I need your help with an interesting issue that popped up today with my new SGL21. I am brand new to AK’s and could use your help!
I was field stripping trying to familiarize myself with the process. While doing so I rotated the safety lever up and removed it from the rifle. Reversed the process and reinstalled. Reassembled the rifle and dry fired to check for function.
The hammer fell, I racked the bolt and got a mushy trigger. Racked the bolt 3 times, same issue. Whem I went to engage the safety it would not move from fire.
I opened the to cover, fidgeted around with it for a moment and the mushy triggerwas gone. Seems to be dry firing fine now. However…
The safety lever will NOT fully move up to the safe position. It will move down to the stop, but the tab the extends from the shaftof the lever appears to contact the rear of the trigger prior to the safety movingto its fully upright position. This contact prevents me from being able to remove the lever also. Because of this the rifle cannot be made safe.
I’m sure I have made some novice mistake, so if those of you more experienced in this weapon could offer some suggestions,I would appreciate it.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that I also installed an ERGO grip in place of the original. I don’t think this would effect anything but I felt I would mention it.
Check to see if the ergo grip is putting any pressure on the back of the trigger. I had a similar problem when I put a century grip from a yugo onto my wasr. It would put a little pressure on the back of the trigger so I couldn’t engage the safety.
I haven’t had a chance to really ring it out yet, and probably won’t until after the new year, but so far so good. Everything seems to be of much nicer quality than the WASRs I’d handled which are about the only thing available around here. Machining seems nice, finish looks nice, furniture looks nice. Required very minimal adjustment to zero. And it has run fine, as I would expect it to.
I hope to pick up a good supply of 7.62x39 at the gunshow this weekend, so I can give it a good run soon.
As to the differences between the 21 and the 20, I have no idea. This is my first AK, and I know very little about them. I’m sure someone more knowledgeable then me will enlighten us directly.
I believe the only difference between the 20 and 21 is that the “ears” on the accessory lug (bottom of gas block) are removed on the 20, but left intact on the 21.
I bought a 20 and had the “ears” restored and about that time Arsenal started selling the 21’s with the complete lug.
The lug on the gas block is for mounting accessories like the GP-25 or GP-30 grenade launchers (which aren’t sold in the US). I had the lugs restored on my 20 just because it was more like the original configuration. It doesn’t serve any practical purpose.
