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Posted: 12/3/2006 1:44:57 PM EDT
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I'm using one of those yellow Sinclair follower devices to turn a 20-round straight mag (for CMP use) into a single loader. Here's a link to the device: http://www.championshooters.com/AR-15-ssl.htm This thing basically lets you use your 20-round mag like a single shot magazine. And you can load in longer rounds, for use in competition. However, shooting it at the range is kind of a hassle. My range won't allow mag use except in CMP competitions, so you have to single load every shot. I'm trying to find a more convenient way to do that by using this thing. But every time after you shoot, it engages the bolt catch and locks the bolt back, so you have to remove the entire mag to load the next shot. What I'd REALLY like to do is be able to just drop my shots through the ejection port and onto the top of that follower, and just load them that way, without having to pull/reinsert the mag for every shot. * Is there any way to do that, to enable it to work with dropped in rounds so I don't have to pull it every time? * Would one of those "bobsled" 20-round single shot mag devices work better for what I'm trying to do? (http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=20660&s=) |
wow, first off i would try to find a new range  i guess you could just load a std 20 rd in (even though i guess this might be against the rules b/c it is a magazine ). drop the round in the ejection port, then hit the bolt hold open release on the side to slam the bolt foreward.
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 Who the Hell told you that?I use a Sinclair follower for matches. It is specifically designed make it easy to feed rounds through the ejection port by guiding the round as you slide it into the chamber. Trip the bolt release and you're ready to go. With one arm wrapped in a sling every little bit helps. BTW, I'd find a new range too. |
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Good idea on the range! Believe me, I'd like to, there's just nothing else in close driving distance and I need a place close by to shoot, so not much choice. Glad to hear that the Sinclair works well for you. Maybe I don't have it set up right, so I'll ask you (I'm new to AR's). I installed the Sinclair by removing the existing black plastic follower from my 20-rd straight mag. The Sinclair of course just sits on top of the spring, as there's no hole at the bottom of the Sinclair to hook the spring through. But it looks like it's lined up in there correctly. Now when I push the mag all the way in and lock the bolt back, and then load a round through the ejection port, the mag seems to hold the bolt catch open in such a way that it's now impossible for me to release the bolt. I push the bolt catch, wiggle the charging arm, etc., but nothing will make the bolt release and to chamber the round. The only way I can get the bolt to release is if I actually hit the mag release button, and lower the mag a little. But obviously that's not a solution. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? This is a brand new White Oak upper, and the mags are brand new, so I don't think it's defective hardware, I assume I must be missing something. |
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Yes, good point. I did check using both the mag that has the Sinclair follower (except with the Sinclair removed and the normal follower in its place), plus another mag just like it, and they work normally. I stick in the mag with a round loaded, lock the bolt back, then I can release the bolt catch and the bolt snaps shut and chambers the round normally. Now if I insert the Sinclair in a mag, either on top of the existing follower, or removing the existing follower (tried both ways), once I insert the magazine and lock the bolt back, that's it. Nothing I can do will cause the bolt to slip past the bolt catch, unless I release the mag button and manually lower the mag a bit. But again, that's not a solution. I just wonder if this particular follower is not going to work with these standard USGI 20-rd straight mags? I thought these were pretty standard mags, and that you had to use these for CMP, and that the Sinclair was designed to work with mags like this. Here's the mags I'm using: http://www.44mag.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NH20 Also, as an alternative and possibly better solution, I just ordered one of the Bob-sled devices from MidwayUSa. If I can get the Sinclair working, I wouldn't mind having both, so that I have a back-up single shot loader solution. But if I can't get the Sinclair working, then I'll need the Bob-sled anyway. This looks like a slick device (if it works!). http://www.dctechs.com/obspage.htm |
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The single loading adapter is supposed to require you to hit the bolt release to drop the bolt. The Bob SLED will, as well. I'm guessing the single loading adapter is either defective, or installed incorrectly. But since you bought the Bob SLED, you'll be fine. I use the Bob SLED, specifically for high power. Works great. |
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I called Sinclair today, the company that makes the Sinclair follower, and they told me this: 1. It's very common for the follower not to work in a particular mag, even an official USGI one. The issue is the mags are made with loose tolerances, so they can have varying measurements, and this affects whether the follower works in a given mag. Bottom line: you have to try the follower in several mags. I only tried 2, so will try a couple more. 2. Sinclair (http://www.sinclairintl.com) sells both the Sinclair follower, and the Bobsled devices. They said both tend to work about equally well, though of course the Bobseld is convenient since it doesn't tie up a good mag. They said there's no quality reason in particular to prefer one over the others, as they sometimes get complaints about the Bobsleds not working, too. They said if I cannot get the Sinclair working in any of my 4 mags, they're happy to return it. Thanks everyone for the tips on this thread. Appreciate it! |
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More good news. The last mag I tried was the ticket, it worked. I was able to load a round, and release the bolt catch, and the bolt slipped past the mag the way it should. Sounds like Sinclair's support guy was right; you just have to try it with enough different mags until you find the ones that work. Apparently with a lot of mags, it just won't fit quite right. One other issue I realized I was having is, in another thread I've been working on an issue where my new RR lower came in with a defective bolt catch (the fingertip button on the catch lever was broken off). So it's REALLY hard to depress the bolt catch, and I realized that until the new part comes in, I have to use some kind of object to be able to press the bolt catch hard enough to ensure it releases. Thanks again the help! |
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It's good to hear that you got it working. It's even better to hear that Sinclair was there to support you. One more thing: You do NOT load the round into the Sinclair adapted magazine. You insert the magazine empty, then drop a round in through the ejection port and use a finger to push it into the chamber. BTW, when I meant by my earlier post was that you should be able to trip the bolt release with an empty magazine inserted, overriding the bolt catch. ETA: Somehow missed the part about the bolt catch in your last post... |
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Used the follower at the range today; worked GREAT! Because of my broken bolt catch, I had to use the back of a screwdriver handle to get enough leverage to press down the broken catch arm to release the bolt (because the little finger press button is the part broken off, so it's hard to push the piece that's left good enough to release the bolt). But once I got it pressed, the bolt would snap shut and load the round, no problem! |
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