I'm looking to do a Match Service Rifle type build but I am on a super tight budget (too many hobbies). I see that Rock River LPKs with 2 stage triggers are on sale for less than 100 bucks right now. I have read many good reviews of the RRA 2 stage and I have also seen that they have a tendency to go light or essentially lose their first stage. Most of the comments I've read on that date back to 2013 or prior. To your knowledge, had RRA done anything to remedy this issue or is there a quick fix for it? If so, do you think this LPK would be a good choice for my build?

I've also read that they can be tuned by a smith for better performance. I'm curious as to how much that might cost (ballpark). If it's too much, I might lean towards a Geissele G2S, if I can catch a good sale on one. Thanks.

Imho, there is no comparison between the two.  Geissele is far superior quality.  

Full disclosure:  my geissele was the ssa and my rra was prior even to the reviews you read.

Rock Rivers at one time were around $85.  Pete at Legal Transfers still carries them.

John Holliger would tune them up and they'd go around $125.  Steve at ADCO replaced the disconnector roll pin with a solid one for around $105.  

The Rock Rivers seemed to go around 3,000 to 5,000 rounds before going bad.

From another site, "It’s the trigger upgrade you need if you can't afford anything else."

You could just go with a Geissele and go to work.  It'll outlast your ammo budget.

I know Geisseles are the shiznit but for 62 bucks for the trigger kit alone or 97 for the whole LPK, the RRA caught my eye. It won't be a good deal if I have to replace it though. I know Geisseles have no issues with longevity, so that's worth a nod in their favor but the G2S is still more than twice the price of the RRA. I don't want to nickel and dime when it comes to a trigger but I thought if I roll the dice on the RRA and it doesn't work out I hoped I could have it tuned/repaired for less than the cost of the G2S. Did I read somewhere that John at WOA no longer provides a fix for the RRAs though?

All this sounds like a hassle though doesn't it? Makes me wonder if it's worth it. Does anyone know if any deals ever pop up on the G2S? Or do you have any other recommendations in that price range? If money was no object, I'd go with a High Speed and be done with it but if I spend that much on a trigger, my unfinished Chevelle in the garage is NOT going to be happy.

My Rock River is still going strong at 4500 rounds. I went Distinguished with a stock Rock River NM and 2 stage trigger.
It will be a great trigger to start with, and you could always move it to a different rifle if you purchase a Geiselle in the future.

Well winter is coming to PA so you may or may not be in a hurry.  Waiting for sales can usually save you some coin.  I find I can justify the expense to my "better half" if I spread it out a little.  My thoughts are get the Geissele G2S if that's what you want.  Why spend 100 dollars on the RRA when its a compromise.  I don't know what the regulations of National Match are but do you need a 2 stage to begin with?  You may not be as accurate with a single stage but to begin with why not?  Concentrate on the upper first and shoot the heck out of it.  Then get the 2 stage and get even better.

Geissele is from PA.   I always try and support companies within my state if I can.

If you already don't have BRD (Black Rifle Disease) once you step onto the slippery slope you just won't build one.  Any extra parts turn into another rifle quick.

Thanks for the input guys. I am definitely not in a hurry to build this rifle so I do have the luxury of waiting until I see a good deal before I buy anything for it. I just picked up 2 lowers, one stripped and the other complete with mil spec stuff of unknown origin, and my intent was to throw them in the safe until I get some other projects squared away. If a good deal pops up though, I'd like to take advantage of it. That's why I was asking about the RRA trigger. I wasn't looking for a trigger just yet but a friend happened to mention the sale and it piqued my interest.

Striker, I think the requirement for service rifle is 4.5 lb min trigger pull. 2 stage is not a requirement but they are allowed and I like them better than a single stage for match type shooting.

I had inquired at RRA about the reported issues of their triggers going light and asked if they had done anything to address it. This was the response I got:
"When the triggers go light it is usually caused from wear and a trigger without oil. All triggers wear a little due to normal use but lasts longer with oil being used."
That sound about right to you guys?

Keep in mind that while the RRNM triggers are a step above stock triggers and pretty nice for general shooting they will at some point work against you in real service rifle shooting .

Consider the outlay in equipment , time , and ammo to shoot local service rifle and if you get serious add in the travel costs . The difference in cost to step up to a Giesle (over the RR or a tuned version) becomes not a huge deal when you consider your total layout .
Competitive shooting is very much a mind game , finding and spending the cash for a good trigger can be a chunk of money but once spent it
is one less thing you have to worry about .

When I was shooting competitions I found if I had middle of the road equipment I would blame poor performance on the equipment , when I spent for really good stuff (likely better than I was ) it forced me to accept responsibility for poor results and made be train harder to overcome my faults.

I totally agree with this but this is exactly the mindset that allowed me to rationalize an $1800 clutch for my Chevelle which I'll probably never finish.
The sad reality is that I will never be a real serious match shooter, so I am trying my best to keep the budget for his thing in perspective. I just want a fairly capable rifle that won't break the bank and be able to shoot a match without coming in DAL. That being said, the old demons are never far away. These damned black rifles are just as addicting as hot rods.

This is one area where I feel lucky. I have always subscribed to the notion that it's the Indian, not the arrow. I feel like as long as the equipment isn't total junk, I should be able to shoot pretty well with it. I get a certain amount of satisfaction out of being able to be competitive without having all the latest and greatest stuff. Case in point, I shot my first 25 straight in trap last week with an 870 Express pump gun. It felt good doing that while shooting next to guys that paid 10X what I did for their guns.  I have to admit I do drool over those fancy O/Us and autoloaders all lined up in the racks but for now I'm shooting better than a lot of guys out there and I'm happy with that. I'm not saying I want to deliberately handicap myself either, if money were no object I'd have one of them too but at this point in time I don't really feel like I have to have the best. My commitment level really doesn't justify it.

http://www.dpmsinc.com/DPMS-Two-Stage-AR15-Lower-Receiver-Parts-Kit--Bag_p_187.html





I got my trigger from a Marine armorer at Camp Perry, so I'm not 100% sure, but it looks a lot like a DPMS.



Smooth first stage, crisp second stage, and resets damn close to the second stage.



I don't know how many cycles it had before I got it, but with the occasional spring bending to make weight, it went about 9000 rounds before I replaced the springs last year.

Ok, I went ahead and ordered up the RRA 2 stage. I've read enough success stories and had enough recommendations from folks to be reasonably confident that it will work out for my build.

You guys have been very helpful. I'll be keeping my eye out for other deals on an upper, barrel, etc., so I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.