I just got a new M14 and it seems the safety is really hard to engage. at first i thought it wouldn't engage at all, but after pushing the safety switch against a table ledge with abit of force, it engaged. It disengages with much less force, but to engage it, i have to put something over it to increase the surface area or it hurts my fingers too much, and apply probably close to 20 lbs of force. Is this normal? any help on fixing this would be welcome. i was thinking of taking it to a gunsmith first anyways to check the headspacing before shooting it, so maybe they can fix it at the same time.
hard to engage safety on M14. how do i fix this?
- Thread starter SSJChar
- Start date
- Location
- Southern MB
Do you have the rifle cocked or uncocked?
Rack the rifle (cocks the hammer back), then engage the safety. Don't know if many gunsmiths out there know lots about the M1/M14/M1A family of boomsticks WELL! 
So try my cheap advice first and get back to us! 
Oh yeah, welcome to the forum, download the Abbotsford 2004 M14 Clinic at the top of the sticky(ies), watch the cheesy video and listen to my stale jokes before yer #### (may) fall(s) off!
Barney
So try my cheap advice first and get back to us! Oh yeah, welcome to the forum, download the Abbotsford 2004 M14 Clinic at the top of the sticky(ies), watch the cheesy video and listen to my stale jokes before yer #### (may) fall(s) off! Barney
Ar180shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa, ON
Rack the rifle (cocks the hammer back), then engage the safety. Don't know if many gunsmiths out there know lots about the M1/M14/M1A family of boomsticks WELL!
Barney
Hmm... I'm gonna have to watch those vids now that I own an M14
When I got my M14, the safety was quite stiff, especially to engage it. It has worn in with use and is now much easier to manipulate. Assuming the hammer is cocked, a little break-in is probably all it needs.
Likewise, my trigger has improved considerably just from keeping the hammer hooks greased and shooting it.
Likewise, my trigger has improved considerably just from keeping the hammer hooks greased and shooting it.
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
*wiggles index finger* This is my safety
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The Springfield Armory (sic) site in the US for a .pdf copy of the operator's manual. Then poke around the interweb for the US Army FM for stripping and assembly instructions. I'm going to suggest the trigger group is assembled wrong. I think there is a leaf spring not properly engaged, or a little stud on the safety has jumped out of its hole.
If there are no assembly problems, you can get the equivalent of 1000 rounds of break-in fire with some fine emery cloth. Polish the FLAT bearing surfaces on the moving parts in the trigger group where the Parkerizing might be grinding against its opposing surface. I did this on a 10/22 and it really slicked up nicely.
If there are no assembly problems, you can get the equivalent of 1000 rounds of break-in fire with some fine emery cloth. Polish the FLAT bearing surfaces on the moving parts in the trigger group where the Parkerizing might be grinding against its opposing surface. I did this on a 10/22 and it really slicked up nicely.
Try with the trigger group removed from the rifle. Watch how the safety interacts with all the other parts.
Watch your fingers when releasing the hammer!
Check this out.... may give you some hints as to what is binding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTKfwdmMvVQ&feature=channel_page
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
My safety was very difficult to engage and release when I first got my rifle. It wasn't assembled wrong or operated wrong, it just was a hair oversize, which made it engage the stud of the hammer at a terrible mechanical disadvantage.
I smeared a mixture of grease and abrasive polishing compound on the spur of the safety where it mates with the hammer, and left it there for a few months. It helped, but it still wasn't acceptable, so I disassembled the trigger mech and took a stone to the safety spur. It works great now, or it would if I ever used safeties.
I smeared a mixture of grease and abrasive polishing compound on the spur of the safety where it mates with the hammer, and left it there for a few months. It helped, but it still wasn't acceptable, so I disassembled the trigger mech and took a stone to the safety spur. It works great now, or it would if I ever used safeties.
after looking at it for a long while trying to see what might be going on, i think there are 2 things that are contributing to the tough safety. 1, the triangular knoby thing that holds the hammer cocked, it seems to be grinding abit against the hammer...is it seer? anyways, it makes it a bit rought there, but the safety also seems to be engaging like how BattleRife's safety was. its almost pushing against a perpindicular surface face, so its really hard to move it any. i'll take some pictures tomorrow and perhaps you guys can confirm/refute the problem
