Issue with rifle surfaced during training course, report
I wanted to start this thread to provide everyone with my experience with certain parts that went into my AR15 and issues I had with them. I just took Viking Tactics Basic Carbine course (first course) and a couple issues surfaced.
Info on the rifle:
Upper: N4 Light Recce Low-Profile 16" Upper
Lower: Noveske 2nd run stripped
LPK: Daniel Defense
Other misc parts: BCM gunfighter charging handle-large, replaced noveske bolt with BCM bolt, used a MOE grip instead of A2.
I assembled the lower myself with the help of the error-net. I went slowly and the rifle passed all function tests. Test fired at range with only two rounds in magazine to insure any doubling, trippeling issues would not get anyone killed.
The first issue was the selector. I read that it should work the same when the BCG is locked to the rear as when it’s in battery. This was not the case. It was much more difficult to operate when locked to rear but possible. Also when going from safe to semi the selector was fine and relatively easy. But going from semi to safe (with BCG forward) took much more pressure. Someone told me a quick fix was to put some grease in the channel the detent runs in which I did. After the grease it worked well (until the end of the two day 1200 round class, more later).
The second issue would surface at the VTAC class. At the class every time we would go hot I would start with the BCG locked to rear, insert a fresh 30rnd pmag and hit the bolt release. The round would barley start into the chamber and stop. I could get the BCG into battery by simply banging on the bottom of the pmag vigorously. A couple good whacks and the BCG would fly home chambering the round. The gun was properly lubricated with a generous amount of SLIP 2000. The same thing would happen when the BCG was in battery on a empty chamber and I inserted a full 30rnd pmag and ran the charging handle (by the way I was insuring the pmag’s were seated properly and wasn’t ridding the charging handle). I experienced zero failures to feed (other than above mentioned), extract, eject, etc.
The bolt catch had an indention, scratch or gouge in it and seemed to be wearing faster than I would think would be normal. Dan from VTAC looked at it and observed my failures to feed and thought that it may be an issue with the bolt catch spring. Whatever was causing it, it was clear the bottom of the BCG was dragging on the top of the bolt catch. He slapped his lower onto my upper and I put in a fresh 30rnd pmag and it worked perfectly. He suggested that I file the top of the bolt catch down. When I got home I filed it down and got it to work properly.
By the end of the second day my safety was getting more difficult to operate from semi to safe. When I got home and replaced it I found that all the carbon had gunked up the grease (as expected). After all the grease was a temporary solution to the problem. I replaced the selector with a G&R unit and it worked excellent. It went from safe to semi and back with the same amount of gentle force. I locked the bolt to the rear and operated the selector. I could not tell a difference. It was great.
I then replaced the bolt catch assembly with a G&R unit and it dropped in with a better fit (less front to back wiggle) than the DD unit. It also worked properly the first time as it should with a 30rnd pmag. While racking the charging handle the action also seemed smoother and to spring back into battery more vigorously. I attribute this to the old bolt catch putting constant pressure on the bottom of the BCG.
I am not trying to bash Daniel Defense in any way. I’m just reporting what I found to be the case with my particular rifle.
By the way the class was excellent and I will definitely be taking more classes from VTAC.
My camera is dead and the charger is MIA. If I can find it I’ll take pictures of the parts in question.
Thanks for reading, hope this can help someone some time in the future.