I recently found out about stage 2 triggers. YouTube sources have given me a foundation but I’m also interested in your thoughts and/or experiences with them. 
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My opinion is your opinion. I’ve only used triggers that would have been similar to what you are taking about, but those were on a few rifles and pistols that I’ve swapped.
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Only trigger I’ve ever used is mil-spec. Those are 2 stage.
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I’m on the fence on drop in, single stage triggers.
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Both my AR’s have Geissele SSA 2 stage triggers. I absolutely love them. You can stage it for a precision shot our if you’re doing CQB type stuff you can pull straight through it
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No offense but (mil-spec) triggers are single stage and they’re relatively gritty and heavy. In a stressful situation you won’t notice a heavy trigger or a light trigger…
I have from a stock trigger (whatever came with the gun) to the most expensive ,high speed, cool guy, tacticool 1 and 2 stage triggers. The question you have to ask yourself is what do you really intend to do with this gun. Long range? Home defense.? Or fill in the blank.
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So you don’t believe the extra $$$ for a 2 stage trigger is justified beyond what I’d get with a mil-spec trigger? I appreciate your perspective. You’ve definitely given me something to think about. This build would be for home defense. It’s my 2nd build & I wanted to do something different. Not sure how many more I’ll get to build and customize looking at things going on around us. Nevertheless, thanks. 
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If it’s for home defense i would have to say no, in your case it’s not worth the extra money. Usually a quality aftermarket trigger is around $250-300 range. If your building yourself, I have an ALG defense enhanced mil-spec trigger it’s in the $50-65 dollar range. That’s my short answer, if I can help further feel free to ask away.
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There are two questions wrapped up in here.
- Do you need a 2 stage trigger in order to upgrade from “mil-spec”? (no).
- And is the cost for an upgrade (a 2 stage trigger, or a better 1stage trigger) worth it? (maybe).
“Mil-spec” triggers is a very broad category, basically a 1stage trigger with a slightly heavy pull weight. There are some really crappy mil-spec triggers that are very rough and heavy. And there are some others that are pretty nice with a crisp break and decent pull weight in the 4-7lb range. So you can upgrade to a better trigger and still be considered “mil-spec”.
You can get some pretty good mil-spec triggers for well under $100. Palmetto State Armory has their “Enhanced” trigger which is generally pretty well regarded and is (IIRC) ~$50-60. Sons of Liberty Gunworks (SOLGW site and also sold at Primary Arms) has a “Liberty Fighting Trigger” which I’ve heard is a very nice 1Stage ~6lb pull trigger with a crisp break & reset for < $70. There may be other mil-spec-ish triggers in the reasonable cost category, examples are Timney, CMC, ALG, Rise, Geissele, etc (I’m sure I’m forgetting some).
Now, if you want a 2-stage trigger, thats a matter of preference and use-case. Generally a 2 stage trigger is used for precision shooting where you want a very light trigger, but in order to reduce the chance of an AD you add in an additional stage or take-up before the final break. Geisselle’s SSA for example is 3lb 1st stage and 1.75lb 2nd stage for a total of 4.75lb. It’s the 1.75lb 2nd stage that lets you really remove trigger squeeze issues from long-range or precision shooting. Some might feel that the 2nd stage is too light or that you might not want to worry about managing the 1st stage in an HD/SD situation. IMO, something like the SSA is a good trigger because when you need precision you can manage the 2stages, but if you’re in a hurry you can just pull straight through both stages.
So at the end of the day, you can spend as low as (maybe) $50 or as much as several hundred in a trigger upgrade. Is that worth it, is up to you and how much you dislike your current trigger 
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Wow thanks for the response… So much to unpack. The Geisselle (how do you pronounce that?) I’ve seen on Palmetto State’s website for a decent price. At this point, I’m beyond interested in using a 2 stage trigger for my upcoming build. I want to see the difference & if it helps with precision (or accuracy) I’m good with that.
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Mr. Harvey’s post is spot on. It’s pronounced Guy-s-lee. I have an Geissele SSA and i would recommend them as well
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I agree with everything @Harvey said.
I’ll add if you’re going to use a 2 stage trigger I would suggest spending the money on a quality trigger. In my opinion Geissele sets the standard, however there are other great companies. And while the price might deter you look for sales they have them often. I haven’t ever seen or heard someone regret using geissele products.
Worth the watch before committing to a trigger.
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That was cool. How awesome it is to see or rather hear from someone who loves their work & appreciates customers. Thanks for posting that video. 
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Geissele is currently on sale (prices vary by specific model) at both https://palmettostatearmory.com and https://www.primaryarms.com and https://www.midwayusa.com/
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I highly recommend the Geissele SSA Trigger. I’ll never go back to another trigger again.
I think I’m gonna order the SSA-E. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be disappointed. Thanks for the comment & recommendation.
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I’ve been keeping an eye out for more Geisselle sales. I’m waiting for them to drop below $200 again.
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