corbin 621 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV1pnei-ync I modified how far the standard safety will move on my Saiga rifle. I found that at a certain position, pulling the charging handle rearward will disengage the safety automatically. Adding a 10-32 socket head screw made for a decent safety stop. Instead of trying to tap the receiver and only having a thread or two holding the screw in place, I just added a lock washer and nut on the inside. I'll eventually grind the screw down to make the mainspring easier to install/remove. As you know, the charging handle can only be pulled all the way rearward with the safety already disengaged. By providing an alternative safe position, this allows the rifle to remain on safe UNTIL the handle is pulled rearward and the rifle is loaded. The normal safe position is still retained, if wanted. The nut is sitting right where a BHO would go, so this modification may not be for everyone. Perhaps a different safety stop technique could be implimented for those wanting to keep their BHO. The music is from Santiago de Compostela, by the way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
corbin 621 Posted August 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 (edited) I don't see why not. EDIT: On my S-12, the safety needed to move downward farther to deactivate. Edited August 27, 2011 by Corbin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 But what is the point? Did you actually do anything to the safety to make it "short throw"? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
corbin 621 Posted August 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) I did not modify the safety itself in any way. I just added detents and a safety stop. The point (for me) wasn't really to make it a "short throw" per se, but to allow me to disengage the safety by charging the bolt handle. As a lefty, normally the easiest way to disengage the safety is with your right thumb while holding the forward part of the magazine. Unfortunately, I have very little use of my right thumb due to an old injury that took out the median nerve. This was my attempt to help that. Edited August 25, 2011 by Corbin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrThunder88 912 Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 I'd wondered if cutting the tip of the safety selector at an angle would allow the charging handle to take off the safety, but your solution looks even better. It looks like an ergonomic solution for people who have difficulties operating the safety normally or those who may carry the rifle with the chamber empty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
corbin 621 Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Something that while obvious to most, still warrants comment..... This mod disengages the safety for me because I have difficulty operating it otherwise. It's not a perfect setup, but it's an attempt to make things easier for me. I'm open to (and still looking for) a better setup without going TOO custom. After the rifle has been fired and you want to engage the safety again, you would likely have a live round in the chamber (unless you emptied mag). It would probably be impractical to unload the weapon, put the safety in the center position again and insert a loaded mag. You COULD do that I guess, but it'd be a pain. Just placing the safety back in the middle position would be fine, but if you cycled the charging handle again, you'd be ejecting a live round (that's what I do). I still want to come up with a way to reengage the safety. Of course, if I can do that, then this mod might have limited application. Edited August 27, 2011 by Corbin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Interesting mod, but I have to ask the obvious question, what is the point? The only reason to have the rifle on Safe is because there is a round in the chamber. Withdrawing the bolt will extract that round, and with your mod will not put a now unloaded rifle on safe, or require you to expel a good loaded round to the ground to chamber a second one, ready to fire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
corbin 621 Posted August 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 (edited) As I mentioned, I have a hard time moving the safety. This is just how I managed to do it (for now). For me, I deal with it ejecting a live round every time I use it to disengage the safety. I agree though, no point in engaging the safety on an unloaded weapon, except perhaps if you're "jumping" with it, but how many people here are going to be doing that? Edited August 27, 2011 by Corbin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nobearsyet 3 Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 You know,they do make a screw on extension for your factory safety lever. Purs ir about the same place as your mod. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Kenny 144 Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 "This is my safety" [wags trigger finger] Seriously, I don't use the safety on Petra. Of course, I also store her empty. The 5.7 and the CZ, I do use the safety. If I had a thumb problem like you do, Corbin, I'd probably try that screw through the safety for an extended lever, or at least a larger tab that I could hit with the base of my thumb instead. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tchick 52 Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 It would work without putting the screw in the receiver wouldn't it? (another Lefty looking for ideas.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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