hell and trigger slaps like a bitch but I can make hits with it just fine. I've got an AK ALG ($40) for it, just haven't put it in yet.