fxhart 14 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I finally got around to converting my S-12 since moving to Free America. The conversion itself went pretty painless but when I did a function check with the gun on safe it went 'click'. Apparently the safety bar is a little too short to stop the trigger from moving. It worked fine when unconverted and I'm using a Tromix/Tapco G2 FCG. Anyone ever have this happen? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zone1935 5 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Did you check the function with the dust cover off? Pics might help. Was it a tromix? I have a tromix in my s-12 without an issue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I checked it with the dust cover off. The safety is too short to stop the trigger from moving up. Just curious if this is a known issue when converting. Also let me add that I am in no way placing blame on the parts themselves, I just want people to understand that I didn't hack bits and pieces off of my FCG. On that note, anyone know where I can buy a stock Saiga safety? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reverendfranz 160 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) It really should block at least some of the movement, you might want to check that your trigger has enough engagement surface on the hammer hook, it might be such a short takeup that its dropping the trigger before the trigger legs make contact with the safety. I wouldnt think that the g2 trigger would be so much shorter than the stock trigger that it wouldnt even hit. Or if the safety doesnt travel all the way up, the trigger legs might be blocking the safety from traveling over them, in which case all you have to do is a bit of filing to make the room for the safety to pass over the trigger legs. I have an m92 safety in my s12, any AK safety should work, though it might have to be fitted slightly. Edited June 6, 2009 by ReverendFranz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cscharlie 107 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 A lot of times they need to be tweeked. Sometimes they need to be welded up an reground. I've seen the G2 need a little ground off the back edge to still clear. Also seen the safety arm need to be heated and bent to a different angle. If you remove the dust cover and observe the safety arm and its relationship to the trigger with the dust cover off. Squeeze the trigger with the safety on and you'll prob get some idea of what needs to change. If you can post some pictures it might help us give more specific advise. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Tantal at www.avtomats-in-action.com often has a limited number of S12 parts, he had Safety Levers in stock last month... I bought one for a spare. You could check with him, his email is tantal@sbcglobal.net , be forewarned, he doesn't check email often and it seems your best bet is to send your message through two or three email providers to make sure it gets thru and not blocked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 When the safety is on, it does stop over the trigger legs but when I pull the trigger the hammer drops. The safety blocks a very small amount of movement but just not enough to keep the hammer from dropping. The safety is too short. *sigh* I was so excited to get this converted too. Here's a pic: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 When the safety is on, it does stop over the trigger legs but when I pull the trigger the hammer drops. The safety blocks a very small amount of movement but just not enough to keep the hammer from dropping. The safety is too short. *sigh* I was so excited to get this converted too. Here's a pic: The problem may be with your 'bolt hold open'. In order to properly install the safety for correct operation you may have to cut out a large enough section of the 'bolt hold open' to allow the safety to operate within its full circumference of motion. I did this with mine, and it now works flawlessly, with the added advantage of being able to remove and install the saftey at any time for cleaning of the internals. This is not possible with the stock (unmodified) Saiga 12. When you are done the front of the bolt hold open should look something like this. Just be sure to leave enough metal above the safety to effectively hold the bolt open! Also to rotate the safety down, pull the trigger to move the fire control group forward so that the safety bar can rotate down into its correct position. As will all firearms maintenance operations, make sure the gun is unloaded and the chamber is completely clear before attempting any of this. WS ______________ |_______ \ \ | / ______/ / |______________ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coyotewillie 0 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Maybe this problem isn't restricted to the S12. I've had the same problem (I think!) with the safety on my .223. I've got 2 of these, a 16" which is a couple of years old, and a new 20" "M" model. No problems when I converted the 16", but I had the same safety issue with the "M". I measured the length of the safety "leg", and the one on the newer "M" was approx .070 shorter than the other. I don't have any idea why this might be. Are the safetys the same on the rifles as are on the shotguns? Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zone1935 5 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 It just may be the pic, but is the safety cross bar vertical? I mean is there any position in the "arc" of travel that the safety works? The reason I ask is that the dust cover is also the upward travel stop for the safety. I'm not certain but the pic kind of looks like overtravel may be the problem Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cscharlie 107 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 When the safety is on, it does stop over the trigger legs but when I pull the trigger the hammer drops. The safety blocks a very small amount of movement but just not enough to keep the hammer from dropping. The safety is too short. *sigh* I was so excited to get this converted too. Here's a pic: The area where the safety arm typicaly contacts the trigger is shadowed in the picture. From what I can tell, seems there needs to be some material added to extend the safety arm so as to make contact with the rear right of the trigger. If you can get someone with a welder to lay a bead across there, then you could grind the excess off to reach the length it needs to make contact with the saftey. Personaly I don't use safties any more than I have to. I keep the chamber empty until about ready to fire. They are good to have working when you need them though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cscharlie 107 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Maybe this problem isn't restricted to the S12. I've had the same problem (I think!) with the safety on my .223. I've got 2 of these, a 16" which is a couple of years old, and a new 20" "M" model. No problems when I converted the 16", but I had the same safety issue with the "M". I measured the length of the safety "leg", and the one on the newer "M" was approx .070 shorter than the other. I don't have any idea why this might be. Are the safetys the same on the rifles as are on the shotguns? Greg They even vary from gun to gun to some degree. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reverendfranz 160 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Personaly I don't use safties any more than I have to. I keep the chamber empty until about ready to fire. They are good to have working when you need them though. In addition to safeties "being good when you need them" id think that dropping the hammer on a live round would wreak havok on the safety lever were it up when the bolt began to recoil. Should be an easy fix. swap the lever or add some material to either the safety or the trigger legs. If you dont have access to a welder, you can braze on steel pretty easily with a MAPP torch, available at any hardware store for a few bucks. Edited June 8, 2009 by ReverendFranz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted June 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 I pulled the safety from my .223 and it's definitely a lot shorter on the S12. It's just... weird. The shitty thing is, I owned the gun for a couple of years and couldn't convert because of my commie state. I move and finally scratch up some cash for the parts and this happens. Ah well. Thanks for all the replies, I'm going to find a gunsmith to add some material to the safety and put a nice finish on it too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reverendfranz 160 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 did you try the .223 safety in the s12? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Maybe this problem isn't restricted to the S12. I've had the same problem (I think!) with the safety on my .223. I've got 2 of these, a 16" which is a couple of years old, and a new 20" "M" model. No problems when I converted the 16", but I had the same safety issue with the "M". I measured the length of the safety "leg", and the one on the newer "M" was approx .070 shorter than the other. I don't have any idea why this might be. Are the safetys the same on the rifles as are on the shotguns? Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Star Arms 2,047 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cscharlie 107 Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 I pulled the safety from my .223 and it's definitely a lot shorter on the S12. It's just... weird. The shitty thing is, I owned the gun for a couple of years and couldn't convert because of my commie state. I move and finally scratch up some cash for the parts and this happens. Ah well. Thanks for all the replies, I'm going to find a gunsmith to add some material to the safety and put a nice finish on it too. Try not to get discouraged. Sounds like you are almost across the finish line! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Try not to get discouraged. Sounds like you are almost across the finish line! Yeah I'm not going to sweat the small shit. AZEX Arms is the next town over from me (just found that out!). I'm going to pay them a visit and see what they can do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MadDog 3 Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Try not to get discouraged. Sounds like you are almost across the finish line! Yeah I'm not going to sweat the small shit. AZEX Arms is the next town over from me (just found that out!). I'm going to pay them a visit and see what they can do. I have two 308's that I have converted and both had to have the safety welded up as they were too short. Luckly I had a friend that could do that sort of work... MadDog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fxhart 14 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 did you try the .223 safety in the s12? I ended up using the safety from the .223 in my S-12. I had to grind a bit of metal off the bottom of the safety to make it fit but it works like a charm now. I finally have a very basic conversion of my S-12 complete. I am happy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.