How does one remove the selector lever?

[Kayback 0]

I've bought a Krebbs finger shelf safety I want to install, but I can't figure out how to remove the safety on the Saiga. It is already in the M3 (AK-103 style) setup. But I can't raise the safety with the trigger in place. Do I have to remove the trigger assembly to remove the safety?

 

KBK

[Shandlanos 1,470]

You might have to. Have you tried fiddling with the trigger (pulling it back and forth in various ways) with the weapon disassembled, to get the lever out? I've had to do that on a few AK rifles.

[richUK 90]

Move the safety lever all the way up so its near vertical, push down on a trigger bit (not sure of the technical name but if you look inside its pretty obvious) and wiggle the safety lever out to the side.The bit of the lever that acts on the trigger will wiggle out of the slot in the receiver.If you look inside the receiver whilst reading this it should make sense

[Kayback 0]

Yeah it makes sense, and is exactly what I tried. I can't lift the lever above "safe" or above the top of the receiver. It hits the trigger, or part of it before that happens.

 

I've tried everything short of removing the trigger unit, as I was hoping to do it without messing around with springs.

 

KBK

[thebuns1 4,323]

Take the FCG out if it won't come out with it in place.

[Kayback 0]

Drat, I was hoping to avoid that. Was hoping there was a trick I was missing. I can take two pieces of Lego apart and when I put them back together I'll have parts left over. I do not enjoy working on guns.

 

KBK

[gunfun 3,931]

Another option with some is to lift it past the safety stop and rotate it all the way around the other direction. If you have a short throw trigger, your safety will probably not clear the trigger leg. However, it is worth a try if you have the sloppy factory over traveler.

[richUK 90]

Yeah it makes sense, and is exactly what I tried. I can't lift the lever above "safe" or above the top of the receiver. It hits the trigger, or part of it before that happens.

 

I've tried everything short of removing the trigger unit, as I was hoping to do it without messing around with springs.

 

KBK

Thats odd as mine comes out in about 3 seconds, same method on my Romanian AKM as well.

[JESS1344 508]

UKAK,

I THINK AK'S ARE LIKE WOMEN IN ONE ASPECT : THEY'RE ALL THE SAME, EXCEPT FOR SOME DIMENSIONAL AND COSMETIC DIFFERENCES.

 

JESS1344;~))

[gunfun 3,931]

^^ Quote of the year.

 

That should be your signature line.

[richUK 90]

UKAK,

I THINK AK'S ARE LIKE WOMEN IN ONE ASPECT : THEY'RE ALL THE SAME, EXCEPT FOR SOME DIMENSIONAL AND COSMETIC DIFFERENCES.

 

JESS1344;~))

Theres a saying in the UK....that the field might be different but the gates the same!!!

[mancat 2,368]

Another option with some is to lift it past the safety stop and rotate it all the way around the other direction. If you have a short throw trigger, your safety will probably not clear the trigger leg. However, it is worth a try if you have the sloppy factory over traveler.

 

yep.. This is actually how the safety is supposed to be removed with a full-auto AK. The semi-auto method is backwards, but easier.

 

Either this, or squeeze the trigger as necessary when moving the safety up past the receiver top rails. Some trigger groups will smack the disconnector into the portion of the safety that blocks the trigger. Squeezing the trigger will let it clear.

Edited July 17, 2013 by mancat

[gunfun 3,931]

 

Another option with some is to lift it past the safety stop and rotate it all the way around the other direction. If you have a short throw trigger, your safety will probably not clear the trigger leg. However, it is worth a try if you have the sloppy factory over traveler.

 

yep.. This is actually how the safety is supposed to be removed with a full-auto AK. The semi-auto method is backwards, but easier.

 

Either this, or squeeze the trigger as necessary when moving the safety up past the receiver top rails. Some trigger groups will smack the disconnector into the portion of the safety that blocks the trigger. Squeezing the trigger will let it clear.

 

 

It won't clear the disco with this method on some trigger groups depending on the shape of the safety tab and disco. with my RSA trigger, I added a bit of clearance on the safety to make this possible.

[Kayback 0]

Up didn't work, down didn't work. Trying to wiggle things in and out didn't work. Taking it to a smith to get the trigger group removed and it all put back together worked.

 

I would have done it myself, but 1) I could not be assed, 2) it is dangerous to let me put things together. It wasn't a Krebbs IV-s, but that's because our choices here in the boondocks aren't very good. Still, what's one more scratch on an AK?

KBK

Edited July 25, 2013 by Kayback

[themadhatter196 18]

Okay let me create a little logic here. If you add up the time it has taken to post all these posts you could have removed the FCG at least 20x, and that number is generous. It takes less than sixty seconds to remove all the FCG and sixty seconds to reinstall. Normally the selector should only require removal of the dust cover and spring assembly on a semi-auto, maybe a little trigger manipulation but if it doesn't then just remove everything. Sorry if this post came off as offensive, that wasn't my intentions. It just seemed odd why no one brought this point up.

[mancat 2,368]

yes, but some people just aren't good with "mechanical discovery" as you might call it. no shame in it, especially when worried about damaging a nice rifle. I imagine the OP will feel more willing to experiment as time goes on.

[gunfun 3,931]

Most of us need a bit of hand holding to overcome the mistique that is put around gunsmithing. Part of what I love about this forum and this platform is how that layer of BS is stripped off and people get confidence to assess what is within their mechanical abilities and what is better left alone. There are always a couple of active threads where people are going to extreme lengths to avoid doing the obvious solutions when they have inadequate porting. Once they cave and get it done then they are usually riding a high and want to get into every other gun they own too.

 

For me a big tipping point was when I decided to do a trigger job on my 10/22 years back. I figured out what needed done. checked a lot of forums on line and found that my notions were exactly right. An older guy I know with a very impressive collection talked me out of doing my own work and into paying the most respected local smith into doing the work instead. So I paid $50, got treated like scum because I am a low dollar customer, and 2.5 months later got a gun with a slightly improved trigger that would light strike every primer. When I looked at what was done, he had clipped the spring (which I specifically asked not to happen) and moderately stoned the sear shelf on the hammer. So the easiest two mods and the ones known to cause issues (that part is surface hardened, and many who mess with this surface report that after a while it can become unsafe due to wear. It's OK for a medium trigger job, but I wanted extreme.). Lazy. I could have done a nicer job on the hammer and done the sear to match better. So I ended up getting Power custom parts out of disgust and got a fine trigger. After that, I was a lot more willing to do my own work. So I don't give people a hard time. Instead if they seem competent, I try to help them to that first scary step. I love empowering people. There are a few guys who shouldn't be messing with something so complicated as cocking a revolver, but that's a different issue.