Welcome to the NoDak Spud LLC troubleshooting page.

We will try to  address some of the common issues associated with our products as they come to our attention.

The fixes to the issues shown have worked for us.

WE ASSUME NO LIABILITY IF YOU USE THESE TECHNIQUES, AS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER YOUR ACTIONS, ABILITIES, OR THE PARTS YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BUILD. SOME SURPLUS PARTS ON THE MARKET HAVE SHOWN TO HAVE WIDELY VARYING DEGREES OF WEAR AND TOLERANCES.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE YOUR PARTS ARE SERVICEABLE AND APPROPRIATE FOR BUILDING YOUR FIREARM.

IF YOU DOUBT YOUR ABILITIES TO DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT ISSUES WITH A FIREARM BUILD, THEN YOU NEED TO CONTACT A CERTIFIED GUNSMITH IN YOUR AREA FOR ASSISTANCE.

 

  
     
 

back to AK's

  
     
 

There have been reports that the Tapco G2 "single hook" fire control set has had malfunctions when installed in some receivers on the market. These reported malfunctions have included the NDS-3 and NDS-65 "economy" receivers.

The most common problem is "hammer follow".

This is when the hammer is NOT caught by the disconnector, and follows the bolt carrier forward, failing to reset for the next shot.

This does not occur in all builds involving our NDS-3/NDS-65 and the G2 "single hook" set.

But, we advise that caution needs to be observed when combining these two products.

Hammer follow is due to a combination of small dimensional variances on each of the parts in the assembly (called "stacking dimensions"). 

When you combine them together, the hammer is not pushed down far enough for the disconnector to grab it.

The parts generally involved are;

  • bolt carrier

  • receiver

  • fire control group

 

  
     
 

AK Functions Check

To determine if your chosen AK type fire control group is working correctly, BEFORE a live fire session.

You need to do a functions check.

  • remove the magazine

  • pull the bolt to the rear and make sure the chamber is empty

  • remove the top cover

  •  double check to make sure the firearm is unloaded

  • point the rifle in a safe direction

  • place the safety in the semiauto "fire" position

  • pull the trigger normally and hold it to the rear

  • pull the bolt to the rear and let it go forward on its own power

  • look to see if the disconnector is retaining the hammer

  • release the trigger normally

  •  watch to see if the hammer is released by the disconnector, and the primary trigger hook grabs the front of the hammer

  • repeat the above steps several times

  •  if the hammer doesn't follow the bolt forward, this part of the check is good

  •  

  • next, re-cock the hammer

  • place the safety in the "safe" position

  • pull the trigger normally, the hammer should not be released by the trigger

This functions check is only a baseline for determining if your rifle's fire control is working properly.

There are other issues that could cause a malfunction with your firearm. So Educate Yourself about the various operating systems on the AK type rifles.

 

  
     
 

How To Fix "hammer follow"

If you experience this type of malfunction, The best thing to do is install and try another brand of fire control parts, and/or another bolt carrier (if practical).

Keep in mind that you ONLY want to use a different carrier, not the bolt head, as that would alter your headspace.

If neither of these things work, you can put a slight bevel on the hammer shelf where the disconnector grabs the hammer. See pictures below.

First picture shows unmodified parts coming up short.

Second picture shows the bevel applied to the hammer on the left. The one on the right is not modified.

Lastly, we see the modified hammer interfacing with the disconnector.

The fixes to the issues shown have worked for us.

WE ASSUME NO LIABILITY IF YOU USE THESE TECHNIQUES, AS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER YOUR ACTIONS, ABILITIES, OR THE PARTS YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BUILD.