Charging handle resistence

[Onagoth]

What's the deal?

I have held my buddies guns and their ARs charge like butter. Mine is tough and feels like it has excessive resistence. Its a carbine length tube with a carbine spring a carbine buffer.

Any ideas on how it can be improved? I assume its not advisable to cut the spring?

 

[Wantabe_ Warrior]

Could it be the quality of the forgings (i.e rough CH and rough CH grove in the upper)? Or something is binding just a bit in your rifle?

 

[Stevebot-7]

Check your reciever end plate and castle nut. Thise could be rubbing. On the magpul ASAP I first had on my AR the charging handle would rub against the top of it.
Also, it could just be some rough surfaces or tolerances that are too tight.

My Ranier Arms Raptor is still a bit more stiff to charge than the generic no-name one I used to have, go figure.

 

[Onagoth]

I just installed an ASAP...so I will check that.

 

[D_]

Handle could be bent recently as well. Does it run fine?

 

[Onagoth]

Just installed a new barrel, so not sure. It ran fine before I changed things but the charging has always been tougher than my buddies ARs.

 

[Onagoth]

it does seems worse now though

 

[Winz]

You have to open it up and see where it feels gritty. ie charging handle on upper, does it slide back/forth with no binding? BCG : does it slide in the upper without grittiness. Any rub marks from the buffer tube and BCG?

 

[greentips]

Make sure the gas tube is true to the receiver and not crooked to one side.

 

[cr5]

I see you live on Earth, we're neighbors, just bring it by and I'd be happy to have a look at it with you.

Could be anything, open it and look for wear. If the finish is rubbing off something that's probably where it's rubbing too much. If not take it to a smith and have it looked at.

Good luck

 

[Dsiwy]

Soak the cocking handle slide in lube and work it in. New ARs can be rough as the cocking handle and receiver finish is fresh.

 

[Onagoth]

This is not a new upper, the receiver has tons of us. the toughest part of the charging is near the end.

The charging handle is completely worn on one side, but I think that is because I often charge the gun with kind of a chop (the CH has an extended latch)

I was playing around with it, and although the BCG slides freely in the upper, it does have some contact. Not necessarily resistence, just contact...its kind of hard to describe. The whole charging action stacks really bad near the end.

Even before I had done any work on this gun, I noticed this problem last year at FNH. After lots of shooting charging the gun got harder. I assumed it was because it needed cleaning, but now I think the parts for everything are necessarily suited for each other.


anyhow, I'm in dress clothes now, so no more playing around.

 

[Cowboy7]

Have you looked at the BCG and charging handle for signs of unusual/excessive wear? Being worn out on one side sounds a bit unusual, even if you're always yanking on one side of the T.

 

[Onagoth]

Bcg is brand new....don't see any unusual wear on the old one

 

[Epoxy7]

Try it without a mag in it. If it's not as bad then lossen the mag release a few turns.

I have a similar issue with an AR10. Seemed to help. Also with a new built and Raptor charging handle. Again it worked. With the AR10 I still need to check that the right buffer spring is in it and the A2 stock has the right space inside it. Even without checking just winding out the mag release 2 turns seemed to improve it. Mag button isn't too far out and functions properly.

Hope this helps. You seem to have ruled any other issues out so worth a try.