Are Rock River Triggers Really That Bad?

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  • dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I have been reading about reliability issues with Rock River 2 stage triggers. Has anybody had any issues with them? I ordered a LPK with a RR 2 stage trigger from RR (great price at 20% off) but am starting to think I maybe should just bite the bullet and get a Geissle. Even the cheap Geissle G2S 2 stage trigger can be had for $129 which may not be any better then the RR accuracy-wise but should be extremely reliable.

    http://www.primaryarms.com/geissele-g2s-2-stage-trigger-ar15-pin-154-g2s
     

    GUNSnROTORS

    nude member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 7, 2013
    3,620
    hic sunt dracones

    Hadn't been following this. Larson denies knowledge (according to the linked article).

    I sold off my S&Ws back in the 90's when S&W gave Slick Willy a BJ. I was more brash then. These days I try to wait and give companies a chance to fix their mistakes before I write them off completely (e.g., the MD "smartgun" fiasco). Mellowing as I age I guess.
     

    holesonpaper

    Active Member
    Mar 10, 2017
    913
    Hazzard county
    I'll throw a slightly different opinion. It's a decent trigger with it's biggest pro being the price. I tried one out a handful of years ago and it worked fine. Not long after, I tried a Geissele in one of my other rifles and after that, I transitioned the rest of my rifles to Geissele's (and Timney). For me the difference justified the cost. Just wait for one of their specials - they run them quite frequently. My personal favs are the SSA-E or National Match. But back the RRA - you won't be disappointed (and maybe also not that impressed).
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    Had a RRA NM 2-stage back in '09(?), briefly. Got it new, and I couldn't stand it. No issues igniting rounds, it just felt like garbage. Sold it for $50, I ate the loss just to get it the fvck out of my rifle.

    Compared to my Geissele's, it wasn't even a comparison.
     

    tkd4life

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 10, 2010
    1,737
    Southern Maryland
    I bought one and didn’t even install it. The trigger group used oversized pins that I wasn’t going to point into my pre2013 lower. I returned it before being able to try it out.
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    I have an RRA 2 stage in my .22 AR. Its not a bad trigger, just wrong trigger for the gun. Cant remember why I bought that particular trigger. Moving it to my .308 once I get chance to shift things around.

    Most of my guns have Spikes enhanced which is a nice clean single stage which I prefer. Have a PSA enhanced laying around that I need to try.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Had a RRA NM 2-stage back in '09(?), briefly. Got it new, and I couldn't stand it. No issues igniting rounds, it just felt like garbage. Sold it for $50, I ate the loss just to get it the fvck out of my rifle.

    Compared to my Geissele's, it wasn't even a comparison.

    Don't hold back, just tell us what you really think :)
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    Don't hold back, just tell us what you really think :)

    After close to a combined total of 22K rounds between a Geissele SSA-E and a SD-3G, you couldn't pay me enough to install another piece of shit RRA product, in ANY of my guns.

    Maybe I got the crappiest individual NM trigger they've put out in the past 10 years, guess it is possible. Might be why I got mine for $25 under list.

    The pull weight on mine was noticeably higher than the 4.5/5# range they advertise. The feel of the trigger was horrendous, I've had factory FCG's that were smoother - the grit/pop was so bad it genuinely felt like there was a third stage.

    Everyone's familiar with the phrase, 'You only get 1 chance to make a good first impression'? RRA didn't. Geissele did. And with the wide offerings of 'good' to 'astounding' triggers available in a price range from less-than to a little more than the RRA NM, I'm surprised people even consider the RRA offering.

    (I still held back, haven't been drinking, don't feel like getting a timeout just yet.)
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I had one. It was a nice trigger. But like its name says, it's a National Match trigger. It's not a mag dump, 3-gun trigger, or a carbine class trigger. Since I don't shoot National Match or Service Rifle, I have no need to purchase this trigger. I can get a POF trigger for about the same price from Joe Bob's and it's great in my go-fast guns.

    Oh look, an earlier thread on this. https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=48966
     

    woodline

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 8, 2017
    1,947
    I helped a friend build an AR15 a couple years ago from parts. He ordered a RR NM 2stage trigger. It would not reset in his lower. I tried a MILSPEC, ALG ACT, hipertouch 24c, and hiperfire EDT and they all worked. Watched and rewatched multiple install videos, checked all the basics (backward/improperly installed hammer spring, burrs, etc). I was sure I messed up the install because failure of the trigger to reset is a classic symptom of improperly installed springs, but I checked about 5 times and that did not appear to be the issue. Seemed to me that there was too much engagement between the disconnector and the hammer and the trigger could not reset. If I pushed forward pretty hard on the back of the trigger shoe, the trigger would make a loud clunking sound and reset. My friend used a Stag Lower, so I thought maybe the lower was out of spec. It seemed to measure okay with calipers, but I went ahead and tried it in a Spikes lower with same and different pins. Same issue. Bound up on the disconnector. My friend sent the trigger back to Rock River. RR said it worked fine when they installed it on one of their lowers, and it measured within spec, but agreed to refund his money. My friend got a LaRue MBT instead. I installed it and it has worked great for him ever since.

    That one is still a head scratcher for me. I am 50/50 on it being Rock River's fault or the loose wing nut doing the trigger installation. At any rate, RR's customer service replied to his inquiries promptly and gave my friend a refund when he was unsatisfied with the product. Hard to argue with that.

    Unfortunately RR has made a real mess of things politically in the past year, so even if the issue turned out to be the moron narrating this story, I would be disinclined to give them my business again. Especially when there are so many other companies making good triggers in the same price bracket now.
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    Recent quality of RR triggers has been spotty at best lately. Early ones were pretty good and if you know how to tune them, they can be really good. Personally, I prefer Geissele. In my experience, Geissele has the best warranty in the business!
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    After close to a combined total of 22K rounds between a Geissele SSA-E and a SD-3G, you couldn't pay me enough to install another piece of shit RRA product, in ANY of my guns.

    Maybe I got the crappiest individual NM trigger they've put out in the past 10 years, guess it is possible. Might be why I got mine for $25 under list.

    The pull weight on mine was noticeably higher than the 4.5/5# range they advertise. The feel of the trigger was horrendous, I've had factory FCG's that were smoother - the grit/pop was so bad it genuinely felt like there was a third stage.

    Everyone's familiar with the phrase, 'You only get 1 chance to make a good first impression'? RRA didn't. Geissele did. And with the wide offerings of 'good' to 'astounding' triggers available in a price range from less-than to a little more than the RRA NM, I'm surprised people even consider the RRA offering.

    (I still held back, haven't been drinking, don't feel like getting a timeout just yet.)

    Your feedback duly noted. I was was kidding and definitely pay attention to what you and everyone else here says.
     

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