About a year ago I bought a FEG PA-63. I wasn't familiar with it but thought it looked cool and got it pretty cheap. After watching a few videos on it, I saw that the safety is supposed to also function as a decocker. Mine doesn't. With the hammer cocked, the safety will not move unless I also thumb back on the hammer at the same time I am rotating the safety. I just brought it to a gunsmith to have this issue repaired. He just called me and said that the safety is not designed to decock the firearm. I told him I had seen videos where it functioned. He then said that when they become worn, they will work as a decocker but that they are not supposed to work that way. He further said he had spoken to another gunsmith who specializes in Combloc firearms and that is what he was told. I have since watched about a dozen more videos and in every video, the safety functions as a decocker. I haven't seen one where it functions like mine does. Does anyone have any experience with this firearm who can give me a definitive answer as to how it is supposed to function? Thanks
FEG PA-63 Decocker Question
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lysanderxiii
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He is wrong. In fact, he has it backwards, they work new, and with wear they stop working.
The safety/decocker system is the same basic design as the Walther PP:
When you rotate the safety lever (56) down, it pushes the tail of hammer release (23) down, the front of the round bottom part of the hammer release is a cam that pushes the nose of the cocking piece (11) up and this drops the hammer.
The problem is you are rotating a cam "down" to push a heavily sprung part "up" with a contact area that is very small. The two pieces wear quickly and this destroys the cam surfaces, so instead of sliding, they just lock-up, until you push the cocking piece (11) up to clear engagement by pulling the hammer back.
If you replace the hammer release and/or the cocking piece functionality will be restored. But it will wear quickly to the point of locking up again.
Here is the schematic of a PP and you can see the analogous parts safety lever (36), hammer release (37) and cocking piece (40). The difference is the PP hammer release is pivoted on the cocking piece axis and has better leverage.
The safety/decocker system is the same basic design as the Walther PP:
When you rotate the safety lever (56) down, it pushes the tail of hammer release (23) down, the front of the round bottom part of the hammer release is a cam that pushes the nose of the cocking piece (11) up and this drops the hammer.
The problem is you are rotating a cam "down" to push a heavily sprung part "up" with a contact area that is very small. The two pieces wear quickly and this destroys the cam surfaces, so instead of sliding, they just lock-up, until you push the cocking piece (11) up to clear engagement by pulling the hammer back.
If you replace the hammer release and/or the cocking piece functionality will be restored. But it will wear quickly to the point of locking up again.
Here is the schematic of a PP and you can see the analogous parts safety lever (36), hammer release (37) and cocking piece (40). The difference is the PP hammer release is pivoted on the cocking piece axis and has better leverage.
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George Dickel
Member
I've owned two of them, both in like new condition and on both the decockers worked as they should. It's amazing how many people call themselves gunsmiths.
MedWheeler
Member
My AP22, a rimfire version of the PA-63, also has a functioning decocking lever. I prefer to think of them as decockers that double as safety levers than the other way around (since it cannot be applied as a "safety" without dropping the hammer.)
Thank you so much. I was able to find both the cocking piece and hammer release for about $40 and will be ordering both. I'm not really worried about them wearing out again as I seriously doubt that I will be putting a ton of rounds through this gun. I just want it to work the way it was designed to work.
Thank you to everyone who has replied to this post. After posting my question, I watched about 10 more videos and read at least 15 websites. Not one shows the gun functioning the way the gunsmith claims it is supposed to function. Every one shows or describes it as a decocker. I will be picking the gun back up shortly. The person who replied with the schematic, lysanderxiii, told me which parts I need so I will be ordering them. At that point I will decide if I want to bring it to another gunsmith or try changing them myself. It doesn't look too bad (famous last words) but I was not confident that if I disassembled the gun, I would be able to correctly diagnose which parts needed to be replaced. Thanks again.
lincen
Member
As was stated above: "The safety/decocker system is the same basic design as the Walther PP"
Many time you will see the statement that this or that pistol was modeled after the Walther PP.
It is most true with the FEG pistols.
American Gunsmithing Institute Armorer’s Course Video on DVD for Walther PPK/S and FEG PA63 Pistols - Technical Instructions for Disassembly, .....
Many time you will see the statement that this or that pistol was modeled after the Walther PP.
It is most true with the FEG pistols.
American Gunsmithing Institute Armorer’s Course Video on DVD for Walther PPK/S and FEG PA63 Pistols - Technical Instructions for Disassembly, .....
lysanderxiii
Member
Total disassembly should not be necessary. First, safe, field strip and remove the grips.
1. Push up on #29, and push out pin #5. #29 and #28 should drop out.
2. Remove #25, now #23 and #18 will come out. Invert and dump #27 out the top.
3. EDIT: Remove #13 by pulling trigger and carefully pry #13 out from the groove in the barrel hoop and remove two half pins #12 from each side.
4. You now should be able to wiggle #11 out to the right.
Assemble in reverse order. When installing #13ensure the hook of the trigger spring is seated in the groove on the bottom of #13.
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Total disassembly should not be necessary. First, safe, field strip and remove the grips.
1. Push up on #29, and push out pin #5. #29 and #28 should drop out.
2. Remove #25, now #23 and #18 will come out. Invert and dump #27 out the top.
3. EDIT: Remove #13 by pulling trigger and carefully pry #13 out from the groove in the barrel hoop and remove two half pins #12 from each side.
4. You now should be able to wiggle #11 out to the right.
Assemble in reverse order. When installing #13ensure the hook of the trigger spring is seated in the groove on the bottom of #13.
Thanks, that should help a lot.
Total disassembly should not be necessary. First, safe, field strip and remove the grips.
1. Push up on #29, and push out pin #5. #29 and #28 should drop out.
2. Remove #25, now #23 and #18 will come out. Invert and dump #27 out the top.
3. EDIT: Remove #13 by pulling trigger and carefully pry #13 out from the groove in the barrel hoop and remove two half pins #12 from each side.
4. You now should be able to wiggle #11 out to the right.
Assemble in reverse order. When installing #13ensure the hook of the trigger spring is seated in the groove on the bottom of #13.[/QUOT
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