A low retraction activation force plunger sub-assembly for an automatic injector includes: a plunger outer having one or more engagement prongs, a plunger inner having a shoulder, and a plunger biasing member retained in a first energized state between said plunger outer and plunger inner when the engagement prongs of the plunger outer are releasably engaged with the shoulder of the plunger inner. An automatic injector includes a housing, an activation mechanism, an actuation mechanism, and a syringe cartridge having the plunger sub-assembly and a needle assembly, wherein the actuation mechanism includes comprises an actuation biasing member residing in an initial energized state substantially within an upper portion of an actuation pill. A method of assembling the automatic injector includes the steps of: assembling the plunger sub-assembly and inserting the plunger sub-assembly into the housing such that a proximal end of the plunger sub-assembly contacts the actuation pill.
