I currently have an RB Precision LPK (bought and installed before I knew about G&R or even before I joined this site). Apparently they “source” the “best” individual parts to make up their LPK…for my sample of one, it has held up fine for over 3000 rounds, has a pretty good trigger, and everything seems to be in spec. Does anyone have any insight to where they get their parts?
Forged?
Cast, turned, wound and stamped but there are ZERO forged parts that live in a Colt lower receiver.
Not claiming there are, just supposing. I’m obviously the un-knowledgeable here hence my questions. So what makes a cast fire control group found in a Colt lower better than the one found in a DPMS LPK? Are the DPMS fire control parts MIM’ed in the back of a whorehouse in Bangkok? Are the two castings supplied to the various manufacturers by the same supplier but Colt takes the time to anneal them and then heat treat them to spec? I really don’t know but am interested.
With the infamous list, it is pretty straight forward, the Colt’s barrel is made of this superior steel, has been MP tested, and a few other things that make it superior to the DPMS. And while the “list” has ruffled more than a few feathers, it has made those who take the time to understand it, more knowledgeable shooters. With LPKs the whole issue is more nebulous. What makes a Colt LPK better? 
DD= outstanding, though I’ve heard of some missing parts, not my experience though. I’ve used DPMS as well and not disappointed, didn’t. Keep the DPMS hammer and trigger though.
PSA gets my vote, they offer one of the better triggers of the standard part kits.
They just need to work on customer service and shipping turn around.
I just ordered a bargain-basement no-name “bag-o-parts” lpk on gunbroker for $44. Came with a Hogue grip.
No info on who the manufacturer is. The takedown pins are rough and crappy and…pitted…or something…on the heads, but other than that the whole thing went together perfectly, and it actually has the best trigger pull out of all the lpk’s stock triggers I’ve ever seen!
Who knows why. It’s as smooth as the ones I’ve dremel-polished. I don’t even want to touch it. I function tested it 200 rounds, works flawlessly.
I’ve had three LPKs and installed two of them. The first LPK came with my “Post-Pre-Ban” Colt Competition HBar I bought about twenty years ago. It worked well although the pull of stock trigger, while better than most stock AR triggers, was still rough. All the controls worked every time and nothing worked loose and the finish held up to the years of use. Never tried MagPuls in my Colt but GI mags all locked in with no trouble and dropped free.
The second LPK came from Armalite without a FCG. A Geisselle FCG was added. It too has been trouble free, always works and both GI and MagPul magazines lock into place and drop free. I like the extra tab on the bolt release. It makes locking the bolt back sans mag easier. The fly in the ointment was the finish on the mag button. It doesn’t hinder or improve function, but it was a bit disconcerting to wear the finish off the ridges during installation!
The third LPK came with my PSA rifle kit, complete with trigger. It too functions fine and GI & MagPul mags lock in and drop free. Again, the finish on the mag button is not very durable but that doesn’t affect function. Trigger was very rough at first but has since smoothed out quite a bit. It’s a single stage with lots of creep and feels like a rolling break, almost like a very short DA. I don’t like the pull, but it is predictable and feels the same with each break. Only a few hundred rounds have been put through this lower. I’m going to leave this trigger in and see how it does in the long term, but a big part of me wants to just replace it with a Geisselle and move on.
All three LPKs have given good service and other than the problem with the finish of the mag buttons supplied with the Armalite & PSA LPKs, have no complaints. I would like to note the Armalite & PSA mag buttons look like they use the same black finish
I’m sort of with Cobra66 on LPK’s. I’ve no problem accepting the notion that some are “better” than others.
But it would be great for those of us who know less about LPK’s to know what “better” actually means. For instance, it’d help to see a sticky or some kind of a bulleted list telling us what kinds of things to look for in quality LPK. Are there any measurable differences to look for, or visual differences you can tell just by close inspection, that would give clues to an LPK’s quality level?
I think that was QuietShooter’s hope with this thread. It is a good idea.
I bought my LPK from G&R because I trust Grant. He knows what he is doing, buying and selling and I just don’t.
I like my Spike’s parts kit, everything was in order, no problems at all. I’ll be buying one of theirs again.
One of the first indicators of a quality LPK is the roll pins. Spiral pins are stronger than split and tend to be easier to install. Beyond that, you are the mercy of the manufacturer. Stay with the big kids, and you shouldn’t have a problem.
I’ve tried stag, G&R, RRa, LMT, and DD. G&R IMO has the nicest trigger and goes in better than the others. DD would be my next choice but I still prefer to put G&R trigger assemblies in them. Stag used to be decent for the money but the couple of kits I got a year or so ago wasn’t great.
disclaimer
I have only had experience with 2-3 of each of these kits, I am no professional who sees hundreds a year, so my experience is very limited and should not be taken over somebody with the title of “Industry Professional” under their name.
Some of you guys need to understand that the way your particular trigger feels is not necessarily indicative of a trend with that particular brand of LPK / FCG.
For example, inspect a sample of brand new .mil Colt M4’s. Go down the line and do a functions check on 15-20 of them. If you’re tuned in, you’ll feel differences in the trigger pulls. Some may be light and smooth, some may be heavy and gritty.
Saying “my XYZ brand FCG is light and smooth” is fine, as long as nobody takes that to mean that every particular sample will feel that way.
If you’re so concerned with the way your trigger feels, you should probably be looking at Geissele anyway. For most users and most applications a standard MIL-SPEC type trigger (whether a good sample or a bad sample) will be just fine. If that doesn’t apply to you, get a Geissele.
Discussing the feel of a certain LPK’s trigger will get you nowhere fast.
In other words, at this price point, makers cannot control the manufacture of their standard AR triggers enough that they have any consistency of pull from one set to another
…If you’re so concerned with the way your trigger feels, you should probably be looking at Geissele anyway. For most users and most applications a standard MIL-SPEC type trigger (whether a good sample or a bad sample) will be just fine. If that doesn’t apply to you, get a Geissele…
But Geisselle can. I understand that what ever Geisselle is doing, a price must be paid and this is why they are more expensive
Discussing the feel of a certain LPK’s trigger will get you nowhere fast.
I disagree. So far, it has brought about the understanding that the feel between two standard AR triggers will vary
That’s exactly the point I was trying to make. But you knew that already, didn’t you? If you want to play with words go play Scrabble.
PS. Don’t get mad or take that too seriously. I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page.
Not to be snide, but no I didn’t, not consciously. It was while responding to your post that realization came to me. Before, it was just a knowledge that in general, I am dissatisfied with the feel of the standard AR trigger. Now it’s a knowing that getting a standard AR FCG is a crapshoot as far as feel goes.
While I feel the discussion didn’t lead to nowhere, I agree this conclusion doesn’t require much expounding upon. As it turns out, you’re right in that we’re on the same page.
PS- I was going to use “pontificating” instead of “expounding” but I couldn’t resist putting the “x” down for a Triple Word Score
I have since gotten two more Colt LPKs from Grant, and as expected, they’re just what the doctor ordered.
I don’t like the notched hammer of the DD and the trigger was not as good as the CMT LPKs I have installed…
I just installed a PSA LPK and have to say that the trigger is extremely nice compared to most other stock triggers I’ve felt. Not much grit or hang up through the pull and has a pretty crisp break.
Only complaint is that the safety selector is a little mushy with not much of an audible click…but since I’m using this for a hunting and paper punching build, I don’t mind too much.
My experience with the PSA LPK has been the opposite. Trigger has lots of creep (but smooth with grease on the sears) and the selector feels very positive, not mushy