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Posted: 5/20/2009 5:18:36 PM EDT
| I have my shepard's hook installed so that the open part of the hook is facing UP, I have seen some of them facing down, ie the open end of the loop is facing the bottom of the receiver, is this ok, or should I change it so that the hook faces down. |
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The test for correct installation is whether the hammer and trigger pins rotate in the receiver. When the retaining wire is installed correctly the tension will keep the pins from rotating.
Squeeze the trigger and watch the trigger pin. If it turns, reinstall the retaining wire. If it stays stationary, cock the hammre with your thumb and watch the hammer pin. |
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There are a few ways to install the Shepherd's Crook. Different manufacturers will put them in different ways. They're a humongous pain in the ass to get in and out and take a lot of finagling with some good needle-nose pliers and some possible other tools. As you probably know the Shepherd's Crook is in place to fit into the grooves cut into the end of the two plunger pins, one for the trigger and one for the hammer. In my opinion they merely need a snug fit into the recesses of each. Whether they go around the top part of the cuts or the bottom part is up to you. Also, where the loop hooks into the rivets is up to you. I don't know that they need to fit so well that the plunger pins don't rotate whilst moving the fire control components. They simply need to be making good contact into the recesses of each and may require several applications and bending to get it to fit in where you would want it.
I took mine out of my SLR-105 when I broke the hammer in half and ended up wrangling the damn thing coming out and going in. It was a bastard getting it out and even harder to get it back in there. I've shot it since I replaced it but I'm still not satisfied with the way one end of the hook doesn't make good contact with the rivet it's supposed to be attached to. Another option that a lot of people are doing is using one of those side plates that replace the Shepherd's Crook. You can find them at Red Star Arms or Tapco. I haven't bought one yet myself but am going to get around to doing that soon. This way I can also get my fire control group out if I ever need to again. |
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Quoted:
I don't know that they need to fit so well that the plunger pins don't rotate whilst moving the fire control components. They simply need to be making good contact into the recesses of each Do you really think the rifle was designed so that the pins would rotate in the receiver? If so, compare the amount of bearing surface the hammer or trigger have on the pins with the amount of bearing surface the pin has on the receiver. Given the choice, no engineer (or anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of things mechanical) would choose to let the pins rotate in the receiver. 
The Soviets did not choose to to so. Anyone who has ever examined a retaining wire for a kit and thought about how it is installed can tell you that when properly installed the original retainer prevents the pins from rotating in the receiver. Any substitute should do the same. |
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