AR 15 Bolt Catch Pin Issues

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Well I got my whole LPK installed today.. first one ever.. and the only place I am still having a problem is with the bolt catch pin. I got it to about even with one edge of the slot where the bolt catch slides in and now I can't get it to go in or out and I have hammered on it pretty hard, hard enough to make my mag vice block spin in the vice. Really could use some help any suggestions?
 
What are you using for tools? If I understand you correctly it Could be an out of spec pin or hole for it, it's possible you just beat the crap out of it and peened it over and it's jammed in there. You could try a pair of vise grips and pull it out if there is enough to grab on to, then just get a new pin and start again. When I put this part in I use the wooden dowel of a cotton swab or a slightly undersize drift punch as a sleeper pin, I put the bolt catch in place and slide the sleeper pin thru, this holds it in place while I drive the pin in, while you drive the pin in it pushes the sleeper pin out and nothing goes flying, work like a charm every time. A little lube on the pin probably wouldn't hurt either.

Good luck
 
i don't have roll pin punches, but i'd read of people using vises and vise grips and channels locks and all manner of the wrong tools to put those freakin pins in... i jammed mine in good, wailed on it with a hammer and punch, bent it in half, tried pulling it out, snapped it....

then i took it to Adam at ACME Armament said "here, you freakin' do it"

and he did :)

bolt catch is really extraneous anyway.....
i mean... the ruger 10/22 has been in production probably longer than the AR with a lot more of them out there i'm sure....
and they don't have a bolt catch.... ;)
 
I finally broke down and bought a set of roll pin punches. What an improvement! What took me so long? Stupidity.
 
Ok got it out but scuffed up the receiver a little... any ways to at least cosmetically make it look decent?

If you need another roll pin Ace Hardware carries them. If you are still having problems getting the next one in with the right amount of force try putting it in an electric drill and hold some sand paper to it. It should shave off just enough to allow it to easily go in.
 
I have pressed in a few pins this way, make sure the pin is set in straight, it is not damaged or has a rough edge on the leading edge and they go in relatively easy. Oil the pin and hole also. You have to go slow and not overdo it as you are putting a lot more power into it than hitting it with a small hammer and a punch.

Biggest help is to put the pin in until it has a TINY amount hanging into the middle slot where the catch goes. The reason most fail at this is not aligning the hole in the catch with the roll pin properly and then the catch acts as an anvil that you beat the pin against. Once the pin is mushroomed you will never get it into the catch and you end up having to pull it. Once the pin hangs out slightly, and I mean slightly, you can align the catch onto the pin.

You can also bevel the edge of the roll pin slightly by taking an exacto knife and holding the blade at an angle to the pin end, scrape around it, beveling it slightly. Hard to describe but think of using the sharp edge of the blade as a scraper to cut a bevel into the edge of the roll pin. Also make sure there are no debris in the holes using a correct size drill bit by hand pushed into the hole. You can use the back side, not the cutting edge. Plenty of crap can get in the anodizing, making this hole rough and undersize.

Alumablack works well IMO but just leave it. If you end up shooting it at all it will end up nicked and scratched, not a big deal.
 
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