Well this ain't good: My safety lever can release the hammer. - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Well this ain't good: My safety lever can release the hammer.

Posted: 10/24/2007 2:08:44 PM EDT

I took a Yugo M70B2 to the range for the first time, after having bought it about 6 months ago. I did a cursory function check and lube before the range session, and nothing seemed out of place.

After about 100 rounds, my hammer pin walked out. No problem, I performed a field repair, and for the long-term, I can fix that with an 'E' clip or a retaining clip from Tapco. (Although my buddy couldn't stop laughing at the image of a goony Slav hunkered over an AK with a screwdriver and a rock to reseat the hammer.

)

My problem, which I didn't notice until I got home:

If I rotate the safety up well past the 'safe dimple', it will release the hammer. (Presumably firing a shot if loaded.)

When in the proper safe position, it works as it should. When in the fire position, it works as it should. And as neat as the concept of having a 'backup trigger' might be, even I'm bright enough to know that something is wrong.

What should be stopping the motion of the safety lever?

ANY suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!

Posted: 10/24/2007 3:50:46 PM EDT

[#1]

I only have one AK rifle that I experience this with. And that rifle is the only one with the expensive (overpriced) over engineered RSA trigger group in it. I wish I had never wasted the money on that POS. A TAPCO or FSE FCG is less than half the price and 100% less problems.

Usually the safe position is at the point where the selector lever contacts the receiver top cover. Selector lever should be prevented from rotating above this point. On most import receivers there may not even be a safe dimple.

Take your top cover off, cock the rifle to set the FCG. Now rotate your selector upwards and observe when the hammer releases. Did the selector lever contact your disconnector and cause the hammer to drop?

If so, you will need to file the selector lever to prevent the contact with the disconnector. The portion of the selector lever that contacts the trigger leg to prevent the movement of the trigger provides the safe. It is at the point of selector over travel that your problem will usually occur. At that point the step down of the selector no longer prevents trigger travel and the selector contacting the disconnector releases the hammer.

Posted: 10/24/2007 4:49:00 PM EDT

[#2]

So the 'selector stop' is the top cover itself? If so, I could try gently bending it out a bit where it looks like it should engage the selector lever. It is ALMOST engaging it now. Maybe I slavic-engineered the cover while performing my field repair earlier?

The lever DID contact the disconnector, so I'll file that tab down to a safer length.

And thank you VERY much for your help!

Posted: 10/24/2007 4:53:58 PM EDT

[#3]

Don't file the portion of the selector that contacts the trigger leg. It may be the width of the selector that needs filing where it contacts the side of the disconnector or the top of the disconnector. This will be a stepped portion of the selector above the point where it connects the trigger leg.

Posted: 10/24/2007 4:59:21 PM EDT

[#4]

The top cover should be out and over the selector lever when it is in the up position. If it's not 'out and over' then it should at least match up with it and prevent any further upward movement.

When the top cover is off, the selector lever will still rotate up and clear the receiver, and on some guns the selector lever will hit the back of the disconnector and cause it to rotate forward, effectively pulling the trigger.

I've seen two fixes for this.

One is to cut on the back of the disconnector so that it doesn't stick out far enough for the selector lever to hit it, but be careful about the hole for the disconnector spring, you don't want to cut into that.

Second is to cut the selector lever so that there is a clearance for the disconnector in the middle. Just do NOT cut where the selector lever engages the back part of the trigger and actually renders the weapon "safe"

Good luck...

One of my PSL's has the cut on the selector lever, and the other has the disconnector ground down. So it works both ways...

If anyone has any information about one way being "better" than the other I'd love to hear it though.

Posted: 10/24/2007 5:08:57 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Don't file the portion of the selector that contacts the trigger leg. It may be the width of the selector that needs filing where it contacts the side of the disconnector or the top of the disconnector. This will be a stepped portion of the selector above the point where it connects the trigger leg.

I see what you mean. I only need to file about half of tab, so there will still me tons of engagement area for the trigger leg.

And thanks, CA_TX-Cop!

Posted: 10/25/2007 9:06:37 AM EDT

[#6]

I'm asking what's wrong with this picture.
The disconnector should not be in use unless the trigger is pulled.
The trigger hook is holding the hammer ears under normal conditions.
Can you post a picture?

Posted: 10/25/2007 9:37:26 AM EDT

[#7]

Hammer cocked, selector rotated all the way down:

Hammer cocked, selector rotated to 'normal' safe position:

Hammer cocked, with selector rotated to where it is touching disconnector, ready to release hammer if I rotate it any further:

Posted: 10/25/2007 10:13:35 AM EDT

[#8]

ORF receiver?

Posted: 10/25/2007 10:21:00 AM EDT

[#9]

When the safety lever is raised too high, it pushes the disconnector forward, releasing the trigger.
ORF set the safety lever holes too low and created the problem. But only on the AK 47 receivers, not the AK 74's.

Posted: 10/25/2007 10:39:29 AM EDT

[#10]

Here’s a demo of the safety selector.
The receiver cover stops the selector leg from reaching the disconnector.
Only when the cover is off should it raise high enough to engage the disconnector and release the trigger.

Posted: 10/25/2007 10:43:23 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
ORF receiver?

Century Yugo.

I am going to reshape the cover, AND I believe I will file away a bit on the selector tab, since that portion does nothing but the trip the disconnect when pushed too far anyways.

Posted: 10/25/2007 11:39:34 AM EDT

[#12]

The selector on your Yugo is profiled different than the rifle I had the problem with, more material. gunnysmith's picture shows how the selector lever should correctly meet the receiver cover which you should be able to bend to correctly prevent over travel of the lever

Posted: 10/25/2007 2:54:24 PM EDT

[#13]

Easily corrected.

First - look carefully at one of your photos... this tells you HOW the safety actually works:

Notice how the safety "sits" on the trigger leg - preventing it from moving. You NEED that chunk of metal. But what about the metal to the right (in your photo) - the piece that is slamming into the disconnector when the lever is over-rotated? Not only DON'T you need it - it's creating a hazard.

If you use a dremmel with cut off wheel to remove an "L" shaped chunk? You'll have a solid tab that sits correctly on the trigger - but your safety will now totally clear the disconnector. I've done this with just about every AK I own.

Posted: 10/25/2007 7:04:35 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
ORF receiver?

Century Yugo.

I am going to reshape the cover, AND I believe I will file away a bit on the selector tab, since that portion does nothing but the trip the disconnect when pushed too far anyways.

Does it trip the trigger when the cover is on?

Posted: 10/25/2007 7:39:32 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
ORF receiver?

Century Yugo.

I am going to reshape the cover, AND I believe I will file away a bit on the selector tab, since that portion does nothing but the trip the disconnect when pushed too far anyways.

Does it trip the trigger when the cover is on?

When rotated way the up it does. The receiver cover isn't stopping the motion of the selector. I'll give it a few whacks with a mallet to see if that can't be remedied...

Posted: 10/29/2007 10:09:04 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Easily corrected.

First - look carefully at one of your photos... this tells you HOW the safety actually works:

img230.imageshack.us/img230/6558/ak2ss4.jpg

Notice how the safety "sits" on the trigger leg - preventing it from moving. You NEED that chunk of metal. But what about the metal to the right (in your photo) - the piece that is slamming into the disconnector when the lever is over-rotated? Not only DON'T you need it - it's creating a hazard.

If you use a dremmel with cut off wheel to remove an "L" shaped chunk? You'll have a solid tab that sits correctly on the trigger - but your safety will now totally clear the disconnector. I've done this with just about every AK I own.

+1
The older OOW receivers with the lowered selector holes (out of spec) needed this done. I had to do the exact same thing on my OOW build. There used to be a link somewhere with the cutout highlighted on a pic.

Posted: 10/31/2007 2:40:45 PM EDT

[#17]

Just an update, all is now well.

1) Dremeling the tab removed the possibility of a 'selector discharge'. Quick and easy.

2) I popped in one of the 'retainer plates' from Tapco, which seems to work great. Insanely easy install. I also bought a wire retainer as a backup, just in case.

3) A bit of finesse with a hammer solved the selector overration problem. Easy, even if I didn't do the prettiest job in the world. Screw it, it's an AK.

Thanks to all for your help. This was my first time messing around with the guts of an AK, and it went surprisingly well.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Well this ain't good: My safety lever can release the hammer.

AK-47 » Troubleshooting

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