Thread Rating:
  • 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
07-05-2015, 05:31 PM, (This post was last modified: 07-06-2015, 01:38 AM by rwhite135.)
#1
An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
**
Posts: 607
Threads: 35
Joined: Jan 2015
Reputation: 0
#1
I was answering a question the Brian S had in the Kalashnikov thread in the In the News category and I mentioned how the FCG pins have an item that retains them in place. This led me to thinking that I should do a post on that and a simple upgrade to it.

The first thing that you'll need to do to make the upgrade is buy a FCG retention plate. I use the following one from AK-Builder.com:

https://ak-builder.com/index.php?dispatc...t_id=29836

With shipping it came to $8.02 and is worth every penny of that inexpensive price. It looks like this:

[Image: rsa_plate_new.jpg]

1. Now that you have the retaining plate you need to remove the rifle's dust cover as though you're getting ready to clean it.

2. Once you have the dust cover off remove the safety. If your rifle uses a semi-auto safety just rotate it to where the handle is pointed in a 90 degree angle to the receiver, in other words straight up. After that it should just pull right out.

3. Once that is done you should see that a spring that looks like a bent out of shape paperclip has popped out of place. That is the FCG retention spring aka the paperclip. Remove that from the rifle.

4. Now look at the FCG pins. You will notice that on the back of them there is a notch. That is where you place the corresponding slots on the retention plate.

5. Start with the pin that holds in the hammer. Just slide the plate's front slot over the pin in the notch provided.

6. The plate will then hinge down onto the pin holding in the trigger and the hole in the back will line up with the hole on the left of the receiver that the safety slides into.

7. To finish replace the safety making sure the bar goes into the hole in the plate and receiver and rotate it back into place.



If your rifle has a full auto safety, looking at you C39v1, you'll have a little bit more work to do. Before doing this with that rifle I highly recommend buying a safety that is for a semi-auto rifle or using a Dremel tool or grinder to modify the safety so that it is a semi-auto variety. You'll be able to remove the safety as above, with a lot more elbow grease needed, but you won't be able to put it back in without removing the entire FCG, which makes it a royal pain. When you look at the safety you'll see why. The tab at the bottom that keeps the trigger from engaging goes all the way across on the full auto safety but it doesn't on the semi-auto. I will post a picture below on how the semi-auto safety should look based on the modification I made to my C39's safety. All you'll have to do is grind out the same spot on yours to make it work perfectly, just be careful to not over do it. Not only will this modification make it easier to work on your rifle but it will also make it safer. The problem with using the full auto safety in a semi-auto rifle is that, if you have to clear a jam from a misfire, the safety can rotate all the way up engaging the trigger and cause the jammed round to fire. That can lead to an injury or worse death. I don't know why Century used that type of safety in all honesty and is the one major beef I have with the rifle but it's easy to remedy. Just make your safety look like the one below:

[Image: C39_safety_modified.jpg]

If you're worried that you may screwup the safety doing the work yourself, you can buy a semi-auto safety like the following one:

http://www.krebscustom.com/products/59/K...ver-Rifles

Shop around because there are places that sell it cheaper. They also make it for the traditional stamped style AK, as well, if you want one for that style rifle.

At any rate here's what the inside of my C39 looks like after the two modifications above were done:

[Image: C39_%20Internals.jpg]

You can clearly see how the retention plate fits in the rifle in that pic. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.

The first thing that you'll need to do to make the upgrade is buy a FCG retention plate. I use the following one from AK-Builder.com:

https://ak-builder.com/index.php?dispatc...t_id=29836

With shipping it came to $8.02 and is worth every penny of that inexpensive price. It looks like this:

[Image: rsa_plate_new.jpg]

1. Now that you have the retaining plate you need to remove the rifle's dust cover as though you're getting ready to clean it.

2. Once you have the dust cover off remove the safety. If your rifle uses a semi-auto safety just rotate it to where the handle is pointed in a 90 degree angle to the receiver, in other words straight up. After that it should just pull right out.

3. Once that is done you should see that a spring that looks like a bent out of shape paperclip has popped out of place. That is the FCG retention spring aka the paperclip. Remove that from the rifle.

4. Now look at the FCG pins. You will notice that on the back of them there is a notch. That is where you place the corresponding slots on the retention plate.

5. Start with the pin that holds in the hammer. Just slide the plate's front slot over the pin in the notch provided.

6. The plate will then hinge down onto the pin holding in the trigger and the hole in the back will line up with the hole on the left of the receiver that the safety slides into.

7. To finish replace the safety making sure the bar goes into the hole in the plate and receiver and rotate it back into place.



If your rifle has a full auto safety, looking at you C39v1, you'll have a little bit more work to do. Before doing this with that rifle I highly recommend buying a safety that is for a semi-auto rifle or using a Dremel tool or grinder to modify the safety so that it is a semi-auto variety. You'll be able to remove the safety as above, with a lot more elbow grease needed, but you won't be able to put it back in without removing the entire FCG, which makes it a royal pain. When you look at the safety you'll see why. The tab at the bottom that keeps the trigger from engaging goes all the way across on the full auto safety but it doesn't on the semi-auto. I will post a picture below on how the semi-auto safety should look based on the modification I made to my C39's safety. All you'll have to do is grind out the same spot on yours to make it work perfectly, just be careful to not over do it. Not only will this modification make it easier to work on your rifle but it will also make it safer. The problem with using the full auto safety in a semi-auto rifle is that, if you have to clear a jam from a misfire, the safety can rotate all the way up engaging the trigger and cause the jammed round to fire. That can lead to an injury or worse death. I don't know why Century used that type of safety in all honesty and is the one major beef I have with the rifle but it's easy to remedy. Just make your safety look like the one below:

[Image: C39_safety_modified.jpg]

If you're worried that you may screwup the safety doing the work yourself, you can buy a semi-auto safety like the following one:

http://www.krebscustom.com/products/59/K...ver-Rifles

Shop around because there are places that sell it cheaper. They also make it for the traditional stamped style AK, as well, if you want one for that style rifle.

At any rate here's what the inside of my C39 looks like after the two modifications above were done:

[Image: C39_%20Internals.jpg]

You can clearly see how the retention plate fits in the rifle in that pic. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.
Reply
Find
Reply
07-05-2015, 08:22 PM,
#2
RE: An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
**
Posts: 538
Threads: 54
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 1
#2
I put one in mine as well, it's a great upgrade. If you have an under folder, it takes a little work to get it to fit.
Reply
Find
Reply
07-06-2015, 01:45 AM,
#3
RE: An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
**
Posts: 607
Threads: 35
Joined: Jan 2015
Reputation: 0
#3
Yeah, with an underfolder you probably had to remove some metal from the rear of the plate I'm guessing?
Reply
Find
Reply
07-06-2015, 10:18 AM,
#4
RE: An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
**
Posts: 538
Threads: 54
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 1
#4
Yea, thankfully I had a grinding wheel. Not a huge fan if the under folders but the price was too good to pass up.
Reply
Find
Reply
07-08-2015, 03:44 PM,
#5
RE: An AK upgrade so easy a caveman could do it!
***
Posts: 2,216
Threads: 124
Joined: Jun 2014
Reputation: 8
#5
Articles like this make this board really good! Thanks guys! Not being an AK guy, I have a lot to learn! Keep these coming please.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." -Col. Jeff Cooper
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." -Col. Jeff Cooper
Reply
Find
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Contact Us | Red Dot Arms Forum | Return to Top | | Lite (Archive) Mode | RSS Syndication