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View Full Version : OK bet you haven't seen this before: broken part


308sako
02-29-16, 21:53
Rifle is a Colt, yes Colt an Elite HBar model 6724.

And I thought this was a part that saw no stress...

38094

Front pivot pin fractured while firing the rifle today. What a joy playing chase the detent around the garage... LOL
ar_noob
02-29-16, 22:28
You were shooting your rifle in your garage? :-/
Pilgrim
02-29-16, 23:02
Yep... Never seen that before...
Brahmzy
02-29-16, 23:39
You were shooting your rifle in your garage? :-/

BWAH! Best 7th post ever!
Brahmzy
02-29-16, 23:40
So is that nasty brown looking crap all over it rust?
556BlackRifle
03-01-16, 00:48
So is that nasty brown looking crap all over it rust?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Pretty nasty.
308sako
03-01-16, 05:47
So is that nasty brown looking crap all over it rust?

Part oil part desert dust part fairy dust I guess...

Ah, no not shooting in the garage although the detent apparently was nearly supersonic!
Tigereye
03-01-16, 05:52
Part oil part desert dust part fairy dust I guess...

Ah, no not shooting in the garage although the detent apparently was nearly supersonic!

Well yeah, it's a Colt!
GH41
03-01-16, 05:58
Wish the picture was bigger. Looks like MIM or cast steel to me.
dreamcrusher8307
03-01-16, 10:30
I know you said it was a Colt, but was it bought new, or used? Obviously if used, there's a possibility someone swapped out parts at some point.

Can you ballpark the round count?

Just curious.
308sako
03-01-16, 14:15
I know you said it was a Colt, but was it bought new, or used? Obviously if used, there's a possibility someone swapped out parts at some point.

Can you ballpark the round count?

Just curious.

Yes the rifle was purchased new. Ball park on round count is just under 10K. I looked at the part this morning and actually don't see any brown or rust appearing on it. It does however look really crystalline in the break area.
Doc Safari
03-01-16, 14:19
How old is it?

How many years have you had it?
nova3930
03-01-16, 14:49
Closer pic? Hard to tell with the small pic but it doesn't look like a fatigue fracture at first blush...
Doc Safari
03-14-16, 13:06
Closer pic? Hard to tell with the small pic but it doesn't look like a fatigue fracture at first blush...

I opened it in Paint.net and zoomed in. It looks like a "fairly" clean break (in other words no sign of torque or abuse). My extremely uneducated guess would be the part was brittle due to improper heat treating.
_Stormin_
03-14-16, 18:14
Have to admit, I have only now seen a fractured pivot pin. I wouldn't even think to worry about something like that...
TheNegativeOne
03-14-16, 18:48
Wont see that on a Windam rifle.
SomeOtherGuy
03-14-16, 19:58
Wont see that on a Windam rifle.

Forgot your /sarc tag.

Or because they would stretch like Gumby instead?

I would imagine most companies source these small parts from a handful of suppliers, and any of them could randomly get a defective un-stressed part .0001% of the time.

No, I don't have any strong feelings either way for Colt or Windham. Just hoping to head off any self-perpetuating "gunshop wisdom" about either one.
_Stormin_
03-14-16, 20:23
Wont see that on a Windam rifle.
Dead right there. The thing wouldn't have made it 10k rounds in the first place... :D

SomeOtherGuy kinda has this one nailed. One of those crazy random parts failures. I have little doubt that any mfg's rep would have more than a laugh at the pic and send a replacement for the $3.00 pin along with some schwag.
notorious_ar15
03-16-16, 18:57
Serious question - I have thought about the front pin breaking or falling out without noticing before, can you continue to shoot the rifle without the front pin if needed?
Auto-X Fil
03-16-16, 19:40
You might need to change your stance to hold it together - if it moves around while the BCG is traveling in the buffer tube, it'll bind right up. Better to take a second and jam a stick, bullet, zip-tie, or whatever into the hole.
samuse
03-17-16, 14:14
I managed to bend one on a BCM last year. EAG upper, BCM lower. Receivers were a sloppy loose fit, after some vehicle training, it was quite difficult to disassemble. Couldn't get it back together. Popped the pin out and checked it out, bent.

An email to BCM and I had a new one in the mailbox later that week.
Berserkr556
03-17-16, 19:59
That's a new one for me. I've been shooting ARs since 1982 and I've never seen a pivot pin break.