Installing new safety on AR15

[crabo]

My safety started doing a 360 degree rotaion and I have a new one to install. Are there any issues I need to be aware of before I install it?

Thanks,

[fireball168]

Chances are, the selector detent & spring are the issue.

Unscrew & remove the pistol grip slowly, capture the spring and detent before they go flying across the room.

[Photoguy67]

Chances are, the selector detent & spring are the issue.

Unscrew & remove the pistol grip slowly, capture the spring and detent before they go flying across the room.

Exactly what I was thinking.:bigsmyl2:

[GabbyM]

Had to do some filing on the detent pin from my DPMS kit I put together a couple weeks ago. The pin would drop into the detent on the safety and lock up the lever. Suppose that’s why they call it a kit.

[zomby woof]

Chances are, the selector detent & spring are the issue.

Unscrew & remove the pistol grip slowly, capture the spring and detent before they go flying across the room.

Did you remove your pistol grip lately?

This is your fix

[crabo]

Did you remove your pistol grip lately?

This is your fix

Yes, I did put a different pistol grip on it. Are you saying I probably lost the spring or detent as I was doing it and probably watchin tv at the same time?

[dk17hmr]

If you can spin it freely you probably lost the detent and spring.....well at least the spring.

Thats where I would start if its there pull it out look at the detent see if it is rounded over, if its not pull the safety out see the channel the detent goes into is buggered up. Extra parts are always nice to have around just in case, so I would recommend getting a spring kit and extra detents anyways.

[82nd airborne]

It will cost you a total of $4 to get a new spring/detent. I would be willing to bet its not the lever itself.

[zomby woof]

Yes, I did put a different pistol grip on it. Are you saying I probably lost the spring or detent as I was doing it and probably watchin tv at the same time?

Yes,
easy to do

[zomby woof]

Here's an exploded view of the lower. Notice the safety detent spring and detent.

http://www.firearmfiles.com/files/AR15/lower.pdf

The pistol grip retains the spring and detent.

[cigarman454]

Thanks zomby woof for the link

[mac1911]

I wouldnt be surprised if the spring is in the old grip........I have a good amount of spare detents, in my basement rug somewhere.

[crabo]

I pulled the old detent out and it was a little misshaped, but looked serviceable. The spring was bent over and I replaced both of them. The safety works fine now, but I could not get the old safety out. What is the trick for that?

I have a new oversized one that I want to put in that I think will work better when I am wearing gloves.

[zomby woof]

On some I believe I had to remove the trigger to get the safety out. I think it depends on which trigger you have.

[Moonie]

On a mil spec trigger group you do have to remove the trigger group to remove the safety.