Should I build a lower or ...

[richyankee]

I may be jumping the gun a bit as I'm just getting my shooting in order, but I unexpectedly have really started to like theAR platform. I have a DPMS Oracle just like it came out of the box except for the furniture.

I think the next thing I'd like to do is improve the trigger. After reading a few posts here and having the opportunity to talk to a precision shooter at my club the other day, tht seems like the best change I could make to improve my accuracy.

So, for the long term, I expect I will eventually want to upgrade the barrel or complete upper - not really interested in taking the DPMS apart, I would build another upper or buy one with the barrel I'd like to have for shooting to 300 yards but more frequently 100 and 200 yards. In fact, I think I will shoot 100 more than 200 as it's much easier at my club/range. But the club puts on 300 yard matches and I'd shoot in as many of those as I could. So that's the application. I don't hunt.I will shoot commies or other rats if I see them coming.

So, I think that my DPMS lower, with a trigger upgrade, should be good for my future precision upper, but I wonder if there's (I know I'm asking for it here...) a reasonable chance for making a better one with my current skills (was a mechanic for a short time before I turned myself into a software engineer) or even if I need better skills to do it.

It might make a nice project for the winter - or I could learn reloading after my trigger job and I knoiw that is going to be necessary sooner or later to become any kind of precision shooter.

I'm only thinking about this because it's getting cold already here and I don't know how much shooting I'll do froom the range hut while burning wood... (NH winters and old guys likek me - not optimal).

Thanks for your opinions and advice.

Rich

 

 

 

 

 

 

[98Z5V]

We can go from mild to wild on this one. There are alot of good inexpensive triggers that will improve your rifle.  There are a few expensive triggers that will really improve your rifle.  If you're willing to sacrifice about $300, I can recommend the Geissele Hi-Speed line to you. Most of them these days come with the different springs that let you set it up as the Hi-Speed Match, Hi-Speed DMR, and Hi-Speed Service trigger - in the same package.  It's one HELL of a great trigger for the AR platforms. 

There are other very, very good recommendations, as well, that come in lower in the price range.  Just list your price range, and the recommendations will flow. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by 98Z5V

[GunBugBit]

AR trigger choices are incredible.  Geissele has fantastic offerings; 98Z5V's recommendations are top shelf.

Improving a GI trigger is one way to go.  Need the trigger to remain safe, reset properly and not have light strike issues.  Learning about all of that is enjoyable.  But if you want a quality trigger that will just work -- Geiselle will take care of you.

For your precision upper, barrel choice is your biggest point to consider.  You might not shoot beyond 300 yards for fun or more serious endeavors, but hey, you want some nice tight groups, right?  I am no expert on barrels but I gather there is a big quality spectrum out there, as with many things.

[richyankee]

I have been looking at triggers - Geissele, Timken, Armalite precision 2-stage, Velocity, Rock River, LaRue and others.

As for tight groups - that's how I'll measure success - even though 300 is about the maximum I can shoot here. Although,ther is a 600 yard range nearby, I just don't visit that club but could go there to some of their matches. I'm really not ready for that.

$300 might make me hurt too much. I'm going to try to find something for less than $200.

Anyway, I had thought about working on the GI trigger. Maybe I can get comfortable with the idea after I get another trigger, in case I break it - either functional;y or safety-wise. On the other hand, I don't expect that I'll be able to match a $200 trigger with an improved (polished?) GI trigger but it could be fun trying to get there.

Thanks, so far I think I am on the right track - trigger and barre lare the top priorities.

What triggers - up to $200 do you recommend?

Rich

 

[edgecrusher]

If you time it right, the SSA-E trigger can be had on sale for under $200. I like it a lot and it does well for precision work. 

[GunBugBit]

Thumbs up on the SSA-E.  There is one on my elk rifle.

[GunBugBit]

On a GI trigger, just shoot it a lot or do some hammer boosting (pulling the trigger while putting forward pressure on the hammer).  The interface spots will polish against each other and the trigger will feel sufficiently smooth.  You can use grease to make it feel even better.

Then it might be a matter of finding a hammer spring that is light enough for your tastes but still provides reliable ignition.

Good luck!

[98Z5V]

6 hours ago, richyankee said:

I have been looking at triggers - Geissele, Timken (Timney) Armalite precision 2-stage, Velocity, Rock River, LaRue and others.

Timken is a bearing company, Timney is the trigger company.  In that list above, I have all but the Rock River, for the reason that there are too many reviews online about the RRA trigger losing it's second stage over time, and going "mushy."  I have the others, though, plus more.  I'd recommend them all, and some of them for different reasons/builds.  If you have a specific question about those, or any more, just ask up. 

[richyankee]

"Timken is a bearing company, Timney is the trigger company "

Yeah, I don't know where that came from. I have Timney bookmarked.\I bought a LaRue trigger because everything I read about them is positive and it's a little less (about 115) less than the Geissele - which seems like a unanymous recommendation in this thread.

After talking with a few shooters at the club, I'm really leaning toward reloading as teh next step and then in getting used to the trigger when it starts to warm up again. It's already a little cold for me.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[98Z5V]

You won't be disappointed with that LaRue MBT2 trigger - I love the two I have. 

Two comparable rifles - Mk12 Mod 0 has a Geissele Hi-Speed Match DMR trigger in it  - and that is a badass trigger in a badass rifle. Mk 12 Mod 1 has the LaRue MBT2 trigger in it.  I'm not about to take out that LaRue MBT2 trigger because the Mod 1 rifle doesn't shoot as good and the Mod 0. Nothing like that.  You will like that trigger. 

[sketch]

On 11/8/2017 at 1:01 PM, edgecrusher said:

If you time it right, the SSA-E trigger can be had on sale for under $200. I like it a lot and it does well for precision work. 

http://palmettostatearmory.com/geissele-super-semi-automatic-enhanced-trigger.html

[richyankee]

18 minutes ago, sketch said:

http://palmettostatearmory.com/geissele-super-semi-automatic-enhanced-trigger.html

whoa - I don't know how I missed that, probably just got tired of seeing the same price everywhere I looked for a day or two.

Still looking forward to the LaRue.

I didn't see much at all today at the gun show,  more collectibles I think than shooters stuff, although there were some. I found one FCG kit other than OEM replacement parts - not much to miss there.

practicing imaginary trigger pulls...

 

[richyankee]

 

LaRued at last. Won't be able to shoot until after t-day - Rats!

 

[98Z5V]

The LaRue is a fine, fine trigger.  At it's price point, I'd have recommended it over the SSA-E (which I have in the "Woody" rifle).  The only thing you're giving up is a pound in trigger pull.  The LaRue is 2.5/2lbs, first and second stage, 4.5lbs combined.  The SSA-E is 2.3/1.2lbs first and second, 3.5lbs combined.  The SSA-E is slightly smoother, but it takes trigger time on both systems to be able feel that difference.   A closer Geissele-comparison to the LaRue MBT2 would be the standard SSA trigger, in pull weights. 

As I said earlier, there's no way I'd take out my LaRue to replace it with another trigger, and you cannot beat that price point.  You will like it. 

[richyankee]

Now that I have it, I can (even comparing it in the test block to the GI trigger) appreciate the difference in pull and amount of travel.

It's also a good introduction to working on these rifles (other than changing furnitue) - yeah I will find a way to get out with it before turkey day... even if it's cold.