Single-Stage vs Two-Stage, what’s the big deal?

Are you as confused as I am?

How many times have you pulled out that electronic leash in your pocket to search for a specific answer, only to find 10,000 opinions from varying levels of self proclaimed “experts”? We all know what they say,……. “Opinions are like a’holes”. It’s simply madness out there as to how many people have their own take and opinions, and they all think they are infallible.

Seriously, just do a web search on “single-stage vs two-stage triggers” and the opinionated results are endless. Now I don’t mean to bash on anyone here as there are many reputable sources out there who really put the work in to find a definitive answer. At HIPERFIRE we make it a point to not talk bad or call people out directly, but much of it is still opinions. Most people have the brands that they are loyal to (or ones that pay them), and it makes it difficult to be unbiased. Through my years in the military, private security, as an instructor, and in the firearms industry, I have heard just about every side of every argument and most of them can be traced back to a brand affiliation or specific background. It’s nuts.

So what do we do when we simply want a straight forward answer or explanation? The answer to that question is much simpler than most believe. Go to the source. There may not be “THE” answer to everything, but gathering information from multiple sources can help YOU narrow down what is right for YOU. If you are here, you are likely interested on some level as to what HIPERFIRE has to offer, so I will give you an idea as to why we make the products we do.

Now I can’t tell you exactly why each and every person chooses each and every product they like, the combinations and differing preferences are endless. I cannot tell you why the inventors or engineers behind certain products did it the way they did. I am not infallible, I don’t know everything, and I am still susceptible to the “opinions are like a’holes” statement. What I can give you, however, is some insight into what the difference is between single-stage and two-stage triggers, what some of the different applications are, and the reason that we at HIPERFIRE decided to finally add two-stage to our line-up. So, here it is.

What’s the difference?

Simply put, single-stage should have one consistent pull weight for the entire length of pull from start to break, whereas two-stage triggers have two distinct stages through the pull (often referred to as 1st stage take-up and second stage “wall”).

Single-stage triggers are the most used in AR applications. Almost every single mil-spec rifle sold today has a single-stage trigger. A good single-stage trigger, regardless of the amount of creep or weight, should have a smooth, consistent pull from start to finish, the break should be like breaking glass, and the over-travel should be imperceptible. Some say it should “surprise” you.

A good two-stage trigger, again regardless of the amount of “1st stage take-up” or weight, should share the smooth, consistent pull in the 1st stage. At that point, just before the break, there is a distinct “wall”. What this means is that there is a certain point where the weight of the trigger increases enough to notice the feeling of hitting a wall. We would then simply pull through that wall. This should be an extremely short “click” past the second stage for the break.

Why do some choose one over the other?

Single-stage triggers can be faster than two-stage triggers on a millisecond level. Most refer to this as “split times”. The time it takes to get through the added weight of the second stage is greater than pulling through a consistent single stage. This is really only a factor for those who are really good at shooting as most average people cannot even come close to pulling the trigger fast enough for this to matter a lot.

Single-stage triggers are the most widely used in factory gun building due to the lower level of engineering efforts and cost in making them. Since the introduction of the M16 rifle to the US Military in 1964, the single-stage trigger has been the most widely used AR trigger. This means that many first time buyers, and many military members, are familiar with single-stage over two-stage triggers. This filters into all of the opinions out there because so many have become accustomed to them. Aside from aftermarket builds or smaller military contracts for Special Operations groups, this holds true today.

It’s really a 50/50 between single vs two-stage triggers when it comes to long range shooting. Many users who come from the bolt action realm prefer the single stage triggers due to the common belief that the trigger should surprise you. The more of the human element you take out of long range shooting the better. Therefor, many believe short creep, extremely light, single-stage triggers are the best. While this may hold true for some, there are many out there who only shoot long range with AR type “gas guns” and they prefer the control that they get from two-stage triggers. The ability to “prep” the first stage, and simply click through the second stage helps them to eliminate the human element as well, but in a different way.

Two-stage triggers are of their greatest benefit in high stress, high adrenaline situations where accidental discharges and hitting the wrong target is most destructive. When we are shooting at a range or a competition, having an extra round go down range or missing a target simply means disqualification or a knock in your points. For those just enjoying time at the range, it simply means some laughs and smack talking online when the video gets posted. However, to a military operator, S.W.A.T. team member, police officer, or someone protecting their family, missing their intended target or negligently squeezing off a round in the wrong direction can mean death to innocent bystanders and life in prison, let alone all of the guilt and grief that comes with it. Many people in the tactical and defensive realms have become familiar with two-stage triggers for their ability to “prep” the first stage. They press through the first stage to take up the slack, and from there they can add a bit more pressure to actually fire a round when they intend to. The second stage wall prevents some level of accidental discharge when adrenaline and stress levels are high, where many people forget their trigger discipline in lieu of the life or death situation in front of them. The second stage wall allows for a greater level of control in these very specific situations.

The choice is yours………

As with any other product, you need to first evaluate not only the intended purpose of the firearm you are throwing a trigger into, but the realistic likelihood you will use it in that situation. The trigger is a persons direct connection with a firearm, one of the most important parts in a firearm, and can make or break you in many different situations. A competitive shooter who is used to single-stage triggers can suffer stage losses due to split times and uncomfortable performance that they are not used to. Someone defending their family can have negligent discharge in their home and hit the wrong person if they have a light single-stage trigger in their defensive gun.

Here are some simple steps for finding the right trigger for you:

Take a realistic look at what you are buying or building the gun for. Competition guns are often finicky and require a bit of upkeep and tuning to keep them true, which is bad for defensive scenarios. Work guns can slow you down in competition and are not usually built for comfort and convenience, but rather practical application in a specific scenario. Ask yourself simply, what am I going to use this gun for, and what am I comfortable with?

Find friends or people at your local range who are willing to let you try out their firearms. The gun industry is way more friendly than most people realize and most people are more than happy to show off their built or bought boom stick with pride. This will allow you to try out new things without spending an arm and a leg buying up every different configuration and changing up your guns every few months. I guarantee you that if you see a HIPERFIRE Brand Athlete or Ambassador out there, they will be more than willing to show you a thing or two.

No matter what trigger or accessories you use, ALWAYS be safe and get familiar with it! I cannot express how important it is to be proficient and safe with your chosen platforms. There is absolutely no such thing as too much training and practice. Get out there, get some training, and practice. If you spend more money on the gun or accessories than you do on training and practice, I promise you are not as good as you think.

I hope this gives some insight into the difference between single-stage vs two-stage triggers. As I said at the beginning of this post, there are a lot of opinions out there. The best thing you can do is absorb the information, train, experience different products, and make your own decision. Don’t let someone push you into a decision that only matters for you. Heck, I don’t even care if you choose another trigger brand, as long as you are getting what is right for you.

As always, you can check out all of our products at www.hiperfire.com, and we are always here to answer questions if you want to give us a call or send an email!

Stay safe, have fun, and protect the second amendment!

 

-BP

 

Ben Peterson

HIPERFIRE’S WAY TO DESIGN A DROP-IN

HIPERTECH IS NOT AN ACADEMIC EXERCISE

HIPERFIRE recently introduced the PDI drop-in trigger family for the AR10 and AR15 rifle platforms.  It epitomizes the design goal that we have been writing about in HIPERTECH to this point.  We had the challenge to overcome what the majority of drop-ins sold suffer from: LPS or light primer strike.  We were not going to go down that path.

Manufacturers, in their quest for low trigger pull weight and little creep, have sacrificed hammer strike power.  It’s the hammer spring that governs sear friction in all these cases.  To get the sear friction down and the pull weight light, the power of the hammer spring had to be reduced. No way around that.

The majority of drop-in LPS issues involved the hammer spring in another way.  Even if these manufacturers could make a trigger with a lightweight pull and a hard-hitting hammer, very little space was available in the drop-in cassette frame.  The four-coil, double-torsion, hammer spring just wouldn’t fit.  So, you will observe that most drop-in hammer springs have three-coils per side, making it a weaker spring.

HIPERFIRE’s PDI drop-ins fix that.  We employ our Radical Sear Mechanics™ (HIPERTECH #2) in an even more radical way.  You’ll have to wait to read about that later.  Yes, our cassette frame leaves less room for a power hammer spring but, we did some things.  First, we carved out some space from the flanks of the hammer to make up some room sacrificed to the cassette walls.  Second, we use a three-coil hammer spring with a larger coil diameter.  Because we don’t have to contend with the limiting space of the AR’s lower receiver FCG pocket afforded for smaller coil diameter four-coil springs.  And, we made the spring wire diameter larger for more torsion power.  In fact, the torque this spring delivers is greater than MIL-spec’s.  Wow!

The HIPERFIRE way

Consider that this was all accomplished for you, the shooter.  It was never HIPERFIRE’s intention to make a drop-in.  But, those of you who are users of our triggers demanded it.  The customer is always right.  Right?

So, we made a drop-in the HIPERFIRE way.  Low pull energy (HIPERTECH #4), high powered hammer strike (HIPERTECH #5), and very high PER, hammer strike Power to pull Energy Ratio (HIPERTECH #7).

Every other drop-in is a piece of beautiful, even delicate-looking clockwork, some factory or user calibration is required to bring the pull into spec.  Sometimes, recalibration is required over its life.  That precision was necessary to keep the weight and creep down, among other things.  That’s not the HIPERFIRE way.

  • The PDI is built like a tank, no delicacy there.
  • It survives, even thrives in a PCC with that violent blow-back that breaks other triggers, drop-in or not.
  • Hard-hitting hammer with a wonderful pull: smooth, light, quick, transparent.

At HIPERFIRE, we’re purists, it’s all about high performance in the worst of conditions for shooter and rifle.  It’s about accuracy and reliability.  Attractive appearances are secondary.  But you have to admit, we nailed the look with PDI.

Terry Bender

PER, Hammer Strike P-ower to Trigger Pull E-nergy R-atio

We Got It, A Trigger Metric That Works (pun intended)

We, like everyone else, have struggled with things like pull weight and creep.  When we buy triggers, we think we bought the one we wanted, only to find out that what was advertised as low weight, or “no creep,” wasn’t real.  Either we were lied to, or we didn’t understand what the numbers were supposed to tell us.  We’ve been writing about this in our series of technology white papers we’ve been calling HIPERTECH Bulletins or high-performance technology white papers at www.hiperfire.com/hipertech.

We started out telling readers about HIPERFIRE’s patented design features that reduced pull weight without sacrificing hammer strike power.  A compromise some triggers designers made to reduce the pull weight but led to LPS, or light primer strikes.  We asked, why would anyone design, must less buy, a trigger that felt “good,” but didn’t go bang?

Next, we measured the trigger weight and creep for many triggers, including HIPERFIRE’s.  We remarked that trigger manufactures emphasized weight, but not creep.  We showed readers that weight alone could be misleading when creep was ignored.  We then combined weight and creep into pull energy.  This is the single best measure and expression of what we “feel” as the effort, or work (another engineering quantity that means the same as energy).

Finally, we measured hammer strike power using the SAAMI copper crusher standard.

We combined the copper crusher data with pull weight, in this case, the maximum weight over the creep distance as measure with TriggerScan® instrumentation.  The combination was a ratio, a metric or parameter that divided the copper crusher data for each trigger measured by the maximum weight.  We then plotted the ratios for triggers in three different trigger type groups.  What we saw didn’t provide what we expected compared to our experience with the triggers.  We were not satisfied.

The plot below is our best single parameter description of what we as shooters actually “feel” when pulling a drop-in trigger and what makes the rifle to bang.  Here we plot the ratio of the copper crusher hammer strike measurement by the trigger pull energy that includes weight and creep.  Inspect it.  Digest it.  Believe it.  Read HIPERTECH #7, coming out in a few days to understand what we understand.  It will take the confusion out of your AR trigger buying decision(s).

The bottom line, or the zero (0%) line

  • Bars below the zero (0%) line represent triggers that LPS.
  • Bars above the zero (0%) line represent triggers that bang.
  • Bars at the 100% line, are twice as good as MIL-spec, 200%, 3X as good, etc.
  • The lighter, smaller width bars to the right of the wider bars, indicate the SAAMI copper crusher data from earlier HIPERTECHs. These better qualify the respective contribution that data makes to the PER ratio calculations.

HIPERFIRE’s standard?

Compare HIPERFIRE’s triggers to the others.  See the difference?  Does this PER metric tell you what’s essential?  We think it does.  Of course, we have a bias.  The bias isn’t to buy our trigger because…it’s buy a trigger that does what you want, make the rifle go bang, and feels good.  You are that judge.  Demand from your supplier the information that best assists your buying decision.  All we will say at this writing is that our customers like what they feel.  It’s because we make sound design decisions that best reflect what shooters want in their triggers.  Again, you are the judge.

Terry Bender

We are creatures of mind, sense, and feelings

Do You Ever Get That Feeling?

I get this feeling all the time: something’s not right.  It’s got to be better.  What am I missing?  Maybe it’s a personality flaw.  I’m never satisfied, or if I‘m presented with something, anything, I’m always skeptical until I’m presented first with facts, nothing but the facts.  But facts aren’t enough.  Most of the time, they require interpretation.  Sadly, I’m then in the uncomfortable position of having to question my judgment.  Failure and disappointment is a great educator for it teaches those who are open, to see, to look for answers or fulfillment in hidden places.  That’s one of the reasons I gravitated toward R&D; I wanted to look at the apparently mundane and see something new, something profound.

I was preparing HIPERTECH #6, thinking of a new way, a more accurate idea of rating triggers.  In Bulletin #5, I presented HIPERFIRE’s measurements of hammer strike power against the SAAMI standard (review that white paper for the details).  That presentation began with facts and led us to where we are right now.  Data and facts must mean something!  This was an exploration for certainty, for clarification, even confirmation that our trigger design bias was valid.  After all, the question, what metric best describes what we can all agree (or most of us) is a good trigger, even the best trigger beyond mere personal preference.  When you think about it, common sense or prejudice is a type of group or herd preference.  It can defy the rational.  It can appear to be more qualitative and less quantitative.  Because I’m a trained engineer, I was looking to find in the numbers, in the quantitative, facts that would support the qualitative “feel” of a good trigger, even the best trigger.  The bottom line: if a majority of people experience and agree about the same “good” of something, e.g. trigger feel, then that experience defines what we think is “good” or pleasing, satisfying.  It’s what ergonomics is all about, “the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment.” We apply it here to people’s interaction with their AR15/10 trigger.

So, turn with me to the data presented in the figures of HIPERTECH #5, where we gave the SAAMI copper crusher results of our testing of many triggers.  Let’s replot the copper crusher data for MIL-spec, HIPERTOUCH, and single-stage drop-in triggers.  In the chart below, we plot copper crusher firing pin dimple depth as it deviates from the SAAMI minimum, .017 inches that has been adjusted to .018 inches. .018 is more conservative because we know of some triggers that still light strike even though they meet the SAAMI .017 inch indent depth criteria.  Simple.  Now we have a number that we can use going forward to finding our trigger performance metric that is more meaningful than just trigger weight.

The Bottom Line, Or Rather The Zero Line

  • SAAMI hammer power spec is 0.0.
  • Numbers at the line meet the SAAMI standard.
  • The numbers above the line exceed the SAAMI standard.
  • The numbers below the line indicate that that trigger fails to meet the SAAMI standard. Translation: that trigger will light strike.

Is This Information Important?

As much as a feeling of doubt can stimulate us to search for truth, it’s ultimately a precondition for verifying that what we end up with is where our search should lead.  Finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a different feeling altogether.  In the context of this white paper series, we’re talking about how the trigger performs, how it feels to us.  Ergonomically speaking, how efficient we are at getting the shot off quickly and accurately.  Read high performance tech white paper #6 when it appears to get closer to that pot of trigger gold.

Terry Bender

Real Power; It’s About Time

Hammer Strike Power, Who Gets It, Who Doesn’t

We began a series of white papers on HIPERFIRE’s trigger technology (see the earlier blog posts and read the white papers under HIPERTECH at the top of every hiperfire.com web page).  We stated that HIPERFIRE intended to design triggers with low pull weights.  Because that’s what we and the AR customer base wanted.  And we, and presumably, you didn’t want light strikes.

Light strikes are a fact of life with many trigger upgrades.  A light-strike is also known as a failure-to-fire or FTF.  You pull the trigger, the hammer drops, but the gun doesn’t go bang.  Why?  Well, to get that trigger pull weight pleasingly low, the hammer spring power or stiffness was reduced too much.  The trade-off: lower the trigger pull weight by lowering the hammer sear friction, and thereby lowering and sacrificing hammer strike power.  So, HIPERFIRE looked for a way to reduce the pull weight without sacrificing the hammer’s strike power.

SAAMI has put out a specification that describes the minimum firing pin indent depth to ensure reliable primer ignition, so the cartridge always goes bang.  Primer manufacturers use the spec to design primers.  Firearm manufacturers use the spec to design the fire-controls.

HIPERFIRE tested its own triggers against that spec and many others.  The data collected for one category of triggers is shown below.  You can see that some trigger manufacturers fail to meet the SAAMI spec.  What we found interesting is that even those triggers that marginally met the spec also failed to go bang.  We know this from the feedback we get from our customer base that has switched from others’ triggers to ours.  We could conclude that the SAAMI spec minimum firing pin indent depth is too low.  In any case, you can see that HIPERFIRE’s triggers exceed the spec by a healthy, 100% ignition reliability margin!  We did it.  Low pull weight, MIL-grade hammer fall.

The HIPERFIRE Bottom Line

  • Low to medium pull weight obtained.
  • MIL-grade hammer fall maintained.
  • Match quality pull; accuracy enhanced bullet delivery.
  • 100% ignition reliability.

What’s important?

HIPERFIRE has a bias for excellency.  We want our firearm equipment to be safe, reliable, fast, and accurate.  What else is there?  Oh, we forgot.  FUN!  Give us a try.  Remember, the trigger finger can tell no lie.

Read all about it in HIPERTECH #5 posting soon.

 

Terry Bender

Creep is/does more than you think

Creep is Good. Blasphemy, you say!

Recently, we posted HIPERTECH #3, where we provided a lot of pull weight data scans for over 35 AR15/10 triggers that also highlighted the trigger creep.  We defined creep in that article but withheld our judgment as to whether creep is good or bad.

“Creep,” any creep is a dirty word among shooters.  No one wants to talk about it.  But, it’s essential to have creep, any creep, for the safe function of a semiautomatic firearm.  No creep (less than a hair-trigger) is very dangerous at any weight.  The question should not be how much creep, but what should it feel like.  No one has tackled answering that question.

So, manufacturers focus on weight alone, giving a single number.  We show in HIPERTECH Bulletin #3 that every trigger manufacturer’s trigger weight is different.  The maximum is different.  High at first, high in the middle of the pull, or high at the very end.  Clean break, rolling break, and so on.  The average is also different among them.  So how is trigger pull weight an adequate descriptor of what the shooter feels when he pulls the trigger?

HIPERFIRE, the manufacturer has come up with a metric that combines both pull weight and creep into a single parameter.  In engineering terms, it’s called work or energy.  For shooters, let’s call it effort, the effort the shooter must exert to drop the hammer.  This metric is a number calculated from the same pull weight data scans shown in HIPERTECH #3.  The calculation takes into account the entire weight, no matter how it changes during the pull, but also includes the whole creep, no matter its character.  See the figure below taken from the Bulletin.  This shows how the work, energy, effort number is calculated.  The units of measure are inch-pounds (in/lb).  We know numbers like that from engine torque, fastener lockdown torque, etc.  Well, now we can relate those units to AR triggers.

Figure showing the “area under the curve” or trigger pull energy/work.

You’ll have to read #4 is get all the details.  This new trigger parameter is very good at describing trigger control feel.   We can use it to rank how a trigger feels on the trigger finger as the shot is taken.

What Work, Energy, Effort Tells Us

  • A trigger with high weight and low creep will feel the same as a trigger with low weight and more creep.
  • Energy or work is the effort we exert when pulling a trigger. We don’t really feel the weight or creep independently.
  • Creep can be good or bad; it depends, so to speak.

So, how is creep good?

Ok, now you’re asking the right question.  We know lousy creep when we feel it, but who comments on “good” creep, except the case where the creep is “zero.”  We know zero creep is an impossibility.  Well, creep is good when it provides feedback telling us what’s happening when we pull the trigger.  This feedback tells us whether we like the trigger or not.

This has been HIPERFIRE’s take all along when designing good triggers, which is what our fans tell us, those fans who have tried a lot of different triggers and settled with us.  We created them based on their benefits to our shooting experience.

HIPERTECH #4 has a lot more info, and we rank over 35 triggers  based on pull energy and work.  It confirms what our fingers tells us in a parameter, more that weight or creep alone.  We’re getting closer to making a more complete assessment of what makes triggers good or not so good.  Stay tuned, we’re getting warmed up.

 

Terry Bender

Everything About Trigger Weight

How Much Does Your Trigger Weigh?

Or, what’s the weight of your trigger?  Is it the actual weight, or are we really talking about the force we must exert on the trigger to get it to release the hammer?  If so, that would be its pull weight or pull force, just to add some clarity to what we really mean by trigger weight.

The “trigger weight” terminology derives from hanging dead weights from the trigger’s bow with the firearm’s muzzle pointing up, to measure the amount of weight that must be added to get the trigger to break.  For example, that’s how an NRA deadweight tester works.

Most shooters focus on the pull weight of a trigger, thinking that is the most important metric when evaluating how good a trigger might be.  The idea is that the lower the weight, to some limit, the better the trigger.  A practical trigger safety limit for a bench-rest shooter might be 2 ounces.  But that trigger weight in a semi-auto rifle like an AR15 would be scarily unsafe not only during normal handling but most certainly rough handling like dropping it on the ground when pulling it out of your pickup’s cab.  So, when we say “good weight,” that will depend on what you’re going to do with the firearm.

Well, shooters have many opinions on what weight makes a good trigger or even an excellent trigger.  Manufacturers are also very opinionated on the topic, especially here at HIPERFIRE.

You see, different types of triggers will have different weights depending on what other factors mighty be emphasized.  Some triggers are MIL-spec safe, or operator safe, during stressful engagements.  A 3-Gun competitor might consider the “stress factor” differently and usually opts for pull weights and are at least half the MIL-spec standard.  These triggers are generally of single-stage design.

Long-range precision hunters or competitors may opt for a 2-stage design.  A first stage take-up of low pull weight, then the second stage of slightly higher weight called “the wall.”  Dividing the trigger’s travel into these two distinct segments helps the shooter to manage the semi-auto’s requisite creep.   When the wall is breached, the shot is made.

A third category would be the so-called “drop-in” trigger that could be of either single or 2-stage design.  This is the point: we have many different trigger types from many different manufacturers for many different kinds of shooters with many different opinions as to what is a perfect trigger weight.

How can we decipher this to make decisions about triggers that are so very different?

HIPERFIRE has scrutinized this issue because we are both shooters and a manufacturer.  We agree with the general consensus that lower trigger weight is better.  Take a look at the chart below that compares the pull weights of some HIPERFIRE triggers against some very popular after-market drop-ins.  The data looks very different among them, doesn’t it?  It’s also overwhelming and somewhat confusing, isn’t it?

Chart showing pull weight scans of HIPERFIRE and other’s triggers.

This Is What It Means

  • Go to HIPERTECH Bulletin #3 at hiperfire.com explaining how the data was collected.
  • The Bulletin has many more charts that begins our conversation on what makes a good trigger with the weight metric. Ultimately, we want to show you that the conversation doesn’t end with weight.
  • The charts compare the most popular and arguably the most excellent after-market AR triggers the shooter can buy.

Why Is This Beginning Important?

HIPERTECH Bulletins #1 and #2 began by introducing you to the exclusive Cam-Over Toggle Engine™ and Radical Sear Mechanics™ features in our triggers.  Now, we show you what that did to lowering trigger weight.

Bulletin #3 gets into the details, but it can be challenging for some to understand.  So, let’s boil it down.  Your trigger finger can tell no lie.  It knows what it likes without all the charts.  That’s why trigger manufacturers resort to the feel-good taglines.  They know that data doesn’t sell triggers, or that if purchasers relied on the data to make decisions, they would receive the short straw.  HIPERFIRE knows the data in and out, we designed our products with the data-driven insight into what our trigger finger knows to be the truth.  Now that we could quantify the pull weight and other vital metrics, we could reproduce an ideal feel across many different trigger products to give many different shooters what they only could have dreamed of before.

HIPERTECH is written for you.  Use it to expand your consciousness, then expand your shooting experience.  Message me here if you have any questions about HIPERTECH Bulletin #3.  Remember, this HIPERTECH series is long, we’re just getting started.

Terry Bender

What’s In A Trigger?

Everyone Wants a Good Aftermarket Trigger

If you believe the advertising, everyone sells the best aftermarket trigger.  Most of these ARE good, compared to the AR15 shooters’ bane, that MIL-spec one.  But what’s good or not so good, breaks down when making comparisons within the aftermarket group.  Well, here’s an introduction to some info that begins to clarify what makes a good AR trigger.

Seventeen years ago, I wanted to buy a 50 BMG semi-auto rifle because it was cool and ammo was cheap.  But what I saw available in the market place didn’t satisfy my desire for the ultimate in long-range accuracy.  The only rifle option open to me was the one being procured by US MIL units and used in the sandbox after 911.  It was sold and purchased as an anti-material weapon, not anti-personal, because of its accuracy limitations.  Since I have an engineering background, I decided to design my own, more accurate 50.

My first challenge was the trigger.  I knew I had to touch off a large caliber primer.  And I needed very deft control of the trigger to send that round out to distances of 1,000 yards or more and hit my aim. The maximum effective range of the 12.7×99 NATO cartridge is 1,800 yards or one mile.

Well, four patents later I had my 50, I was broke, and I needed startup money.  So, I presented what I had to some equity investors.  They were not interested in the 50 (bummer!), only the trigger in the 50.  They asked whether it could be adapted to work in the AR15.  Fortunately, I said yes, and HIPERFIRE, the company, was born making triggers.  It started with one, and now it’s 10. (Ahem! More are on the way.)

Figure of the 50 BMG trigger from one patent application.

That 50 trigger solved every shortcoming of any trigger I could get my finger on.  When installed in the AR, it was no less surprising.  Control, finesse, pleasure, speed, precision, are just a few of the adjectives that could describe the experience of shooting again.  Remember that first date with that special someone.  Shooting was that first date experienced over and over again.

OK, enough of the back story!  Why am I writing this?  My company, HIPERFIRE, has solved some problems, probably all of the issues with triggers in general, and some other particular ones.  Because of this, if you use our triggers, it will transform your experience, make you a better, faster, more accurate shooter (everything else being equal).  How can I say that?  For one, I’m a better shooter.  The 3-gunners who have adopted our triggers swear by them.  Before the trigger, ½ MOA. After the trigger, ¼ MOA, for example.

OK, great.  But here’s the problem.  Everyone’s different.  Everyone has an opinion.  Everyone has a preference.  How do you know, what applies when and where to you?

Third OK!  If you’re counting.  That’s a good question.  What we need are meaningful metrics, ways to measure and compare one trigger to another, and what those metrics mean when it comes to shot control, finesse, pleasure, speed, and precision.

HIPERTECH

To that end, HIPERFIRE will begin introducing its HIPERTECH articles on October 1, 2019.

  • HIPERTECH is a HIGH PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY series of white papers describing HIPERFIRE’s trigger technology compared to other state of the art offerings.
  • Later, HIPERTECH will include other products.
  • I’m the author for now.
  • I have the technical background (graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and 35+ years of experience in R&D).
  • I apply that know-how in novel ways to make HIPERFIRE’s triggers better.
  • A new tech bulletin will be issued every three weeks that goes down the rabbit hole a little deeper each time.

Why is this important?

HIPERFIRE has the knowledge and wants to share it.  This county has been good to me, to us.  American innovation is still possible, HIPERFIRE has proven that.  By raising the bar, we want to encourage others to do the same.  If there are better triggers or better anything, lets’ find it.

After you’ve dived into HIPERTECH, what questions burn within you?  Let me know in the comments section.  For me, there’s no beginning but with an excellent question or observation.

Terry Bender