Lexthedestroyer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Abbotsford, BC
So, about a month ago, and about 300 rounds in, my 2013 DA M14 (full length) started to slam the bolt shut after removing an empty mag. It would happen rarely at first, then progressively more often, until finally last week, I couldn't get it to hold open unless there was an empty mag in it. Being a cheap SOB, I said to myself, "self, you don't really want to spend $60 on a SEI extended bolt release, do you?" I had to confess that I did not. So, with the worst case scenario being that I end up with a SEI extended bolt release (I still may in the future), I set to work to see exactly what the problem was. What was happening, is that the front of the left lug, being quite rounded, would just barely make contact with the bolt stop. I'm assuming it was always this way, but with that tiny bearing surface, it wore a bevel into the bolt stop. So I took my file, and redressed the bearing surface a bit. Still wouldn't hold. A lightbulb turned on above my head (the flourescent fixture in my shop needs a new ballast...) if I could get the stop to "depress" more, it would engage the flat spot on the face of the lug, and all should be good. So I took my trusty file, and reshaped the bolt stop so it would "rotate" more on the pin, by removing some material on the opposite side that you push on, and increasing the angle so it would sit flush when pressed. Bingo bango, holds open with empty mag, and holds open when engaged manually with no mag. For now, anyways. It looks like the stop has a pretty good purchase on the bolt. Man, I love tinkering with this rifle! It's got a lot of character, that's for sure.
