AR bolt catch problem

Ironbar · Dec 15, 2015

OK gents, I seems to have had no end of frustrations with the rifle I built, and here's a new one.

The bolt catch on my rifle will work when there's a mag in the mag well. If I drop the mag, the bolt will stay back, but it hangs on by a thread. It is the same with the stock bolt catch, and a Phase 5 ambi bolt catch.

When there is no mag in the mag well and I rack the bolt while pressing the LOWER part of the bolt catch to engage the bolt, it will not engage at all. And before you even ask, yes I know the difference between how to press the bolt catch to engage it, and to release it.

When I swapped out my lower for another lower this past weekend, the rifle functioned perfectly.

HELP!

oli700 · Dec 15, 2015

that is odd as hell......usually the other way around....without having the lower in hand I have nothing for this one, sorry

oli700 · Dec 15, 2015

MTpockets said:
Check to make sure the spring and detent travel freely in the spring pocket.

if it wasn't then the follower wouldn't activate it ....but it does and he cant manually set it.....weird

Ironbar · Dec 17, 2015

UPDATE!

OK folks, I'm one happy camper today. Between me and a friend, we figured out that the bolt catch wasn't catching because of the lower itself.

It turns out that the channel that the bolt catch rides in wasn't milled out enough. This is an Anderson Manufacturing lower (stripped), and no, it wasn't advertised as a second or blemished, etc. As a result, when the bolt catch was depressed to capture the bolt, the lever simply couldn't be depressed far enough for it to work!

We solved the problem by filing down the back side of the bolt catch that goes against the detent. Now the catch can raise up high enough when you press the lever and it captures the bolt just fine. Additionally, it doesn't release the bolt when you bump or jiggle the rifle.

Suffice to say that even though the problem is solved, I will never again purchase another Anderson lower, EVER!

Thanks a million to xsubsailor (he doesn't post much here at all anymore) for all his help today!

Ironbar · Dec 18, 2015

I wish I had know prior to buying. Live and learn for sure!

madcratebuilder · Dec 18, 2015

Sure it wasn't a out of spec bolt catch? I've assembled several Anderson lowers with out a single problem. Out of spec parts in a LPK is more common that a out of spec lower.

oli700 · Dec 18, 2015

Ironbar said:
UPDATE!

OK folks, I'm one happy camper today. Between me and a friend, we figured out that the bolt catch wasn't catching because of the lower itself.

It turns out that the channel that the bolt catch rides in wasn't milled out enough. This is an Anderson Manufacturing lower (stripped), and no, it wasn't advertised as a second or blemished, etc. As a result, when the bolt catch was depressed to capture the bolt, the lever simply couldn't be depressed far enough for it to work!

We solved the problem by filing down the back side of the bolt catch that goes against the detent. Now the catch can raise up high enough when you press the lever and it captures the bolt just fine. Additionally, it doesn't release the bolt when you bump or jiggle the rifle.

Suffice to say that even though the problem is solved, I will never again purchase another Anderson lower, EVER!

Thanks a million to xsubsailor (he doesn't post much here at all anymore) for all his help today!

nice

I have sent two stripped uppers back to Anderson that were the worst machining I have ever seen on a part ......they acted offended , my rear sight wouldn't even mount because the cutter they used for the rail should have been changed 1000 parts ago
I will never entertain Anderson again, horrible but you reach in the crapper enough and your bound to end up with a turd

Ironbar · Dec 18, 2015

madcratebuilder said:
Sure it wasn't a out of spec bolt catch? I've assembled several Anderson lowers with out a single problem. Out of spec parts in a LPK is more common that a out of spec lower.

I am absolutely positive that it was not the bolt catch. You could see clearly when compared to three other lowers that it was not milled out far enough.