Improved AK Trigger

No matter how great the history or performance of a given firearm, there is always room for improvement. I do not carry a 1913 Colt, instead, I carry the most modern 1911. Those that favor a truly reliable and capable Kalashnikov rifle choose the Arsenal. Any rifle will do to hang on the wall but for those that keep such a rifle on hand for extensive shooting and for emergency use, the Arsenal is a favorite. There have been issues with some AK rifles.

Some of this issues are related to cheap production of certain units and some issues are related to the original design. The trigger mechanism is one such component. To help with this, FIME Group (FIMEGroup.com, has spent over a year developing, engineering, and proofing their Fire Control Group AK/RPK trigger, an American-made, hardened, two-stage replacement trigger made with mil-spec ratings on the steel. The trigger itself is of all steel construction and has a black protective coating over the hardened steel.

The work manship and finish are good and the trigger group should provide many years of reliable service. The unit is routinely available for forty dollars, and often available for less, which is inexpensive and more than fair for this type of quality. They will have to sell a lot of these to recoup tooling costs and I believe they will.

The issue I am most concerned with in standard AK rifles and modifications of the original action is that the safety may touch the disconnector and drop the hammer if the safety travels too far. There are other issues involving firing with the dust cover off of the receiver. Some of these issues are theoretical but they should be addressed. The improvement with this new trigger is real and worth the time and effort to take advantage of. There are parallels in firearms development.

Once SIG offered their P-series of pistols with a positive firing pin block, everyone had to develop a firing pin block or cease to be competitive. The same seems to apply with this trigger. Your rifle needs to have this trigger if there is any question regarding safety. For those that keep the AK for emergency use—such as a trunk gun or on patrol in the back of police cruis-

er—this is a good choice. Even for recreation and plinking, you should also have this trigger. Besides the hardened steel advantage, this trigger also features a black oxide coating. The trigger press is shorter than the original AK and the compression required to fire the rifle will also be lighter. Examination shows that the disconnector’s face makes full contact with the hammer. I like a secure lockup even at the expense of a few ounces of greater trigger action.

The disconnector tail makes the desired full contract with the rear receiver rivet. The elimination of trigger slap—sometimes experienced with the AK, especially those with cheap internals—is Installation The first thing to do is to remove that hook that retains the hammer and trigger pin. A word to the wise: Look inside the rifle. There should be no scratches before starting and it certainly should stay that way when you are done. The use of needle nose pliers is the easiest means with this.

Push the hook forward toward the muzzle end. Push out the hammer pivot pin with a punch from the right hand side of the AK receiver. There is tension from the hammer spring on this and it may not come out the first try. The hammer should be stabilized and moved side to side to center the pin for removal. The They are Arsenal AK fans, as am I. The markings on that hammer may be a joke—but then again, it may not… eliminated.

The unit lists a typical length of travel at 0.3 inches and reset travel at 0.15. hammer is easily removed by twisting at a 90-degree angle. Remove the trigger pivot pin and pull the trigger group out. The disconnect spring is pretty small and it will take flight so be careful to control or trap it as you change the trigger group. Depress the disconnect with a finger as you pull the pivot pin away. Put the new unit in. Install the hammer and hook the retainer spring ("shepherd’s hook") to the hammer pivot pin.

I use a flat screwdriver from the Chapman took kit. When you replace the pivot pin it must be above the retainer spring/shepherd’s hook but below the hammer spring. Keep a finger on the disconnector. Push the pivot pin in and as you line up the trigger and other parts, the pin is pressed in. Curl the legs of the hammer spring around the hammer and you are in good shape. Finally, the retainer spring goes in the retaining ring of the trigger pin.

This spring goes around to the left and down against the retaining pin to prevent "hammer walk." My friends at South Carolina Gun Company (SCGunCo.com, are great believers in the Arsenal AK and have several in stock and as personal rifles. The work illustrated here was actually performed on their counter. The new trigger was installed in this rifle in a few minutes. The improvement mechanically is evident and the report is that the trigger has become smoother with use. That is all we can ask. AG