Double Tap with Digitrigger 1.2 by Digital Trigger Technologies ~ Review

By John Crump

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- What is more fun than shooting fully automatic machine gun? The problem is that it is becoming more and more expensive to buy them due to a ban on the private transfer of machine guns made after 1986, but where there is a will; there is a way. We are seeing products such as arm braces getting around the feebleness of the National Firearms Act.

Bump fire stocks have been around for years now. These stocks allow the recoil of the weapon to assist in pulling the trigger. Since the shooters finger is actually pulling the trigger on each shot it doesn’t run afoul of the NFA. The issues I have with this style is that I pull my rifle tight into my shoulder. I don’t hold it loose enough for this to work constantly and I am not willing to change my shooting style to use a bump fire stock. Plus I just don’t like the way they look.

In recent years so called “double tap” triggers have hit the market. These triggers work by firing one shot when the trigger is pulled and one shot when the trigger is released. This means the shooter can put a lot of rounds down range very quickly. It isn’t as fast as fully auto machine guns, but it gets damn close and will save the shooter a few $1000.

The latest entry into this submarket is the Digitrigger 1.2 by Digital Trigger Technologies. This is a double tap trigger system, but it also takes it a step further. When my brother-in-law sent me a link to a video and I saw the name I thought I was going to see something gimmicky. After watching the video I knew I had to try one out for myself.

As you could probably guess the Digitrigger 1.2 is a digital trigger. When I first saw it was a digital trigger I didn’t know what to think. I was worried that if the 9v battery went dead I wouldn’t be able to fire my rifle. I was happy to find out that isn’t an issue.

When the Digitrigger 1.2 is installed you have three positions on the selector switch. The first setting is the standard safe mode. The second setting is semi automatic. In this position, the trigger is a single stage trigger pull, and it has a mil spec pull weight (5.5 lbs to 8.5 lbs). It feels like any other AR15 trigger in this position. It is also mechanical and doesn’t require a battery.

The third position is where things get interesting with the Digitrigger 1.2. In the third position, the digital trigger takes over. The pull weight goes down to one pound and the mechanical brake is totally eliminated. The coolest part is when the trigger is pulled one shot is fired and when the trigger is released another shot is fired.

Since there is only a one pound trigger weight without a break in addition to the gun shooting when the trigger is pulled and another when the trigger is released by the shooter, it can put rounds down range fast.

Digital Trigger Technologies made it so that the Digitrigger 1.2 can not outrun the bolt carrier group. This is one advantage over other “double tap” triggers. There is also a grip safety similar to ones found on 1911s. This is a little-added safety when the selector switch is in the third position

I contacted Digital Triggers Technologies and they agreed to provide me with a sample to test out for a review. I would have to send them a complete lower receiver and they would install the trigger for me. The lower receiver would also have to have a removable trigger guard. I wasn’t sure which of my AR15 receivers to send them.

I found a list of compatible lower receivers. I noticed that Anderson lower receivers were on the list with the note that it would have to be modified to work. I had other lower receivers that did not require modifications. Being that I didn’t want to make it easy on them I sent them the Anderson.

The lower receiver was shipped to Digital Triggers Technologies on a Monday by FedEx two day shipping. The lower receiver was received that Wednesday. I was shocked when I received an email later that day saying that the trigger was installed and shipped back to me. I received the trigger on that Saturday. This was an amazing turn around time for completing the work.

I loaded up my PMAG magazines with Gorrilla Ammunition since that is my go to ammo. I didn’t want to use cheap ammo since I was going to be shooting fast. I wanted to make sure if there was a malfunction that it wouldn’t be the ammo. With Gorilla Ammo I can be confident that any malfunctions will not be the ammo.

The first day at the range I shot without the battery inserted to make sure that it would work totally mechanically. It felt like any other trigger in this position. The pull was standard and the break was crisp. The Digitrigger 1.2 ran fine, but now it was time to do what the trigger was built to do.

I switched the selector switch to “fun mode”. The Digitrigger 1.2 came to life. Two rounds flew down range. I pulled the trigger twice and four rounds few down into the targets. I started to pull the trigger rapidly and rounds started to fly down range. I settled my pulls down and got into a rhythm. I lit the target up.

Someone came over and asked how I was able to get a machine gun. I explained that it wasn’t a machine gun and gave them a go at it. They fired it and the smile on their face showed me that the Digitrigger 1.2 was doing what it was designed to do. It was bringing the shooter a chance to experience something they probably wouldn’t get a chance to do.

When the selector switch is in digital mode the trigger reminds me of a paintball marker trigger. I am not saying that in a bad way. It just takes a little getting used to firing an AR15 with no mechanical break. It wasn’t too bad to overcome and after about a magazine of ammo, I had the feel down. This is also why there is a grip safety.

The trigger overall worked well. It did just as advertised. I was able to fire extremely fast and did not outrun my BCG. Out of the 1500+ rounds that I have put through the gun over several days, I only had one malfunction. I consider that pretty reliable.

Digital Trigger Technologies say the Digitrigger 1.2 is for commercial and recreational use only. They have another model in development for military and law enforcement. It will be interesting to see what the difference will be between the commercial and law enforcement models.

I was keeping a round count after inserting a fresh Duracell 9v battery. Digital Triggers Technologies claim that each battery will give you 1000 shots. With the new battery I got 1464 rounds through the gun before having to set the selector switch back to mechanical semi auto. Your round count might vary by brand of battery. Duracell seems to be on of the top end of batteries. Not all batteries are created equal.

At the time of this writing, Digital Trigger Technologies is selling the Digitrigger 1.2 for $599. They also sell a Rock River complete lower with the trigger installed for $899. They sell a Ruger AR-556 with the trigger installed for $1299. This might seem a bit pricey, but the trigger worked as advertised and was a blast to shoot. Who can put a price on fun?

The Digitrigger 1.2 by Digital Trigger Technologies can be found at https://digitrigger.com/

About John Crump

John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on the history of the patriot movement and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss or at www.crumpy.com.