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Posted: 8/15/2016 9:59:04 PM EDT
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Hi,
I've been a member of this forum for many years and it's been years since I posted. I've been away from AR-15's for a long ime and I'm happy to be back -- for good, I hope. I just bought a Bushmaster QRC to get my foot back in the water again, and I'm hoping to get some help with take-down pins. First, they fit loosely in their holes. They tend to cant and are very hard to push. They require a lot of giggling and a wack with the pad of my hand to close them. Is there anything I can do to improve their functioning? This problem occurs when I try to move the pins without the upper in place. With the upper in place, the task becomes almost impossible. The holes in the lower don't match up with the ones in the upper. It can take me a half hour pushing, pulling and whacking to get the pins in place -- if I can do it at all. Has anyone had this problem? How did you fix it? I'm out of ideas other than sending it back to Bushmaster. Any help you can provide will be appreciated very much, Thanks, Mike |
| No clue on your problem although I just got a Ruger AR556 after being away from AR's for 10+ years and the pins are a bitch with/without upper in it. Probably next thing I am going to replace in the lower and pretty much only thing that hasn't been replaced other than bolt catch. I will leave the bolt catch cause don't want to fuck with the roll pin to replace it. I really wish my take down pins were easier. Basically have to use a tool to move them when they are in to get them to move out no matter what. |
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They shouldn't be that tight. Try oiling them up really good. The most common issue is the divot for the detent is sometimes drilled a bit too deep, requiring much more force than should be to move them in or out, with or without upper.
I'm betting your take down pins are out of spec. Try replacing just them, or get a quality lower parts kit with a good trigger. BCM had their's in stock over the weekend. Very good kit, quality pins, detents, and springs. RRA, Armalite, Daniel defense, tons of good kits out there. |
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Thanks for your help, guys. Good information and I appreciate it. I called Bushmaster customer service and had a very unpleasant conversation with a tech. He was at least partially right, but very demeaning in his attitude. He told me the problem is my fault. That's at least partially true, but it's not the whole story.
Oiling the pins had no effect. Then I measured the detents drilled into the pins and found that the one in the rear pin (with which I have the most trouble) is much deeper than the one in the front pin. I ordered a set of CMMG pins and I hope/think assembly will be easier. Beavo421, I'm in Frisco, TX. Again, thanks for your input. Mike |
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I have found many front pins don't line up easily unless you have the upper swung open. The holes are actually a little bit oblong, so they are easier to line up that way rather than placing the upper completely on the lower and trying to push the pins in. Once the front is lined up, and you swing the upper onto the lower, the rear will lined up automatically.
Instead of replacing the detent pins, you could just file the little points off a little. Some are pointier than others and make it difficult to start the takedown pins moving. I seriously doubt you need to replace anything anyway. A lot of pins are hard to work on new rifles. They break in with little use. |
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Quoted:
No clue on your problem although I just got a Ruger AR556 after being away from AR's for 10+ years and the pins are a bitch with/without upper in it. Probably next thing I am going to replace in the lower and pretty much only thing that hasn't been replaced other than bolt catch. I will leave the bolt catch cause don't want to fuck with the roll pin to replace it. I really wish my take down pins were easier. Basically have to use a tool to move them when they are in to get them to move out no matter what. No need to replace them, they will ease up after some use. My Ruger was the only one of my AR's that I needed to use a punch on the rear take down pin to remove, no longer have to do it. |
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I had somewhat of a similar situation with the AR that I built. The takedown pin was a stubborn pain in the ass to manipulate when I built the gun. But, it was a matter of getting them broken in. I noticed that over time, with regular movement, they became easier to push out and back in...
Long story short, just fiddle with them for a while and see if they loosen up on their own. If not, look at replacing them.... |
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