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11/15/2013 12:52:57 PM EDT
Hello, I looked all over the forum and on google and I came up short, as I imagine this is a rather rare problem. I have a Spikes lower that came with the flat standard triggerguard; I decided to get an enhanced triggerguard, and I was torn between a nameless aluminum trigger guard and the Magpul brand aluminum trigger guard. Now before you bash me, the nameless triggerguard has an excellent rating, some even claiming theirs looks identical to the Magpul enhanced guard. So I bought it, took the old triggerguard off, and installed the roll pin in the guard hole. Then I bumped into a problem; the screw that goes on the second hole does not line up! I can screw two or three turns before the screw becomes stuck, and of course I won't force the screw because I know it will strip the screw. The screw is canted when screwed, as the pics will show. What do you guys recommend I do? I am thinking about buying a magpul guard and I'll test to see if it fits, if not then my Spikes lower is probably out of spec. My guess then would be to file the lower receiver's hole a bit... what do you guys recommend? Thanks for reading this far and for any advice.

http://i.imgur.com/zKvhJnIl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4rTGEGKl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lAprJB9l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IZg2Xa9l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/LmBFdcGl.jpg
11/15/2013 2:17:34 PM EDT
[#1]
Pull trigger guard, set it bottom up on a hard table on top of a piece of non marring leather, put another piece of leather on top, and with a mallet, hammer down to bend the bottom of the trigger guard down ever so lightly to widen the distance between the two holes so they match the distance of your receiver.

If you have a vise, then leather on the jaws, and use the vise to tweak the trigger guard instead.

The needed length distance is not that bad, and you will not even know that the guard has been tweaked longer if you take you time/be gently on the tweaking.


And yes, you get what you pay for; and in this cause, a knock off of the real thing, so what actual did you expect?
11/15/2013 2:28:25 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote History
Quoted:
Pull trigger guard, set it bottom up on a hard table on top of a piece of non marring leather, put another piece of leather on top, and with a mallet, hammer down to bend the bottom of the trigger guard down ever so lightly to widen the distance between the two holes so they match the distance of your receiver.

If you have a vise, then leather on the jaws, and use the vise to tweak the trigger guard instead.

The needed length distance is not that bad, and you will not even know that the guard has been tweaked longer if you take you time/be gently on the tweaking.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Pull trigger guard, set it bottom up on a hard table on top of a piece of non marring leather, put another piece of leather on top, and with a mallet, hammer down to bend the bottom of the trigger guard down ever so lightly to widen the distance between the two holes so they match the distance of your receiver.

If you have a vise, then leather on the jaws, and use the vise to tweak the trigger guard instead.

The needed length distance is not that bad, and you will not even know that the guard has been tweaked longer if you take you time/be gently on the tweaking.

I'm eerie about doing this, aluminum is not that flexible (that I am aware of) and I'd rather return it, get the money back and get a Magpul guard than to break the aluminum guard and lose even more money... Either way, I'll try your advice later tonight being very careful and see the results, if I don't see a difference I'll just try a Magpul guard and see if it works. Then I can write a review on Amazon warning people about the bad guard, if my lower is not the problem, that is.

Thanks for the suggestion by the way.

Quoted:
And yes, you get what you pay for; and in this cause, a knock off of the real thing, so what actual did you expect?

I expected what 67 other reviews stated, that the guard would fit perfectly at half the price. If it had bad reviews of course I would not have gone cheap.
11/15/2013 6:21:04 PM EDT
[#3]
You now see why it's worth the extra $7 to get the real thing. Time has value too.
11/15/2013 7:12:43 PM EDT
[#4]
"My guess then would be to file the lower receiver's hole a bit..."

One of the first rules of gunsmithing is to alter the part that's cheapest and easiest to replace if things go wrong.
In this case you alter the cheap and easily replaced trigger guard, not the expensive and hard to replace lower receiver.

Also, just in case, make SURE that you use good support under the rear of the guard when driving the roll pin in or out.
The "ears" on the lower WILL just snap right off unless you use a bench block of some sort to support the ear as you drive the pin.

A good many AR owners have discovered how easy and fast the ears will break, and there is no "fix".
11/15/2013 8:27:06 PM EDT
[#5]
Have you tried screwing the front of the trigger guard in first, and then do the roll pin, It may or not make a difference but it can't hurt to try?

CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
SLR15 Rifles
TheDefensiveEdge.com
(763) 712-0123
11/16/2013 12:28:28 AM EDT
[#6]
It's $6.50, just flatten it out some.  I wouldn't even bother returning an item for that amount.
11/16/2013 2:35:18 AM EDT
[#7]
send it back and get a USA made part.
11/16/2013 2:49:37 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote History
Quoted:
"My guess then would be to file the lower receiver's hole a bit..."

One of the first rules of gunsmithing is to alter the part that's cheapest and easiest to replace if things go wrong.
In this case you alter the cheap and easily replaced trigger guard, not the expensive and hard to replace lower receiver.

Also, just in case, make SURE that you use good support under the rear of the guard when driving the roll pin in or out.
The "ears" on the lower WILL just snap right off unless you use a bench block of some sort to support the ear as you drive the pin.

A good many AR owners have discovered how easy and fast the ears will break, and there is no "fix".
View Quote


Yes.  I found out the hard way.  But the Starks grip does cover it nicely.

OP. Breakdown and buy a MAGPUL if that's what you wanted.
11/16/2013 3:20:38 AM EDT
[#9]
Had this issue with a Wilson combat TG when they first put them out.  I just shell out the extra for magpul so I don't have to deal with the trouble.  They've always worked.
11/16/2013 5:58:29 AM EDT
[#10]
I know for sure Midway has filtered at least one rating; I can only imagine what happens other places.
11/18/2013 9:12:12 PM EDT
[#11]
That is a strange problem. Did you buy it off amazon?   I'd just toss it and buy magpul.
11/21/2013 7:58:49 AM EDT
[#12]
You need to be careful what you purchase off of Amazon, they have been known to sell counterfeit products.
11/22/2013 12:36:22 PM EDT
[#13]
Buy once cry once.  There's a reason sayings like this are around.
12/7/2013 2:05:57 PM EDT
[#14]
Guys, thanks for all the responses and sorry for my absence, I've been extremely busy with the Uni, in fact I have finals this week starting Monday.

Nevertheless, I tried flattening the cheapo guard but I thought I would break it so I said **** it. So, I filed for a return which is free because the item is defective, and I got my money back. Then I bought the Magpul guard and I just got it today. I lined up the holes and I immediately noticed a difference, this time the holes lined up correctly. Booya, I thought. So, I grabbed the new pin that came with the kit, and against wise advice, I tried installing the new pin on the guard. Once I had two millimeters left of hammering, the pin did not budge not matter how hard I hammered it. I haven't hammered my girl as hard as I had to hammer that goddamn pin, I swear to god. Without my homemade bench block, that ear would've flown across the room, dead serious. Nevertheless, I gave up. I turned the lower around, and hammered it back off. Then, I got my old'e pin, and the thing entered like butter. Then I grabbed the hex screw, screwed it in ten seconds, and my new guard was IN!

In conclusion, the brandless guard was off spec, and my Spikes lower is in perfect spec as well as the Magpul guard. Some people mentioned I was gonna modify my receiver, hell no. Sorry Spikes, I doubted you. To my defense, 97% of times I buy from Amazon, and a product has high scores, I have no problems. And the guard is identical to the Magpul, except the holes didn't line up. Regardless, it is crap to me and needless to say I'm posting a 1 star review for the bad guard very soon. You guys are ultimately right, go cheap and go to hell.

I owe you guys some pics, so here they are. Sexy.

Cheers.

http://i.imgur.com/asm4wRhl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AeeRkVWl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EHyOqPJl.jpg
Homemade block
12/8/2013 7:44:29 PM EDT
[#15]
On roll pins, chuck them up in a drill and clean up the leading edge that you are going to be driving in.

The roll pins have burs that something causes them not to lead through the steps in the channels correctly.  
With the leading edge slightly beveled, they will drive true through the steps every time.
12/17/2013 8:14:35 AM EDT
[#16]
Good point Dano. I think the new roll pin got stuck on the lower ear, it literally didn't move at all from that point. A little too late for that though, my old roll pin went in easy as pie.
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