converting AR15 upper to side-cocker?

D

darko

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I was looking at my new upper just now and wondering what would be involved in converting it to a side-cocker? Looks like it would be straight forward... mill a slot for the handle into the left side of the receiver and then thread/weld the handle onto the bolt carrier.

Anyone done this? Maybe there are side-cocking bolt carriers available out there already? Any unforeseen issues?
 
This has been done in the US, but I can't remember by whom. In any case, they said no to Canadians already. Even Dlask has done something like that...

Dlaskside.jpg
 
Dlask makes one. I shot one of their mini-moose carbines owned by a member on the sight with the left side cocking handle.

It felt good as I was originally trained with the FN with the left side cocking handle and was used to it, and you could #### it without having to break your sight picture.

I don't know if they still sell them.
 
Lee Hadaway formerly of Scattergun Technology designed a very simple one. I watched him install one in Texas a couple of years ago.
He had a jig made for the upper and milled a slot in the receiver. He then drilled a hole in the bolt carrier and screwed in an allen head bolt with a sleeve he made that matched the diameter of the bolt head.
I played around with an M4 he had installed one on and was very impressed.
The cocking handle moves with the bolt carrier but he said he fired the rifle using every conceivable position and had no interference from it.
I have a pic of a rifle around somewhere with one installed. I'll see if I can find it.

I "borrowed these from his website.
ARBT2.jpg


B4-2.jpg


http://thearmsroom.com/_wsn/page2.html
 
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Great, thanks!

Im curious though, what does he do with the top charging handle and the little lock? It looks like they're still intact on both those guns... which would kind of make the sidecocker pointless and unusable unless you unlock the charging handle first?

edit: oops Im an idiot, I just realized the handle lock doesnt actually lock the bolt back too DUHH!!! :)
 
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Yep you're right. It's still functional. What I really like about the idea (another fn c1a1 trained ground pounder here) is, you don't have to break your shooting position to charge the weapon. I've said forever, the charging handle on the ar is the WTF? flaw in the design.
 
Yeah the top charging handle is a pain in the ass... I got used to it on my regular upper, but I have a big scope on my new one and it really gets in the way of the handle.

I'll be converting mine asap.
 
Striker said:
Yep you're right. It's still functional. What I really like about the idea (another fn c1a1 trained ground pounder here) is, you don't have to break your shooting position to charge the weapon. I've said forever, the charging handle on the ar is the WTF? flaw in the design.
Click to expand...

I think we need to remember the purpose of the rifle. It wasn't a sniper rifle. It was for guys charging around shooting the enemy. In a situation like that, you probably aren't too worried about maintaining your sight picture because you have fired a few rounds, then moved to a new position or ducked down into your foxhole while your platoon continues to maintain fire. The idea of keeping your sights on a particular target doesn't have much meaning in that type of situation.
 
I received an email from Dlask today saying that there's not enough material on the upper (or something????) to make a side-cocker.

Then on the other end I got an email back from the Hadaways and they said its doable and they sell the service including parts for about $150, but they wont sell just the handle and parts... they wanna do the work themselves.

Gotta love conflicting information.

I think Im gonna look for a spare carrier assembly and maybe a cheap/damaged upper to play around with!
 
powmia56 said:
I think we need to remember the purpose of the rifle. It wasn't a sniper rifle. It was for guys charging around shooting the enemy. In a situation like that, you probably aren't too worried about maintaining your sight picture because you have fired a few rounds, then moved to a new position or ducked down into your foxhole while your platoon continues to maintain fire. The idea of keeping your sights on a particular target doesn't have much meaning in that type of situation.
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The ar-15 is used in a sniper role..
However..it's what I was trained on, I shoot service rifle and do numerous mag changes during the matches and I like to maintain my sight picture as much as possible.
Personal preference I guess.
 
darko said:
I received an email from Dlask today saying that there's not enough material on the upper (or something????) to make a side-cocker.
Click to expand...
Wasn't Dlask's design similar to an FN? I could understand it not being rugged enough.

Then on the other end I got an email back from the Hadaways and they said its doable and they sell the service including parts for about $150, but they wont sell just the handle and parts... they wanna do the work themselves.
Click to expand...
I've seen Lee do his modification. It's nothing more then a machined slot in the receiver. No different then the ejection port on the other side.
The charging handle doesn't touch the upper.
The Denver Colorado PD had Lee put them on their ar's.

Gotta love conflicting information.

I think Im gonna look for a spare carrier assembly and maybe a cheap/damaged upper to play around with!
Click to expand...
 
Well the pictures you provided certainly speak for themselves, and as I initially pictured its a very straight forward modification.

I don't quite understand Dlask's reply, as the amount of material on the upper receiver doesn't really make a difference with anything.

On the other hand the Hadaway people seemed to be kinda pushy in not wanting to sell me just the handle assembly. The response I got was along the lines of "you cant do it yourself we're the only ones in the world who can do this". No offense to them but milling a slot in a thin piece of metal and threading a hole into another piece isn't rocket science.

STILL, I'd rather test it on cheap parts first before going to town on my RRA.
 
The question that of the strenght of the stock upper reciever once you cut the slot in the side of it. I've seen a heavier upper reciever that had a true FN style side cocker that didn't flap back and forth like the simpler ones do. It also keep the slot covered to keep crap. Can't remember who made it though.
 
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