I have been trying to figure out why the compass function on one of my ATN X-Sight II night vision scopes has been acting stupid.

Last night I'm laying in bed and had an epiphany...and that's a big word for ole ElSupremo. Maybe my rifle is magnetized. When I got up this morning I took one small staple and straightened it out. I started around the rifle look for a place it might stick.

Behold......that sumbich stuck to the side of the upper receiver. I removed the bolt carrier group and it will pick up just as much ferrous metal as a store bought magnetic
screwdriver.  

Without the bolt carrier group in the upper the ATN's compass feature works just like it should.

I called a friend with several AR's to have him check some of his. Two of the first three he checked are magnetized too.

I called ATN this morning and told them what I found. I suggested that they put out a bulletin and include a warning in their manuals. This is probably the cause of more than one problem with all the new sensitive electronics.

I suppose there could be several different explanations for how they become magnetized. The hammering forces of cycling the bolt carrier group during firing might be one. The one I discovered is installed in a carbon fiber upper receiver where the friction of rubbing back and forth during firing could be a factor. The manufacturing machining process might also create some magnetism.

Interesting find.
The metal on poly could create a static charge.  What brand is the carrier, and what type of coating?

Personally I would stay away from polymer receivers.
A poly lower is bad, but a poly upper is just ridiculous in my opinion.

Also:
http://www.penntoolco.com/economy-demagnetizer-110-volts-51-168-3/?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhdKRvZi81wIVhy-BCh2KqQLiEAQYAyABEgK7RPD_BwE

We have now identified the first person in the universe who uses the compass feature.

You gotta have the compass feature working to get the smart shooting solution to compensate for wind.

I know we like to beat up stuff on this sight and a lot of people bad mouth ATN, but I have 3 of the X-sights and so far they have made me super sniper on hogs.

I made a 250 yard shot (7.62x39) in wind that worked like I was Carlos Hathcock. All I did was put the dot on the swine and wiggle my fanger.

Went to a friend's place that runs an Avionics shop. He has a degausser coil. I ran the bolt carrier group through it and am now good to go again.

More than likely it's just residual magnetism from the heat-treating process. Degaussing/Demagnetizing equipment is the ticket for correction...