Changed grip now I have a safety problem

[mygeorgiaar]

I changed my grip today and was very careful to catch the spring below the screw. Well I was not so careful when I screwed the new grip on!

The safety will not move from safe to fire so I took the grip off and I can see the small spring but it is sideways in the hole. I figure I have ruined the spring but I just need to get it out. Any ideas or videos that you can point me to would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[805moparkid]

think there is a pin in there to...

 

[mygeorgiaar]

I may have a bigger problem than I thought!

 

[Gunslinger808]

think there is a pin in there to...

Yup, you lost the detent pin.
You should be able to get the bad spring out by taking off the pistol grip and using a pair of pliers to pull it out, might have to work the selector a few times to get it loose.

 

[JaPes]

Yup, you lost the detent pin.
You should be able to get the bad spring out by taking off the pistol grip and using a pair of pliers to pull it out, might have to work the selector a few times to get it loose.

^^^ Yup.

If the spring is truly sideways the safety detent hole, 90 degree bent nose fine pliers may not be able to get it out. That hole is tiny. You might have to bend the tip of a needle to try and hook it out.

You'll need a new safety spring and safety spring detent.

 

[mygeorgiaar]

Well after looking at some videos online I know what I did. I put the spring in the screw hole, not in the hole handle hole where it belongs. So it fell into the safety and got jammed in there. I don't know where the pin went. Either way I'll be calling Smith to order the parts.

I guess i'll have to remove the trigger to get the spring out.

 

[Dikinalaska]

If you have any stainless wire of a small gauge bend the very tip about 180 degrees and than push it through the spring wherever there is an opening far enough to pass the bent part and pull it back out. The bend should catch one of the coils. The spring is toast anyway so you can grab the wire with pliers and pull pretty hard. If you can't find anything wire-like your local hobby shop has it, or any hardware store. I'd disassemble your rifle and make sure the detent pin isn't floating around in there waiting to cause havoc somewhere else down the road though.

 

[oneyeopn]

you can get the parts from any manufacturer, I happen to have spares from Rock River Arms but they are exactly the same. Just to let you know. I bought an Oh Shoot kit from Joe Bob's Outfitters.

http://www.joeboboutfitters.com/product_p/rra-ar3256.htm

the kit contains most of the small parts that a person could lose or break and is under $15

 

[mygeorgiaar]

Ok so the detent pin was still in the hole. Now if I can just get the spring out and get a replacement, I should be good. Thanks for the help.

 

[Dragon88]

Do you have a shop around you that sells small AR parts? You need a safety selector/ejector spring. Shipping from S&W or most online retails will be about 3x as much as the part itself.

 

[mygeorgiaar]

I'm sure I can find one tomorrow but that spring will not come out. Is the detent pin the only thing holding the safety selector in? It won't budge either. Can I push it out aggressively? I will watch the videos before I start working on the AR next time!

 

[kdailey]

Just tap the two pins out that hold the trigger group in and remove the spring. The spring may still be ok. Once the trigger group is out the selector switch can be rotated and removed easily. Drop the pin in correct hole with selector switch installed correctly, put spring in and line it up with hole in the new grip.

 

[Maddmax]

^^^ Yup.

If the spring is truly sideways the safety detent hole, 90 degree bent nose fine pliers may not be able to get it out. That hole is tiny. You might have to bend the tip of a needle to try and hook it out.

You'll need a new safety spring and safety spring detent.

Might try Walley world and go to the sewing dept and look at their small crochet hooks. Might find one small enough and you always can use a file to make it smaller. They are stronger than they look,just pull straight. I have them in my tool box. They do come in handy and are cheap enough

 

[Gunslinger808]

Might try Walley world and go to the sewing dept and look at their small crochet hooks. Might find one small enough and you always can use a file to make it smaller.

*golf clap*
Ya know, that belongs in the hall of fame of ideas.