Tippmann Arms and Rare Breed Triggers announced a three-model lineup of factory-built .22 LR firearms engineered from the ground up around the Rare Breed FRT-15L3 forced reset trigger system, marking the first time the mechanism has shipped factory-installed in a rimfire platform. The Outdoor Wire, The Shooting Wire, and TheGunMag covered the announcement on July 20; the M4-22 ELITE Rifle FRT, M4-22 ELITE Pistol FRT, and M4-22 Micro ELITE Pistol FRT are now available for order directly from Tippmann Arms and through select dealers.

The collaboration addresses a problem that aftermarket FRT installers have confronted for years: rimfire platforms cycle differently than centerfire ARs, and trigger timing is far less forgiving in .22 LR. Tippmann Arms built a proprietary Anti-Bounce Bolt System into the new ELITE-series receivers specifically to manage this. The modified upper and lower receivers, integrated buffer design, and optimized buffer tube components work together to control bolt bounce — the primary failure mode when running a forced reset mechanism in a rimfire — and ensure the trigger's cam system can complete its mechanical reset sequence after every shot.

The FRT-15L3 is a three-position trigger running Safe, Semi, and FRT modes. In Semi mode, the pull runs four to four-and-a-half pounds; in FRT mode, five-and-a-half to six pounds. A separate trigger pull is mechanically required for each round fired — the mechanism resets the trigger face to the forward position after each shot while keeping the sear engaged for the next pull. Rare Breed Triggers has long maintained that this design distinction is what separates the FRT from a machine gun under federal law, a position confirmed by the May 2025 DOJ settlement that resolved the multi-year federal prosecution of the company and established the FRT's legality at the federal level.

The M4-22 ELITE Rifle FRT runs a 16-inch barrel with a 12-inch M-LOK free-float handguard and ships with a 25-round magazine, priced at $1,578. The M4-22 ELITE Pistol FRT comes in at $1,608.95. Pricing for the Micro ELITE Pistol FRT — the most compact model in the trio — was not publicly listed at launch. All three build on the Tippmann Arms M4-22 platform, which has an established track record in the rimfire AR market for reliable .22 LR cycling.

The Tippmann-Rare Breed deal is one of several factory integration agreements Rare Breed has closed since the 2025 DOJ settlement removed the legal uncertainty that had shadowed the trigger. Rare Breed announced a separate partnership with B&T USA around the same time to install its FRT-SG3 trigger in factory SPC9 and GHM9 pistols, and LSD Arms has shipped the Disruptor, its own FRT-equipped centerfire rifle. The common thread is a manufacturing community moving quickly to build purpose-engineered products around the trigger system rather than leaving optimization to the end user.

For .22 LR shooters who want the forced reset experience without the reliability uncertainty of a non-purpose-built install, the M4-22 ELITE FRT line represents the first factory-engineered solution in rimfire. A number of states have moved independently to restrict forced reset triggers under state law regardless of the federal settlement; buyers should verify legality in their jurisdiction before ordering. Tippmann Arms has not announced a timeline for retail distribution expansion beyond its current dealer network.