The Drop-In Service Trigger remains one of the longer standing trigger lines offered by Elftmann Tactical. Designed to provide service-quality reliability and function, in a drop-in, cassette type housing the Drop-In Service Trigger has an adjustable trigger pull with a crisp break.
Built by Elftmann for law enforcement and military duty, the Drop-In Service Trigger (DST) aerospace-grade sealed bearings that give it a smooth and fast trigger pull.
The spring action uses EDC machined 0.043”, double-wound, piano wire that is hardened and polished to reduce friction. This allows the DST to have an adjustable trigger pull between 4 to 7 pounds.
The trigger components (hammer, disconnector, trigger) are made from hardened steel. The trigger assembly itself is sealed inside an aircraft grade aluminum drop-in housing.
The ELF Pro Component Trigger is available in a curved or straight shoe.
Specifications:
- Adjustable from 4lbs to 7lbs without removing from lower
- Compatible to all calibers – 5.56, 9mm, .308 etc.
- Fits any mil-spec AR-15 (Standard pin size, no large pin Colt)
- Drop-Safe
- Full power hammer spring
- Disconnect allows full 1/4” width eliminating wear and double-firing
- Trigger and hammer needle bearings provide smoother and faster firing
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Fair (2/5): The Elftmann Drop-In Service Trigger (DST) has an MSRP of $259 which makes it one of the mid-range triggers offered by the manufacturer. The DST has a more robust trigger pull that can be adjusted from between 4 and 7 pounds depending on the comfort of the end user. Other market alternatives for drop-in duty triggers include the original CMC Drop-In Single Stage Duty Trigger ($167.99), Wilson Combat’s AR-15 TTU ($189.95) or Timmy Trigger’s Targa 2-Stage Trigger ($204.05). These all demonstrate that the quality and materials of various the popular drop-in type of triggers runs the gambit of cost, with the DST at the higher end of the spectrum and one that the consumer may find fair but one they must determine if it is worth the investment.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): The DST was machined to have an adjustable trigger pull with materials that gave it smooth actioning. This also provided it a definitive feel in the trigger wall’s “break” with a very consistent resistance in overtravel. From a tactile aspect, the “flat-face” of the trigger (the DST is available in both curved and flat) had a grooved cut to give it more of a surface deviation against the finger. The hard angle edges of the skeletonized trigger however were notable, and gave it an unusual wire-hanger feel rather than a solid one-piece design. It would be suggested to Elftmann to consider polishing/rounding the edges of the trigger to give it a more contoured feel against the finger. The trigger mechanism itself felt, and sounded crisp with no excess noise or movement.
- Durability – Excellent (5/5): The DST was cut from the same type of hardened steel (sourced in the United States) as the ELF Pro Component Trigger using a process called Electric Discharge Machining (EDM) which, without getting into the technical weeds, enabled the DST to have exceedingly precise and complex cuts for the highest degree of precision possible. This puts the PCT on par with some of the highest-degree of manufactured triggers on the current market made specifically for competitive use. At no point during evaluations did the skeletonized trigger bend, nor did the finish flake or stain.
- Functionality – Average (3/5): As a drop-in type trigger, all of the DST’s components came assembled and enclosed in the DST’s finished housing—this made installation extremely easy and only necessitated the included Allen key to complete. One additional element was the included set screws built into the drop-in housing that allowed the user to totally eliminate any amount of play or slop in the trigger as it rested in the lower receiver. This ensured a rock-solid position. The trigger comes set from the factory at approx. 7 pounds of pull, but was adjusted easily by the screw at the rear of the trigger housing. The hammer did remain full power regardless of the pull weight, with no loss of spring tension or light primer strike noted during live fire evaluations. One notable observation was the amount of overtravel was significantly greater than that of performance or competition triggers, with a much stiffer distance the trigger needed to travel after firing to attain reset. This is common to “duty” type triggers in that it inhibits the user from inadvertently firing out of surprise reflex. The downside being that it limits the ability for rapid follow-up shots and the shooter should be aware of that. Otherwise the trigger felt smooth and provided an expected and appropriate (or average) performance on the range.
- Weight – Good (4/5): At a weight of approx. 2.3 oz. per unit, the DST is on-par (or average) with the materials utilized, and similar to the weight of other aftermarket triggers. In comparison, both CMC and Wilson’s Drop-In triggers (3.2oz.) and the Timmy Trigger (2.3oz.) show that the Elftmann DST is lighter than some market alternatives, but in-line with other notable brands that use lightweight materials or skeletonized cuts to shave off some excess weight in the overall design. In the end the DST’s good level of light weight is something that is relatively fixed as the base material (US steel components and aluminum drop-in housing) is itself fixed.
Overall Rating – Above Average (18/25)
Product Link: https://www.elftactical.com/elf-ar-15-service-drop-in-trigger-military-law-enforcement
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