AR safety selector doesn't go to safety

[drumenigma]

So I acquired my first AR the other day and needless to say I am happy I made the move. Everything looks great so far upon initial inspections except the one problem with the safety selector switch.

The switch is currently on "fire" and it doesn't want to move back to the safe position. (I'm glad it's not the other way around, that would suck) Any thoughts on what could be holding it in the fire position? It doesn't want to budge at all. I try to push it to safety and it moves a little bit but gets hung up and won't go. I opened up the gun to see if I could get an idea of what may be the issue but AR's are basically foreign to me right now so I had no idea what to look for.

 

[Lugnut]

I don't think you should be able to move it to "safe" until it's ready to fire- i.e. cocked.

 

[stinx]

In order for the safety to move the bolt has to be cycled and the hammer must be in the cocked position. If the hammer is not cocked and the safety can be moved something is not right.

 

[Len-2A Training]

That is indeed the way the gun is designed to work.

Just like a 1911, you can't put the safety on until you cock the hammer.

 

[Admin]

I don't think you should be able to move it to "safe" until it's ready to fire- i.e. cocked.

+1

 

[Blitz1]

Just send it to me I'll fix it for ya!

 

[Big_Red]

What they said...

 

[Mike-Mike]

Use a small pipe wrench and a big hammer. Or you could just put the safety on when it is cocked.

 

[Fsorrent]

It's because it's on puppy-killer mode. Nothing's safe in puppy-killer mode!!!

 

[sksguns]

Cocking? Nobody said anything about cocking....

 

[vellnueve]

Just to beat this one to death,

Pull the charging handle, release, and you should be able to turn it.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Just to beat this one to death,

Pull the charging handle, release, and you should be able to turn it.

Love NES!

 

[drumenigma]

Ok, so it's a little different than my other guns then that don't have to be cocked to engage the safety. Good to know. I was freaking out like, "Oh boy I bought a lemon" Guess I'll go make some lemonade now by shooting lemons at the range.

 

[Scrivener]

"Safety?" What is this "safety" you speak of?

 

[drumenigma]

"Safety?" What is this "safety" you speak of?

Yeah, it'd be nice if instead of "fire" and "safe" it had "fire" and "fire faster".

 

[doobie]

Yeah, it'd be nice if instead of "fire" and "safe" it had "fire" and "fire faster".

It's called a Machine Gun.

 

[Cross-X]

It's called a Machine Gun.

So when will you get your first one, Doobie?

 

[WayneWong]

You should get the "Gun Control Act of 1998" commemorative model. it goes off half-cocked.

 

[Urj]

This is my safety.

 

[medic12]

This is my safety.

+1 for the movie reference

 

[jdubois]

Yeah, it'd be nice if instead of "fire" and "safe" it had "fire" and "fire faster".

You mean something like this?

 

[drumenigma]

You mean something like this?

Eh who needs 'safe'. Just 'semi' and 'auto" would be just super.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Semi / Full / Hype / OMG

 

[BillK]

 

[jdubois]

"Honey, why are there bullet holes in the TV?"