Archived Posts » 59,646,491
Bolt catches doesn't hold...
2/4/2012 11:37:17 PM
I've had the same AR for a few years now and it has this problem that I always thought was being caused by me. I always thought I was just being careless and hitting the bolt release lever, but today it did it again and there was nothing for me to hit it on. It releases just by hitting the buttstock on the floor! Last year it did it once with a magazine in it and my face was right over the muzzle! Scared the Shit out of me. What's the problem and is the best fix simply to replace the bolt catch? If it helps, it's a factory DPMS lower.
2/5/2012 12:30:38 AM
might be a worn spring. does it release other times or just when you hit the butt on the floor?
2/5/2012 12:32:31 AM
DPMS.......
I'd replace the spring and catch.
I'd replace the spring and catch.
2/5/2012 12:39:47 AM
Every AR i've ever owned would release the bolt if the buttstock was whacked.
2/5/2012 12:45:01 AM
That is probably a good point to clarify. Are you slightly bumping the stock or slamming it with a fair amount of force?
2/5/2012 1:04:54 AM
The catch is spring loaded to drop back down, and all that hold is up without an empty mag in the rifle (its follower tension over riding the catch spring tension) is the surface tension of the bolt pushing up against the bolt catch.
Bump the rifle off the ground, and it going to cause the bolt to slightly come back, with the surface tension to lose grip, and the catch is going to drop down due to it's spring tension pulling it down.
So on that note, yes, without a empty mag in the rifle pushing the catch up, bumping the rifle is going to cause the B/C to jar, with the catch dropping out (read no charged mags in the rifle with the bolt locked back, since the slightest of bump, and your now going to have a loaded rifle on your hands!!!!).
Bump the rifle off the ground, and it going to cause the bolt to slightly come back, with the surface tension to lose grip, and the catch is going to drop down due to it's spring tension pulling it down.
So on that note, yes, without a empty mag in the rifle pushing the catch up, bumping the rifle is going to cause the B/C to jar, with the catch dropping out (read no charged mags in the rifle with the bolt locked back, since the slightest of bump, and your now going to have a loaded rifle on your hands!!!!).
2/5/2012 8:00:52 AM
Why on earth would you ever have your face in front of the muzzle?
2/5/2012 9:34:11 AM
Originally Posted By iNeXile556:
Why on earth would you ever have your face in front of the muzzle?
Why on earth would you ever have your face in front of the muzzle?
I know. It's rather embarrassing. I was putting the rifle between the wall and the nightstand butt first and maybe because I'm only about 5'5" tall my head was right over the muzzle. I was looking where I was putting it to not hit anything and it released the bolt. I literally stood there for a few seconds saying to myself" I could be dead right now." REALLY bothered me so I simply started releasing the bolt in a safe direction before I put the gun down.
2/5/2012 9:35:52 AM
Originally Posted By Parley:
That is probably a good point to clarify. Are you slightly bumping the stock or slamming it with a fair amount of force?
That is probably a good point to clarify. Are you slightly bumping the stock or slamming it with a fair amount of force?
Slightly bumping. I tried it by simply hitting the buttstock with about as much force as you would use clapping your hands together and it released the bolt with no magazine in it.
2/5/2012 9:36:22 AM
Originally Posted By Cham1ber:
might be a worn spring. does it release other times or just when you hit the butt on the floor?
might be a worn spring. does it release other times or just when you hit the butt on the floor?
Only with the impact.
2/5/2012 9:37:36 AM
I should add that I was sighting it in on Friday and it wouldn't hold the bolt open on a preban 20 rnd Simmons mag. If that helps any...
2/5/2012 9:53:27 AM
Originally Posted By gunner-1:
I should add that I was sighting it in on Friday and it wouldn't hold the bolt open on a preban 20 rnd Simmons mag. If that helps any...
I should add that I was sighting it in on Friday and it wouldn't hold the bolt open on a preban 20 rnd Simmons mag. If that helps any...
Ehh sort of. Usually any problem that is magazine related, is usually caused by the magazine. Which are cheaper to replace and you should have several mags anyway.
FWIW I just tried this with my rifle. Built it myself a over a year ago. I removed the mag and cleared it. I then set it down between a desk and the wall like you said you were doing. Setting it down didn't release the bolt. However putting it down, like letting gravity help me set it down, did release the bolt.
That is not much data to go on, but I feel my rifle is in proper working condition.
I think the next steps for you should be to see if you bolt catch works with different magazines. If it doesn't lock back consistently on most of your magazines, replace it.
In addition to that. Don't set your rifle down with a full mag and rely only on the bolt catch! Obey rule 1 (don't point it at anything you don't want shot), set your safety, etc. Reconsider how you stow your rifle. Most guys I know either store it ready to go (full mag, safety on, one in the pipe) or store it rack-ready (full mag, NO round in the chamber, bolt closed, you RACK it to make it READY).
2/5/2012 10:04:21 AM
My loaded AR is in the corner of my bedroom while I sleep, mag full, chamber loaded, safety on. With the muzzle down. Muzzle down is safer for a longgun, because I can grab it without ever pointing it at me. And it's faster, because I can grab the grip with my right hand and go.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
2/5/2012 11:20:49 AM
Originally Posted By RotaryJihad:
Ehh sort of. Usually any problem that is magazine related, is usually caused by the magazine. Which are cheaper to replace and you should have several mags anyway.
FWIW I just tried this with my rifle. Built it myself a over a year ago. I removed the mag and cleared it. I then set it down between a desk and the wall like you said you were doing. Setting it down didn't release the bolt. However putting it down, like letting gravity help me set it down, did release the bolt.
That is not much data to go on, but I feel my rifle is in proper working condition.
I think the next steps for you should be to see if you bolt catch works with different magazines. If it doesn't lock back consistently on most of your magazines, replace it.
In addition to that. Don't set your rifle down with a full mag and rely only on the bolt catch! Obey rule 1 (don't point it at anything you don't want shot), set your safety, etc. Reconsider how you stow your rifle. Most guys I know either store it ready to go (full mag, safety on, one in the pipe) or store it rack-ready (full mag, NO round in the chamber, bolt closed, you RACK it to make it READY).
Originally Posted By gunner-1:
I should add that I was sighting it in on Friday and it wouldn't hold the bolt open on a preban 20 rnd Simmons mag. If that helps any...
I should add that I was sighting it in on Friday and it wouldn't hold the bolt open on a preban 20 rnd Simmons mag. If that helps any...
Ehh sort of. Usually any problem that is magazine related, is usually caused by the magazine. Which are cheaper to replace and you should have several mags anyway.
FWIW I just tried this with my rifle. Built it myself a over a year ago. I removed the mag and cleared it. I then set it down between a desk and the wall like you said you were doing. Setting it down didn't release the bolt. However putting it down, like letting gravity help me set it down, did release the bolt.
That is not much data to go on, but I feel my rifle is in proper working condition.
I think the next steps for you should be to see if you bolt catch works with different magazines. If it doesn't lock back consistently on most of your magazines, replace it.
In addition to that. Don't set your rifle down with a full mag and rely only on the bolt catch! Obey rule 1 (don't point it at anything you don't want shot), set your safety, etc. Reconsider how you stow your rifle. Most guys I know either store it ready to go (full mag, safety on, one in the pipe) or store it rack-ready (full mag, NO round in the chamber, bolt closed, you RACK it to make it READY).
The BHO works with ALL my thirty round mags, just not the 20 rounder that I was using. I never use the smaller mags normally, but with sighting it in it was easier with the shorter mag. I no longer store it with the bolt held back. Now I chamber a round on a full mag and set it in the corner like that. I WON''T chance the odds of two mechanical failures happening at the same time and killing me again!
2/5/2012 12:28:33 PM
Originally Posted By gunner-1:..... I no longer store it with the bolt held back. Now I chamber a round on a full mag and set it in the corner like that. I WON''T chance the odds of two mechanical failures happening at the same time and killing me again!
...and put the safety on SAFE, right?
2/5/2012 8:07:55 PM
On all my ARs if you bump the stock on the ground it will close the bolt. It doesn't take much force. All it is doing is taking enought tension off of the buffer to let the bolt catch let the bolt close.
There is probably nothing wrong with your rifle.
Just to make sure you should video it and upload it to youtube so we can check.
MAHA
There is probably nothing wrong with your rifle.
Just to make sure you should video it and upload it to youtube so we can check.
MAHA
2/5/2012 10:55:38 PM
it sounds like when you hit the rifle on the floor it sends the BCG back far enough for the bolt face to leave the surface of the bolt catch thus allowing it to lower and sending the bcg home
2/5/2012 11:46:00 PM
Originally Posted By Gator57:
...and put the safety on SAFE, right?
Originally Posted By gunner-1:..... I no longer store it with the bolt held back. Now I chamber a round on a full mag and set it in the corner like that. I WON''T chance the odds of two mechanical failures happening at the same time and killing me again!
...and put the safety on SAFE, right?
Yes sir, before I drop the bolt! LOL!!
