I have a dumb question. I got the last part to my plinker yesterday and I have installed it (The Bolt Assembly). When I go to close the upper and lower up the back of the bolt hits the lower so I have to remove the front pin to install the two halfs. Do I have something wrong or is that the way you take it apart and and reinstall it?

chas, do you mean you have to push the front pin to the open position, or actually remove it from the lower?  You shouldn't ever have to remove it, but on one of mine rifles, it's easier to get it back together if I do the back pin first, then the front one.  

Well, make sure the bolt carrier/charging handle is all the way forward.   Also, pull the hammer back to the cocked position (do NOT pull the trigger, especially with any of your fingers in the way!!  you could break a finger or the receiver), then put the two halves together.  Try that, and see it that makes a difference.

It's hard for me to visualize what's going on, but it sounds like something's not right.  The bolt shouldn't be hitting the lower anywhere...do you mean the bolt carrier instead?  

Okay...if the firing pin is not all the way forward into the bolt, it'll hit the front of the hammer when you try and close the upper and lower.  Either cock the hammer, or just push the firing pin forward a little.  That's about the only thing I can think of, but neither of those should require taking the front pin out...you won't see the problem 'til you swing the back of the receiver down to try and close the back pin.  

To open the rifle up I have to remove the front and rear pin to seperate to two. My carrier sticks out about a quarter of an inch in the rear. I have a DPMS Lower, upper and bolt and carrier. I have looked at everyhting and the only thing I can think of it the gas tube is too long?

chas66,here's a pic:

[img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/188491/open3.jpg[/img]

The front pin is still closed, I opened the back pin and rotated the upper about an inch upwards.  Note how far into the upper the bolt/carrier assembly is...there's about a millimeter clearance between them and the front of the buffer tube, so that the upper can swing free without hitting anything.  If yours doesn't look like this, then something IS wrong.  

Make sure the charging handle slides all the way forward around the gas tube...check that w/out the bolt carrier group, you'll be able to see if you look at it from the bottom.  The gas tube should stick into the upper 1"...that's how long mine is.  (no, not that...the gas tube lol)

Check these and let us know what you see...hopefully by then I can get the pic up for you.  It sounds like your bolt isn't closing all the way.  Flip the rifle over, and with the charging handle in, verify that the bolt carrier slides all the way forward so that the bolt goes all the way into the locking lugs.  There shouldn't be any gap between the front of the bolt carrier and the inside front of the upper receiver.  

My tube comes to 1 3/8 into the upper receiver

okay...that means it must be hitting the carrier key on top, and the bolt can't close all the way. (did you check that...does the bolt go all the way forward?)

Well, if that's the case, you've crossed out of my area of expertise...you may want to post another message with a heading specific to the gas tube maybe being too long.  I don't have any idea what to do; maybe you have the wrong gas tube, was that part of a kit or something?  

I took the gas tube out and everything works???? I will ask DPMS

cool...hopefully they can fix it w/out too much fuss.  

If the gas tube was not pushed all the way into the front sight base before you put in the gas tube pin then it will stick out like that. Unless there was a glitch at the factory and they made a tube too long i would almost bet this is what happened. Take out the pin and push the gas tube into the front sight base. You should see the end of the tube pass the roll pin hole then see daylight again when the hole in the gas tube is in place. WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T FIRE THE RIFLE AT THIS TIME! Make sure the gas tube is in its proper place.