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Can't Remove Bolt from Armalite Bolt Carrier
armilite
Member Posts: 35,483 ✭✭✭
I wanted to list this for sale on GB today. Took a bunch of pictures and decided to take one of the stripped down bolt. This is a virgin upper that I bought from Armalite some years ago. Unfired by me only problem is that I cant remove the bolt from the carrier. The retaining pin that holds the bolt in keeps hitting the carrier key tube. Doesn't matter if I turn it 180 degrees or not, no matter what I do the pin hits the carrier key. Never had it apart before no reason to, but I can't sell it that way. By the way its a 338 Federal upper. I've never encountered this problem on any AR and I've torn them down hundreds and hundreds of times.
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Comments
The only solution is to mill down the pin in situ to clear, or remove the carrier key.
Did someone decide you didn't need to remove this piece? Ever?
It would appear to me the retaining pin was not milled correctly if it is supposed to be removed
The only solution is to mill down the pin in situ to clear, or remove the carrier key.
Did someone decide you didn't need to remove this piece? Ever?
Well since I never took it apart before it appears Armalite built it this way. There are no scratches on the carrier key to see which one was installed first. If they but the bolt in and then attached the carrier key I could see that. But you think that somewhere along the line someone would have checked it for fit.
QA must have missed a step. Still under warranty?
It's pretty obvious the pin was installed before the carrier key and no amount of wishin' will make it not so.
QA must have missed a step. Still under warranty?
I'm not sure but they could look in their records to see when I purchased it, but you can sure see that it has never been fired. The bolt would show that upon removal. They haven't made that upper for at least two years or in that caliber. I've been watching the auctions for these on GB for the last 3 months or longer and I haven't seen one yet.
The bolt carrier body itself may be milled incorrectly not letting the pin rotate far enough to the left to clear the key.
While it would not affect the lockup for firing the rifle, it damn sure would stop you from removing the bolt.
There is another possibility for the error that just occurred to me.
The bolt carrier body itself may be milled incorrectly not letting the pin rotate far enough to the left to clear the key.
While it would not affect the lockup for firing the rifle, it damn sure would stop you from removing the bolt.
I'm just gonna call them tomorrow and send it back to them. I don't want to mess it up any more then it already is. This is a shame I'd think their QC would be better then it is.
Have you tried pushing the bolt rearward into the carrier?
Forwards side ways every which way. Either the bolt pins head has to be milled or the hole inside of the bolt carrier has to be milled out more.
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
There is another possibility for the error that just occurred to me.
The bolt carrier body itself may be milled incorrectly not letting the pin rotate far enough to the left to clear the key.
While it would not affect the lockup for firing the rifle, it damn sure would stop you from removing the bolt.
I'm just gonna call them tomorrow and send it back to them. I don't want to mess it up any more then it already is. This is a shame I'd think their QC would be better then it is.
IMHO, it was deliberately made that way. Why they didn't want the BCG disassembled. Is a question only they can answer.
Legal liability is a very big deal, in the firearms industry nowadays. Might have bearing, on them not wanting it disassembled.
If they tell you it's OK? I would just sell it, as a unfired 338 Federal. The BCG, not being able to be completely disassembled. Doesn't affect the function or safety of the AR.
quote:Originally posted by armilite
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
There is another possibility for the error that just occurred to me.
The bolt carrier body itself may be milled incorrectly not letting the pin rotate far enough to the left to clear the key.
While it would not affect the lockup for firing the rifle, it damn sure would stop you from removing the bolt.
I'm just gonna call them tomorrow and send it back to them. I don't want to mess it up any more then it already is. This is a shame I'd think their QC would be better then it is.
IMHO, it was deliberately made that way. Why they didn't want the BCG disassembled. Is a question only they can answer.
Legal liability is a very big deal, in the firearms industry nowadays. Might have bearing, on them not wanting it disassembled.
If they tell you it's OK? I would just sell it, as a unfired 338 Federal. The BCG, not being able to be completely disassembled. Doesn't affect the function or safety of the AR.
I have never heard of not being able to disassemble an AR 10 bolt. My old barrel a standard AR 10 20 inch barrel didn't have this problem. Certainly this is not common or I would have heard of this some where down the line. The 2 threads in my other post about this posted by P3 are from I think 2006-2008 its possible I bought this upper back then but I'd say it was maybe 5 years ago at most. You shouldn't have to take something apart with some sort of prying tool or a hammer is against my better judgement. I can't honestly sell it knowing that there is a major problem here.
Rob