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Posted: 12/3/2014 2:23:12 PM EDT
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Shepards hook replacements?
So I never seem to be able to get the factory shepards hook back in after removing it. Have seen several different replacements from a Tapco 'Chinese' style wire that is held in place by the safety selector to plate style pin holddrs by Tapco, Krebs and Red Star Arms. And have also read various pros and cons of these. So what do you guys use and why? |
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wrong, tapco has an "install ledge" that can jam up the bolt on certain AK's. Me and and my buddies Arsenal's did NOT work with the tapco. Bought Kreb's retaining plates, never looked back. Quoted:
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They're all exactly the same. wrong, tapco has an "install ledge" that can jam up the bolt on certain AK's. Me and and my buddies Arsenal's did NOT work with the tapco. Bought Kreb's retaining plates, never looked back. Srsly? Instead of spending two seconds with a pair of tin snips you are recommending a part that cost double? And all over a 1/4" chunk of sheet metal? Not for nothing, but IMO if a part works with every other AK made, but won't work with a $1200 AK, i'd say the problem was poor design of the AK, not the easily-modifiable $5 dollar part. 
This pic shows the handy "ledge" pretty well, doesn't it seem a little silly not to just cut that tiny chunk off if your rifle won't work with it? |
| If the retaining plate was such a great idea, Mr K would have used it instead of the wire device. Oh, wait a minute, that's the excuse for not getting a buffer. The wire device works great for me. No need for the plate. as there's no need to remove the FCG. GARY |
| There is a reason to remove the FCG. Reshaping & polishing the G2 trigger. While it may have been designed with the hook, I find it difficult to argue the ease of use of the plate. I hate the damn shepherds hook but only because it's a bitch to reinstall. All my AKs have red star arms plates |
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I prefer the wire retaining hooks. I've tried two different plates. In addition to they are sometimes a pain to remove, I found one or both axis pins rotate due to the plates not engaging the axis pin groove.
I prefer the wire that slips on the cross brace and goes under the hammer pin and over the trigger pin. #2 in the image. I do hate the #4 retainers I received in a Yugo 
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removing and re-installing the sheppards crook (wire) and E-Clips means you have to have tools.
The plate is great because you can strip it all down & then and put it all back in WITHOUT ANY TOOLS. Your AK got wet, sandy, muddy ect... (I can take it all apart to clean, dry & lube any time any place) Quick, easy and cheap. WIN, WIN & WIN!! BIGGER_HAMMER 
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Quoted:
Srsly? Instead of spending two seconds with a pair of tin snips you are recommending a part that cost double? And all over a 1/4" chunk of sheet metal? Not for nothing, but IMO if a part works with every other AK made, but won't work with a $1200 AK, i'd say the problem was poor design of the AK, not the easily-modifiable $5 dollar part. http://www.mwgco.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/tapco-AK-47-Retainer_Plate.jpg This pic shows the handy "ledge" pretty well, doesn't it seem a little silly not to just cut that tiny chunk off if your rifle won't work with it? Quoted:
Quoted:
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They're all exactly the same. wrong, tapco has an "install ledge" that can jam up the bolt on certain AK's. Me and and my buddies Arsenal's did NOT work with the tapco. Bought Kreb's retaining plates, never looked back. Srsly? Instead of spending two seconds with a pair of tin snips you are recommending a part that cost double? And all over a 1/4" chunk of sheet metal? Not for nothing, but IMO if a part works with every other AK made, but won't work with a $1200 AK, i'd say the problem was poor design of the AK, not the easily-modifiable $5 dollar part. http://www.mwgco.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/tapco-AK-47-Retainer_Plate.jpg This pic shows the handy "ledge" pretty well, doesn't it seem a little silly not to just cut that tiny chunk off if your rifle won't work with it? I think the phrase "$1200 AK" sums it up pretty well. Of course some are north of $1400 now. |
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Quoted:
removing and re-installing the sheppards crook (wire) and E-Clips means you have to have tools. The plate is great because you can strip it all down & then and put it all back in WITHOUT ANY TOOLS. Your AK got wet, sandy, muddy ect... (I can take it all apart to clean, dry & lube any time any place) Quick, easy and cheap. WIN, WIN & WIN!! BIGGER_HAMMER
THIS! AK Builder has Red Star plates for $4.95 each. Buy one for every rifle, and if you ever have a need to take it apart install it. I hate the whole if Eugene Stoner or Mikhail Kalashnikov or John Browning or Dieudonné Saive or whoever didn't put it on it is a waste of time attitude. |
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??? What kind of tools do you need? It is so easy to remove and replace the shepherds hook. You stick your finger in and push down on the hook then push the hammer pin out. Then rotate the hook and the remove the trigger pin. To install you repeat the steps.
Quoted:
removing and re-installing the sheppards crook (wire) and E-Clips means you have to have tools. The plate is great because you can strip it all down & then and put it all back in WITHOUT ANY TOOLS. Your AK got wet, sandy, muddy ect... (I can take it all apart to clean, dry & lube any time any place) Quick, easy and cheap. WIN, WIN & WIN!! BIGGER_HAMMER
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| I have used these plates I picked up from apex in a few rifles, they haven't failed yet. |
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What's the "real" name for the shepherd's hook? I guess I'm too new to know all the "dedicated AK aficionado" terms for AK parts and none of my exploded/parts drawings show a "shepherd's hook"...
6/11. Hmmm, odd. Lots of talk about a part that nobody knows what the name of it is. 
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Quoted:
What's the "real" name for the shepherd's hook? I guess I'm too new to know all the "dedicated AK aficionado" terms for AK parts and none of my exploded/parts drawings show a "shepherd's hook"... 6/11. Hmmm, odd. Lots of talk about a part that nobody knows what the name of it is. Commonly: "shepard's crook". Technically: "wire retaining spring" or "receiver pin lock spring." Technically, technically: something in Russian - since it's a Russian word it doesn't have a "real name" in English, just a roughly translated word or series of words. |
| I never found the shepards hook to be difficult if you have some picks to use. Doing it by hand/fingers, forget about it. The AK was not meant to have soldiers take apart the trigger group, hence the paper clip/hook making nearly impossible for those pins to walk out. It's an ingenious design if you think about it. |
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I shoot mostly corrosive ammo in my AK's. SOP is a full tear down and flush with hot water prior to normal cleaning. I opt for a plate rather than a wire.
I've had good success with the Power Custom/Red Star unit from Brownells. http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&pw=55963&ctc=j379pk6zr800zk8a00y51&mi=10077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brownells.com%2Frifle-parts%2Ftriggers-parts%2Ftrigger-hardware%2Ftrigger-components%2Ftrigger-pin-retainer-plate-prod25024.aspx |
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I have a CNC Warrior. A Tapco. And a Red Star.
I like the Red Star the best outta the 3. Red star drops in and comes out the easiest of the 3 for me. Tapco was slightly tight around the safety. Cnc was the simplest of all three, also needed the most fidgeting out of all three. |
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