I got my new lower assembly last week, a PA-15 stealth blem. Took the rifle to the range for the first time a couple days ago. The trigger didn’t reset properly 4 times. 3 out of the 4 times it reset immediately after engaging the safety and once after engaging the safety and tapping the side. The same thing happened with my previous PA-15 lower a few times but the issue disappeared after a few more magazines. I figure the same will happen with this one. I do notice that I tend to hold the trigger back after the shot while practicing trigger control, could that be contributing?
Will dry firing the rifle possibly help this along or is this some bigger issue? Or do I just need to put some more through it and break it in more?
When releasing the trigger after holding you should hear an audible click of it resetting. It may have some burrs that need worked out, also make sure the trigger spring is oriented correctly. Also make sure the disconnector spring is in there as well. If it’s not the springs and it doesn’t work itself out I’d contact PSA to get a replacement. The break in period is for a smoother break to wear out any rough spots, it never needs a break in period to reset.
GuitarGuy, I did just let it go some. Unfortunately I wasn’t at the range for long but I had the trigger reset fine when I released without waiting and one time it hung up also.
MrFister, I didn’t even think about the spring, I’ll take a look this afternoon.
Josiah, thanks, I’m going to take it to the range this week and give it a workout. I honestly think it’s a “breaking in the parts” thing and not an issue but I was just sending out feelers just in case there was an issue that everyone but me knew about.
I read once that the disconnector sometimes has a burr on it that hangs up the trigger reset. I don’t recall if it’s on the hammer side or the trigger side (I’m thinking hammer). In either case it’s supposed to wear itself in unless it’s really bad.
One of my builds (not a PSA) had a Burr on the disconnector hook that I missed when assembling. It behaved exactly as you describe.
As a Faster Mabricator, I have piles of files, pits of bits, and scones of stones - AND the stubbornness to use them.
I disassembled the FCG, made a few very light passes with a convex-oval diamond file in the cusp of the hook, reassembled, functional checked, did it one more time - and it was Perfect.
It was merely a bit of roughness on the edge of the stamping. I DID NOT re-profile the Hook, or remove “excess” material - just squared it (the edge) a bit, and took away the Burr. Simple, Straightforward.
THAT SAID, if you’re not a Metalworky-typee kinda guy, (we can’t All be Perfect!) this task might be better left up to someone with a bit of Experience doing modifications of this nature (and make no mistake - it IS a Modification). OR acquiring another disconnector, whether purchased or from PSA via Customer Satisfaction.
AirHawk, thanks for your reply. I’ve been a machinist since I was 16. I’m 60 now. Actually, I’ve been a “qwalty inginear” for the last 4 years. A true Jack of all trades and a master of none. Last night as I was watching tv with the Mrs when I remembered that on my other lower when it first acted up I did in fact stone the edge of the hook on the hammer exactly as you described. Saw the tip in a youtube video. There was a slight burr and after stoning it a veerrry little bit it work fine. I guess someone should say something to the suppliers about it.
Dang, I still haven’t gotten to this. Been too busy reloading pewpew’s. (excuses,excuses) . I have to punch out early to get to a doc appointment by 3:00, I’ll punch out at 9… plenty of time to check out the hammer hook… do a little reloading… run to the range… hope I don’t get back late
Ok, I got er done. I first checked to see if it was actually doing it by holding the trigger and resetting and releasing the trigger, over and over, and pretty much every time it stuck. I couldn’t really find a bad burr but I noticed the surface wasn’t the best so I very lightly stoned the surfaces and checked again. Didn’t stick once. Still gotta get to the range though.
Hit the range yesterday. Fed a box of green tips and a box of reloads through it. Not a hick-up. I figure the hook on the hammer just needed a little clean up to smooth it out and keep it from sticking.
That’s 2 for 2. I had 2 ar’s that had sticky resets that cleared up after a little cleaning up of the trigger hook. Am I just lucky or what?
I am having the same issue with a blemished PSA lower I purchased back at the end of May 2021. Took the rifle to the range today, cycled fine but it was almost like the safety was engaging after each shot.
Switched uppers and lowes with another rifle I had with me just to see if it was the gas block. Then I realized it was the trigger not resetting. If I manually reset the trigger forward with my finger it would fire.
I am a former Machinist “Mill operator, Bridgeport, Jet… and a few others that I have forgotten the name of” myself so I am picking up what you guys are putting down, but I don’t own any stones to attempt this work confidently myself.
So I will be contacting PSA for warranty work it sounds like.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing that kind of stuff, it is best to let a professional do it. I ended up doing a little bit more to my trigger to get it to work just right, I used a diamond file. Buuuuut, today I went to a funshow and picked up an RA-140 trigger for this gun anyways. Much better than the milspec. I’m gonna leave my x39 AR with the milspec trigger. Something about a commie AR that says tough and gritty
Hey guys! Surprise…I’m having the exact same problem. After almost every shot the trigger would not reset. The only way I could get it to reset was to put it safety. Strangely enough, at one point, I shot 9 consecutive shots with no issues and then it went right back to “sticking.” You guys think the best way to go about this is to just contact PSA directly and get a replacement?
I didn’t send the rifle back, in the end I got a Rave-140 trigger but I didn’t need to. I just wanted a better trigger in this rifle. The issue with the trigger not resetting properly turned out, for me at least, to be a slight burr or inconsistency of some type on the hammer disconnect hook. I stoned it very lightly with a small honing stone. I didn’t remove any material but more like just cleaned up what was there. If you are not mechanically inclined (I’ve been a machinist for 44 years and now work in quality control) I would suggest having PSA look at it or do as I did with one of my rifles and just get a better trigger group. Some guys like the milspec trigger for authenticity but on that particular rifle I wanted a light touch. I have another rifle that had the same problem, with a little stoning it works fine, haven’t had the issue since.
I’m gonna leave my x39 AR with the milspec trigger. Something about a commie AR that says tough and gritty 