XCR-L OWNERS - How reliable is your rifle?

[Darkwater]

As an XCR-L owner researching my personal firearm, I've come across numerous posts spread through-out XCR related threads in regard to reliability issues with the rifle. It appears to me that there is a small but vocal number of people who have had serious problems with their rifles - and have posted prolifically on the topic. Many more people have posted that they "know someone" who has had issues, a someone whom which could be the same previously mentioned owners, therefore giving the illusion of more problems than actually exist.

For my own curiosity, and as a service to individuals contemplating an XCR purchase, could current and former XCR OWNERS please participate in the related poll regarding the reliability of their rifles?

For owners experiencing major issues with their rifles, would you please post the nature of your problem, the caliber of your rifle, as well as the approximate vintage of your XCR? Other information, such as the solution/resolution to the problem and your experience since this resolution would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[fuzzynuts54]

I tore mine down, cleaned and locktited it from the beginning. Clemed and lubed it every couple hundred rounds. It then went about 4000, yes four thousand rounds without cleaning or oiling. It is now at about 5000. It has performed absolutely flawlessly. It gets used rough, wet, in -30*f, put away caked and I mean caked in mud and stored for months then the dried mud shaken off and fired some more.

There has been a handful of 2nd round feed issues that were thanks to not seating the mag and I had some primers blanking but that was entirely my fault also, too much, to heavy of lube in the hammer pivot. Maybe I got lucky because I'm
Extremely pleased with it and that doesn't happen often.

 

[hbean]

more drama

 

[Grapeshot]

I've had some minor issues. My BHO snapped after about 2000 rounds and had to be replaced, which might be related to my current issue of my bolt carrier not fully engaging the BHO and not releasing when depressed. The bolt holding the selector switch also loosenend up around that point, but all that did was cause slight rattling if I shook it.

 

[blaxsun]

You forgot an option in the poll.

 

[Tikka223]

This thread has the potential to e excellent. Ivereading and reading and I either hear "I hate the XCR because this or that broke" or "I've shot 100000 rounds through mine flawlessly".

A poll is a great idea. XCR owners please chime in!!

 

[Jäger1]

My XCR-L is a current gen model with a serial number over 7,000. I have put 1,000 rounds through it on gas setting #1 without a single feed, ejection or fire failure. It is truly flawless.

 

[Grapeshot]

My XCR-L is a current gen model with a serial number over 7,000. I have put 1,000 rounds through it on gas setting #1 without a single feed, ejection or fire failure. It is truly flawless.

Hey Jager, how easy/difficult did you find the flash hider swap?

Also, forgot to mention my serial, it's just above 8000.

 

[Jäger1]

Hey Jager, how easy/difficult did you find the flash hider swap?

Also, forgot to mention my serial, it's just above 8000.

I got my barrel with the FH already removed, but it is a fairly simply process. There is a pin inserted and it is spot welded in place. Locate the spot weld and either carefully grind away the material or drill it out. Mine was ground out, leaving a bit of the finish removed on the barrel from clumsy work. I just used a cold blue application to cover it up.

Check out this post for a good how-to:

To my knowledge they are all pinned and spot welded. The purpose of this technique of pinning and welding is to avoid fusing or damaging the actual threads which would damage or destroy them. The pin is the only thing keeping he muzzle device in place not the weld , the weld only holds the pin in place. All I did to remove mine is , with a 1\8" grinding disc grind away at the surface of the weld ( about 3 millimeters down , such a small spot does not have much penetration ) , then once I could see a small discoloured ring around the pin I new I was past where the two had fused. Then all I did was take a 3\4" wrench and with the barrel in a vice just rock the muzzle device back and forth to loosen out the pin till it just fell out. Be sure not to overturn the flash hider when wiggling the pin out so that you dont damage the threads.

 

[XCR User]

I have an XCR-L and my serial # is below 8000. I've shot over 250 Rnds on the
breakin period and it performs flawless on gas setting 4 and now I bumped it
down to 2.

 

[werewolf]

A couple of firing pins, one on the 6.8 bolt and one on the 5.56 bolt, Robarms offered to replace them by the way, even though I bought it used. I had already bought some replacements from Wolverine, so I didn't need them. Other than that, the only thing that didn't work was the stock length, changed that out and no problems since. Excellent firearm

 

[BigDotGlock]

My XCR-L is a little over two years old. I spent a good shunk of that time working fly jobs, so it's still under 2000rds shot by me, maybe a few hundred by a couple of buddies who borrowed it.

The plastic shell deflector got nudged out of place early on, and wouldn't stay straight after that. It never stopped the rifle from firing, and shells still flew in a consistent area. Still worth mentioning, since I'm sure that's the sort of thing the haters can make a mountain out of. A buddy of mine made me a new one out of steel, rock solid, end of "problem".

I had a few cycling issues one time, it was about -30C outside and I forgot to switch from grease to oil for the winter when I got home. Somehow, I'm sure that's the gun's fault.

After listening to some of our all-stars, I bought a case of loctite while I was waiting for the rifle to arrive. Then I decided to be a real idiot and leave every bolt and screw alone, like the people who built it might know what they were doing. I haven't had a screw get loose, it's pretty irritating. I ended up with all this loctite around, the red stuff is kind of tasty but has a bad aftertaste, pretty sure that's the gun's fault too.

In all seriousness, no real issues with the rifle, I'm more than happy with it. If our gun laws weren't written on the short bus I'd pick up a 7.5" version, but I'm trying to keep my entries on the grab list to a minimum.

 

[Stevo]

Bought my 7.62x39 XCR this spring, brand new. Aprx 1700 rounds of corrosive through it. One failure to feed due to rounds binding in the mag. A few incidences of cycling failures when I didn't have the gas setting correct. Not the guns fault.

I Loc-tited all the fasteners before shooting it, except the stock bolt. It came loose at about 400 rounds, IIRC. Loc-tited it and zero issues since.

 

[shmelmafinga]

...

 

[na1lb0hm]

Lose ejector causes bolt binding every few hundred rounds on mine.
One failure to feed (c products mag)
No other issues that weren't my fault.
Serial number just over 7k.
600 or so rounds in .223
150 rounds in 6.8

 

[ogradyrw]

I run my XCR-L very hard, 4000rds so far...
Broken Firing Pin
Broken Op Rod
2 x Broken Bolt catches
Broken bolt assembly

All quickly replaced by Wovlerine 100% hassle free, #1 Customer Service

 

[Gobc]

I've had some issues, but none that are due to the gun except for one.

Mine started out in 7.62x39. The laquered steel cases tended to stick in the chamber. I converted to a 223 rem. At this point I had FTFs. However it was a magazine issue. Pmags worked great, my Lar15s had FTF. I hammered the teeth on the lar15 closer together and since then the gun runs flawlessly.

at around the 1600 round mark, my bolt failed. It wore out prematurely. I was out of the warrenty period so I ended up buying another one.

I think the XCR is a well designed rifle, but RA's quality assurance could be better.

 

[Stevo]

I run XCR-L very hard, 4000rds so far...
Broken Firing Pin
Broken Op Rod
2 x Broken Bolt catches
Broken bolt assembly

All quickly replaced by Wovlerine 100% hassle free, #1 Customer Service

I've had some issues, but none that are due to the gun except for one.

Mine started out in 7.62x39. The laquered steel cases tended to stick in the chamber. I converted to a 223 rem. At this point I had FTFs. However it was a magazine issue. Pmags worked great, my Lar15s had FTF. I hammered the teeth on the lar15 closer together and since then the gun runs flawlessly.

at around the 1600 round mark, my bolt failed. It wore out prematurely. I was out of the warrenty period so I ended up buying another one.

I think the XCR is a well designed rifle, but RA's quality assurance could be better.

Could you guys elaborate a bit on the bolt failures?

 

[Gobc]

The material on the bolt wore out far too early. I would say the material wasn't properly hardened. As a result the bolt was binding in the bolt carrier.

 

[ioncore]

Awesome to see this thread and hear from everyone since im eyeing on up. Are many of the problems from the first gen of xcr's or both generations?