got a good question about bb's

[fullrearview]

and no its not blue balls!

I was talking with a sergeant over the weekend about OLL's and he said that the bb's are to be used for maintenance only. he said the rifle needs to loaded from the top and only from the top. what is everyone's take on this?

[AdamM]

FUD. bb's are fine

[sholling]

I'll just post the link from the Calguns FAQ that says never have your mag out of the rifle. http://calguns.net/a_california_arak.htm I'll leave it to those more knowledgeable than I am to dispute it.

NEVER HAVE AN OFF-LIST LOWER RECEIVER WITH AN OPEN MAGAZINE WELL AND A PISTOL GRIP OR FOLDING (etc.) STOCK STILL ATACHED - EVEN FOR A MOMENT!!

ALSO, NEVER PUT A BARRELED UPPER RECEIVER WITH A FLASH HIDER ON AN OFF-LIST LOWER , UNLESS A NONDETACHABLE LO-CAP MAG HAS ALREADY BEEN AFFIXED.

[ETD1010]

I think that was before the bullet button came into existence.. or at least before it was decided as being okay to have.

[AdamM]

I think that was before the bullet button came into existence.. or at least before it was decided as being okay to have.

Yea youre right, the date on that is Jan. 2006

[383green]

I think that FAQ entry was written before the Bullet Button was introduced, and that the consensus was (after a LOT of debate) that it's OK to drop the magazine with a Bullet Button in place. Prior to the Bullet Button, the argument was made that once the fixed magazine is removed by loosening a bolt or set screw (as the early mag locks used), any magazine can be inserted into the magwell such that the gun will operate while it is held in place, and then it can be detached again without a tool. Thus, the gun has a "capacity to accept a detachable magazine" while the magwell is open and the mag lock is loosened.

With the Bullet Button, however, once you insert a magazine into the mag well you will need a tool to get it back out, without requiring any manual locking actions by the operator. Any magazine inserted into the magwell is non-detachable by virtue of needing a tool to get it back out. Thus, the gun does not have a "capacity to accept a detachable magazine".

Now, feel free to load from the top if that makes you more comfortable, and/or if you find that easier than using a tool to drop the magazine. I agree that the warning is FUD, but if you happen to be shooting at a range where you expect to encounter somebody who has bought into that particular FUD (such as a range officer or that sergeant), you're free to decide whether you wish to push the issue or just top-load and avoid the argument. Also, if you happen to have both a BB-equipped gun and a featureless build with a >10 round magazine sitting on the shooting bench, not dropping the BB gun's magazine helps prevent the possibility of anybody inadvertently cramming the >10rd mag into the BB gun's magwell and thus creating an illegal assault weapon (note that I didn't use the word manufacture... we're having an interesting discussion about that word over in another thread!).

I haven't looked at the AR/AK FAQ in a long time. I wonder if it needs a bit of revision to cover later developments?

[fullrearview]

thanks for the info.... I want to have some fire power behind me when I talk with him.... He is a reasonable man, so it will be good conversation.

[bwiese]

Yeah, the orig FAQ is old/hypercautious.

The flowchart is "The Document" now thanks to Redhorse.