My buddy brought me his rifle last night and it seems he installed his ergo grip on his m16 and as a result the selecter switch wont lock in place. The switch still manupliates the sear but it does not lock into place/ is this somthing that can be fixed easily to does he need to go to the armorer.It seems that it still works

Does he still have the selector detent and detent spring?

TS

\dont know i am not an armorer could somthing of fell out, I don’t even know what or where they are please clarify, how does removing the grip affect the weapon

is the spring in?

the hole in the grip for the selector detent spring might be too deep, this will cause the problem you describe.

Probably lost the detent and spring when you removed the original grip.

Quoted: Probably lost the detent and spring when you removed the original grip.

Yup.  

TS

Remove the grip again. Make sure the weapon is unloaded.  Hold the rifle with the mag well and grip facing up.  There should be a long usually copper colored spring and a brass (colored) piece of metal like a small caplet.  Here's a pic of all the lower parts.  See if you have the ones labeled selector spring and selector detent.  The spring should either be in the grip or in the lower receiver, the detent should be in the receiver.



If you don't he'll have to buy a replacement(s).  


TS

gotcha last question are those pieces held in by the grip? are they in the lower reciver or the grip?

The selector detent is held in the receiver, the spring is held is a small hole in the top left part of the grip, up against the receiver.  Put the detent in the receiver with the rifle mag well up like it was when you took the grip off. Put the spring in the hole it the grip, then start the spring in the hole in the receiver.  Then put the grip screw in and tighten it.  Be careful not to let the spring fall back out or mash/bend the spring while tightening the screw.  If everything goes okay, tighten the grip screw as tight as you can by hand.  The selector should work again like it is supposed to.  I hope this does the trick...


TS