FRT trigger installation guide

Most FRT complaints trace back to installation, not the part. This walks through fitting a Glock flat-face FRT kit properly, how to test it safely, and what to change when the reset feels wrong.

Before you start

• Clear the firearm. Remove the magazine, lock the slide back, and physically check the chamber twice. No ammunition anywhere on the bench.
• Work over a tray — the trigger pin and spring are small and they travel.
• Tools: a 3/32" punch, a small hammer, needle-nose pliers, and a fine file if fitting is needed.
• If you have never disassembled a Glock trigger group, watch the manufacturer's video first or hand the job to a gunsmith.

Step 1 — strip the frame

Field strip the pistol, then remove the slide lock, the locking block pin and trigger pin, and lift the trigger assembly with the trigger bar out of the frame. Keep the parts in the order they came out.

Step 2 — swap the trigger shoe

Drive the trigger pin out of the factory shoe and separate the shoe from the trigger bar. Fit the new billet shoe to the bar in the same orientation, then reinsert the pin part-way — do not seat it fully yet.

Step 3 — position the reset component

This is the step that decides whether the kit works. Place the reset component on the trigger assembly before pushing the trigger pin home. Start with the round reset: it is the closest thing to drop-in on most pistols. Only move to the trim-to-fit reset if the round one binds or will not allow full trigger travel.

Once positioned, seat the trigger pin fully and check that the assembly moves freely by hand with no scraping.

Step 4 — reassemble and function test

Reinstall the trigger assembly, locking block, and pins in reverse order. With the firearm still unloaded, cycle the slide by hand and dry-fire. The trigger should break cleanly and the reset should feel positive as the slide returns.

Then test with dummy rounds or snap caps before taking it to the range. First live fire should be a small number of rounds, muzzle downrange, with your full attention on function.

When it doesn't reset properly

• Sluggish or inconsistent reset: a heavier recoil spring (20 lb or more) is the usual fix — the slide needs to return with authority.
• Trigger feels gritty or binds: the reset is sitting proud. Switch to the trim-to-fit reset and remove material in very small passes, testing between each.
• Gen 5, Gen V or Gen 6 pistols: the factory ambidextrous slide release must be swapped for a Gen 4 slide release or it will interfere.
• Light primer strikes: check you have not over-filed and that the trigger bar is not dragging on the connector; a 3.5 lb trigger kit with connector often smooths this out.

Safety and legality

An FRT is a semi-automatic component — each round fired requires a separate trigger pull. Verify the current federal position and your own state's law before installing one. See our legal overview.