Lockhart Tactical Raven Platinum Edition, .223 Wylde

If someone was going to order a platinum what parts are must have right away. I’m thinking the charging handle brass deflector and side cover. Just considering one since I don’t think I’ll ever see a nr Bren 2 in stock before the govt does something stupid on the way out.

I second the GP printed one. The guy puts in alot of work for a 30$ fee for the deflector/side cover. Try it out. Rear changer is nice and ar ish but can try out the side charger and can be added after if you like the rifle. Would just save on shipping to order all at once.
 
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I took my Raven 5.56 to the range again today. 160 rounds.

I'm still getting some light strikes on the primers. This time it happened on American Eagle .223 too.

After my last range session I cleaned the chamber thoroughly.

Firing pin seems to have enough protrusion.

Hammer spring seems to have enough tension.

Firing pin channel is clean.

Any ideas? I'm at a loss.
 
Get a snap cap, or better a sized de-primed shell, tape a piece of masking tape (the thicker one) over the primer hole and chamber this shell and "fire". It definitely works with bigger cartridges like 9mm, but I think it should work with 556 shell as well. That's where I would start after the checks you made.
 
I took my Raven 5.56 to the range again today. 160 rounds.

I'm still getting some light strikes on the primers. This time it happened on American Eagle .223 too.

After my last range session I cleaned the chamber thoroughly.

Firing pin seems to have enough protrusion.

Hammer spring seems to have enough tension.

Firing pin channel is clean.

Any ideas? I'm at a loss.

How many rounds total through it? I’ve had 500 rounds through the gen2 BCG and have encountered light strikes maybe 4 times with PMC 556. I didn’t have any issues last time I was out but I made sure everything was cleaned and generously lubed as well.
 
How many rounds total through it? I’ve had 500 rounds through the gen2 BCG and have encountered light strikes maybe 4 times with PMC 556. I didn’t have any issues last time I was out but I made sure everything was cleaned and generously lubed as well.

I've got about 300-400 rounds now. I've run it wet and I've run it less wet.

PMC Bronze - no problem
PMC 5.56 - light strikes 10%
Norinco Yellow box - light strikes - 10%
American Eagle .223 - Light strikes 10%

frequently the light strikes will occur on releasing the bolt over a new mag - so it has nothing to do with gas.
Other times the light strike will occur in a string of shooting.

This is a Lockhart made rifle.

I've ordered their adjustable buffer weight kit so I can play with that.

I did notice that the Lockhart buffer doesn't rattle - there likely isn't a dead-blow effect that should be present, unless Lockhart bolts are tungsten powder filled.
 
Upadate.

I put a milspec 3.8oz buffer, that rattles when it shakes, and mil spec spring in my problematic Raven. I then proceeded to fire 100 rounds of the ammunition that light-strikes the most - ran like a sewing machine.

The original Lockhart buffer weighs in at 3.7oz on my scale compared to the 3.8 oz H1 that I put in, that's not enough difference to make a difference. The Lockhart buffer also doesn't rattle when you shake it - so there isn't the dead-blow effect of a mil spec buffer.

That seems to have solved my light-strike problem.

Curiously, it also changed my ejection pattern from about 5 o'clock to 3 o'clock - the new buffer, even tho its only .1 oz heavier, is slowing the BCG down nicely.
 
Upadate.

I put a milspec 3.8oz buffer, that rattles when it shakes, and mil spec spring in my problematic Raven. I then proceeded to fire 100 rounds of the ammunition that light-strikes the most - ran like a sewing machine. The original Lockhart buffer weighs in at 3.7oz on my scale compared to the 3.8 oz H1 that I put in, that's not enough difference to make a difference. The Lockhart buffer also doesn't rattle when you shake it - so there isn't the dead-blow effect of a mil spec buffer. That seems to have solved my light-strike problem. Curiously, it also changed my ejection pattern from about 5 o'clock to 3 o'clock - the new buffer, even tho its only .1 oz heavier, is slowing the BCG down nicely.

Interesting.
 
Buffer shouldn't affect anything to do with the reset of the hammer or the hammer initiating primer ignition.
I think maybe you just got lucky in those 100 rounds.

You still probably have an issue between the fall of the hammer and primer ignition.
I'd be inspecting and thoroughly cleaning the fire control group, and maybe changing out the springs and inspecting / cleaning the bolt carrier, firing pin and firing pin channel.
Protrusion for sure should also be checked as suggested by another poster.
 
Post a pic of the hammer.
Not sure if it’s common, but is there a wall where the bottom of the hammer brings up ? ( like the Siberian).
As I said before, mine was having light primer strikes ,due to the hammer not protruding far enough to make a solid strike on the primer.
Problem solved when I installed a TT.
You could easily see the difference in amount that the hammer protrudes
 
Buffer shouldn't affect anything to do with the reset of the hammer or the hammer initiating primer ignition.
I think maybe you just got lucky in those 100 rounds.

You still probably have an issue between the fall of the hammer and primer ignition.
I'd be inspecting and thoroughly cleaning the fire control group, and maybe changing out the springs and inspecting / cleaning the bolt carrier, firing pin and firing pin channel.
Protrusion for sure should also be checked as suggested by another poster.

Buffer's do effect ignition. My research that led me to the solution is documented.

My bolt was getting 'bolt bounce' - the lighter, and faster, buffer was allowing the bolt to come slightly out of battery. A mil spec buffer rattles when you shake it - this has a dead blow effect on the bcg.

The extremely light primer strikes I was getting on unfired rounds was in fact the firing pin hitting the primer on bolt closure. I don't think the firing pin was making contact at all, or extremely minimally, on the unfired rounds.

Only another couple hundred rounds will tell.
 
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While a lighter weight buffer coupled with over gassing can contribute to 'bolt bounce', it is primarily due to worn, inappropriate or non-serviceable buffer springs.
If a bolt bounces back off the extension through violent operation and does not go back into battery, the buffer spring isn't doing its job, regardless whether you have a buffer that is too light.
Changing the buffer is predominantly done for different gas systems (pistol, carbine, mid and rifle lengths).
Playing with weight of the buffer or adding carrier weights will change extraction and ejection characteristics and can be beneficial for varying gas impulse, shooting heavy bullets, taming over gassing, etc.

If you think changing your buffer alone has corrected / was the cause of your light strikes, then all the power to you!
 
While a lighter weight buffer coupled with over gassing can contribute to 'bolt bounce', it is primarily due to worn, inappropriate or non-serviceable buffer springs.
If a bolt bounces back off the extension through violent operation and does not go back into battery, the buffer spring isn't doing its job, regardless whether you have a buffer that is too light.
Changing the buffer is predominantly done for different gas systems (pistol, carbine, mid and rifle lengths).
Playing with weight of the buffer or adding carrier weights will change extraction and ejection characteristics and can be beneficial for varying gas impulse, shooting heavy bullets, taming over gassing, etc.

If you think changing your buffer alone has corrected / was the cause of your light strikes, then all the power to you!

I changed the buffer and spring. ((Shrug))

One of them fixed it.

The Lockhart buffer does not rattle when shaken - it doesn't have a dead blow effect. I suspect this was more helpful than the spring. I could be wrong.

Edit to add: Samuel Lockhart was also of the opinion that the bolt wasn’t “… fully locking 100%…”

I will say that service from Lockhart has been phenomenal. Even when I place additional orders with them, they ship same day/ next day.

Unless the Libs jump in with the ban hammer, I can see this being THE Canadian rifle.

My wife owns her own business and she was impressed with the level of responsiveness.
 
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Are after market top/rear charging handles available?

Not really. The Lockhart Raven Charging Handle is proprietary because it is 15mm longer than a standard AR15 Charging Handle. Apparently the Charging Handle belonging to the DPMS-brand G2 "Recon" .308 cal carbine will fit the Lockhart Raven 556 with minimal modification (a bit of hand-filing). The DPMS G2 Recon is a hybrid .308 rifle designed to be closer in size to a 5.56mm AR15. The G2 Recon just happens to use an Upper Receiver that is the exact same length as the Raven's, allowing the G2 Charging Handle to fit the Raven with minor alteration.

The DPMS G2 Recon is no longer in production and the Charging Handles are pretty much sold out everywhere they were once carried in Canada. So until such time as somebody gets industrious and designs/produces a "better mousetrap", perhaps based on the Radian Raptor design, we are stuck with the proprietary Lockhart Charging Handle. The Lockhart Handle works fine, just remember to LocTite the 2 socket screws that hold it together and it will provide problem-free service. Aside from those screws possibly backing out, there is really nothing wrong with the Raven's Charging Handle design. Some folks don't like the Raven's spring-based Charging Handle retention system, preferring a Latching system like that of the AR15. This is a matter of personal preference, as the the Lockhart Charging Handle design works fine as it is.


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