pmag bolt catch problem

The ones I used were my friends and I checked the bolt catch before I shot. The bolt catch problem can be solved by drilling the plunger hole deeper but I'd first like to solve the feed problem. Repeat for the P-mags and note any difference. Yours is 0.6640" for a difference of 0.028" which isn't as much as I expected based on drawings which is 0.049". By Of course, this is just my opinion, based on my personal experiences, and your mileage may vary. At the moment just keep posting as usual, the edit feature will become available. If you use PMAGS with your SCAR, READ THIS! - AR15.COM Iiiiffffff I owned one of those evil black rifles , I might buy the Hexmag brand when they went on sale for $6.95 ea. The bolt catch problem can be solved by drilling the plunger hole deeper but Id first like to solve the feed problem. This clearance is partially determined by the use of aLuth-AR .308 rifle buffer tube, spring, and weight [https://www.luth-ar.com/product/buffer-tube-spring-assembly-kit-308/]. That should fix it. I used a digital caliper depth gauge as shown in the picture. The problem apears to be that the mag follower tab does not protrude out the back of the mag far enough, the follower wants to ride more forward in the mag body, and the end of the catch tab is not lifted upwards to active the catch. I'll have to get measurements later. Not a back-breaking amount, mind you, but not insignificant. Fig. If someone can answer that, I'd appreciate it. Suggestions? I thought about a low mag catch (the machining of it) very first, based on your info, but I wanted to know about that mag catch's internal parts first. Personally I wouldn't shoot it until you've got this issue corrected. Why I Don't Use PMAGs I like the idea that I can accomplish a speedy reload by pressing a button and kicking a magazine out. I've heard of Issues with Pmags and ARs due to Pmags having more material on the rear of the mag, creating more distance between the follower and the Bolt Catch tooth which isn't as far with USGI mags, and wondering if it is that, plus tolerance stacking being my Catch has so much wiggle room on the Standard M&P. Professional. If you could post a pic of that comparison, it would be helpful. JavaScript is disabled. We have heard reports these malfunctions often happened with Wolf, Tula, and Brown Bear ammo. Also, we'll be happy to correct or delete anything if you point it out to us in the meantime. A friend with a lower that started at 80% also had the same problem as I do and fixed his by shifting his mag catch up 0.050". Crap! Problems I have run into in the past include, firstly, that they wont drop free in a lot of firearms. Hope this helps. Depending on the rear takedown pin you are using either pull the pin (Tacticool pin) or actuate the pin to disengage the receivers (KingPin & Hyperswitch). Very carefully and pay attention to how the bolt catch actually works, if you did you should figured it out almost immediately. If the solution to the feed problem involves a modification to the upper or lower, Ill test the bolt catch and take another measurement as shown in figure 6 (not figure 5). Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes, fan you into despair! For more information, please see our I realized you can fix this by filing or dremeling off some material on the rear of the mag body, or by using whatever generation of magazine they implemented to fix this, or you could just arrive at my next point and save four or five dollars more by purchasing a GI mag. Open the receivers to the maximum limit of the pin capabilities. Is it the length of the plunger? One new winner* is announced every week! Before that would be a solution - you need tocheck how much further into the upper receiver that your magazine will go. Again, though, I would like to recognize that PMAGs are a quality product and Magpul is very receptive to user feedback. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved. If you experience this issue, make sure your lower is within spec, and your bolt catch is installed correctly and not worn down. 11: Top of lower receiver to top of magazine release hole = 0.692. AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own. I think I may just shoot it a few mags and see what happens.. If that's what the bolt catch is suppossed to look like then my mags are a lil out of spec when inserted into the lower. Then collapse that spring ON the plunger, to coil bind, and measure the OAL of both (with spring in coil bind). Sounds like the pmag is riding a little high and rubbing the bottom of the carrier a bit. If so, it would cause both symptoms. How To Fix AR-15 Bolt Catch Lock Failure for PMAG's Either the hole gets deeper, or a couple coils come off the spring, or the tail on the plunger gets shortened. New firearms are designed around common Colt-pattern mags, and Magpul has to keep accommodating new designs with generational changes, or new offerings altogether, like they did with the EMAG. Copyright © 308AR.com 2023 Just checked all of mine, I'm not sure how HC's ended up with a witness mark where it's at. Maybe after Magpul completes their move they'll address some of their mold issues, 'til then it's best to check. The plunger hole was too shallow but even after deepening it, the catch still isn't pushedup high enough because the magazine follower is too low. Your previous content has been restored. Thanks for this HC, I'm going to inspect my Gen 3's to see if mine have the same witness marks. Yes I had to trim the left side rear notch square before the BC laid perfectly flat. Does your caliper also have a depth gauge that can get the internal depth to the mag catch as in figure 10? This will allow for easy removal of the magazine . I do need to know the correct distance of the top of the mag catch to the top of the lower as in figure 10 by using a depth gauge. Well, there are several reasons for this. i have a gen 3 pmag without the window and its kind of frustrating. Mar 3, 2022. There were no ammunition-related issues during the review. Could use some advice, being this is a problem on MANY ARs, not just the M&P's. Loctite (red) or epoxy the Allen bolt into the standoff (threaded barrel tube), and lightly drilling the bolt head facets with a 1/8 drill bit until the socket teeth are rounded. Definitely try another couple magazines, including one from another manufacturer. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. Fix: Empty Pmag gen 3 doesn't catch/lock bolt - YouTube But with firearms, there really is seldom a one size fits all option for, well, anything. The plunger hole on this 80% lower was supposed to have already been finished. You'll need to clay the upper, just like you'd do if you were checking an engine for piston-to-valve clearance. I find it interesting that in the "Bolt Catch Issues" section of the article, they mention that if the gun's bolt-catch fails to operate properly, instead of simply checking other mags, their first-line troubleshooting is to check the critical dimensions . *, MISC Training Course Announcements & AAR's, Former Vickers Shooting Method Regional Instructors, Pacific Northwest Training and Networking, All Other Longgun Parts, Accessories, & Magazines (EE), Handgun Parts, Accessories & Magazines (EE), If this is your first visit, be sure to This is. If you have something major to change a quick PM to a mod will get it fixed for ya. I started construction with the lower at 80%. It was initially 0.323 deep. Excellent work with the pics and details. Note: Firearm will not retain magazines until a replacement magazine catch solution is re-installed. As weird as this will sound, you need to measure the length of your recoil buffer, and the internal depth of your buffer tube and post it here in addition to the excellent info already provided. https://www.luth-ar.com/product/buffer-tube-spring-assembly-kit-308/, Bolt catch is from a TacFire .308 AR Lower Parts Kit (not for an AR-15). UPDATE: After seeing these pictures, I checked my factory mag. Im almost through with my build, however I have noticed that my Seekins enhanced Bolt Catch in my Anderson lower is not locking back on PMags like it does on my aluminum and steel magazines. I am having no problems with Gen 2 or Gen 3 Pmags in a variety of lowers using mil-spec mag and bolt catches, which are also from a variety of suppliers. How is it though that my. check out the. I recently bought 3 for my acr and when comparing it to the other mags i have for it, it seems the internal part does not come up high enough to lift the bolt catch. 7: Bolt catch fully extended, plunger removed = 0.443, Fig. Problems with failure to feed AND failure to catch bolt I wish I could edit the original post to correct this. The follower I wouldn't think should have witness marks on it though. Elite Aluminum Products although I dont know who made them. I liken this to a person who lives in an urban area with an office job, assuming that nobody needs anything more than a Toyota Camry, while overlooking the fact that some people need things such as towing capacity, off-road capability, or more seats for a larger family. 6: Bolt catch fully extended = 0.359, Fig. Thanks shooterrex. Display as a link instead, the tip of the bolt catch that is supposed to be actuated by the back end of the magazine follower is missing the follower and end up not catching the bolt once the mag is empty i have a gen 3 pmag without the window and its kind of frustrating. What measurements do you have on your lower? Would anyone be willing to measure and report their heights from the top of the lower to the top of a cartridge case head? You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. I personally dont see why I would spend an extra five bucks for magazines that wont drop free in all my guns, may or may not be compatible with new and upcoming guns, and my next point: wont fit in all my guns. 80% ar-10 bolt jammed m5e1 pmag stuck 1 2 Next Mk3Mstr6Mchne0 Atlington, Washington Messages 12 Reactions 28 Apr 30, 2019 #1 this is kind of hard to explain, I am also pretty experienced with the AR platform, my M5e1 upper is assembled on an 80% lower. I'd delete it if I could. I actually just noticed this issue on my Colt 6920 with Magpul M2 PMAGS. I dont readily know of a solution to the feed problem but I dont want to alter magazines to compensate for a receiver flaw. i have my pmags and i am just noticing a problemtried it out on 3 seperate lowers all of them have the same problem: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/derek45/AR/IMGP5612.jpg, the tip of the bolt catch that is supposed to be actuated by the back end of the magazine follower is missing the follower and end up not catching the bolt once the mag is empty. The metal Mag that came with my Stag worked fine however. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Press the AR MAGLOCK magazine release button. Pmag VS Hexmag Just did this, no difference. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. Really appreciate your thorough pictures provided, that's an excellent way to provide data on your issues. PMAG "bolt catch interference" Issue with LMT MWS 8: Bolt Carrier to upper receiver = 0.283. The P-mags always functioned. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It is tight getting the depth gauge to the lower so the caliper may need to be slightly rotated but not in a direction that will affect the height measurement. Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more. Lastly, not only are PMAGs more expensive than the alternative, but also heavier. [ARCHIVED THREAD] - Another P-Mag bolt catch issue. Pics to follow. Loading magazines at home means more shooting time at the range. Seen here is a few examples of when a PMAG has to be manually removed: a problem that isn't present most of the time with plain old aluminum magazines. Hexmag for 260rem and pmag for 6.5creed. JWardJune 15, 2020 in Building a .308AR. PMAG bolt lockback fix | Springfield XD Forum Paste as plain text instead, I read your post twice, I still don't see the malfunction. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. Because both symptoms exist, it seems that the components within each receiver may be too far from each other which leads me to suspect that the interface between the upper or lower is too thick. I read through the threads dealing with this issue. You can post now and register later. But if you're having this problem just take the flat of a knife blade and, holding the blade perpendicular to the magazine body, scrape a little bit of the plastic away until your bolt latch has free travel. Clear editor. Gonna remove the anodizing, but making omelets requires the breaking of eggs; so. Take off your upper receiver, throw in that empty mag. Support - AR MAGLOCK - Fixed Magazine Lock & Release Kit Try manually locking it back a dozen or so times then checking for any wear streaks on the top of the magazine feed lips. edit: i just got them. https://www.cdnnsports.com/catalogsearch/result/?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=Sig+bolt+catch. This is one of my pistols. First and foremost, I will readily acknowledge that PMAGs are a great magazine. I could not find it for a few days so I checked it. When someone mentions must-have magazines for the AR platform, many shooters immediately think of Pmag Vs Hexmag. :??? JavaScript is disabled. Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more. 1.4k Also don't buy anything from Beavercreek Armory in Hillsboro, Oregon as they screwed me over with this poorly built, out of spec rifle. I inspected my mags after I received my order and that's when I saw the bolt catch was up and went wtf face palm*. Switch the Safety selector to 'Safe'. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. Talyn said: Pmag VS Hexmag. Next up is damage to the SCAR. Could the magazine be too low? It was initially 0.323 deep. Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. Seamac, did you have to modify the black polymer on the mag? It may not display this or other websites correctly. Special thanks to Ventura Munitions for helping us out with the cost of ammo, and a special thank you to you all for watching. The plunger hole on this 80% lower was supposed to have already been finished. In total, I (and friends) fired about 1,200 rounds in this review, 1,000 PMC .223 55-grain, about 200 reloads (a mix of 77- and 75-grain), and 20 rounds of Tula steel case at the very end. 10: Top of lower receiver to top of magazine catch = 0.696, Fig. Can anyone offer insight to the cause of or solution to these problems? Bolt Catch issues w/ Pmags + few questions - AR15.COM TNVC/NGI Giveaway: 15 winners with over $7000 worth of prizes!! AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own. I dont have another LR-308 with which to compare my measurements so I dont know which dimensions are problematic. 3: Magazine feed lips height = 0.446, Fig. Always use the firearm and AR MAGLOCK products as designed, engineered and intended for use. "And here remain with your uncertainty! Posted July 20, 2016 in Shooting Accessories, TFBTV by Alex C. with 210 CommentsTags: I'm the guy at the store with 27 coupons, Magpul, pmag, PMAGs, Tightwad. Because of the cost difference, weight, compatibility issues, and not dropping free in many platforms, Ill stick with what I know works. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Coil bind on the spring? Alex is a Senior Writer for The Firearm Blog and Director of TFBTV. Magpul needs to tweak their mold a bit before they make the claims they do. They are not as likely to happen with premium ammo yet the chance is still there. Check all your mags, especially PMAGS, but check all mags!! The edit feature will become available to you with just a few more posts on the forum. I just don't know why my friend has witness marks on his pmags after use in my Scar 16s. Ar10 bolt jamming up on PMag/mag release | Northwest Firearms The mags cause the bolt catch to rise ever so slightly and drag on the bolt lugs, which results in significant damage over time. 10: Top of lower receiver to top of magazine release = 0.696, Fig. The max difference is 0.030".The real problem is where the mag catch hole is in the lower. I will lock back, but requires a strong pull, instead of the gentle slide fully to the rear with aluminum or steel. Why not just ditch the PMags? The bolt passes over the cartridge instead of stripping it from the magazine. Also the follower rides the bolt catch up A LOT. For me I had to shave off small pieces of the mag to make the bolt catch itself latch. That said, there is a reason that there are generations of these magazines. Indeed, if could be too low, and we have a HELL of a thread here on that very issue. My external measurement as shown in figure 11 is the top of lower receiver to top of magazine catch hole which is 0.692. Replace the empty magazine with a new 10 round magazine and let it click into place. AR platform is new to me, and I hope I don't upset anyone here because I am a noob when it comes to ARs. When I release the bolt, the back end of the follower is sticking up, and the bolt will strip the follower right out of the top of the magazine if I let it go. We STRONGLY encourage all users to ONLY run premium ammunition through their firearm at all times. Getting the Magpul PMAG to work with regular bolt catch The plunger and compressed spring are 0.490. Privacy Policy. From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm. 11: Top of lower receiver to top of magazine catch hole = 0.692. Please refer to our installation videos and the instructions on your packaging. The plunger hole was too shallow but even after deepening it, the bolt catch still isn't pushedup high enough because the magazine follower is too low. How can I make my rifle more reliable with PMags? After installation of the ARMagLock the button is. Not up on the 80% stuff myself but we have a thread with lots of different brand bolt catches and the dimensions that may help on that end, please add to it if you have something not listed there. NEVER use this product outside the standard method of operation as it will cause the rifle to no longer be in compliance and you risk arrest. This will severly damage your bolt group over time. and might have several still in the packaging. I'm looking forward to hearing some comments on this. The Magpul PMAG is a great, well designed magazine that many people like and use in various rifles around the world, but over the years I have discovered that they are not the best option for me personally. They all functioned fine. I don't and I didn't . honest. How do I make the install permanent for use in states such as. For me it's almost all gen 2 P mags. Today I had some last shot hold open issues while using 20 round P-mags. It's not the bolt catch, itself, obviously. The bolt catch on the AR platform is directly in the center of the mag, so the shape of the notch doesn't matter on the AR, but on the SCAR, the bolt catch is offset slightly to the left. That might give a more consistent measurement between yours and mine. Try tightening the mag catch an extra turn. PMAG Problems - Calguns.net #5. Scan this QR code to download the app now. . I get asked a lot why, in almost all of my reviews or videos, I use good old-fashioned U.S. GI steel magazines in lieu of Magpul PMAGs, a popular alternative that most shooters these days are familiar with. Your link has been automatically embedded. I have both just to keep ammo separated. P-Mag Follower and Bolt Catch Engagement *Issue Resolved!* /r/ar15 is here for your favorite black gun links, build pics, questions and other tactical or practical information. His problem is that the front tab of the bolt catch is not engaging on the follower of the PMAG, so the bolt won't hold open on the last round. Seen here is a few examples of when a PMAG has to be manually removed: a problem that isnt present most of the time with plain old aluminum magazines. PMag Not Locking Bolt Catch : ar15 I didn't include that aspectbecause the bolt easily clears the bolt catch (figure 4) so I didn't want to throw in a red herring andconfuse the issue. It's a whole lot of details. Using PMAGs can actually do irreparable damage to an FN SCAR rifle. You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. So, I marked it and I'm gonna keep running it through to see if it happens anymore. If your upper and lower receivers are MIL-SPEC the ARMagLock will work. Operation of any AR MAGLOCK products outside the standard method of operation or its original intended use may cause non-compliance to laws / regulations, and injury or death. Thanks for the reply. The witness make could be from the locking lugs on the bolt, mine don't have it so I can't say for sure. and our Also if you rest your gun on the mag when you shoot (by the way don't do this) it will shove most mags including FN factory ones. Let every feeble rumor shake your hearts! The bolt can still be removed by grinding but will no longer be usable. Magpul PMag issues This can cause partial engagement of the bolt catch and result in unintentional contact between the bolt carrier group and the bolt catch during normal weapon operation. magpul pmag milspec bolt catch problem : r/ar15 What corresponding dimensions do you have? If so, it might be worth trying another batch of pmags in case it's just a mold variation. Here's a photo showing the mags.