Greatest Glock Triggers of 2023

Unless you shop via catalog, carry a 1911, and think that the .45 ACP is the only acceptable cartridge for self-defense, you know of and probably even have a Glock. These ubiquitous polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols changed the pistol world forever when introduced in the 1980s. Renowned for reliability and simplicity, they are great straight from their plastic box. But, regardless of their slogan, they may not be perfect, depending on your criteria.

One area for improvement is the trigger. Some would say that the trigger is perfect as is. It goes “bang” when it’s supposed to, has three levels of safety, and is extremely reliable. Others might say the trigger is heavy, has a lot of creep, and is sometimes uncomfortable when shooting a lot of rounds. Again, it just depends on your criteria for evaluation. Can it be improved? To find out, I rounded up some of the best Glock triggers to see how they performed. 

Two quick notes about triggers. First, you should of course, have a trigger installed by a competent gunsmith. Second, modifying the trigger on any handgun can be a controversial issue depending on who you ask, so do so at your own discretion. 

How I Tested the Best Glock Triggers

Fortuitously I was able to take the Glock Armorers class while working with these triggers, so it made the installation a very familiar process. I simply removed and installed triggers, dry fired each at least 100 times to get a feel because well, you immediately want to feel the difference over a stock trigger right? Then I shot 100 rounds through each trigger including some dot torture drills, to get a feel for the triggers and see if it made a difference in my overall shooting performance. Pull weight was measured by bracing the pistol against a solid bench, placing the Lyman trigger scale pull bar about in the middle of the trigger, the pulling perpendicular to the line of the bore. It would have been great to shoot more and over time that will happen, but for now, this is how the results have stacked up.  

Best Glock Triggers: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Trigger Shoe: Tyrant Designs CNC 

Key Features

• Machined and anodized aluminum trigger shoe
• Hybrid curved/flat face trigger
•  Measured Pull Weight: 5 pounds 5 ounces
• MSRP: $74.95 

Pros

• Works with the factory trigger bar
• Great ergonomics
• More positive trigger reset

Cons

• Doesn’t really reduce the trigger pull weight
• Unless you’re a magician, you will destroy your factor trigger shoe to get it off

This is an easy upgrade that will improve the feel and look of the trigger system without substantial part replacement. It’s relatively inexpensive, fairly easy to install. Instead of replacing an entire Glock trigger mechanism, you can just change out the trigger shoe. This is a minimalist upgrade in that it won’t radically affect the trigger performance, but there can be some benefit. 

In this regard, the Tyrant Design’s CNC machined aluminum trigger was a great upgrade. It is much more comfortable than the factory trigger shoe, has a much more positive feel to the trigger safety, and looks exponentially better than the factory black plastic trigger. Their design claims faster, more positive resets over the factory trigger. While difficult to measure, it seems to be the case. Maybe it was the geometry of the trigger, but surprisingly the average pull weight using the other stock trigger components was a few ounces less than the factory trigger. Weird, but I’ll take it. 

Something to note, if you decide this is the route for you, don’t plan on reinstalling the plastic trigger shoe ever again. If you can get it off the trigger bar unscathed you obviously sold your soul to the devil for insane gunsmithing skills. Good on ya.

Best Budget: Apex Action Enhancement Kit

Key Features

• Machined and anodized aluminum trigger shoe
• New trigger bar
• New trigger connector
• Measured Pull Weight: 4 pounds 6 ounces
• MSRP: $135

Pros

• Reduces trigger pull weight by about 1.25 pounds
• Smoother trigger pull
• Shorter trigger reset

Cons

• I didn’t order the red version

This is probably the best value in triggers you can get for your Glock. The Apex replaces the trigger connector, trigger bar, and trigger shoe. The result is a smoother trigger pull with less creep, a nice reset, and about a 1.25 pounds overall trigger pull weight reduction. The nice thing about this system is it’s easy to install. If you’ve completely taken your frame apart, you can install this trigger.

I was able to shoot this trigger for a portion of the class at Gunsite. Did it make me a high-speed, low-drag pistolero? Of course not. But the trigger pull weight was noticeably reduced, and I did find it easier to be more accurate during our courses of fire. It also was a lot more comfortable than the factory trigger that I shot for the first two days of the five-day class. One thing I like about this trigger is it’s a subtle upgrade while still maintaining the best features of the stock Glock trigger. This is the one I would probably use in my carry gun if I decide to use an aftermarket trigger. The trigger shoe is machined aluminum, and it is much more comfortable than the stock trigger. I got the black version but now wish I had ordered the red. 

Best Complete Replacement: Zev Technologies Zev Pro Curved Face Trigger Ultimate Kit

Key Features

• Comprehensive trigger/fire control system replacement 
• Drop-in replacement trigger components, firing pin, firing pin safety, and springs
• Measured Pull Weight: 3 pounds 7 ounces
• MSRP: $246

Pros

• Reduces trigger pull weight by over 2 pounds
• Smoother trigger pull
• Shorter trigger reset

Cons

• Not available for Gen 5 Glocks yet
• More involved installation
• Cost

If you feel like you need to replace the entire Glock fire control system, including the firing pin, this is the best Glock trigger for you. The trigger system itself is a drop-in upgrade that replaces everything, the trigger shoe, trigger bar, trigger connector, and trigger mechanism housing. The kit also includes a skeletonized firing pin, firing pin safety, striker spring, and firing pin safety spring. It’s a comprehensive upgrade kit, and it’s quite comfortable and attractive as well.

Overall, this is a pretty amazing upgrade that will improve the trigger performance and feel. Once installed, the trigger pull was noticeably lighter, had a shorter reset, less creep, and a clean break. The inner trigger safety is also extremely comfortable and will be unlikely to cause any hot spots on the tip of your trigger finger during extended range sessions. Obviously, this replacement trigger was functioning as designed. If you want a significantly lighter trigger pull without altering the overall design of the trigger, this is probably the one you’re looking for. 

Best for Competition: Timney Alpha Competition Series

Key Features

• Replacement trigger mechanism components
• New trigger bar and shoe
• Uses factory trigger connector
• Measured Pull Weight: 2 pounds 13 ounces
• MSRP: $158.99

Pros

• Reduces the trigger pull weight to just under 3 pounds
• Less take-up
• Shorter trigger reset

Cons

• Gives the pistol a slightly different trigger feel because of constant forward pressure on the trigger which may not appeal to everyone
• Cost

Timney took a very different approach to their Glock trigger upgrade. Rather than making parts under the existing design with slightly different geometry for improved performance, they just changed the design. The Alpha Competition series comes with a machined aluminum trigger shoe, trigger bar, trigger return spring, and a self-contained sear module that drops into the factory trigger mechanism housing.

It’s a clever design that works with the rest of the stock components, including the trigger connector, firing pin, and springs, etc. Once installed the difference was significant. The Timney delivers a trigger pull that is about half the weight of the factory trigger. The reset is shorter and positive. Take-up is short, and creep is minimal. The trigger break feels clean. Timney claims to have shot 10,000 rounds through the Alpha Competition trigger for an independent test with no cleaning, no oiling, and no malfunctions.

Overall, this is a pretty amazing upgrade that will improve the trigger performance and feel while also reducing the lock time. If you want the formula one race car modification this is probably what you’re looking for. Read shooting editor, John B. Snow’s full review for more on the Timney Glock Trigger.

Stock Glock Trigger

Key Features

• Original factory design and parts
• Plastic Trigger shoe and trigger safety lever
• Measured Pull Weight: 5 pounds 10 ounces

Pros

• Comes with the factory pistol
• Works as designed
• Easy to slightly improve

Cons

• The factory trigger is a bit heavy
• It is not the most comfortable trigger available

There are many ways to upgrade Glock triggers. One is to modify the existing trigger. This always comes up because as a red-blooded American, of course we all think we can make something better with a Dremel tool or some percussive modification. However, the best way to improve the factory trigger? Shoot it. Shoot it a lot. You’ll be getting in good range time while smoothing out the trigger. I recently took a new Glock 19 MOS to Gunsite for their 250 pistol class. While I didn’t measure the trigger pull weight before the class, after a couple thousand rounds between practice sessions and Gunsite it now does feel lighter and smoother. It’s never going to be a match trigger, but the parts will in fact wear in a bit.

Things to Consider Before Choosing a Glock Trigger

Remember those criteria we mentioned for evaluating a trigger? Now is the time to figure those out. Why change out the factory trigger? Are you looking for a lighter trigger pull? Something smoother? Less creep? Ergonomics? Or are you just looking to add a pop of visual appeal to an otherwise lackluster-looking handgun? Ultimately, it’s up to you, but establishing what you really want in a trigger is going to help you choose the one that’s best for you. 

Types of Trigger Upgrades

There are different ways to upgrade your Glock trigger, including working with the stock parts, just doing something aesthetically pleasing, swapping out just a part or two like the trigger connector, or changing out most of the parts, including the trigger mechanism housing. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts

While the factory trigger does in fact work quite well, trying one of the best Glock triggers will spoil you. Even the shoe-only upgrade felt better than the factory trigger. If you opt for one of the more noticeably improved trigger upgrades, it may be tough to go back to shooting the factory trigger. Whether you opt to install an aftermarket trigger in your carry gun is a personal decision. If you’re just looking to upgrade a Glock for competition or fun, putting in one of these triggers will improve your overall experience with your pistol.