BAL Lever Problem - Help needed

Bolivar

Bolivar

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Outside Barrie ON, Native to South Shore of NS
Hey all

I added a Tactical Link BAL (further incorrectly referred to as a BAD Lever) to my Norc AR this week. It function tested find but live fire proved it caused a problem. The bolt will not longer hold open on an empty mag when firing. I works fine when operating the charging handle but no go when firing.

I tried both hand loads and commercial ammo with Pmags. I read that some people with Norcs had this problem with BAD levers.

Has anyone had this problem and found a simple solution? Would replacing the bolt hold open help? Cutting a couple of coils off of the spring for this part?

I would really like to be able to make this add on work but I won't sacrifice function and reliability. Yes I could simply get rid of the BAD or get rid of the Norc but that is not really the solution I am looking for.

Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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This is looking like a Nork issue. I've been troubleshooting another Nork. Bolt holds open fine but as soon as a BAD or Tactical Link is put on the bold won't hold back.
 
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CarbineOne said:
Check the tightness of the fit. Those bolt-on levers, if too loose, will impede the BHO from fully opening or closing.
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Yeah it is on real tight. The Tactical link has three screws to hold everything together, including a set screw on the "face" of the bolt release lever. This is the reason I looked at the Tactical Link over the Magpul
 
Cpt.Flan said:
Norinco CQ have the carrier not locking back issue... Might have nothing to do with the BAD lever...
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I don't think it is the BAD lever. I am pretty sure it is the lower.

I didn't have a problem before the BAD. I have read some other users had issues even without the BAD. What gets me is that if I pull back the charging handle all the way, there is no issue. It's like the BCG is not moving back far enough when fired. Or the action is so fast that the BHO open bar can't move up in time when pushed up by the follower.
 
jdman said:
Early ones maybe? I have never had issues with pmags.
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At some point within the last year Magpul made a change in the design of their green followers which only affects the newest revision M 30-round PMAGs (the 20-round and EMAG use a different black follower and aren't).

In the original design the follower used to return flush with the feed lips; now it returns a mm or so lower and this apparently causes issues with the bolt failing to lock back on some norcs (and this issue is exclusive with norcs).
 
Bolivar said:
I've read on an American forum site that this problem happens with other lowers when adding BAD levers. One suggestion was changing to a heavier buffer to slow the cycle down. Any thoughts? Upsides, downs sides?

Anybody know where you can order an H3 buffer?
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http://www.heavybuffers.com/ar15carbine.html

I'd recommend going as heavy as possible. 'Slash' heavy buffers are awesome, I run a few of them.
 
Same thing happens with my Bushy and the Tactical Link lever, but only a few of my mags. And it is intermittant, sometimes it will lock the bolt back, sometimes not.
 
CarbineOne said:
http://www.heavybuffers.com/ar15carbine.html

I'd recommend going as heavy as possible. 'Slash' heavy buffers are awesome, I run a few of them.
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Nice but pricey. I want my Norc to run 100%, put all rounds in an MOA circle at 1000 yards, during a Hurricane, shooting off hand - will all parts less than $25.00 shipped on EE :D

Okay, seriously, do any of the CGN sponsors carry H3 weight buffers, or 9mm?
 
Sometimes the Bad lever will rub on the lower, if it does you will see a scuff there.

Cycle your upper and lock it on the bolt catch and take a look if it is, all you have to do is bend the Bad lever a little so it doesnt rub.

Or do you have play in the mag catch itself if this is the problem then you might have to shim the catch in the lower.
 
jmiddy said:
Sometimes the Bad lever will rub on the lower, if it does you will see a scuff there.

Cycle your upper and lock it on the bolt catch and take a look if it is, all you have to do is bend the Bad lever a little so it doesnt rub.

Or do you have play in the mag catch itself if this is the problem then you might have to shim the catch in the lower.
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On manual cycling, the lever is touching or just about, on the reciever wall. I thought about that before and then forgot. Good point.

However, I don't want screw with the lever too much until I try a few other things. As it is now, I can at least re-sell the lever, if I bend it I could either break it or otherwise wreak it. It is made of aluminum so it will likely be pretty brittle.

I'll take a look at the bolt catch again but I think it seems okay in the lower, moves freely but not so much as to be sloppy.
 
blaxsun said:
Or just buy one of those <$1,000 Canadian-made ARs that sound like they're going to materialize...
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+1
Bingo

Sorry guys but really, these Norc's cause way too much problems in the first place, it's funny because you guys are spending all this extra money & Time upgrading it you should have just bought a quality AR in the first place.

Someone should start a list of what actually works well in a Norc when upgrading it, or the problems that arise with the certain upgrade parts....Just to help the Norc lovers out.
 
Leibermuster said:
+1... Someone should start a list of what actually works well in a Norc when upgrading it, or the problems that arise with the certain upgrade parts....Just to help the Norc lovers out.
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That would be great, but there are just too many variables to pinpoint with any certainty of what will work and what will not. The problem is the Chinese made gun, not the in spec parts. Solution: remove the problem.

American made components were never meant for, or tested to function with Chinese firearms. Some may work, most never will.

Trying to figure out how to make mil-spec parts work in barn-spec guns is a lot like expecting a strike from a hairy bowling ball.

Sell the BAD lever and stick with the parts that came with the Chinese gun. As soon as you start tweaking other parts to compensate, you end up with different problems. It's just the way it is.

You bough a cheap gun. Accept it for what it is and have fun shooting it. Don't expect a thoroughbred by using mule parts.
 
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