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Posted: 6/1/2013 10:37:04 AM EDT
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I have a PSA build, and the bolt catch won't securely hold the bolt/carrier. If the bolt is open, I can smack the stock with my hand and cause it to close. A buddy who is an army vet told me that is normal, but I don't have any other AR that does it, so I'm pretty sure it shouldn't do that.
Should I be looking at the carrier possibly as the problem, or the bolt catch? I'm going to put a bolt/carrier from another rifle in there this evening, and see if it does the same thing. I just wanted to hear some thoughts before I start messing with it to see what it could be. Thanks. |
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You should not be able to smack the stock and have it drop the bolt.
It may do it if dropped on the ground but not with just Your hand bumping the stock. Could be the mag spring is weak and not fully engaging the bolt catch up high enough to fully hold the bolt. Maybe the bolt catch spring is overly strong and forcing the bolt catch to drop to easily. |
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Quoted:
You should not be able to smack the stock and have it drop the bolt. It may do it if dropped on the ground but not with just Your hand bumping the stock. Could be the mag spring is weak and not fully engaging the bolt catch up high enough to fully hold the bolt. Maybe the bolt catch spring is overly strong and forcing the bolt catch to drop to easily. Ok, I just checked every one of my 5 other AR15's, and they all do it. I should say it is more than just a smack. It is a pretty hard hit with the palm of my hand, but they all did it at the same level of force. It felt identical on all rifles. They are: Bushy, Spikes, and three PSA's. Two of the PSA's have other brands of bolt carriers, one has a PSA. They are so consistent, I'm satisfied it is normal. I'm just surprised I've never noticed it before, after thousands of rounds and four years of AR's. My buddy says that at the range in the army, the range officer, after they were finished shooting, would walk by each soldier to inspect the chambers to confirm they were unloaded, then whack the stocks causing the bolts to shut. He said they did this every time they went to the range. That's what his story was as to why he thought it was normal. Funny how you keep learning things about these simple machines over the years. |
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Quoted:
Normal with a hard smack, another reason why clearing the chamber physically and visually and other safety precautions are so imperative. No doubt. I've been thinking about the possibilities of this when not aware it works that way, for someone who might be careless, or at least even a little too complacent. |
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If you remove the magazine there's nothing pushing up,on the lot catch and the bolt catch spring is trying to move it down out of the way.
The only thing loading the carrier back at that point is friction from the force of the recoil spring. A slight jar that removes the pressure of the bolt against the catch for even a split second will allow the catch to retract and the bolt to travel home. Completely normal. If it does it with an empty magazine inserted, then there may be a problem. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Normal with a hard smack, another reason why clearing the chamber physically and visually and other safety precautions are so imperative. No doubt. I've been thinking about the possibilities of this when not aware it works that way, for someone who might be careless, or at least even a little too complacent. How hard are you smacking it bc i just beat the shit out of my rifle and couldn't get it to do that. Its one thing if you mortar your rifle but it should be expected that a rifle is going to get knocked around a little. Edit: The magazine was out? If so that is perfectly normal |
| With the bolt locked open and no magazine, a firm whack to the stock should cause it to slam home as the "whack" takes the bolt pressure off the latch and the latch spring forces it back down. With a magazine in, there should be constant pressure pushing the latch up so the bolt shouldn't be able to close from a whack to the stock. |
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