View Full Version : captured safety detent spring modification
has anyone done this?
i saw a procedure on tos about using a ball bearing. someone in that thread mentioned you can cut the detent instead of using a ball bearing.
seems this is a lot less popular than capturing the rear take down pin spring.
Yes I have done it, and I have no idea what the ball bearing is for. Cut the spring the length of the detent after threading the receiver and never worry about losing your rear take down pin spring or mangling it if you take your receiver end plate off.
You arent talking about the same thing.
That modification is the only one I know of. What are you doing with a ball bearing. By the way, what is "tos" anyway??
i am talking about the safety detent spring as it says in the title.
that is the spring that pushes against the safety detent. the thing that makes the safety go click on and click off. that spring is typically captured by the grip on the lower receiver. typically, as in until you can modify it so it's otherwise captured.
tos = the other site = ar15.com
IIRC,
What you are talking about is the mod where the rear takedown pin & selector detent hole is tapped & a shortened spring & set screw is screwed in to hold the pin/detent & spring captive, Yes/No?
If yes, IMO, it is a waste of effort.
I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to remove my reciever extention & for the times I have swap out pistol grips, it is a solution to a non issue!
is that what i asked about in the intial post?
Quiet-Matt
10-01-11, 15:15
I assume that they are using the ball bearing instead of a detent? That's an interesting idea. I have seen the captured takedown spring/detent mod done on a pistol AR where an endplate wasn't used. On the safety detent I can't see where it would be a beneficial mod, because you're going to have a grip on the weapon. I just don't see the point.
SW-Shooter
10-01-11, 15:15
I modify the rear of all of my receivers, but that's another story. Dah dah dump, ching.:jester:
I did modify all of my lowers via the info posted on ARFCOM. It has come in handy several times when it came time to replace stocks. When I went from a CTR to a UBR it saved a couple of minutes and a little frustration. Is it necessary, no. Helpful, yes.
For the safety Detent Pin I don't see the point ,But that is just me.
It works Like it is so Why mess with it :confused:
The point is to be able to change out grips without the hassle/risk of losing small parts or bending the spring.
This is relevant to californians who want to stay legal but travel out of state to train or other such reasons.
Wow this thread crashed and burned quick.
I have not seen the selector detent spring modification. I do have a couple lowers with a captured rear takedown pin detent spring, it is a standard feature on BPM lowers. It's not necessary by any means, but once you get it installed it is pretty nice if you like to change stocks. Install the spring once and never have to deal with it again.
The point is to be able to change out grips without the hassle/risk of losing small parts or bending the spring.
This is relevant to californians who want to stay legal but travel out of state to train or other such reasons.
Ok I can see that Point Didn't think about California .
Seen it. Have not tried it. I've screwed up lowers doing moronic things.
I'm not saying this is moronic!
I just dont see the point. In Cali, might be a quick fix. But I've never had an issue, after my third or fourth build.
Like you said, if quick change stocks are a necessity, might be a good thing. But I found out the hard way, the more you screw with the design(and some may not think the safety is major, but I do), more problems ensue.
Just be careful, and be safe. And shoot the shit out of your rifle!
The quick change would be for the grip not the stock. It appears no one is understanding what this is at first pass...
Yes I have done it, and I have no idea what the ball bearing is for. Cut the spring the length of the detent after threading the receiver and never worry about losing your rear take down pin spring or mangling it if you take your receiver end plate off.
How often do people do this (once the lower is built)???
C4
How often do people do this (once the lower is built)???
C4
My thought too !
How often do people do this (once the lower is built)???
C4
In my mind not enough to warrant taking a tap to a lower. I'm going to swap out my MIAD's for MOE-K grips. That will be the first time I've changed either of the grips out on two of these lowers since I've had them. I take that back, I swapped the A2 for the MIAD on my KAC lower....so twice....in 3 years.
How often do people do this (once the lower is built)???
C4
It only needs to be useful once to make the $.05 part worth it. It is just a tap, cut detent sring, and a hex screw. It makes assembling a whole lot easier since you capture the detent spring before putting on the receiver extension and end plate.
It only needs to be useful once to make the $.05 part worth it. It is just a tap, cut detent sring, and a hex screw. It makes assembling a whole lot easier since you capture the detent spring before putting on the receiver extension and end plate.
I must take apart and build a lower EVERY DAY (sometimes 2-3 times a day). Never had any issue with "retaining" any spring or detent.
Couple that with the fact that most people are only going to do this once or twice, I am just not seeing its value (sorry).
C4
In my mind not enough to warrant taking a tap to a lower. I'm going to swap out my MIAD's for MOE-K grips. That will be the first time I've changed either of the grips out on two of these lowers since I've had them. I take that back, I swapped the A2 for the MIAD on my KAC lower....so twice....in 3 years.
Glad I am not the only one missing the boat on this. I realize that I am probably much better at building and breaking down lowers than most (as it is what I do for a living), but I just don't think it is all that hard.
C4
mkmckinley
10-06-11, 08:46
It seems like the time spent drilling/tapping/modifying the detent would be multiple times harder than just leaving it alone and dealing with the possibility that parts may fall out. I don't know, I don't live in California though.
Glad I am not the only one missing the boat on this. I realize that I am probably much better at building and breaking down lowers than most (as it is what I do for a living), but I just don't think it is all that hard.
C4
I'm an amateur when it comes to lower assembly (only worked on around 3), and it really isn't that hard to not let springs go flying.
This is relevant to californians who want to stay legal but travel out of state to train or other such reasons.
I'm in California, and I don't get it, either... I have a normal MIAD, and it's not going anywhere.
AFAIK, the guys who shoot the goofy stubby pistol grips or the U-shaped stocks swear that they're comfortable, and they don't really want to change back to a normal pistol grip when they're "out of state," anyway.
(BTW, I don't believe any of those guys ever really take their guns out of state, they just say that the pictures of themselves doing things obviously illegal in California were taken when they were out of state.)
Quiet-Matt
10-06-11, 20:21
The safety detent and spring aren't under much pressure at all. The spring usually stays in the grip or falls out on the table, and the detent usually requires shaknig the lower to get it to fall out.
If you want to make a captive spring and detent, capture that damned buffer spring and detent. That bitch goes flyin in the garage... now that sucks.:big_boss:
I'm in California, and I don't get it, either... I have a normal MIAD, and it's not going anywhere.
AFAIK, the guys who shoot the goofy stubby pistol grips or the U-shaped stocks swear that they're comfortable, and they don't really want to change back to a normal pistol grip when they're "out of state," anyway.
(BTW, I don't believe any of those guys ever really take their guns out of state, they just say that the pictures of themselves doing things obviously illegal in California were taken when they were out of state.)
it's because you don't run high capacity magazines in your rifles. i run a featureless set up because i use high capacity magazines. if i train in arizona, i'd like the option to remove the solar tactical kydex covered grip (in entirety) without the concerns stated in the initial post.
none of the non pistol grips are comfortable when compared to a pistol grip.
Glad I am not the only one missing the boat on this. I realize that I am probably much better at building and breaking down lowers than most (as it is what I do for a living), but I just don't think it is all that hard.
C4
hard's not the reason i asked this question.
It's because you don't run high capacity magazines in your rifles...
Right, I don't have a featureless build, but I do use my high capacity mags all the time when I pop over to Oregon to train (after all, it's only a two-hour drive, one way).
I would never ever ever simply use them in the local boondocks, when I'm all alone, and I'm sure you wouldn't install a regular pistol grip within California, not even in the middle of nowhere.
Amazing how many people replying to this thread are talking about the entirely wrong hole. Makes me wonder if they have kids as their wife must be having trouble sitting down by now...
:jester:
to the OP, why not link to the thread you're talking about rather than continue to bitch at the people that don't understand?
Right, I don't have a featureless build, but I do use my high capacity mags all the time when I pop over to Oregon to train (after all, it's only a two-hour drive, one way).
I would never ever ever simply use them in the local boondocks, when I'm all alone, and I'm sure you wouldn't install a regular pistol grip within California, not even in the middle of nowhere.
not sure if you're being sarcastic but if you aren't then this is exactly why i'm trying to simplify things. for you removing the bullet button after you hop over the border is the procedure. this, i would say is a very simple procedure if you picked the right bullet button. however you are limited to 10 rounds and a funky reload within california.
i wouldn't ever put a pistol grip on a rifle in california even in the middle of nowhere. hence i always have to do this in arizona, in a car or a trunk, possibly in the dark, possibly tired, possibly hot as hell and sweating into my face and eyes. then i have to do it (undo it) all again when i'm leaving, this would be after a full day of doing whatever it was the day required, possibly with heat stroke, possibly in the dark, very likely tired and already covered in sweat and dirt all up in my face and eyes. it isn't a matter of how hard the procedure is, it's a matter of how annoying it is and if i can take one step out of the procedure with a simple modification, i'd love to.
Amazing how many people replying to this thread are talking about the entirely wrong hole. Makes me wonder if they have kids as their wife must be having trouble sitting down by now...
:jester:
to the OP, why not link to the thread you're talking about rather than continue to bitch at the people that don't understand?
to be honest i didn't think i was allowed to. i vaguely recall being frowned on for linking to arfcom a long time ago. i don't recall the exact instance however.
in any case here's the link
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=459744
why is he using the ball bearing? When people do this in the other hole they tend to just use the detent and cut a section of spring equal to the length of the set screw.
This is the part i dont understand completely.
I believe it has to do with how deep the hole is. The spring sits half in the grip half in the receiver, the ball bearing may be an attempt to put more spring in the receiver.
A combination of using a shorter plug screw and cutting the detent is what i want to explore
that's a good point. It is different than the other hole in that way.
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