Getting more from my AR without selling first-borns.

P

Pond James Pond

New member
Today I repeated what I've done over my last 3 range visits: made a hash of setting up my AR scope.

During the course of this range trip I wrestled with getting small groups from my Sig M400, but all that is already in another thread. However, I did get input from two guys who are far more proficient rifle shooters. They showed me where my rifle was going to suffer with accuracy. Rifle-specifically this boiled down to a non-floating barrel (the gas-tube and particularly the fore-end handguard retaining cup that sits behind the gas-tube and front sight pillar.)

Clearly, I can't easily make an AR fully-floating. However, the second issue is perhaps easier to address. The trigger. I'd always thought it was good. Quite crisp with a well-defined reset. Except that when they tried it, their eyes met and there was a sucking of teeth! :o They felt it was very heavy.....

I soon saw what they meant. ONe of them let me try his 18" custom-built Finnish AR. That trigger, quite seriously, had a trigger measuring in the ounces. The last time I felt a trigger that light was on my old CZ 550 where I had adjusted the set-trigger as light as I could to see how it felt. This was about the same. About 2mm travel, too.

Now that is too much for me, but by comparison, my AR felt like my CZ SP-01 in DA!! I did, however, realise that my trigger is quite hefty.

I'm guessing a drop-in trigger kit is the answer.

So what are my options, bearing in mind that I doubt most companies will ship outside the US?
 
I don't know the options in your country but if you can get a Geissele trigger, that's the company to go with. Timney is also a good choice.
 
Found Timney's and a brand called Uhl that do adjustables for ARs, but....

Yikes! :eek: €230-270!!
That is about $260-310!!

Perhaps I can get more improvement in accuracy from the 6-900rds of .223 that could buy me!!

Aren't there any DIY home-smithing jobs that can be done line the CZ75 trigger polish job people talk about? :o
 
Never heard of Uhl but, for the Timney, that's about 15% more than the street price in the US. It costs money to play. I've got a little under $300 in my Geissele.

Do a web search on AR trigger jobs. There are some tricks that can be done with the springs for a range gun. It's my understanding that one shouldn't polish the sear/hammer faces because the parts are case hardened. I've never fooled with a trigger myself. Good luck.
 
Can you get an Armalite or Rock River 2 stage? I would think those would be a huge improvement.

Also, I would ignore the free float advice unless you are using a tight sling or are trying to do better than 1.25 MOA. Below 1.5 MOA, you probably need some kind of aftermarket match barrel.

BTW, I'm still surprised your Leupold isn't improving your groups over irons.....even at 50 m.
 
I'm still surprised your Leupold isn't improving your groups over irons.....even at 50 m.
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Well, in reference to the other thread, on the one hand I thought I got better hits with irons but on the other hand when I really got my head in gear I was able to get that last smallish group with the scope.

My scope reticle completely covered that target sticker too.

So if I can achieve 1.5MOA with my rifle then it seems that I'm doing OK. Let's see how far my technique can take me!!
 
In my experience, a trigger swap made the most difference on my accuracy. I tried several different brands in various AR’s. Triggers tested include Geissele, Wilson Combat, Armalite and Rock River Arms. They are all excellent triggers and have served me well.
I found the Rock River two stage triggers to be the best value. They cost a fraction of what some of the more expensive triggers cost and they work quite well.
 
Yes, factory triggers may be worked on to enhance them. We even tuned up Timney Triggers (and Timney hated our school for that). Tuning some triggers may be done on a vise (keeps the sear or trigger horizontal), a shim (for the distance0 and a honing stone.
 
It doesn't make the trigger pull lighter, but it decreases the travel and I found that to be good enough for me.

Like you I can't see myself spending the $$ (or €€ haha) on a drop in trigger when there are reloading components to buy.

The best part is if you don't like it you remove it. No harm done. Except for removing the material on the trigger for the pin, nothing is permanent. a spot of solder and a file and your rifle will never know the difference.

A bit off topic for this thread but making some dialed in reloads for your rifle will truly go along way towards accuracy , more than a trigger job ever will. Something (else) to consider anyway
 
I may catch doo-doo for this, but I'll offer it anyways. Even with regards to usual Sig quality- you really don't know how well that bbl was attached to the receiver unless you saw them do it yourself. Stuff happens... is the receiver face crooked? Did they just barely meet minimum torque specs when tightening? Did they manage to end up with a loose bbl extension?

I can't see why your local smiths would charge much at all to check these things. And, I haven't seen a very cheap free float tube that isn't better than the best traditional handguards.

I don't know about all the export issues. But if you can get a copy of this: http://www.zediker.com/books/ar2/ARII_main.html you'll see just how easy it is to do these things yourself. The worst part is coughing up the $$ for a half decent torque wrench.

You've come a long way in your shooting hobby since you've begun posting here. I wouldn't recommend this step if I didn't think you were able to do it.
 
You've come a long way in your shooting hobby since you've begun posting here. I wouldn't recommend this step if I didn't think you were able to do it.
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<beams with pride> :D

Thanks!

And I agree: Reputations are not guarantees and even the best company can have a lemon now and again.

I'll certainly investigate that resource.
 
Another option that won't break the bank would be a ALG QMS trigger. Basically a stock trigger cleaned up by guys that know what they are doing. In my opinion, a trigger pull measured in ounces on an
AR is just asking for trouble. Maybe if it's a range only toy you could get away with it, but to me, if it's not a benchrest only rifle, a super light trigger is a safety issue. Just a thought.
 
In my opinion, a trigger pull measured in ounces on an
AR is just asking for trouble. Maybe if it's a range only toy you could get away with it, but to me, if it's not a benchrest only rifle, a super light trigger is a safety issue.
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I'm pretty sure the guy bought it as a range, target, possibly IPSC gun. Not some HD/SD set up.
 
I'm very pleased with the results of the JP trigger- reasonably priced, at just over a hundred bucks here, but don't know if they're available (or the price) where you are due to ITAR.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/40...-3-lb-single-stage-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding

If not, you can't go wrong replacing the springs, here (again, provided they're available). Best ten bucks (or whatever they are, there...) you'll spend:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/43...trol-system-trigger-spring-kit-ar-15-4-1-2-lb
 
I had very good luck with a lower parts kit that included a trigger parts set from ALG. You can buy the trigger parts from Midway. I don't see an export restriction on them at a casual glance.

Good luck!
Tom
 
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