What's new
What's new

Drilling AR 15 bolt carrier

Zoom

Aluminum
Joined
Sep 3, 2004
Location
Chowchilla Ca
I want to add a side charging handle to one of my AR 15 rifles. I know the surface of the bolt carrier is pretty hard. What do I need to penetrate the bolt carrier to drill and tap it? Or should I just grind a spot to get through the surface and then drill it?
Thanks in advance Zoom
 
They are just case hardened.

What does drilling/tapping on the carrier have to doo with a charging handle? :confused:



------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
I "Binged" it before I posted the first time and found this:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=side+charging+handle+ar+15&FORM=SSRE


I saw the pics at the top and see no reason that any mods would be neccessary. ???


After your post I researched more and found this:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276418


So I take it that you are meaning the second link. ???

Why does that look like a bad idea to me? :eek:

A) Shirley looks like high risk of inflicting a fair amount of pain to opperator.

B) Slow down the cycle. (Maybe not a big issue?)

C) Throw carrier out of symetry and accelerate wear on carrier/upper?


---------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
I "Binged" it before I posted the first time and found this:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=side+charging+handle+ar+15&FORM=SSRE


I saw the pics at the top and see no reason that any mods would be neccessary. ???


After your post I researched more and found this:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276418


So I take it that you are meaning the second link. ???

Why does that look like a bad idea to me? :eek:

A) Shirley looks like high risk of inflicting a fair amount of pain to opperator.

B) Slow down the cycle. (Maybe not a big issue?)

C) Throw carrier out of symetry and accelerate wear on carrier/upper?


---------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

This is a common modification to rifles used for NRA Highpower competition in the match rifle class.

One motivation is the interference of the cheek rest with a standard charging handle on most of the adjustable "space gun" stocks in use. An argument can be made that the side mount charging handle is more convenient to operate in prone position, too.

I wouldn't worry about the off set mass and receiver wear - that is a non issue to an serious competitor that is interested in winning. I've never heard of an upper receiver that was retired for that reason.
 
As to the reason why,
1) side charging or reciprocating bolt handles are more in tune with normal semi auto firearm architecture. If you ever got slapped with a bolt handle, you weren’t operating the firearm correctly to begin with and deserved what you got.
2) stock charging handle configurations are difficult to manipulate with scopes or other accessories that are mounted farther rearward than the back of the receiver.
3) in the event of a malfunction, you have to unmount the firearm and lose the sight picture to cycle the bolt with the stock configuration.
4) it’s the way E. Stoner wanted it.
 
Zoom, I've done a few , never had a problem, just use a good drill and tap and do it in a machine so things stay square. Coated, stainless ,or standard carriers they all cut about the same, Good luck Jon P.
 
I will tell you why it is a great idea. Because here in the UK we are NOT ALLOWED to have any kind of semi auto anything, other than .22 rimfire. So for every AR platform anything you have to manually cycle the bolt, eject and let fly forward to chamber the next round. There is absolutely no danger of being hit by anything as the bolt does not cycle.
Yes, it is a royal pain in the a**, I know.
I have drilled and tapped dozens of bolt carrier groups. They are nothing special.

I wouldn't spend too much time wondering about this my fellow shooters from North America because very soon in Canada you won't have ANY AR15 alikes if Mr Trudeau has his way and my American friends pray Mr Trump gets a second term or you are all in the doo doo too.
 
Spot face the location.

Drill and tap as normal in steel or the material of the bolt you have selected.

I use 10-32, without issues on a .308.
 
I will tell you why it is a great idea. Because here in the UK we are NOT ALLOWED to have any kind of semi auto anything, other than .22 rimfire. So for every AR platform anything you have to manually cycle the bolt, eject and let fly forward to chamber the next round. There is absolutely no danger of being hit by anything as the bolt does not cycle.
Yes, it is a royal pain in the a**, I know.
I have drilled and tapped dozens of bolt carrier groups. They are nothing special.

I wouldn't spend too much time wondering about this my fellow shooters from North America because very soon in Canada you won't have ANY AR15 alikes if Mr Trudeau has his way and my American friends pray Mr Trump gets a second term or you are all in the doo doo too.

Well, some of us live in stupidly restrictive states, like New York, where we already have to contend with stupid firearm restrictions. I have a British friend who lives just outside Nottingham and he informed me of the issues you chaps have to live with. Since there are not a lot of exclusions to the laws in New York, I took my friends advice and made my first AR15 a manually operated straight-pull bolt action. Perfectly legal here, and everywhere else.

As for the election next year... time will tell.
 








 
Back
Top