BAC
10-25-10, 09:50
Right, it's been a while but I wanted to knock this post out before running off to be shot at with simmunitions.
Near the end of last year, I had a slight issue (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=43142) crop up with my group buy RRA middy upper. Short version: if the bolt was holding a round, the charging handle would 'stick' and become extremely hard to rack. I never could figure out why. This occurred immediately after a paint job but I don't think it's related to the paint job. I haven't shot the rifle at all since discovering this issue.
Fast forward a year, and after some dry-fire practice I take out the bolt carrier group for whatever reason and find an outside (rear-facing) corner on one of the bolt lugs has chipped off. This occurred some time within the last few months (when I'd last pulled the carrier group to take pictures for something else). Mind you, this upper has seen maybe one full magazine, period, that being when I first bought the upper. Just a metric shit ton of dry fire drills.
Phone call to RRA this morning and after describing the bolt problem (didn't have the chance to mention the charging handle problem), I'm informed that the paint job voided the warranty and sending it to them would incur the usual repair / replacement costs for parts and I'd eat shipping. Awesome. Guess what I won't be doing. At the end of the academy, I will be dropping the upper off at a sheriff's office armorer / gunsmith so he can take a look at it, but I have a feeling I'm going to end up parting the damn thing and seeing what can be salvaged.
Some folks get all the luck. On the plus side, this rifle really has been a learning experience. Some things I've learned:
Buy once, cry once. There are better options than RRA right now for the same or nearly the same price.
Medium-contour and HBAR barrels get heavy. No more of that nonsense.
Need a rail. My hand placement always seems to slide just past the FSB, so I need a rail that extends past the whole gas block. (A carbine course would've probably taught me that lesson sooner.)
...Don't paint your rifle if it's not from a reputable company. :D
-B
Near the end of last year, I had a slight issue (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=43142) crop up with my group buy RRA middy upper. Short version: if the bolt was holding a round, the charging handle would 'stick' and become extremely hard to rack. I never could figure out why. This occurred immediately after a paint job but I don't think it's related to the paint job. I haven't shot the rifle at all since discovering this issue.
Fast forward a year, and after some dry-fire practice I take out the bolt carrier group for whatever reason and find an outside (rear-facing) corner on one of the bolt lugs has chipped off. This occurred some time within the last few months (when I'd last pulled the carrier group to take pictures for something else). Mind you, this upper has seen maybe one full magazine, period, that being when I first bought the upper. Just a metric shit ton of dry fire drills.
Phone call to RRA this morning and after describing the bolt problem (didn't have the chance to mention the charging handle problem), I'm informed that the paint job voided the warranty and sending it to them would incur the usual repair / replacement costs for parts and I'd eat shipping. Awesome. Guess what I won't be doing. At the end of the academy, I will be dropping the upper off at a sheriff's office armorer / gunsmith so he can take a look at it, but I have a feeling I'm going to end up parting the damn thing and seeing what can be salvaged.
Some folks get all the luck. On the plus side, this rifle really has been a learning experience. Some things I've learned:
Buy once, cry once. There are better options than RRA right now for the same or nearly the same price.
Medium-contour and HBAR barrels get heavy. No more of that nonsense.
Need a rail. My hand placement always seems to slide just past the FSB, so I need a rail that extends past the whole gas block. (A carbine course would've probably taught me that lesson sooner.)
...Don't paint your rifle if it's not from a reputable company. :D
-B