So, Tell me about this crazy FAL trigger...

rickyrick · June 11, 2014, 10:31 PM

Bought a nice FN FAL a couple of months ago, but only recently had a chance to fire it...

I fired it a few times and then handed it off to my mate to shoot some, it doubled on her... Being that she is of small stature, I chalked it up to a bump fire and a wobbly folding table... I fired it from the same table and after a few rounds it doubled on me...

This I know, there was a definite click as the trigger reset and the gas adjustment was probably too high. I had never gotten around to adjusting it.

When I got home it dry fired, held the trigger back as I recycled the bolt... Taking very little pressure off of the trigger made it reset, and was able to fire with little effort.

Is this normal in the FAL? I'm thinking I need to hold the trigger back more firmly.

wogpotter · June 12, 2014, 07:32 AM

Doubling is sometimes caused by having the trigger springs reverses with the extractor spring.
The whole mechanism is a balancing act between spring tension & the sliding sear, if you have the similar-looking, but stronger spring installed this frequently causes doubling.
Some springs are color coded green to help prevent this.

HiBC · June 12, 2014, 12:29 PM

Agreed about the springs,and here is another thought.

I have observed that extremely careful trigger control,very gradual increase in pressure,can find a way for the disconnect to sear handoff to fumble.Find the bump fire spot.Of course,it all should work flawlessly.A little more deliberate"fire" trigger pull can be better for semi-autos.

rickyrick · June 12, 2014, 01:07 PM

I'm thinking it was my trigger technique combined with firing a rifle I'm not accustomed too.

There was a definite reset of the trigger but finger was still near the spot of firing again.

I'll check on the springs because it did seem that this happened easier than it should

tangolima · June 12, 2014, 02:32 PM

Is the rifle new from factory or it has been worked on? A trigger job perhaps?

I would check the sear engagement to make sure it is positive. Take out the trigger group and feel hammer movement while pulling on the trigger. The hammer should cam back before it falls. If the hammer moves forward you have negative engagement. It is prone to double or multiple, and it will need to be corrected.

-TL

rickyrick · June 13, 2014, 05:50 PM

Stronger spring on trigger or sear?

Right now I see the weaker on the sear and stronger on the trigger

wogpotter · June 14, 2014, 08:15 AM

Sear spring has an open link at one end, trigger return doesn't.

rickyrick · June 14, 2014, 07:51 PM

Installed correctly.... Has FSE hammer trigger and sear set .... I've read a few places that these may double....

While the trigger works, in essence as a trigger, I get the heebie jeebies from it... Much unloaded experimenting, reveals that it's really easy to drop the hammer if you twitch ever so slightly on the return stroke

wogpotter · June 15, 2014, 07:19 AM

Quote:

I've read a few places that these may double....

That's your issue right there.
A lot of FAL owners tried "lightening the pull" by changing springs & regrinding sear & hammer notches. Then they discovered why a battle rifle had a 5 Lb trigger pull in the first place.

The original design had a "safety sear" to prevent hammer follow & OOB discharge, but BATFE decided it was the "machinegiun part" & decreed it became title 3 with one cut in the receiver so they all have them removed in the U.S. unless they're a machine gun & registered as such.

FALshootist · June 15, 2014, 10:02 PM

The FSE fire control group is your problem. I had a Century gun that worked fine but the trigger was less than good. I installed FSE components and there was a big improvement. Then it began to double. I contacted FSE and they were great. Sent out a new set right away.

I shot the gun a number of times over the years and a couple of years ago it began doubling again. I reinstalled the old Century parts and its been fine ever since.

wogpotter · June 16, 2014, 07:12 AM

The scary thing is that most of the better "out of the box" triggers are Century HTS sets!
I have no idea what the "Angry Beavers" did but once in a while even a blind monkey finds a banana!

rickyrick · June 16, 2014, 12:18 PM

Thanks guys, I'll work on getting a replacement

rickyrick · July 23, 2014, 10:17 PM

Got a new Falcon HTS set, havent gotten to fire it yet, but it seems better working the bolt and trigger manually

June 11, 2014, 10:31 PM	#1
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	So, Tell me about this crazy FAL trigger... Bought a nice FN FAL a couple of months ago, but only recently had a chance to fire it... I fired it a few times and then handed it off to my mate to shoot some, it doubled on her... Being that she is of small stature, I chalked it up to a bump fire and a wobbly folding table... I fired it from the same table and after a few rounds it doubled on me... This I know, there was a definite click as the trigger reset and the gas adjustment was probably too high. I had never gotten around to adjusting it. When I got home it dry fired, held the trigger back as I recycled the bolt... Taking very little pressure off of the trigger made it reset, and was able to fire with little effort. Is this normal in the FAL? I'm thinking I need to hold the trigger back more firmly. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

June 12, 2014, 07:32 AM	#2
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Doubling is sometimes caused by having the trigger springs reverses with the extractor spring. The whole mechanism is a balancing act between spring tension & the sliding sear, if you have the similar-looking, but stronger spring installed this frequently causes doubling. Some springs are color coded green to help prevent this. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

June 12, 2014, 01:07 PM	#4
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	I'm thinking it was my trigger technique combined with firing a rifle I'm not accustomed too. There was a definite reset of the trigger but finger was still near the spot of firing again. I'll check on the springs because it did seem that this happened easier than it should __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

June 13, 2014, 05:50 PM	#6
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	Stronger spring on trigger or sear? Right now I see the weaker on the sear and stronger on the trigger __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

June 14, 2014, 08:15 AM	#7
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Sear spring has an open link at one end, trigger return doesn't. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

June 12, 2014, 12:29 PM	#3
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,287	Agreed about the springs,and here is another thought. I have observed that extremely careful trigger control,very gradual increase in pressure,can find a way for the disconnect to sear handoff to fumble.Find the bump fire spot.Of course,it all should work flawlessly.A little more deliberate"fire" trigger pull can be better for semi-autos.

June 12, 2014, 02:32 PM	#5
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,827	Is the rifle new from factory or it has been worked on? A trigger job perhaps? I would check the sear engagement to make sure it is positive. Take out the trigger group and feel hammer movement while pulling on the trigger. The hammer should cam back before it falls. If the hammer moves forward you have negative engagement. It is prone to double or multiple, and it will need to be corrected. -TL

June 14, 2014, 07:51 PM	#8
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	Installed correctly.... Has FSE hammer trigger and sear set .... I've read a few places that these may double.... While the trigger works, in essence as a trigger, I get the heebie jeebies from it... Much unloaded experimenting, reveals that it's really easy to drop the hammer if you twitch ever so slightly on the return stroke __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

June 15, 2014, 10:02 PM	#10
FALshootist Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2002 Posts: 589	The FSE fire control group is your problem. I had a Century gun that worked fine but the trigger was less than good. I installed FSE components and there was a big improvement. Then it began to double. I contacted FSE and they were great. Sent out a new set right away. I shot the gun a number of times over the years and a couple of years ago it began doubling again. I reinstalled the old Century parts and its been fine ever since.

June 16, 2014, 07:12 AM	#11
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	The scary thing is that most of the better "out of the box" triggers are Century HTS sets! I have no idea what the "Angry Beavers" did but once in a while even a blind monkey finds a banana! __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

June 16, 2014, 12:18 PM	#12
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	Thanks guys, I'll work on getting a replacement __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

July 23, 2014, 10:17 PM	#13
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	Got a new Falcon HTS set, havent gotten to fire it yet, but it seems better working the bolt and trigger manually __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!