It’s no secret that I didn’t like the Tac-Con 3MR trigger. It isn’t necessarily that it’s a bad egg — the thing functions as advertised — it just seems overpriced for what you get. They were asking $500 for a trigger that doesn’t do anything all that new, and came with no training materials or instructions on how to use it. Their PR guy’s response to the article wasn’t all that pleasant, but after a few conversations with the Tac-Con guys themselves, they invited me out to try out their latest creation. Tyler liked it. As for me . . .
I think it’s awesome. Let me add a little context to that proclamation.
3-gun competitions are different depending on where you live, but down here in Texas the above video is pretty much the standard. Match directors love to make stages where you need to engage short range targets very quickly and then switch to long range targets, and there’s no way to build a gun to do both things at the same time. Either you have a really awesome run-and-gun setup for taking down close-range targets, or you have a great long-range build dedicated to distance that you try and use on the close range stuff as well. Middle ground is hard to find.
One of the main differences between the two builds is the trigger. The quick break and short overtravel of single stage triggers are perfect for when you need to go really fast, but their relatively heavy pull isn’t ideal for long range shooting. The extremely light second stage of a two stage trigger is ideal for staying on target at long range. But while you can use a two stage trigger at close range targets, the long trigger travel is less than optimal. Tac-Con has found a way to let the shooter move easily and quickly between those two triggers in the middle of a match, and provide a rocking awesome trigger pull for each.
The Tac-Con triggers are built the same way that Timney makes theirs: they EDM the parts for the smoothest edges and encase the whole unit in a drop-in pack for easy installation. The trigger pull feels great, and while there were some issues with the early runs of the 241 trigger (Tyler touched on that) they seem to have the situation under control.
I do, however, have two small notes for the Tac-Con guys. Not complaints — notes.
The first note is on the single stage trigger. I appreciate all the work they did with the 3MR trigger, but it’s just not for me. That assisted reset is just not my speed, and I would love to see a version of the 241 with the assisted reset function removed and offered at a slightly reduced price. They say that the unit will run right around $395, and while that’s still a touch high, it’s not unreasonable. The 241 is something legitimately new, and paying for that novelty is a staple of American capitalism. Still, bring it down to $350 and we’ve got a deal.
Note #2 is something I discussed with them on the range, and something that should be incorporated into the finished product. I have a tendency to ride the safety selector with my thumb while shooting, and on the range I kept bumping the safety past the 90 degree mark when in the single stage mode. When the safety moves, the trigger disengages and can no longer fire. That’s a pain for those shooting fast. The fix is simple: a deeper detent hole in their safety to make it stiffer for that one position.
I agree, I think the 241 is a real game changer. Instead of being stuck with a single stage or two stage trigger for your gun, you get to choose whatever works best for your specific situation. For hunting rifles, this could mean easily moving from single stage for pigs to two stage for a longer shot at a deer. For competition shooters, moving between single stage for close range to two stage for long range targets. For law enforcement, easily swapping from single stage for CQB stuff to two stage for longer target engagement and precision shots.
I’m sold.
Either the comments are broken or everyone remembers how unprofessional tac-con was in response to the 3MR review.
Still sounds overpriced and something in search of a problem. So now the benefit of buying this is because you can use it for 3 gun and it might be better than a Giselle or whatever other trigger people use? The point of this was to provide something similar to a bump fire I thought, if it doesn’t do what the primary selling point is in a good manner then don’t try to put lipstick on a pig and make up a use / benefit for it.
You do realize that the trigger reviewed here, while made by the same company, is not the trigger reviewed before that was supposed to simulate full auto fire, right? This is a trigger designed for something totally different, while still retaining a portion of the assisted return.
It reads as a review of an updated 3MR from reading the article, on top of that while they don’t discuss the assisted trigger feature it is part of this trigger according to the article. It makes me wonder why it was not addressed, after all that is the product differentiator right, maybe it still sucks? Sure I get that it has the ability to have different trigger pulls but really come on if they think they are going to have a successful business just by having a product that a fraction of 3 gun shooters might buy they are in trouble. In my opinion this is the same albeit updated or maybe even improved 3MR, at least the article leads me to think that. The main reason a person is going to buy this (except maybe for a handful of 3 gun guys) is for the assisted trigger reset. Other wise there is very little reason for most people to buy this versus one of the more established triggers from an existing and reputable company.
I think this site should change its name to The Truth About Guns and Ammo.
Excellent trigger idea. I’m not all that bothered by their pissy response. I know some great hunters and gunsmiths who can be curmudgeons. As long as their products work, and they aren’t closet anti-gunners, I’ll seriously consider this trigger, even if the price is a little high.
So you learned how to use it, and now it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread? Imagine that. Maybe reviews should be performed with a little product knowledge from now on. Sure, it takes away from what most people would experience on their own, but we come here for a product review that is accurate.
Same question I asked someone else: You do realize the trigger reviewed here, while made by the same people, is not the same trigger reviewed before, right? The author just didn’t learn to use that trigger, he is reviewing an entirely new trigger, as noted if you actually read the article! So, based on that information, any chance you want to review your comment? Maybe even revise it? He still doesn’t like the original trigger, he likes this new, DIFFERENT trigger.
At first, I thought this was a second look at the trigger Leghorn reviewed previously. The headline leads with “Second Opinion.” A second opinion comes from taking a different look at the same thing, not taking a first look at a new thing. The review then starts out by talking about the 3MR and refers to it again later in the article. If this isn’t a review of the 3MR, why bring the 3MR up at all? It confused me. I got the impression TTAG wanted to make sure everyone knew it liked something from Tac-Con, even though it gave a bad review to something else.
TT from reading the article it is the same concept, even though the articles author chooses to not discuss the reset feature much at all except to say that he wished that it did not exist in this trigger.
I wrote the first opinion
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/10/tyler-kee/tac-con-media-day-thoughts-241/
First opinion
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/10/tyler-kee/tac-con-media-day-thoughts-241/
Hence the second opinion. This is a new review of a new product. We just happened to have two writers in the same place to write about it.
My 2 stage RRA trigger, for $120, shoots great at distance. And for up close, I squeeze a little faster. No need for a $400 trigger, that’s just ridiculous.
exactly my thoughts!
Is it me or does it sound like after visiting with the guys at TC, Nick has quickly changed his tune and is all about giving them a good review on another product, which is still way overpriced… Sounds like someone found a little envelope stuffed with good review juice at this visit.
If by “good review juice” you mean a lot of verbal abuse, then yeah, Leghorn got a box full of it.
I also went to this event and I watched firsthand as the assembled media types, myself included, and the entirety of the Tac-Con product engineering team ripped on him for writing a negative review. They went on to point out that they had their 3rd biggest sales day of all time the day after his review posted. The heckling continued for the entirety of his time there.
Envelope full of good review juice indeed.
I purchased the 3mr, its a toy, it was worth about $200, I’m quite upset that you can pick them up for 300ish just weeks after I paid 500 for a pre-order. Taccon will have to provide something unbelievable for me to consider buying another product from them, and unfortunately this is not it… Unless they let me trade it in.
I’m just not a fan if no solid information (all videos of the ore order trigger seemed like it reset the trigger under your finger, add pressure to fire again, hold tight for “full auto” unfortunately its just a click forward slightly light release, then repull or bumpfire the gun for full auto.) Their teaser seems more like a mall cop/k-mart cowboy Chevy commercial.
I measured this thing objectively:
Measured pull weight 4.0 lbs
1st Position (F)
Trigger reset 2.5mm
Trigger release from full forward position ~2.75mm
slight (perceptible but tolerable) overtravel after release
break similar to Geissele SD3G but not as smooth
2nd Position (A)
Trigger reset 1mm
Trigger release from full forward position 2mm
Trigger release from ‘bumped’ position 1mm (trigger is bumped forwards when the bolt carrier pushes down on the hammer)
slight overtravel after release
break seems crisper in the 3rd mode
If you want something that shoots just as fast if not faster for under $200, get the JP Enterprises adjustable trigger with their speed hammer. I can set it to 1mm pull, 1mm release. And the release is perfectly crisp once set, around a 3lb weight.
The assisted reset doesn’t bump you past the actual reset point- if it did, I think it would sell like hotcakes to the mag dump crowd.
-Dave
We’re walking about the 241 trigger here, not the 3MR.
I shoot competition with the 241 and love it. The ability to take quick shots at 25 yards than flip to the 180′ position to squeeze out a 200 yard shot is amazing to me.
I’ve become a fan.
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