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Page AR-15 » Troubleshooting
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 2/28/2006 8:08:58 AM EDT
About a year or so ago, I opened a thread about my selector lever being stuck on 'fire'.  No one had experienced that problem so the consensus was to use lots of lube and tap on the receiver.  However, that and prying with dental tools didn't work.

A selector stuck on 'fire' didn't bother me much and since 2005 was a very busy year, I never made it a priority to get it fixed.  I was going to pay a gunsmith to fix it since I didn't think I could fix it myself until a member here offered to help.

We (actually, he did everything; I just held the receiver) drilled into the detent about 3/16" and used a screw that fit the hole to pull out the detent.  After removing the selector, we examined everything and found what caused the problem.  The 'fire' position hole on the selector was too small and the selector's channel didn't slope smoothly into the hole.  There was an edge that prevented the detent from being pushed down and created a tight fit.  

That was fixed by enlarging the hole and smoothening the edge with a dremel.  We didn't have a spare detent or spring, so we had to work with what we had.  Because the screw stretched the diameter of the detent, we filed it down to about 2/3 of it original size.  That proved to be too short, but stretching the detent spring made it work.

Now, it works fine.  The selector travel is not as smooth as a normal one, but it works and I will leave it as is for another three weeks until the next gun show.


Link Posted: 2/28/2006 11:10:06 AM EDT
[#1]
Link Posted: 2/28/2006 11:47:47 AM EDT
[#2]
Dano,

Thanks for your reply.  It was Tweak who helped me the first time.  If I am not mistaken, you helped me too.  

The problem was not with the receiver.  The detent pin moved (and still does) freely in the receiver.  The problem was the selector lever.  When I mentioned the selector's channel, I was refering to the channel/cut that connects the two holes in the selector lever.  I'm sorry for the confusion.  My nomenclature is not up to speed.  

The detent pin was stuck in the 'fire' hole of the selector level.  No matter how much I wiggled, pulled, pushed, hammered (rubber), and twisted the selector, the pin would not move.  After we removed the detent pin and selector lever from the receiver, we tried inserting the detent pin in both holes, with holes facing down.  From the 'safe' hole, the detent pin would fall from mere gravity--just like it would if pressed against a flat surface.  From the 'fire' hole, once in, you had to pull it out.  Again, this was when apart from the receiver.  I wish we would have taken pictures.

I plan on buying a new selector level, a couple detent pins and springs, and other parts.  
Link Posted: 2/28/2006 9:05:12 PM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 3/1/2006 4:51:35 AM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:
No worries!!!!!

When you get the new selector and detent, dry fit the detent into the selector detents/dents.  If you find that the detent is making contact at only the very tip of it, break/relief the tip of the detent with a stone until the outer taper of the point is making the majority of the contact.  This will allow the detent to easier glide out of the detent indent, and the selector will be firmer in lockup at the two points.
Note: Normally the detent tip will round it's self threw wear, but who wants to wait for the part to break in when you can fit them from the start during the build.

As for the old selector, yes I have seen some nightmares with casting marks in/a crossed the tracking groove, and the two detent drilled different depths or with wicked edge burs on the step out of the detent indents.  On these, it's just better to trashcan them (or send them back as defective units) instead of tying to rework the hardened steel parts.

Not sure how you bought the parts from, but a phone call/email may yield you a new working selector and detent pin to add to your replacement parts kit if the supplier will acknowledge that the parts where defective from the start. If it’s one of the better supplies there should be no questions asked on the replacement parts, but if needed, you could always source this and the old thread to bring some light to the subject.  Not saying that anyone here will strong arm them for you, but you will find that the site, and the masses the visited/home here as a whole, could put a hurting on their check book in regards to future sales if the simplest of parts sent are not replace when known defective from the start.



It sounds like they're more common than I thought.  Thanks again for the advice.
Page AR-15 » Troubleshooting
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
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