• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
        • Photoroom_20250531_143432Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
        • Photoroom_20250525_074933Juggernaut Tactical Frame Review: The Best Upgrade for Your 365
        • craft holstersCraft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise
Firearms Accessories

ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger | Range report

October 13, 2017 by Jens "Rex Nanorum" Hammer Leave a Comment

ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger | Range report

ALG Defense is the sister company to Geissele Automatics.  While the latter has won a hard-earned reputation as a manufacturer of premium AR aftermarket triggers, ALG Defense is warranting attention on their own merits.  Started by Amy Lynn Geissele (hence, ALG) in 2012, ALG Defense brings a pedigree of precision machining and innovation to the world of aftermarket triggers.

ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger | Range report

I’ve been working with ALG’s ACT lately, their Advanced Combat Trigger for the AR15 platform.  Designed with mil-spec geometry and pull weight, ALG has done everything possible to improve performance while adhering to the M4 trigger guidelines.  The trigger, hammer, pins, springs and disconnector have all been coated with either nickel-boron or nickel-teflon to increase wear resistance, surface hardness and to reduce the co-efficient of friction.

The ACT comes with two different hammer springs.  The purple reduced power spring gives around a 4.5 lb pull-weight and is designed for recreational and target shooters.  The reduced force applied by the purple spring may fail to ignite some harder primers, so in tactical or defensive uses the tan spring is recommended.  Said tan spring increases trigger pull weight to around 6 lbs, which is above the minimum M4 platform specification of 5.5 lbs and well below the platform maximum of 9 lbs.

Tech specs, geometry and coatings aside,  the ACT’s improvement over a stock mil-spec trigger is all in the pull.  Some off the shelf mil-spec triggers may be a little lighter, some may be a great deal heavier.  The ACT improves the consistency of the trigger pull by reducing geometric variables and friction between mating surfaces.  Also changed is a reduction in “grittiness” during trigger pull.  Many rack grade AR/M4 pattern rifles feel like they have sand between the disconnector and the hammer hook.  The ACT has a much smoother “slide”, and lacks the jumps in trigger-pull pressure needed to overcome the “grits”.

ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger | Range report

When I headed to the range for a day of rifle testing with Graham Baates, I took along a personal rifle I’m using for deer season to get a solid zero.  As we were shooting at 100 yard paper targets, I figured this was a great time to test out the ACT’s ability to group well.  The rifle is an SBR’d AR, 7.5″ .300 BLK barrel in a “Honey Badger”-ish configuration.  It previously had a Geissele SSA-E which was a bit overkill on such a gun.

After the first round popped off, I didn’t notice the trigger again.  It did pull in a very similar fashion as the mil-spec triggers so many of us are used to.  The improved creep and crisper break were slight yet tangible improvements.  Despite using an optic with a 2 MOA dot, I printed 1.5″ and 2″ groups at 100 yards using Barnes T-TSX 110 gr rounds.  Here’s where the only rub came in:  the T-TSX rounds have primers that I wouldn’t consider to be on the soft end of the scale.  Using the lighter purple hammer spring, I had a couple of light primer strikes so I changed over to the heavier (standard) weight spring.  Everything was roses after that!

The ACT proved to be a solid improvement over the stock mil-spec trigger.  If you don’t want to fork over the premium price that a target trigger demands, or if you are in a department/unit where modifying the trigger too much is a no-fly, definitely consider ALG Defense’s Advanced Combat Trigger.  At $69, you aren’t going to find another accuracy upgrade with as much bang for your buck.  Check it out!

Share This

About the Author

Jens "Rex Nanorum" Hammer is an Alaskan Expatriate living in Oregon with his wife and kids. Growing up on commercial fishing vessels, he found his next adventure with the 2nd Bn, 75th Ranger Regt. After 5 tours to Afghanistan and Iraq, he roamed about the west coast becoming a commercial diver, rated helicopter pilot instructor (CFII) and personal trainer before becoming a staff writer with Loadoutroom.com

See All Jens "Rex Nanorum" Hammer Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • M4A1 Block I: The Special Operations Origins of an American Icon
    M4A1 Block I: The Special Operations Origins of an American Icon
  • Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
    Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
  • Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
    Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
  • West Coast Armor IIIA Plates Review: Lightweight, American-Made Protection
    West Coast Armor IIIA Plates Review: Lightweight, American-Made Protection

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Winston Smiths on Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Jared Mize on The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife: A Commando Blade That Changed Special Forces Forever
  • GomeznSA on MAC-10: The Wild History of America’s Most Iconic (and Overrated) Submachine Gun

Latest From SOFREP

News

Evening Brief: Iran reopens airspace to foreign flights, Senior Russian Navy General killed in combat near Ukrainian border

Editorial Cartoon

SOFREP Independence Day Cartoon: Fire the Rockets!

SOF

Six Tips to Succeed in Special Operations

The Pic of the Day

SOFREP Pic of the Day: USS Enterprise As Seen Through Periscope of a German U-Boat

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...