Bolt release problem - any ideas?
- Thread starter Claven2
- Start date
Aha.... I've been following this thread and letting many of you sort this one out. 
I see the problem and it's a $ 100 fix. You are using a USGI HRT marked bolt and that's the culprit.
The solution: You must sell that bolt to me for $ 100 and replace it with my Aerospace grade Titanium Nitride treated Norinco bolt. Or else you know what will fall off
Okay, I'm just bringing some levity to the table.
Seriously, you guys are figuring it all out. Not one single solution works in all circumstances and many times, it's all about the discovery method. Do what's gonna work for you!
Keep at it Claven2, Keep us posted with your discoveries!
Barney
I see the problem and it's a $ 100 fix.
You are using a USGI HRT marked bolt and that's the culprit.The solution: You must sell that bolt to me for $ 100 and replace it with my Aerospace grade Titanium Nitride treated Norinco bolt. Or else you know what will fall off
Okay, I'm just bringing some levity to the table.
Seriously, you guys are figuring it all out. Not one single solution works in all circumstances and many times, it's all about the discovery method. Do what's gonna work for you!
Keep at it Claven2, Keep us posted with your discoveries!
Barney
LOL... not sure what HRT bolts sell for in Canada now, but I suspect it's well north of $100...
Actually most of the gun is H&R made. It's partially disassembled now, but Ill post better pics when it's all back together. The cadpat GI glass stock is the heat too. I'm surprised nobody has noticed there's a USGI transfer bar in the pics
Actually most of the gun is H&R made. It's partially disassembled now, but Ill post better pics when it's all back together. The cadpat GI glass stock is the heat too. I'm surprised nobody has noticed there's a USGI transfer bar in the pics
M14 doc, I was basing my comment on the fact that all of my mags exhibit this behavior (photo below), all of the time, and I assumed that the behavior was standard. Thus the bolt releases would only work when there was ammo in the magazine, by virtue of the design of the gun. I of course, defer to the greater sample size and experience that you represent.
@ Jacks_username:
This behavior is very common when using aftermarket (read: Norinco) mags in these M305's from what I've seen, but it's not how things are supposed to work.
For whatever reason some Norinco mags are on the low side of tolerance in the follower tab and when the botl stop is also on the short size of tolerance as in my picture, the follower lip can slip up onto the face of the bolt stop.
In my case, I just ordered an SEI one from Brownells. When it comes in, we'll see if that fixes the problem. If its tab is made to USGI dimension, it should be fine. If it's not, then I will have to look for a GI one to install and lose the extra functionality.
This behavior is very common when using aftermarket (read: Norinco) mags in these M305's from what I've seen, but it's not how things are supposed to work.
For whatever reason some Norinco mags are on the low side of tolerance in the follower tab and when the botl stop is also on the short size of tolerance as in my picture, the follower lip can slip up onto the face of the bolt stop.
In my case, I just ordered an SEI one from Brownells. When it comes in, we'll see if that fixes the problem. If its tab is made to USGI dimension, it should be fine. If it's not, then I will have to look for a GI one to install and lose the extra functionality.
1) The followers for the mags:
OK, so look at the difference between my magazines and yours. Specifically look at the distance between the side of the follower relative to the body. Yours have a big gap, mine are much closer to the side of the body. It also appears that the one on the right in your picture, the one you say works better, has a smaller gap. I think the followers on your magazines might be poor tolerance and sitting to far from the release.
Is your mag USGI or Norinco?
You're right that these Norinco mags are less than perfect, but I tried them in another rifle with a USGI bolt stop earlier tonight and they worked fine.
I'm pretty sure my problem is more the after-market bolt stop.
You're right that these Norinco mags are less than perfect, but I tried them in another rifle with a USGI bolt stop earlier tonight and they worked fine.
I'm pretty sure my problem is more the after-market bolt stop.
AFAIK Rooster no longer makes stuff (some legal issues with the bolt release)
My mags are not Norinco
Looking at the pictures, I also noticed that my mags are HUGE. Guess I thought the forum software would make everything normal sized.
As a followup, however, I understand your mags worked in another rifle, but I wonder if you are running into a combination issue. Your mags seem to have a lot of space on the LHS as evidenced by the photos. Add to that a possibly short release and maybe there is your problem. I think your conclusion that the release needs to be replaced is probably correct and the logical next step.
My mags are not Norinco
Looking at the pictures, I also noticed that my mags are HUGE. Guess I thought the forum software would make everything normal sized.
As a followup, however, I understand your mags worked in another rifle, but I wonder if you are running into a combination issue. Your mags seem to have a lot of space on the LHS as evidenced by the photos. Add to that a possibly short release and maybe there is your problem. I think your conclusion that the release needs to be replaced is probably correct and the logical next step.
It's a skullboy paintjob from back when he still did them, this one was 2006 vintage. Stock is USGI and still (obviously) has the selector cutouts. The tansfer bar and selector lock are all USGI H&R parts.
The buttplate assembly and all the furniture are USGI, the Cheekpiece was a Rooster made one and the original zinc bolts were replaced with ones I machined and parkerized to improve the looks. The swivel stud is a williams stud threaded into a piece of 3/4" long cold rolled barstock inletted into the inside of the stock and epoxied in place, made by me on the mill.
The only parts on it that are still Chinese are the receiver, barrel and gas lock. The rear sight is real M14, not M1, the mount is an ARMS18 with ARMS rings.
The gas system is an older well wor comemrcial one (not USGI b/c it's not stainless) that was on the M14 parts donor rifle. The rifle had come from Israel, so not sure where this gas cylinder originated, but it's canted a little out of spec and isn't as tight as I'd like. It's getting replaced when my new set gets here frm 762mmfirearms.
Not that it matters much, but the oprod is an HRN "-9" revision.
The buttplate assembly and all the furniture are USGI, the Cheekpiece was a Rooster made one and the original zinc bolts were replaced with ones I machined and parkerized to improve the looks. The swivel stud is a williams stud threaded into a piece of 3/4" long cold rolled barstock inletted into the inside of the stock and epoxied in place, made by me on the mill.
The only parts on it that are still Chinese are the receiver, barrel and gas lock. The rear sight is real M14, not M1, the mount is an ARMS18 with ARMS rings.
The gas system is an older well wor comemrcial one (not USGI b/c it's not stainless) that was on the M14 parts donor rifle. The rifle had come from Israel, so not sure where this gas cylinder originated, but it's canted a little out of spec and isn't as tight as I'd like. It's getting replaced when my new set gets here frm 762mmfirearms.
Not that it matters much, but the oprod is an HRN "-9" revision.
Well I got it fixed tonight. M14Doctor's USGI H&R made bolt stop arrived in the mail. At first it worked about 80% but the rollpin was a bit loose. I spread it a bit to give it more diameter (the pin) and re-installed the H&R bolt release, it now works 100% with the 6 mags I tried tonight.
Bottom line, you need to have a bolt stop that is in-spec and you need to make sure your rollpin is large enough diameter to holt the bolt stop as close against the receiver as possible.
Interestingly, I tried a polytech bolt stop in the gun tonight as well out of another of my M14's and it worked also.
I suspect the function of the Rooster33 unit could have been improved wit the better rollpin, but I also suspect it still had too short a "tab" on it.
Bottom line, you need to have a bolt stop that is in-spec and you need to make sure your rollpin is large enough diameter to holt the bolt stop as close against the receiver as possible.
Interestingly, I tried a polytech bolt stop in the gun tonight as well out of another of my M14's and it worked also.
I suspect the function of the Rooster33 unit could have been improved wit the better rollpin, but I also suspect it still had too short a "tab" on it.
On another note, tonight I removed the original GI front swivel and bedded in a nice Sadlak bipod mount instead. The stud holding the bipod in the pic above will be used as a sling stud and the bipod will be moved forward to the Sadlak stud - should be a vast cosmetic improvement - LOL. Those Sadlak QD stud kits are NOT cheap for what they are!!
