What would you do to fix this

D

Djb1

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I just finished gutting this NEA (I know I know...) and replacing with quality parts. Everything seems in order except for one small detail. I tried installing a TROY ambidextrous mag release and ran into an issue. I believe the problem is as follows: The receiver wall is slightly too thick right where the fulcrum of the release sits and this results in the actual magazine catch inside the magwell not protruding far enough to reliably hold magazines in place. The standard mag release also sits slightly below the surface which reinforces my theory.
If I were to take material off the mag release I would loose leverage and nullify the release. My only option seems to be to lap the outside of the receiver where the release will sit.
I am dead set on using the TROY releases by the way. I've tried the others and prefer these by far.
So what would you do to fix this?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Here's a pictures

 
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Since you are using an NEA receiver which is made to NEA spec (sounds alot like ANY spec doesn't it :p) you can't expect to be able to use parts built for a milspec receiver. My suggestion is to either run the parts it came with, buy a milspec lower and hope your upper works with it, or mill the receiver to make things fit.
Milling the receiver would be a last resort as you may not be able to get it to work with your Troy parts and it may also screw it up so the original parts won't work anymore which would turn it into junk.
 
1/ put the original LPK parts back on the NEA lower
2/ buy a properly built lower, and add all of the good parts to that lower
3/ sell the NEA lower.

It may sound like I'm screwing around or kidding, but I'm not. I have no patience for out-of-spec parts. 100% serious that this would be my fix. Decent lowers are NOT expensive.
 
I would mod the easily replaceable part ie. the ambi catch. but I really came here to tell you to put sheets on your bed.
 
I had the same problem with a Stag lower recently. I thought it was the polymer mags I used as the ambi mag release worked with LAR/Beowulf mags. I ordered USGI mags and those didn't work. I clued in and realized the ambi catch was sticking on most mags. I removed it and all mags work fine. I would go the removing material from the mag catch route and worst case you lose the ambi feature.
 
CobraGT said:
1/ put the original LPK parts back on the NEA lower
2/ buy a properly built lower, and add all of the good parts to that lower
3/ Cut the NEA lower in half. That way no one else has to suffer

It may sound like I'm screwing around or kidding, but I'm not. I have no patience for out-of-spec parts. 100% serious that this would be my fix. Decent lowers are NOT expensive.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you. Sorry if it’s too much, I had just visited the other NEA thread lol.
 
Smelt it and start over.

I wouldn't waste my time trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear either.
 
Lowers are cheap man. Buy an Aero Precision from SGW and don't look back. It wouldn't take me much dinking around with an out of spec NEA lower to surpass 99 bucks worth of frustration.

Added bonus is that it won't say NEA on it. Or BCL. Or whatever they feel like calling themselves that week.
 
I am in the middle of a build myself. Since the object was to do it as inexpensively as possible, I too am using a lot of NEA parts, specifically NEA lower, upper and barrel. I just couldn't pass up the pricing or the challenge.

Anyway, when I installed my Anderson Manufacturing lower parts kit, I had the same issue the mag release just barely engaged and it was too easy for the magazine to wiggle free. I checked the catch and it was installed properly (threaded stud slightly recessed) and figured some material removal was needed. I did one last look under a strong light into the recess where the release sits and noticed a very slight burr on the lower.

A couple of light strokes with an emery board (Yup, Dollar Store gunsmithing tools) and I am back in business. It maybe have been sticking up 0.010" but it was enough to prevent a positive catch.

I hope this is the same situation for you and just as easy fix.
 
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Oh man.

This thread makes me crack up.

How many NEA thread bashing threads are there?

How many threads are there where people are asking technical questions where there is a problem with NEA?

I usually wonder how bad a gun can be in order to deserve the reputation it gets. I always suspect that we are a fickle group with high standards, quick to malign something for falling below some impossibly perfect standard.

And then there is NEA, which ALWAYS genuinely seems to be the problem...

I understand that many people like doing the home brew firearm thing. Its not for me, but I get it.

What I don't get is why people wanting to do a home brew don't start from scratch with inexpensive quality parts and instead start with a gun with known issues and try to cannibalize it.

I have one serious question for DJB1. Why did you choose to use a whole NEA gun as the candidate for your DIY gun?
 
Cameron SS said:
Oh man.

This thread makes me crack up.

How many NEA thread bashing threads are there?

How many threads are there where people are asking technical questions where there is a problem with NEA?

And then there is NEA, which ALWAYS genuinely seems to be the problem...

What I don't get is why people wanting to do a home brew don't start from scratch with inexpensive quality parts and instead start with a gun with known issues and try to cannibalize it.
Click to expand...

I actually prefer a new thread every time there is an issue with NEA, it will get good exposure and hopefully act as a warning to others not to buy NEA/BCL.
If they were all in a single sticky people would just pass by since it would be 300 pages of #####ing and would be too much for most to read.
Maybe a sticky that these could be rolled into after a week :)

I've used NEA parts in builds and have had no issues yet other than one overgassed barrel a few years ago but it doesn't blind me to the constant reports from guys with problems. I will never buy anything from them again unless they really turn things around.

Some people only look at the price tag and don't do the research needed to realize that they shouldn't buy NEA/BCL until it's too late.
 
I can only speak to the NEA 7.5" Upper I bought personally but I find the overall package good for the money. With that said I could not put one type of charging handle on which says to me the specs are not spot on. You always get what you pay for. I would buy their stuff but at my own risk. Some brands which are similar in cost like PSA & Aero seem to have a good track record so the buyer chooses which route they take.
 
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