The Loadout Blog

Firearms|Firearm News

Dillion Rifle Company (DRC) is the new kid on the block with a rich family history. Dillion Rifle Company’s big brother is Dillion Aero who makes the iconic M134 minigun. Dillion Aero is also developing a .50 BMG variant of the mini gun as well. DRC was started to create a whole new generation of the AR-15 platform. To be an evolution upon the platform instead of being a derivative of it.

The company’s first foray into the AR-15 market was with the introduction of their OPAR Operator trigger. OPAR is a drop-in two stage trigger for your AR-15 platform. At, Shot Show I had my first opportunity to get acquainted with the OPAR trigger. Finally, giving me the chance to dry fire and really assess it first hand beyond the social media hype.

I must say after spending some time with the OPAR trigger it left a great initial impression upon me. I will get into why but, let’s take a deeper look into this trigger.

Get Acquainted With DRC’s OPAR Trigger

The OPAR is a drop-in two stage trigger for your AR-15. Now, DRC doesn’t like to classify the first stage as a traditional first stage of a two-stage trigger. In DRC case they have what the company calls their Pre-Stage instead of a traditional first stage. DRC intentionally named it this way to differentiate between a first stage and the company’s Pre-Stage trigger design.

In a traditional first stage you will hit the trigger’s wall. From that wall you can get off your trigger and not fire or you can continue to pull through and cause the release of sear allowing the hammer to drop and fire that round. Same concept with the OPAR trigger just a little more involved.

The first stage or Pre-Stage with the OPAR requires two separate actions for it to allow the release of the hammer. Easiest way to think of it is as a Glock trigger. The OPAR has a secondary trigger bar that is inset with the actually trigger. This trigger bar has a block that prevents the sear from disengaging. In order to fire the Pre-Stage trigger must be depressed to allow that block to move and to disengage the sear to allow the release of the hammer. It doesn’t require any extra thought process by the shooter to pull the trigger just an extra step of safety conducted internally.

DRC designed the OPAR trigger this way to reduce the possibilities of accidental discharges of the firearm either by gear, clothing, or something in the environment. The OPAR has feature called Area of Engagement (A.O.E.). This is the area with which, if sufficient weight is provided rear of the rifle it will fire. Traditionally, this A.O.E. 180 degrees for a normal trigger. For the OPAR it is 100 degrees. Which makes it harder for that weapon to accidentally discharged from gear or clothing. This reduce A.O.E. also helps The shooter build proper finger placement on their trigger. For greater shot to shot consistency.

That’s a bit of the science and innovation behind the OPAR now let’s get into my thoughts of DRC’s new trigger.

First Impressions

First impressions are strong on this one. When pulling the trigger on the OPAR it is smooth, clean, and crisp. The break of the trigger reminds me of a hot knife through butter. Just cuts through that wall with a buttery smoothness. The reset on this trigger is disgustingly short. Man…I mean…its nasty. The distance traveled back to the wall after reset of the trigger feels ridiculous short….like whoa. When you actually watch the reset of the trigger you witness with your very eyes how short it really is. The actual pulling of this trigger is great experience. The fluidity of the whole process is pretty dope.

When comparing the OPAR to other two-stage drop in triggers from companies such as CMC Triggers and Timney Triggers, the DRC OPAR shines above them. The competition has good two stage triggers. Good uptake to the first stage and a clean break upon the second stage. Yet, they miss the smoothness and crispness that the OPAR trigger has.

One Drawback

Now, one downside to the OPAR trigger it is hard to find your “Pre-Stage” wall. Now, I have limited experience with the trigger. Maybe I haven’t learned the nuances of the trigger but, it’s hard to find for me at least. If you don’t depress the second inset trigger (red bar) the trigger has absolutely no play. That trigger is going no where ladies and gentlemen. But, soon as you press that in and move slight to the rear on the trigger you get a slight resistance (probably the wall) then the break of the trigger. So, in a lot of ways it acts like a single-stage trigger to me. I tired many times to find that defined wall but it wasn’t consistently their for me. I would believe I found it. Try to duplicate it and the trigger would just break.

Now, the argument could be maybe it just has a super short wall/Pre-Stage with a feather light pull-weight. True, good point. Yet, it’s first stage pull weight is only a little lighter than industry norm of 2.0 lbs. The OPAR Pre-Stage weight is at 1.5 lbs. So, it’s not crazy off of industry norms. My Geissele SSA-E first stage pull weight is 2 lbs and I can find that defined wall consistently with the OPAR I can’t. As, stated before its a learning curve situation for the trigger. As, of right now it feels more like a single stage trigger to me.

At the end of the day I was very impressed by DRC’s OPAR trigger. The OPAR has a smooth, clean, and crisp trigger. A fluidity to to its mechanics that I never experienced before that lead to an impressive introduction. Potential putting it as a class leader for drop in triggers. I would love to get more time with the OPAR and really see what it is all about.

Thanks For Reading

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