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Posted: 12/8/2009 2:26:32 PM EDT
| Ok so here is my issue. When I pull the charging handle back and lock the BCG to the rear and then hit the stock on a hard surface the BCG is released and slams forward as if I pushed the Bolt release. Is this normal? If not how do i fix it? |
You can fix it only by selling the rifle  . That's normal.When you hit the stock on the ground, the weight of the BCG and buffer compresses the spring lightly, causing the tension holding the bolt catch in place to be reduced, allowing it to snap down into its normal position. When the spring forces the BCG and buffer back into place, the bolt catch is no longer there to stop the bolt, so on it goes into battery. |
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Yes, normal if you do not have a empty mag in the rifle to retain the bolt catch up. And don't think of it as a bolt hold open, but a last shot hold open instead.
The catch works on surface tension against the bolt face alone, and when the rifle is jar'd hard enough for that tension to be lost, the catch spring will lower the bolt catch, allowing the B/C to charge home. For this reason, never store the rifle with a loaded mag in the well, and the bolt locked back. If you do not know this yet, the firing pin in the bolt is free floating, and when a round is stripped/charge/loaded into the chamber, the firing pin will lightly dent the primer of that round. With enough tags on the primer from loading the same round over and over, or even a failure in the FCG, the rifle could discharge on it's own when allow to self load (you just grabbing the rifle from it's storage). |
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Quoted:
Not hacking on ya, the bolt release can be a rather fragile part. Leaving the breech open with out a magazine to support the release puts unneccessary stress on bolt release. It was an honest question. ??????? The last shot hold open device is just that, It retains the bolt back when the mag/rig goes dry (tells you that the weapon is empty), and keeps the bolt back so recharging speeds are increased (read drop the empty mag, insert a fresh mag and only have to hit the release button instead of having to pull the charging handle again). Fragile it is not, and will not be harmed if used to keep the bolt back for expended periods. Same goes for the bolt, carrier, and barrel extension, being that you can let the B/C slam home closed without any free of damage as well. Bottom line here, there is nothing fragile about the weapon if in mill spec form, and there is no reason to treat is as such as well. |
Thanks again guys! This being my first build I am just asking as many questions as possible. Just trying to be a resonsible and informed AR owner. There are some many gun laws here in KALIFORNIA that it is not even funny and keeping them steight at times is a challenge.  But it is what it is. I do see how people say that building these are a sickness. I bought a second stripped lower to just to have as a spare and I already am planning my next build. I am looking at possible a LA Rue Stealth upper but that is another story. Thanks for all the help.
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Quoted:
Dano, so you're saying you can dry fire a lower half (minus upper) all day long without danger of snapping off a bolt catch? You pull the trigger on a cocked hammer in a lower receiver only (without an upper), and it's not the catch you have to worry about, but the hammer peening the hell out of the front of the FCB receiver void when it crashes into it. Anyone with common sense knows to ride the hammer down by hand if you want to uncock it, so it does not crash into the front of the receiver (with just the lower in hand). Hell, pick any weapon that is not complete, and if you allow the hammer to fall freely, it's going to do some damage to the receiver or frame. As for with the upper on, you can dry fire all you want since the the hammer is not going to touch either the front of the receiver, nor the bolt hold open device (hammer is limited by contact to the firing pin, which the FP is limited by the back of the bolt). Simply, the only time that the hold open contacts anything with a complete rifle is when it is activated and goes to lock the bolt back via the bolt face. Besides the sight forward run of the B/C rebounding back forward to catch the face of the bolt when activated, it's only sees recoil spring tension at that point onward. Since a rebounding bolt is far more force than the static spring tension alone, you could leave the bolt locked back on the catch as long as you like without fear of damaging anything. Do you store your rifles or carbines with the breech open without a magazine? Why not? If you ever spent time at a military range, you know that a racked rifle is placed in that rack with no mag, and the bolt locked open (to verify that it's unloaded for short storage). As for storage back at the armory (long term), bolt lock home on a empty chamber (read slammed home and not CH road down),hammer down (trigger pulled), ejection port door closed to prevent debris from getting into the action, and no mag in the weapon (empty or loaded). As for carry rack stored for service use, loaded with the safety on. Although all weapons are treated as loaded, they are either stored empty when you are not in full control of them (bolt locked home and the ejection cover closed), and when they are in service, loaded and ready to go with the safety on if needed. There is no middle ground with the live mag loaded in the rifle, and the bolt locked back on the catch; thinking that weapon is safe because there is not a round in the chamber. As the Op stated, a single jar to the rifle is enough for the catch to loose surface tension, and without you knowing it, you will have a loaded weapon on your hands or the rack. |
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Dano, so you're saying you can dry fire a lower half (minus upper) all day long without danger of snapping off a bolt catch? I've heard tell of such breakage. I don't believe that was said. No, you do not want to dry fire the lower when separated from the upper, unless you're going to catch the hammer or otherwise prevent it from striking the bolt-catch/lower. While a few impacts probably will not cause damage, there is a likelihood that damage will occur over repeated cycles. |
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Quoted:
Dano, so you're saying you can dry fire a lower half (minus upper) all day long without danger of snapping off a bolt catch? I've heard tell of such breakage. Do you store your rifles or carbines with the breech open without a magazine? Why not? How long have you owned an AR? This is pretty basic knowledge. No he didn't say that, please note by doing so you can also break your lower which is also not a FRAGILE part. |
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