Relatively new the AR platform having mostly shot bolt guns. I'm used to single stage triggers in the 1lb range and less. I've tried a couple of single stage AR triggers. CMC and Velocity. I liked the velocity better but still at 3lbs I find it quite the pull to get to the break. I'm starting to think a 2 stage trigger is the way to go and the  Geissele High Speed National Match is what I want. The caveat is I have never really used a 2 stage trigger and don't know what to expect. Is it hard to learn? In my eyes both the CMC and the Velocity to me were poor examples of a single stage trigger. Both had some creep before the break yet neither were consistent so I never knew when they would break.

This leads me to think , maybe the two stage is the way to go. If the creep is consistent I will know when it will break.

Am I demanding to much of the AR platform to expect bolt gun type trigger releases?

Is the 2 stage trigger the more precise trigger in the semiauto platform?

I have a Dan Def V7 Pro that has the Geissele single stage trigger that 3 gun folks use. It is very crisp and quite light on pull with the lighter spring in place. It is not anywhere near the 2 oz. Anschutz triggers I shot in small bore but it is pretty good. Be aware though with the semiauto  rifles that it can be easy to get a double as the bolt inertia does move the gun in both directions during recoil. Good control of the hand on the grip is required.  You might take a look at the Geissele site and see if it is close to your needs. I like it.

You can safely get the geissele hsnm second stage down to a pound.

You'll want to bring the 1st stage down some so you can feel the wall on the second stage.

Once I'm on target I pull through the 1st stage until I hit the wall, when I'm ready to take the shot I add a pound of pressure to release the sear.

You're limited in how light the first stage can be since the trigger spring needs enough tension to reset the trigger.  That said, you can drop the 1st stage to a pound before you run into reset issues.

IMO, it's the finest 2 stage AR trigger on the market.

For my first AR build I used a Hyperfire trigger with the light springs for a 2# single stage pull. I like it a lot even though it isn't quite as light as my precision bolt rifle triggers. Shooting buddies who have other brand triggers in their AR's have also been very impressed with the Hyperfire.

For my second AR build I decided to give the Geissele two-stage National Match trigger a trial after reading all the internet hype. Price for the Geissele was roughly the same as the Hyperfire, The second stage is set at something less than a pound. After limited shooting I have not made up my mind whether I will keep the two stage trigger. After shooting crisp single stage triggers for many years, there is a definite learning curve going to the two stage.I find that going from one to the other takes a bit of concentration to master. The Geissele, even though it is a quality product, may soon be up for sale! Vic

Geissele SSA-E has 1.2 lb second stage.  I really like this trigger.  3.5 lb total pull through.  You can easily hold at the end of the first stage.  Then 1.2 lbs and it breaks super crisp and clean.

I prefer a 2 stage trigger in my AR's and the AR gold is the best one I've ever tried.

I've got a couple high speed national match triggers.  I like them and I keep the second stage set under a pound. 

I do love my Geissele SSA-E and I've heard great thing about the LaRue MBT too.

But I've really warmed up to the CMC 3.5lb single stage lately. I've got 2 of them. One in a 16" RECCE type build and another in a 14.5" with a 3x prism scope. They are perfect for carbines where precision is still an important factor.

But in my 18" 6.8 SPC that I hunt with, I still like the SSA-E.

The way I see it is 2 stage is for accurate slow fire shooting. While Single stage is for full-auto or rapid fire.

I would say that the full relatively long pull through is for any high stress situation where adrenalin is flowing and negligent discharge is a risk.  The second stage stage crisp light release is for precise, controlled shot placement.

Been watching and this weekend PSA has the High speed national match on sale for 219 bucks so I grabbed one to try.

I'm a 2 stage trigger fan.  My M1 Garands have them (that was the "factory" trigger) and I've put them in my AR's.  Even though my Savage 10 is single stage, the accu-trigger "safety" feels like a 2 stage in how it functions.

Some will tell you its a crutch, others will swear by them.  I think the important thing on both single and 2 stage triggers is the feel you get as you come up on the sear, then know the pressure it takes to break over, and also the point at which you can release the trigger if you have to and return to a "safe condition".   In reality the 2nd stage of the 2 stage is just a light single stage.   But the initial take up is different so you can tell when you hit the wall as described by another poster above.

I'm really contemplating swapping my Rem 700 trigger for a 2 stage for this reason.  I'm just so used to 2 stage now that I struggle a bit with a short crisp single stage.  My subconscious needs that few thousandths movement before applying the final pressure to break the trigger.

Well done.

With the adjustable 2nd stage you will be able to get a very crisp break on the HSMN.

I prefer 2 1/2 lbs on the 1st stage and +1 lbs on the 2nd stage for a total of 3 1/2 lbs to break.

More controllable than a 1 lbs single stage on a bolt gun.

"Crutch" comment LOL.

I had a guy tell me my rifle was "too easy" to shoot accurately.  I told him that was the point to all this.  Otherwise we'd all be shooting flintlocks.

I use my single stages for play time now.  Any distance shooting and I go straight to the 2 stage triggers.  They are easier for me to shoot accurately.

I used to be a single stage only guy, but once I got my hands on the SD-E it changed my mind for all the precision ars but I still prefer a single on my carbines.

I prefer my Geissele 2 stages, specifically the DMR.  I just wish Geissele would make 2 stage triggers for bolt actions at the price they are at right now.  I'd switch everything over in a hear beat.

I've always been a single stage trigger guy until I got my RPR in 308. The factory trigger wasn't "terrible) but I wanted something better. I've had two other rifles with Timney triggers and love them. I put the Timney 2 stage trigger in my RPR. Left it at the factory settings of 8oz first stage and 1lb second stage. It's one sweeeeeeet trigger. Made a definite difference in the accuracy that I've been able to obtain.

It's all relative.  But to the OP, a 2 stage isn't going to be lighter at the break.  If you have a 2 stage that says it is 4 pound, that means it's going to have a super light take up with some travel, then it will hit the wall and break at a higher pressure, the 4 pounds.  The poundage of the take up is way less.  

i don't have any GREAT triggers but I have (2) 2 stage RRA triggers and (1) 2 stage in my loaded M1A.  And 2 Garands with a gi 2 stage.  Actually the M-1 carbine is pretty 2 stage ish. . In my RRA AR's, 1 is a NM and 1 is a varmint.  Personally, to me, the combo of 2 stages and super light is unsettling.  If a gun has a really light trigger pull, I'd rather have it be a single stage.  If it's a real light 2 stage trigger.  You start to take up, and you don't really know where the break is.  I know some surprise might be a good thing, but to me it's unsettling.  

My Varmint 2 stage breaks at a little under 3 pounds.  And I don't really like it.  It sometimes breaks before I want it to.  Now some may say that's a training issue and maybe they are correct.  I don't know.  All I know is that if I'm having a take up, I want to feel where the break is.  If I can't the take up seems pointless.  

My Loaded Springy M1A has a 2 stage and it's like 4.5 pounds.  That I like and I get decent results.  And I like my NM RRA 2 stage.  It is like 4 pounds when it breaks.  

Not to be a snob, but one of my best range sessions with my recce, I got a few sub MOA groups.  I was using a lower with a 7 pound GI single stage.   The part that overcomes a heavy trigger is having a stable enough platform (that time I was prone with a bipod and sandbags under the rear, but it had an A2 buttstock that helped keep it put) that your careful press won't move the gun.  

So it is really foreign to me that people are talking about 1 pound triggers.  I'm like, why?  But I also realize I'm not a sub MOA shooter consistently, and my groups could use work.  So.....  I'm probably looking at it all wrong.  But a 1 pound trigger feels like if you blink you'd drop the hammer on accident.

You are trying to compare semi auto platforms to a bolt action platform.  A good bench gun needs a light trigger to perform. Your not trying to control unidirectional recoil and reset. That occurs when you cycle the bolt while your finger tip is off the trigger.  Let's take rimfire offhand shooting with a rigid range jacket. You're breaking the shot as the sight picture floats so you want a light break that's still controlled. That's where dry fire basics really shine. Learning to spot the trigger break without recoil. The break becomes a muscle memory. You can achieve this with a two stage trigger with a good wall but a heavy wall over works your muscles as the sight picture changes. Let's look at position shooting such as silhouette shooting. Your building a rigid body stance but still not stable. So you must break the shot on a slightly moving sight picture. That's where a light two stage trigger shines. Light take up but still a crisp wall.
I see you have several triggers set up differently. That could add to a conflict with muscle memory.

And some people prefer the pad of their finger while others like a grip where they are closer to the fingers first bend. Yet others have learned to use the very tip.
I know clear as mud, maybe someone else can explain the mechanics better.

I usually use the pad.  

What confuses me about what you are saying is that when you get down around 2 pounds, it seems like it's hard to feel the wall before actually letting it break.  Like, I feel it, oooops, I wasn't quite ready but it went boom on me.  I mean you have to barely put any pressure on 2 pounds.  LOL.  

I hear what you're saying that in those comps a super light trigger helps. Especially offhand.  But yeah, I'm usually shooting prone or bench when shooting for small groups.  I do like to try to shoot offhand and be accurate, but that's not an easy thing.  LOL.    Now sitting, I do pretty well with that.  Support makes all the difference in the world.

2#'s should be easy to feel before it breaks. Sure you don't have some nerve damage going on? I did a JP spring swap on my RRA varminter two stage trigger and I can cleanly feel it's wall. All I know to tell you is to pick one and dry fire it aiming at a small object and start calling where the cross hairs are when the trigger breaks. If you have some nerve damage a wider trigger shoe sometimes helps. I don't know why but I guess it spreads the weight across the pad of the finger and gives a little more response. Maybe you need to run a 1/4" allen screw up through the pistol grip hole and adjust your travel so your not reseting quite as far?

I have geissele hsnm triggers set with a total weight of 2.25 lbs.  The second stages are set at 8 ounces.  The wall is easy to feel.  

As the poster above me said, I let the reticle settle a bit, take up first stage, wait for the reticle to settle on my target, pull through second stage.  Much, much easier to shoot small targets at distance this way as opposed to pulling through a 2-3lb single stage.

As a side benefit, my 2 stage is drop safe even with an 8oz second stage. I don't know of any drop-safe 8oz single stage triggers.

I'll chalk it up to lack of experience with really good triggers.  I haven't fine tuned my sensitivity that well yet I guess.  I don't think I have nerve damage.  Just maybe a bit ham fisted.

Slowly squeeze the trigger.  New shooters expecting a single stage will pull right through.  It takes a shot or two before the " ah ha" moment and then they understand.  

You're not a new shooter.  You just need to try one, then you'll understand.  If you're ever in NWTN I'd be happy to set you up with one of my rifles and let you see for yourself.