M14 trigger group woes

R

Rule 303

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
Location
Grey County, Ontario
I finally tore down my CanAm shorty as part of a winter project.

Everything disassembled OK, cleaned up OK, greased/oiled where applicable.

Trying to get the safety catch spring seated has become a nightmare. I spent 2 hours last nite trying to get the short end seated in it's notch.

I thought I had it, popped in the safety, did a function check. Once on/off...OK, 2nd time on/off, the damn spring popped out during several attempts.

I followed Brent Nowell's excellent video, but I can't get the spring to seat itself properly.

So, what would happen safety-wise if I just left the spring out, put in the safety for show, and fired away? I never have used the safety on my other M14S (far too difficult to operate anyway). When finished shooting the M14S, I remove my empty mag , then I stick in a red plastic chamber flag.

Anyone have the same experience and found a solution?
 
brent nowell is the siren of the trigger group.
he makes short, concise videos, luring unsuspecting newbs into disassembling their trigger groups by making them think "that's not so hard."

fully re-assemble the group with the safety, once everything is fully back together, the spring won't pop back out.
can't comment as to re-assembly without the safety, as if it's there it's bound to have a purpose.
 
I took my trigger group apart fully last night and the safety spring was a ##### ,, i kinda had to hold it in with my thumb until i put the trigger and hammer spring in , it took a few tries but i got it back together ..
 
Practice makes perfect.
When I retrofitted my Norinco trigger with USGI parts, I certainly got lots of practice till I finally had it all together on my last attempt.
However, once I got my technique right it was surprisingly easy to get together. The two hours of practice and almost constant swearing while perfecting said technique was not easy on anyone in my household.
 
Sometime's polishing the machineing marks makes it move smoother. Or watch a hockey game and work the safety back and forth like Hungry always says.
Also here is a video on how to take it apart for those who froget how to put it all back together.
[youtube]lTKfwdmMvVQ[/youtube]
 
Satain said:
Sometime's polishing the machineing marks makes it move smoother. Or watch a hockey game and work the safety back and forth like Hungry always says.
Also here is a video on how to take it apart for those who froget how to put it all back together.
[youtube]lTKfwdmMvVQ[/youtube]
Click to expand...

That's the Brent Nowell vid that makes it look so easy...ain't!

I didn't have a problem with my other M14...but I swear if I ever get this trigger group re-assembled, I'll never dis-assemble it again!
 
One issue with that safety spring in chinese trigger groups that pops up on probably 4 or 5 out of every 10 trigger jobs I do. The problem is the long end of the spring itself. It is flattened for the last 3/16 or so. When they flattened this portion, they did not grind the edges and some springs are flared somewhat at the location.
This causes the spring to want to roll or twist in its seat as the parts are put together. Also, this twist jams the curved end of the spring to rub the trigger body.

Take a stone and true the flattened end by stoning the sides of the spring until it is nice and straight at the flattened end. The side that seats into the trigger housing is usually the problem area on most of the trigger groups I've had to do a spring truing.
 
M14Doctor said:
One issue with that safety spring in chinese trigger groups that pops up on probably 4 or 5 out of every 10 trigger jobs I do. The problem is the long end of the spring itself. It is flattened for the last 3/16 or so. When they flattened this portion, they did not grind the edges and some springs are flared somewhat at the location.
This causes the spring to want to roll or twist in its seat as the parts are put together. Also, this twist jams the curved end of the spring to rub the trigger body.

Take a stone and true the flattened end by stoning the sides of the spring until it is nice and straight at the flattened end. The side that seats into the trigger housing is usually the problem area on most of the trigger groups I've had to do a spring truing.
Click to expand...

Quite true...had I retrieved this post sooner, I would have done so. Thanks anyway.

In the mean-time, I met today with Hungry in order to put on an ARMS 18 scope mount. Job satisfaction supreme!

While there, I presented Barney with a couple of zip lock bags of trigger group parts. With a hang dog sheepish look of a mixture of frustrated defeat and begging for a solution...ta dah!

The Hungry Wizard waved his magic pixie wand and all was well!

Brent Nowell is off my Xmas card list, replaced by Hungry.:)

Man, I am so pleased!:D
 
LOL - last time I went to a clinic with Hungry, I spent half my time helping guys swap GI hammers and triggers into their norc assemblies and shimming gas systems. Ditto for putting SAI springs into chinese bolts.

It honestly is a tough job the first time you do it, but the second time is much easier ;)
 
Rule303,

I'm glad as heck that you are pleased! It's all good. Nice to be able to provide a solution for a problem! :D A plan comes together, that's so sweet.

The rest of you... don't bother stripping your trigger group apart... just pour boiling water over the unit and oil it! :D The boiling water will loosen up old grease and crud, the temperature will guarantee that the water disappears soon, they the oil will protect it! :)

If you truly want to strip it, by all means do so, I've seen worse situations... Can you say, stripped M14 bolts and flying parts?? :evil:

:cheers:

Barney
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom