View Full Version : AK Failure
I already fixed it, but I'm curious to know if there's enough information in the video for some to offer thoughts on what caused this, and the fix.
To explain what you're seeing, with the top cover off, I run the bolt and attempt to pull the trigger to no avail, despite the safety being disengaged. I then attempt to engage the safety but it will only lift halfway.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q111/rob_s/gun%20stuff/th_91f7278e.jpg (http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q111/rob_s/gun%20stuff/?action=view¤t=91f7278e.mp4)
The contract I am currently on uses nothing but AK's and variants thereof. The video was a little dark as well. When this happens with an auto AK, it usually because the right side of the op rod is not contacting the sear which will prohibit the hammer from falling.
Since this is a semi-auto AK the only thing I can think of is that the hammer retaining pin has walked loose, or there was something blocking the area where the disconnector and selector lever resides.
Is that a new safety lever that you just installed? If so, I've had one that needed minor "fitting" on the top of the hammer-blocky-thingamajig. Took about 1/64" off and it worked fine.
So what was the cause of the said issue?
4j+ on the gun as is.
As an aside... what does "4j+" mean? Tried googling it to see if it was internet lingo, to no avail.
As an aside... what does "4j+" mean? Tried googling it to see if it was internet lingo, to no avail.
It means I should have not been posting from my phone. :p
4k+ rounds.
So what was the cause of the said issue?
Using this image as reference...
http://www.ak-47.net/images/akurx.gif
the "wire spring (retaining) had jumped the leg on the left side of the gun (looking down the sights). Interestingly it appeared to have come towards center, not outward, which then resulted in the opposite leg being higher up, thereby not allowing the safety to disengage. In hindsight, I probably could have continued to fire the gun without issue but it was engaging the safety that caused the lockup, and once engaged it would not disengage.
infidelprodigy
08-03-11, 15:14
I have seen the "wire spring" (sometimes bailing wire if coming from CAI) induced malfunctions with several dozen AK's. It only happens with semi-auto AK's, as the extra pin in a FA rifle keeps the wire spring in there.
That is why on all my semi-auto AK's I put a Krebs retainer plate in. It also makes it easier to take out the FCG.
IIRC, the Krebs plate is less than $20. Cheap insurance for your rifle.
Don Robison
08-03-11, 15:52
I have seen the "wire spring" (sometimes bailing wire if coming from CAI) induced malfunctions with several dozen AK's. It only happens with semi-auto AK's, as the extra pin in a FA rifle keeps the wire spring in there.
That is why on all my semi-auto AK's I put a Krebs retainer plate in. It also makes it easier to take out the FCG.
IIRC, the Krebs plate is less than $20. Cheap insurance for your rifle.
Yep, that's the first thing to get swapped out when I get an AK; the majority of malfunctions I've seen as well have come from the FCG pins walking from a lack of tension from the wire.
Happened again tonight.
What is this retainer plate you guys are talking about, where do I get it, and how hard is it to install?
Happened again tonight.
What is this retainer plate you guys are talking about, where do I get it, and how hard is it to install?
There are several different ones. The most common is the RSA
http://www.redstararms.com/index.htm?497.htm&1
Install is easy. Simply remove the current Shepard's hook and selector lever, drop in the new piece, and replace the selector lever. Done.
You can get them from lots of places, and they're not too hard to install. Search "ak retaining plate" at midwayusa.com and you'll see them.
Wear safety glasses though!
This vid may help.
BuildyourownAK FCG Vid (http://www.youtube.com/user/BuildyourownAK#p/u/2/DqWGlLNlWo0)
Hope that greases the wheels.
-Sfx
First thing I replace in a modern semi-auto AK.
I first ran into these during the ban, when all the SAR AKs had crappy CAI-made FCGs that would wear out quickly. I would replace any AK FCG with a Tapco G2 setup, and it was just easier to put a retaining plate in than deal with trying to reinstall the wire. Cheap insurance.
I have something that looks like that in the gun already.
Have you doublechecked to make sure that the hammer spring "legs" are not out of place in the trigger? Sometimes a malfunction can cause a spring leg to jump out of it's proper place. Have you checked that by chance?
I would swap your plate with a new one. It's conceivable that the plate you currently have gave way, perhaps due to bad heat treat or other random issue. At least, those are the two things I would check / do first.
Hope that helps.
Yes, in hindsight that's exactly what happened, the spring leg jumped. I happened last time and again tonight.
Ok, here's how you fix it.
Lift up the leg (it's usually one side that keeps doing it), now.... bend that leg a little so that the result is that the leg loses the tendency to go near it. It's a FAST fix. Bend near the middle of the straight part, or wherever it seems like you'll have the proper effect.
Glad we got it.
I just had a weird deal happen today with an older Hungarian AKM. The anti bolt bounce device was catching the hammer and would wouldn't release it, even after the op rod hit the sear.
I replaced the ABBD, the disconnector (to be safe) put it all together and now it's fine.
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