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Posted: 3/5/2010 7:33:13 AM EDT
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Shot my AR for the first time yesterday and broke it down at the house afterwards for a thorough cleaning and inspection. Everything went well until I tried to reassemble the bolt. The cotter pin that goes back into the carrier is flared out on the open end of the pin. I can get it to go in the first side of the bolt carrier but because it is flared it will not go into the smaller hole on the inside of the carrier and as such I can not completely reassemble the carrier group and the trigger pin is not held in.
Can I use a regular (same size) cotter pin from the hardware store? Do these have a stronger strength and I should order a few from a supplier? From what I gather its just a retention pin and shouldnt have too much force upon it but I dont wanna do something stupid and mess up my AR, or more importantly (some may argue) myself. Your input is welcome and invited. Is this pin a throw-away part that I should have more of on hand? |
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yeah, I got it that far but once it goes into the carrier I cant get it to take in on the other side because of the flare. I've tried using needle nose pliers to "push" it in on the other side and then after that didnt work I even tried tapping it with a hammer lightly. I think its flared a bit.
I called Stag, which is who's upper I purchased, and they are sending me a new pin. I'm happy about that and they were very accomodating to do so. Is this something I can get at the local hardware store? Dont know if its some special "mil-spec heat treated unobtanium alloy" pin, haha. If its something I can find locally, I would like to have 2 or 3 on hand, just because. |
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They are something that I keep extras on hand.
Try spinning it while inserting it. If that doesn't work use a small punch or similar item and insert into the rear of the carrier between the firing pin and the small hole. Sometimes you can guide it in that way. 
There is a thread somewhere dedicated to this. I can't find it though. ETA: Here it is: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=471303 |
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Quoted:
Is this something I can get at the local hardware store? Dont know if its some special "mil-spec heat treated unobtanium alloy" pin, haha. If its something I can find locally, I would like to have 2 or 3 on hand, just because. It is hardened, and it keeps the firing pin from becoming a missile, shooting out the back of the bolt and embedding itself in the face of the buffer, and generally messing up your day. If the split nature of the ends bothers you, you can buy a one-piece firing pin retaining pin from just about any manufacturer. |
| I started reading this post and instinctively knew you were talking about a Stag BCG. Thats because I helped my friend assemble his Stag kit and while showing him how to disassemble the rifle for maintenance and putting back together I ran into the same issue. At first I thought the straight end was flaring and that was the reason why it wasnt going in easily. I also noticed that Stag uses a cotter ping that is harder that all the others that I own but that is only part of the problem. The actual problem is that the cotter ping is not going straight into the carrier and it tilts up missing the hole on the other end. If instead of inserting straight in you push up, then it tilts down and goes in like it should catching the hole on the other end... |
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haha, yes, I'm putting it in the correct side.
Im not to where I can look at it right now but I dont believe the pin had rounded ends like the one above. That may lead to a problem. Will try all these "methods" to install a simple pin when my new pins arrive from Stag. |
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Quoted:
They are something that I keep extras on hand. Try spinning it while inserting it. If that doesn't work use a small punch or similar item and insert into the rear of the carrier between the firing pin and the small hole. Sometimes you can guide it in that way. http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo134/rlr350/IMG_2306.jpg There is a thread somewhere dedicated to this. I can't find it though. ETA: Here it is: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=471303 This works for me |
| got 2 pins in from Stag today in the mail. That was really quick. Installation of new pin went just as easily as it was supposed to. I have to figure something was wrong with the old pin before I got ahold of it. New pin went in so easily there is no way I could have messed up the old one. |
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Quoted:
I started reading this post and instinctively knew you were talking about a Stag BCG. Thats because I helped my friend assemble his Stag kit and while showing him how to disassemble the rifle for maintenance and putting back together I ran into the same issue. At first I thought the straight end was flaring and that was the reason why it wasnt going in easily. I also noticed that Stag uses a cotter ping that is harder that all the others that I own but that is only part of the problem. The actual problem is that the cotter ping is not going straight into the carrier and it tilts up missing the hole on the other end. If instead of inserting straight in you push up, then it tilts down and goes in like it should catching the hole on the other end... this problem is not unique to Stag rifles. ETA: This is definitely a part that all AR owners should keep a few extras laying around. |
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