Ouch! Why does my AK slap my trigger finger? (Photo of the cause)

[Gewehr98]

I finally did something about the horrible trigger slap in my Romanian SAR-1. Once I ordered the replacement fire control group, it was easy to see why the rifle tortured the shooter with every round fired:



The trigger and disconnector on the left are what the semi-trained monkeys at Century Arms installed (or rather, modified from the full-auto bits) in the SAR-1 before they kicked it out the door. Compare those to the replacement trigger and disconnector on the right, as supplied by Tapco. See the difference? That extra metal hanging on the left-side trigger and disconnector are the source of trigger finger pain.

The fix is easy - either modify the original fire control group to approximate the shape of the group on the right, or buy a replacement set. Red Star Arms makes a fully-adjustable AK fire control group, the ultimate for $85.00. Otherwise, Tapco sells their non-adjustable G2 fire control group, which is the one I bought shown above for $40.00. The Tapco parts still have a nice fit and finish, with a trigger pull that's still considerable better than the stock Century Arms unit.

Oops, there's a third fix out there - I'll call it the P95 version. Put a piece of latex surgical tubing on the trigger lever, where your finger makes contact. Elegant, yet simple.

 

[Chipperman]

Nice pic.

I lucked out. Neither of my SAR-1s gives me trigger slap.

One of mine is from 2000, the other is 2001.

I have heard that it was worse on older ones, and if your SAR-1 is from 2000 or later, then it should be ok.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[EghtySx]

I have a 2003 SAR-1 and have never had an issue with it.

 

[slaphappy]

My 2003 SAR-1 had it. I replace the group with a Tapco g2, but haven't gotten a chance to test it yet. The slap was worse with hotter ammo. I have some Yugo surplus that wore my finger out.

 

[DT Guy]

I have a WASR-10 that was imported/manufactured in the last year, and it slapped like a rampaging pimp.

And I had thought all this talk about 'trigger slap' was a sort of urban legend-yow! Made shooting TOTALLY unpleasant.

I polished the whole FCG and did the fix outlined above, following these directions:
Romanian AK Website



Larry

 

[P95Carry]

Gewehr - useful comparison pic. While my ''tubing trick'' does help - makes it bearable - I am more and more leaning toward doing your conversion. I may yet when laziness takes a break - strip my trigger group and just do some ''surgery'' - but Tapco route is the easier (lazier!) option!

 

[benEzra]

What's involved in changing the trigger group to, say, the Tapco G2?

 

[Gewehr98]

BenEzra, it's not too hard a swap.

Well, a few choice words will be released by the owner with respect to the shepard's crook pin retaining spring, but even that can be replaced by a well-engineered American substitute part.

Here's a nicely-done website that spells out the process:

http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/fcgremoval.htm

Now, something neat I forgot to add in my first post of this thread: Tapco's G2 Fire Control Group included a bushing that you use to pre-assemble the trigger, disconnector, and disconnector spring before dropping it back into the receiver. That way, all the parts are unitized, so you don't need a slave pin to juggle all the pieces as the trigger pivot pin goes through the receiver and trigger group. Good idea, Tapco!

 

[Kamicosmos]

Interesting.

Your pics look like they might just prove the rumors that the latests WASRs are getting the Tapco triggers installed by CAI.
I bought my Wasr in jan, and have no trigger slap. My trigger group parts look just like your new ones.


Very interesting.....

 

[Chipperman]

Well, I guess the story that newer ones don't have slap is not true.

Maybe it's just random whether you get decent parts or slap-happy ones.

 

[Gewehr98]

That would be a good move on Century Arms' part.

The SAR-1 that the ouchy trigger group came from in my picture was bought new in November of 2004. I bought it second-hand, unfired, in January of this year. While I can't rightly ask the local gunshop to pull the receiver covers and show me the innards of their new AK lineup, I'd be interested to know regardless.

 

[jefnvk]

Were the SAR-1's full auto to begin with?

 

[LiquidTension]

I got my SAR1 in 1999. I did the slap fix last year with my Dremel. While I had the FCG disassembled, I polished the contacting surfaces. It's the nicest AK trigger I've ever felt Granted, I haven't used the RSA adjustable trigger yet.

I've got a Norinco 84S that also has really bad slap. It's a pre-'89 import, so the slap thing isn't a new phenomenon. I'll fix it...someday. It's on "the list."

 

[slaphappy]

Were the SAR-1's full auto to begin with?

No. I believe SAR actually stands for Semi Automatic Rifle. They contain many of the same parts, but the recievers were never full auto capable.

 

[Ringer]

My SAR-1 hasn't displayed any slap so far. With that said are there other benefits to warrant still installing a G2? Seems people say it is smoother. Also heard reliability/longevity concerns about the Century trigger group.

 

[Logistar]

Guys, FWIW, MY SAR1 had absolutely NO trigger slap for 2 or 3 years. I wondered what everyone was talking about. Then (fairly suddenly) it started and got really bad.

I have no idea why it just started like that. Anyway, just because it doesn't now doesn't mean it never will.

I installed the RSA trigger and WOW... wish I'd done it a long time ago. - Feels MUCH better.

 

[Gewehr98]

A follow-up report on the above modifications...

I took the little slapper of a SAR-1 to the range last weekend, and ran 60 rounds through her. Not a hint of trigger slap, and let me tell you something, that Tapco G2 trigger and hammer combination has a very smooth and crisp 2-stage pull! I had no problem at all keeping benchrested groups hovering around 1.5" at 50 yards using my handloads. The only other modification I've done to the gun is the addition of a Buffer Technologies bolt buffer, which takes a lot of the "klunk" out of the gun when fired, but I've been a believer in those since I put one in my Bulgarian SLR-95 a few years ago. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Here's what the trigger group looks like installed:


And if you look closely, you'll see that bushing or sleeved pin that keeps the trigger, disconnector, and disconnector spring unitized for easy installation: