Reciprocating charging handles (RCH) vs non-reciprocating charging handles (NRCH)

[vicious_cb]

The AR charging handle was made to be pulled, not kicked or pushed. It is not built for the abuse that a forward assist or bolt carrier is made to handle. That is the nature of the beast.

In my opinion, a reciprocating charging handle on top of the receiver forward of the rear sight assembly would be the way to go. It would not snag on a barricade and you would not have to break your shooting position to manipulate the charging handle. The rifle could be rotated 90 degrees and the charging handle bumped against a barricade to clear a tough malfunction.

Look how well that turned out on the G36.

Now you have to have a bridge rail over the top of the entire receiver to mount optics which now puts them at a stupidly tall height over bore, not to mention good luck getting a proper cheek weld.

Not quite sure what this thread is about. RCH are stupid and there is a reason why most every newly designed combat rifle doesn't have one. Of course the exception being the SCAR which is flip flop design in the first place where even the end users aren't sure what features they want or don't want as evidenced by the changes back and forth on selector lever.

[halmbarte]

RCH on the aforementioned SCAR, Beretta ARX 160, CZ-805, INSAS, and the FX-05.

But besides those stupid rifles with stupid RCHs nobody designs new rifles with RCH.

H

[Jippo]

A bent upper from kickin the CH? That makes no sense.

No, he didn't kick it, he slammed the CH against a barricade in a 3-gun match to clear a malfunction. He used the Force, young Padawan, and it was strong with him.

We were too busy laughing our arses off to bother what he actually bent. In any case his BCG started to to bind and he had to DNF due the gun being inoperable.

[vicious_cb]

RCH on the aforementioned SCAR, Beretta ARX 160, CZ-805, INSAS, and the FX-05.

But besides those stupid rifles with stupid RCHs nobody designs new rifles with RCH.

H

I already mentioned the identity crisis SCAR. As for the beretta and CZ I have no idea they have no idea about their function nor do I have any interest in them. I guess you would have to wait a few years down the line to see how successful these design will actually be.

Are you really going to include the indian potmetal gun as modern? Or the new cartel/mexcian army gun as a serious contender?

Again RCHs are stupid, this not just my opinion but go look up the review of the SCAR from someone who as actually issued the weapon on deployment in afghanistan. Most every assessment from SMEs who actually have experience with the SCAR mirror this sentiment.

[fixit69]

I don't care for the RCH. Too many problems that are well documented. Ambi charging handles for the AR designs, like the Raptor, I have not had enough time with to form an opinion. But no problems from the few hundred rounds I have shot.

Looking at the track record of the AK, I would not have a problem with a hard mortar or even a piece of wood and a hammer. But kicking any CH is bordering on insanity.

[sinlessorrow]

No, he didn't kick it, he slammed the CH against a barricade in a 3-gun match to clear a malfunction. He used the Force, young Padawan, and it was strong with him.

We were too busy laughing our arses off to bother what he actually bent. In any case his BCG started to to bind and he had to DNF due the gun being inoperable.

I still have my doubts no offense. The upper is much thicker and the thin aluminum CH would bend well before the upper. Also what kind of stoppage was this? Never seen one mortaring wouldnt clear.

[MistWolf]

I still have my doubts no offense. The upper is much thicker and the thin aluminum CH would bend well before the upper. Also what kind of stoppage was this? Never seen one mortaring wouldnt clear.

I had a steel case stuck in my chamber that wouldn't pogo. The extractor tore the rim off. I took a 8" length of drill rod that just fit inside the bore and tossed it down a few times until it knocked the case out.

If you read what Jippo wrote, you'll see he wasn't sure it was the upper that bent, but something did and knocked the rifle out of commission. Banging away with the rifle on a barricade like a caveman will bend or break something!

[T2C]

Look how well that turned out on the G36.

Now you have to have a bridge rail over the top of the entire receiver to mount optics which now puts them at a stupidly tall height over bore, not to mention good luck getting a proper cheek weld.

Not quite sure what this thread is about. RCH are stupid and there is a reason why most every newly designed combat rifle doesn't have one. Of course the exception being the SCAR which is flip flop design in the first place where even the end users aren't sure what features they want or don't want as evidenced by the changes back and forth on selector lever.

A carbine with a well designed topside charging handle would look nothing like the G36.

[Suwannee Tim]

I don't care for the RCH. Too many problems that are well documented.......

Elaborate please.

[fixit69]

That needs more, sorry. RCH on CERTAIN platforms tend to be Rube Goldberg machines. I should have said there is too much that can go wrong that was documented. I prefer a simple set up. That's pretty much it.