Rare Breed FRT-15L3

Product Description

The Rare Breed FRT-15L3 is Rare Breed Triggers’ single-stage, 3-position forced reset trigger for the AR-15 — the FRT-15 design that started the forced reset category. It drops into a mil-spec lower in place of your trigger group and uses the bolt carrier’s travel to force the trigger forward to reset after every shot. You still pull the trigger once per round; you just never wait on the reset. It ships to your door with no FFL.

• What it is: a drop-in, single-stage, 3-position forced reset trigger (Safe / Semi / FRT) for the AR-15.
• What it fits: mil-spec AR-15 lowers in 5.56/.223 and .300 Blackout. Not AR-10 or AR-9; may not fit some Colt models or lowers with a sear block.
• What your rifle needs: a full-auto-compatible (M16) bolt carrier group, required by Rare Breed, and an H2 or H3 buffer or A5 system, recommended.
• In the box: FRT-15L3 trigger, ambidextrous selector drum with long and short levers, anti-walk pins and screws, T10 Torx screws and wrenches.
• Build: 7075 anodized aluminum and heat-treated 4140 steel, about 5 oz, made in the USA.
• Legal status: after the May 2025 DOJ settlement with Rare Breed, FRTs that fire one round per pull are not being treated as machine guns federally. Several states restrict them; see the shipping list below.

Want to keep your trigger and spend less? A forced reset selector does the same job from the safety selector instead of replacing the trigger group. The Ambi 3-Position Forced Reset Selector and the Atrius Forced Reset Selector work with a compatible mil-spec trigger and cost less than a drop-in FRT. See super safety vs FRT.

How a forced reset trigger actually works

This is the part that gets misreported constantly, so here it is plainly: the FRT-15L3 fires one round per pull of the trigger. When the bolt carrier travels rearward and rolls the hammer back, the trigger is driven forward against your finger, resetting it, and a locking feature keeps the hammer from following the carrier until the bolt is back in battery. You still have to pull for every single shot. That is the legal and mechanical distinction from a machine gun, which fires more than one round from a single function of the trigger under 26 U.S.C. §5845(b).

Owner Lance Rankin wrote about the Senate exchange where the ATF director explained exactly this point: the law is the law. It is worth reading before you buy, because it is the clearest short explanation of why rate of fire is not the legal test. For the whole category, see how forced reset triggers work.

Rare Breed FRT-15L3 specifications

What’s in the box: 1 FRT-15L3 trigger, 2 anti-walk pins, 4 anti-walk pin screws, 1 selector drum, 2 selector levers (long and short), 2 T10 Torx selector lever screws and 2 T10 Torx wrenches. The selector is part of the system; Rare Breed says standard aftermarket 3-position selectors are not a substitute.

What your rifle needs to run it

Need a carrier or buffer? We stock M16-profile bolt carrier groups from Rankin Industries, Daniel Defense, Faxon and Phase 5, and a range of buffers and buffer tube kits. The FRT is also not a beginner’s first upgrade; learn the platform on a standard trigger first. Our AR-15 build guide covers the fundamentals.

Installing and running the FRT-15L3

• Unload and clear the rifle, then remove your existing trigger, hammer and selector.
• Install the FRT-15L3 with the supplied anti-walk pins and screws, then the selector drum and levers. Rare Breed publishes installation videos for every step.
• Use blue thread locker on the anti-walk pin screws, per Rare Breed.
• Function check unloaded in Safe, Semi and FRT before live fire, then start with two rounds in the magazine.
• In FRT mode, keep steady forward pressure on the trigger and let it reset against your finger.

Rare Breed FRT-15L3 vs other forced reset options

Still deciding? Read super safety vs FRT or browse every FRT trigger for sale.

Legality: read this before you order

The Rare Breed FRT has been through classification fights, seizures, litigation and, in May 2025, a Department of Justice settlement. Under current federal policy, FRTs that fire one round per function of the trigger are not being treated as machine guns, and ATF has returned seized FRT-15 devices to eligible owners. That status comes from a settlement, not a statute, and state and local law is separate: several states restrict or ban forced reset devices regardless of federal policy. It is the buyer’s responsibility to know the law where they live. We check every destination against our restricted list before anything ships and will not ship into a jurisdiction where we believe the item is prohibited. Full details, including Texas: Are FRT triggers legal? Nothing on this page is legal advice.

How ordering works

Triggers are not serialized firearms, so the FRT-15L3 ships straight to your door with no FFL transfer where state law allows it. When it shows as available on backorder you can still order, and it ships when the next allocation arrives. Questions about your build before you order? Send us a message.

Specifications from Rare Breed Triggers. FRT-15L3 is a trademark of Rare Breed Triggers; Western Sport is a retailer, not the manufacturer.

Contents:

• 1 x FRT-15L3™ Trigger
• 2 x Anti-Walk Pins
• 4 x Anti-Walk Pin Screws
• 1 x Selector Drum
• 2 x Selector Levers (1 Long & 1 Short)
• 2 x T10 Torx Selector Lever Screws
• 2 x T10 Torx Wrenches