Safety not working!

[Rustynuts 3]

Safety lever is stock, not trimmed or anything.  Just put in a tapco single hook AK trigger, not S-20 specific.  Re-used the old hammer which seems to cycle fine.  However, with the safety engaged I can see the side bars of the trigger group start to rise up to meet the safety, but seems like there is a pretty big gap there and the trigger releases before hitting the safety stop.  What gives?

 

Are the sides of the trigger sear (or whatever those sides are called!) on a 20 taller than a regular AK?  Don't recall this issue on my 12 or 410, and some instructions even call for trimming the safety bar for an easy install with the trigger pin already in, etc.

[Rustynuts 3]

OK, upon second look, and trying the new Tapco hammer, it appears like I did grind off the tab on the safety bar shorter 10-yrs ago when I started this conversion.  DO NOT DO THIS!

I know a lot of conversion vids recommend this to get the safety in/out easily, but doing so can make the gun unsafe.  Note this is the trimming on the bottom of the tab, not notching it to clear the disconnect (semi-auto style).  I highly recommend notching the full auto safeties as there are a lot of vids on how the full auto safety can actually "pull" the trigger when rotating the safety lever upwards to remove it.

That tab should fit snug to the trigger when safety is engaged.  Mine had about a good 1/4" gap at least.  Enough so that with safety on, the hammer was hanging by a thread onto the sear.  Any slight budge further upwards (like if the safety is loose) would cause the hammer to drop.  Not good.

 

Another note.  The standard Tapco AK hammer appears to require quite a bit of mods to fit the S-20.  It did hold the sear "slightly" better than stock, but otherwise the stock hammer works way better.  Once I get a new safety, the stock hammer will go back in.

[Rustynuts 3]

Update - Bought two new AK safety levers of various flavors.  One came full auto tab and looked identical to the stock lever.  Other one was semi-auto tab, but with a weird hole drilled through the tab as well.  Unsure why and hole is a bit offset and seems too close to the edge potentially allowing the tab to collapse.  Don't trust that one.

 

The tabs look slightly longer and engage the trigger better, but not perfect.  There is still too much movement of the trigger with safety engaged IMO.  But looks like it will stay safe at least.  I'd prefer it to be a tight fit though.  Guess this G2 trigger isn't the best for a 20.

 

I also re-swapped back to the stock hammer.  Clearances on the bottom side would have required a bit more grinding on the Tapco one.  It was hitting the nut on my bolt-on trigger guard and would not let the BCG slide past and cycle.  The stock one clears fine.  Or I can consider get a lower profile nut or see if I can rivet it on.  Prefer not to rivet though for future re-work.

 

Also got rid of the damn sheperd's crook spring on the pins this time!  Went with the pivot bar that anchors with the safety lever "pin".  MUCH easier and less cussing!

[saltydecimator 482]

Measure twice cut once haha! 

[Floydten 3]

I welded a little nub on one of mine to make the trigger with less flop on a .308 If I recall correctly. Working well to this day.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Floydten
mispelled recall.

[csspecs 1,987]

Yeah you need to add some metal to the safety to get it to engage.. It is not a hard job, I did mine in like 15 minutes but not everyone has a welder.