What’s going on, Squat Squad — today we’re digging into the JARD AR-15 Set Trigger, an accessory built to help you shoot a semi-auto the way you’d shoot a bolt gun. This is a features walkthrough and first impressions piece, not a range test: when I shot this, both of my ranges were either flooded or buried in snow, so groups in regular vs. set mode are coming in a follow-up.
Disclosure: JARD provided this trigger for testing and evaluation. JARD did not see the video before it was published.
JARD AR Set Trigger info: slav.li/JARDsettrigger.
The trigger problem on precision ARs
I love the AR-15 platform, especially with precision-grade barrels from companies like Proof Research and T-Box, and in calibers like 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC, and yes, even .224 Valkyrie when you can get it to shoot. The biggest obstacle to great groups out of an AR has been trigger choice.
In the bolt gun world, two-pound triggers are the norm now, and you’ve got options for just about every platform from JARD, Timney, TriggerTech, and others. In the AR market, though, anything around a three-pound pull is considered a “match” trigger. The JARD AR Set Trigger is a genuinely different take on that problem.
What a set trigger is, and how this one installs
At its core this is a drop-in AR-15 trigger, fully self-contained in its housing. Push out the two pins, pull your existing trigger (and most likely the safety selector), drop in the JARD unit, reinstall the pins and selector, then snug down two small Allen bolts inside the housing to lock it into the lower.
Used as a regular trigger, you get a very clean four-pound single-stage pull. Single stage here means no take-up: apply pressure and it breaks. There’s very little to no overtravel after the break, and a positive reset that puts you right back where you started.
The “set” part is what makes it special
On the back of the trigger shoe there are scalloped cuts on both sides. Push the shoe forward with a finger or thumb and it, for lack of a better word, preloads the trigger, so only a little more pressure is needed to break the shot.
JARD advertises the set position breaking around 10 to 13 ounces. On my trigger, I measured it at just 7 ounces, which is right in line with what a lot of competition bolt-action triggers can be set to.
What if you’ve set it and decide not to fire? Put the safety on and pull the trigger. That disengages the set function and drops it back to the standard four-pound pull while on safe. From there you can clear the rifle, or fire it from the heavier pull.
Who it’s for (and who it isn’t)
This is a fantastic trigger with a very specific audience: the precision AR-15 shooter. It’s not for a new gun owner, or for someone upgrading a $600 AR to go plinking at 100 yards. Can you run it there? Absolutely. But I think it’s too much trigger, and frankly I’d feel unsafe putting a newer shooter on it in set mode.
I brought this rifle to a private get-together and had four or five people try it. Every single one of them let the shot go in set mode just by resting a finger on the trigger. It’s that light, and that’s exactly the point. For an experienced shooter it takes a lot of the human element out, so you can get the most out of the rifle without worrying about pushing the trigger sideways or mashing through the break.
Best way to engage the set
My one question at first was the best way to set it. Using your index finger works, but it takes more effort. What worked best for me was the thumb: you can get directly behind the shoe instead of catching it from the side, and it sets with less effort. It may not be quite as quick, but if you’re using a set trigger, an extra half second isn’t going to make a difference.
Bottom line
For now I’m really excited about this trigger and what it’ll help me pull out of my precision AR and the 6mm ARC cartridge. Once the swamp dries up, I’ll do a back-to-back group test in regular and set modes, and I’ll try it with a less experienced shooter too. If you’re not running an AR but want a nicer trigger for a Ruger, Savage, Mossberg, Remington, or similar, JARD is worth checking out there as well.
Thanks to JARD for getting me this trigger for the project.
JARD AR Set Trigger: slav.li/JARDsettrigger. Gear I use: slav.li/amazon. Squat Squad perks: join the channel.
Keep squatting.
Would you trust a 7-ounce set trigger on your precision AR, or do you prefer a straight two-stage?
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