I have an important yet odd question:

shouldn't a charging handle fit into a raw  (new ) upper that hasn't had a barrel fit to it yet?  or does a barrel assembly have to be cranked on for the charging handle to fit?

thanks

I'm pretty sure it should just fit.  I don't believe the barrel has anything to do with the CH fitting.  Others will know for sure but...

what isnt working on your upper/charging handle?

teh gas tube somewhat guides it home and the carrier key makes it feel more like a solid fit.

Quoted: what isnt working on your upper/charging handle? teh gas tube somewhat guides it home and the carrier key makes it feel more like a solid fit.

the charging handle will not slide into the upper at all...the guide lugs don't seem to want to fit into the track

this is what I get for not buying Colt uppers....
but it isn't easy finding real small hole front  Colt 6320 or C7 uppers

wehre did you get the charging handle?

Quoted: wehre did you get the charging handle?

Colt in all cases...none of the 4 I have will fit

Quoted: Quoted: what isnt working on your upper/charging handle? teh gas tube somewhat guides it home and the carrier key makes it feel more like a solid fit. the charging handle will not slide into the upper at all...the guide lugs don't seem to want to fit into the track this is what I get for not buying Colt uppers.... but it isn't easy finding real small hole front  Colt 6320 or C7 uppers

You are putting it in the recess slots, and not trying to slide it straight in the back right?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: what isnt working on your upper/charging handle? teh gas tube somewhat guides it home and the carrier key makes it feel more like a solid fit. the charging handle will not slide into the upper at all...the guide lugs don't seem to want to fit into the track this is what I get for not buying Colt uppers.... but it isn't easy finding real small hole front  Colt 6320 or C7 uppers You are putting it in the recess slots, and not trying to slide it straight in the back right?

correct....but a good question.....I've been using ARs since I was ten, I have that part down....

upers are Fulton Armory C7

Colt handles from all of my Colts will interchange between Colt and Bushie but will not go into these C7s....the new uppers have nothing installed and are in the raw...BOLT CARRIERS do fit perfectly

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: what isnt working on your upper/charging handle? teh gas tube somewhat guides it home and the carrier key makes it feel more like a solid fit. the charging handle will not slide into the upper at all...the guide lugs don't seem to want to fit into the track this is what I get for not buying Colt uppers.... but it isn't easy finding real small hole front  Colt 6320 or C7 uppers There is no reason they shouldn't fit, putting the barrel does not change the structure of the upper, I would say something is out of spec with the upper. JOsh You are putting it in the recess slots, and not trying to slide it straight in the back right? correct....but a good question.....I've been using ARs since I was ten, I have that part down.... upers are Fulton Armory C7 Colt handles from all of my Colts will interchange between Colt and Bushie but will not go into these C7s....the new uppers have nothing installed and are in the raw...BOLT CARRIERS do fit perfectly

Quoted: upers are Fulton Armory C7

Have you e-mailed or phoned Fulton Armory about the C7 upper and the charging handle problem? Fulton will work with you and will want to know if there is a problem with the C7 uppers they sell!

Quoted: Quoted: upers are Fulton Armory C7 Have you e-mailed or phoned Fulton Armory about the C7 upper and the charging handle problem? Fulton will work with you and will want to know if there is a problem with the C7 uppers they sell!

I'll be calling them this a.m.  of course this shit always happens on a Sunday.....

I know Clint or Walt will square me away but now I have to RE order my stuff and have it here by THURSDAY....I am hoping they will check the set I order today before I order it...I'll be ording charging handles this time too and have them pre installed si I know they are good when they get here

I wonder what will be next....

That is REALLY odd !!!!

And I am REALLY curious! Any chance you can post some pics?

Okay, mystery solved, I spoke to Fulton today.  They have had a few issues with this and it is a vendor problem.  The upper charging handle track is out of spec.  I have already ordered two more but this time they are gonna install charging handles in the recievers ( I ordered them with charging handles ) and double check them for general overall quality for me.

I have to say that the recievers were VERY pretty and nicely machined as far as general fit and finish....I hope hoping the next set is as nice looking....and better fitting in the charging handle department.

I had figured that installing a barrel had absolutely nothing to do with it...however there are stranger things in the world and because I have never built an upper before I really wasn't sure of there was something odd that I might be missing.  I thought it a distant possibility that the reciever might have to be pre-stressed by installing the barrel nut.  Silly....but I have seen wierder things.

Glad you have it taken care of.

I have 3 Colt uppers and two RRA charging handles. One hangs up a touch in all receivers, but with a slight jiggle will go on home. The other one is a perfect fit.

Quoted: Okay, mystery solved, I spoke to Fulton today.  They have had a few issues with this and it is a vendor problem.  The upper charging handle track is out of spec.  I have already ordered two more but this time they are gonna install charging handles in the recievers ( I ordered them with charging handles ) and double check them for general overall quality for me. I have to say that the recievers were VERY pretty and nicely machined as far as general fit and finish....I hope hoping the next set is as nice looking....and better fitting in the charging handle department. I had figured that installing a barrel had absolutely nothing to do with it...however there are stranger things in the world and because I have never built an upper before I really wasn't sure of there was something odd that I might be missing.  I thought it a distant possibility that the reciever might have to be pre-stressed by installing the barrel nut.  Silly....but I have seen wierder things.

Let me amplify a bit to what Fulton didn't tell you.  All their uppers are DPMS, and all the DPMS C7 type uppers I've ever seen, including the one I own, are too narrow in the channel for standard spec charging handles.  The DPMS handle, on the other hand, fits just fine; so it's the only upper I own that doesn't have a Colt charging handle in it. A small PITA but a solveable one.


And what do you want to bet that they'll "solve" the problem by putting in the DPMS handles that they also sell?  BTW, this only seems to be a problem w/the C7 type uppers.

Quoted: Quoted: Okay, mystery solved, I spoke to Fulton today.  They have had a few issues with this and it is a vendor problem.  The upper charging handle track is out of spec.  I have already ordered two more but this time they are gonna install charging handles in the recievers ( I ordered them with charging handles ) and double check them for general overall quality for me. I have to say that the recievers were VERY pretty and nicely machined as far as general fit and finish....I hope hoping the next set is as nice looking....and better fitting in the charging handle department. I had figured that installing a barrel had absolutely nothing to do with it...however there are stranger things in the world and because I have never built an upper before I really wasn't sure of there was something odd that I might be missing.  I thought it a distant possibility that the reciever might have to be pre-stressed by installing the barrel nut.  Silly....but I have seen wierder things. Let me amplify a bit to what Fulton didn't tell you.  All their uppers are DPMS, and all the DPMS C7 type uppers I've ever seen, including the one I own, are too narrow in the channel for standard spec charging handles.  The DPMS handle, on the other hand, fits just fine; so it's the only upper I own that doesn't have a Colt charging handle in it. A small PITA but a solveable one. And what do you want to bet that they'll "solve" the problem by putting in the DPMS handles that they also sell?  BTW, this only seems to be a problem w/the C7 type uppers.

I did ask the tech I spoke to to make sure that GI charging handles will fit in my upper...but as I said, I did order some from them and I don't know whose make those will be....

When I get the uppers I will try to fit my GI and Colt charging handles in the uppers for fun....we'll see what happens....stay tuned.

I just installed a CMT charging handle in my c7 upper from fulton.  It fit perfectly. I got the upper over a year ago so it may just be the newer ones have the issue you descibed.  I hope fulton fixes the problem for you.  

Well, shamayim called it 100%.  The charging handles that Fulton sent me fit perfect but Colt / REAL G.I. handles will not fit the newest uppers I received.  That was a complete waste of time...I could have  just ordered charging handles from them.

Oh well, as far as everything else goes...fit and finish were great and my carbine went together well.  Still pissed about the charging handles but what can I do?  

I know I could have ordered Bushie or someone else but I have PRECIOUS little time for these projects so I went forth and finished them as is.

The top pic is the original 6401/6320 ( take your pick, I can figure Colt's model numbers out )  Colt with the new LE lower and a C7 small hole upper below it.

The next pic is the finished 6320 with an authentic Colt 6520 on top.

shit....technical difficulties....stand by

okay, here we go.....