Problem with FAL trigger (or something?)

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Black Wolf

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Jan 29, 2007
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Ok, finally had a chance to take my Imbel FAL to the range. Here's what happened.

I got the gas set to properly eject a round, it's set to a 4. So I load up a full magazine to have fun. I chamber a round, the bullet feeds fine, pull the trigger, it fires and the case ejects, and the next round feeds fine. NOW, here's the problem - I then pull the trigger to find that it doesn't go click, - it's like it didn't reset. Here's the freaky thing though, I can sit and cycle the bolt manually and pull the trigger every time and it works fine, goes click everytime. I can even pull the bolt back about 1/4 way manually and the trigger hammer goes back and sets to normal position. Again, when I pull the trigger with a bullet in it the trigger doesn't reset, yet it still ejects the case.

Any ideas where I should start trouble shooting?:confused:

The bolt?
The trigger?
The spring in the buttstock?
Gas?
 
It needs just another bit of gas would be my first guess , The fal can and will eject and not fully cock . Second guess is you are flipping the safety/selector all the way over till it stops , A normal semi fal retains the full auto selector , and if set to the full setting the hammer will follow but not pop the primer since the entire fa mechinisim is not there . If you are turning the safety past vertical that is the issue , if not then give her a bit more gas on the adjustment .
 
if it chambers another round it probably has enough gas... never checked but I think the hammer resets long before the carrier travels enough to chamber a round.

does the hammer reset when you pull the charging handle with the trigger pulled back?

sounds like the selector is in 'auto' or the sear is screwed somehow.

the sear is not catching the hammer when the trigger is pulled back.

break it in half with the screw pin and experiment...
pull the trigger, hammer moves forward.
hold back trigger and push the hammer back until it locks. it should lock. if it doesn't your problem begins there.
if the hammer locks with the trigger held back, apply gentle pressure to hammer and slowly release trigger, you should feel a click as the sear disconnects and the trigger catches the hammer.
 
Just lookin' at it, I took the receiver cover off, and it sure looks like when I pull the charging handle back that the trigger resets long before it'd be able to chamber a round. Meaning, if it's ejecting (and it is) it should be resetting the trigger.

I'll crank up the gas, clean the recoil spring in the buttstock and watch the safety selector switch (making sure it's not down but in the "Fire" position), and cross my fingers. I hope its not the sear.

MerL - regarding the sear being fubar - it seems if the sears was bad it wouldn't catch the trigger when I manually cycled it either - yet it does. It works fine if I manually cycle the bolt with the charging handle. Wouldn't that rule out the sear being the issue?
 
REDNECKREPAIRS - your post

You stated that "The fal can and will eject and not fully cock". Are you 100% on that, because if that is in fact the case then it could be the problem - just needing to bump up the Gas.
 
Yep, this happens all the time with FALs, welcome to the club!

Here is where you start: This is not a gas problem!

1. Make sure the safety selector is in the semi-auto fire positon! If it is in the auto position, the rifle will act exactly like you describe.

2. If you are in the semi-fire position and it does this, then rotate the safety selector SLIGHTLY toward the safe mode and see if you can fire the rifle and if it will reset the hammer. Quite often the safety selector/trigger interface is to blame. If holding the selector slightly in the safe direction works, then PM me and I will talk you through the rest.

3. And this one could have been first! The spring for the sear (or the sear itself) is not functioning as it should. If this is a used or kit gun, I highly recommend that you swap out some of the springs, starting with the fire control group. If the sear spring is weak, it will not hold the sear in the up or "catch the hammer" position and allow the hammer to follow the bolt carrier forward. This is common for FALs as well.

4. You may have 'gunk' in the trigger control area, that is hindering the sear from catching the hammer catch.

These should give you plenty to start with, if it doesn't work, then let us know, we can continue to trouble shoot.

I repeat, this is not a gas issue, the gas system is pushing the bolt to where it needs to go, if in deed you have the gas set correctly (and I suspect you do). This is a fire control group issue.
 
Last edited:
Me and Merl are working on it. I did this test which indicates a problem IMHO.

I pulled the trigger back and held it. Then cycled the bolt with my left hand. The trigger fell forward - which in my AR, Cetme and AK it fell simply recocked and allowed for a 2nd shot. This one did not. I think it is a Sear/ Disconnector issue.

PS - Great having help online so quick.!

Follow up:
Rule out #1 and #2 above.

New finding on this too. When I put the safety select lever at about the 4 to 5 o'clock position (going past the "E") or all the way around to the 8:30 o'clock position, I hold the trigger and cycle the bolt, "WALA" the hammer stays locked back as it should. If I move it to the 6 o'clock position, the trigger doesn't work at all - which is correct.

A simple answer may resolve this since the location of the safety select lever clearly affects the trigger hammer locking in place. When firing this thing, using a clock face as a guide, what "time" or position should the safety select lever be in to fire single action.

I need to take this back to the range I think and just experiment with it a bit.
 
Last edited:
Black Wolf said:
When firing this thing, using a clock face as a guide, what "time" or position should the safety select lever be in to fire single action.
Click to expand...
Just past the 3 o'clock position for semi-auto (usually marked with the letter "R" - not always, though, as it depends which country made your lower-receiver).
 
My semi-auto position says "E". Anyhow, took it apart today and discovered that the trigger, sear, and disconnect have been dremmeled on by Bubba. Ordered a new TCG today from DSA and hopefully that'll take care of it.

Thanks everyone for the great help.! :)
 
If you are familiar with the FAL Files...well, we all know what WECSOG is. :)

And funfaler, mebbe we should also fill out a 4473 for those Dremels, as well...

D
 
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