Mini-Review: Seekins Precision Billet Trigger Guard

I finally got around to replacing the USGI trigger guard on my 16″ mid-length build with a Seekins Precision billet trigger guard.

The whole point of replacing the trigger guard is because I was tired of the gap between the ears of the lower receiver trigger guard channel and the trigger guard itself, which caused the ears of the lower receiver to bite into the middle finger of my shooting hand when gripping the rifle.

I typically wear tactile gloves suitable for weapons manipulation. Even with a glove on the shooting hand, the trigger guard gap bite is still felt on the meat/bone of my middle finger when gripping tight. If anything, the glove serves to mitigate a blister from forming and any cuts.

Rather than getting a ‘Gapper’ type product (a piece of rubber that you insert into the gap), I wanted a more integrated solution with either the trigger guard, or the pistol grip itself.

After looking online at the various trigger guard options, the photos of the Seekins Precision billet trigger guard installed on a receiver appeared to show that it offered the most adequate solution to the gap problem.

I want to segue into an important issue with replacing the trigger guard of an AR-15, and that is the fragility of the ears of the lower receiver.

When using a punch to drive in or out the roll pin for the trigger guard, it is quite possible to crack the ear(s) of the trigger guard channel of the lower receiver if the receiver ear(s) is/are not properly supported (e.g. punch block, etc).

If you search the web or Youtube for demonstrations on how to install or remove a trigger guard, most people will use a piece of wood with a hole drilled into it (to provide a channel for the roll pin to exit when resting the receiver on the wood), or an actual delrin/plastic punch block for gunsmithing.

But I stumbled across the Roll Pin Pusher (RRP) by Little Crow Gunworks.

What is great about this particular tool is that rather than using a hammering force to get the roll pin in/out, you simply use gradual pressure to push in/out the pin, while at the same time providing complete support for the ear of the lower receiver so that it won’t crack.

The Little Crow Gunworks Roll Pin Pusher is currently priced at $39.95 (+$6 shipping) and is well worth the cost for anyone that works on their own AR style rifles.

Anyway, after a couple minutes of using the RRP to remove the old USGI trigger guard and installing the new Seekins Precision billet trigger guard, I have now eliminated the gap on this specific rifle.

The trigger guard sticks out just beyond the edges of the ears of the lower receiver, so it ensures that there is no receiver bite on the finger. The curve/slope of the portion of the trigger guard in the channel between the ears gives comfortable contact point for the middle finger.

The comfortability of the shooting hand grip on the rifle without a glove on is immediately noticeable with the Seekins Precision billet trigger guard. While I am writing and posting this without having live fired the rifle for an extended period of time, I am confident that the trigger guard will meet my initial desire of eliminating the discomfort because of the trigger guard / receiver gap.

Other than the fact that the Seekins trigger guard has a nominal curve for winter glove use, there’s not much else to say about this item since it is ‘just’ a trigger guard.

But if you are running the USGI / standard lower parts kit trigger guard and want to get rid of the gap discomfort, give Seekins Precision Billet Trigger Guard a try, and definitely get yourself a Roll Pin Pusher if you don’t already own one.

The Seekins Precision Billet Trigger Guard retails for around $20 and can be purchased direct from Seekins Precision or from several reputable online retailers.