Removing bolt catch on billet AR?

[wilderness medic]

My 80% ARs bolt has always not locked back after the last shot. I figured it was just the single cheap 10 round magazine I used and wasn't too bothered by it. However today I noticed the issue isnt the magazine, but the bolt catch itself is defective and missing the metal piece that sticks out and lifts on the follower.


Not such a big deal but when I went to swap it out with one that works I noticed my billet lower does not have a hole on the other side to push the roll pin back out. What can I do?

[xxINKxx]

All my billet lowers that hole for the mag catch is closed on one side and threaded on the other and you use an allen key to remove the pin that holds the mag catch.

Did you hammer a roll pin that came in a lower part kit in it when you shoulda used the screw, maybe the screw was already missing so you just used the roll pin?

[wilderness medic]

All my billet lowers that hole for the mag catch is threaded and used an allen key to remove the pin.

Did you hammer a roll pin in it when you shoulda used the screw?

Apparently so. It didn't come with a screw and I don't remember it saying anything was different. Am I permanently stuck with this? I started paying attention because the bolt is screwing up my follower.

[bohoki]

maybe you can get a long skinny bit and drill through the center of the roll pin and out the other side then drill that side with the correct bit and knock it out

how to pull a roll pin sounds pretty complicated if it were me i would really drech the area with lube and try to find a screw that would dig into the roll pin and see if you could slidehammer it out

at least the roll pin is only really half holding on since the threaded portion is wider than the roll pin

this is going to take some creative gunsmitting

i might even drill above and below the roll pin on the catch and see if i could snap off the hold open part and maybe move the roll pin with needle nose pliers

[wilderness medic]

Any other ideas? Gunsmith won’t touch it. Pretty pissed this piece has royally screwed my lower.

[Bullets&Whitewalls]

Where are you located? Can you post a pic of your lower where the bolt catch is?

[caliguy93]

Dremel the bolt catch off.. then can start over

[waawaaweenie]

May as well torch the thing off, Kalifornia is probably going to ban those next.

Post pics as someone may be able to figure it out

You may have to drill a hole in on the other side as to be able to get a punch in there.

Little magic marker or just cerkakote the thing

[NorCalFocus]

Dremel the bolt catch off.. then can start over

Usually dremels and home gunsmithing isn't the greatest idea, but in this case this is what I'd do as well.

Cut through the bolt catch and roll pin. Knock more of the roll pin into the open gap, till it pops out or cut more of it off.

[wilderness medic]

Well the receiver is trashed from trying to dremel and remove. For anyone reading this in the future just leave it alone because it won’t come out. Should have just lived with no bolt catch.

Brownells and Luther AR said tough **** sorry about your luck.



On this particular one you would have to drill really far as the other side is flush for quite a ways. I snapped the top off but Couldn’t fit a blade in between to cut the pin. Pin wouldn’t sheer with a ton of torque. The pin had apparently custom fitted itself into the threads.

[Bullets&Whitewalls]

Bummer I was really hoping you were local. I had drilled one from the closed side before with a drill bit that I brazed onto an extension and then knocked the pin out from the front. It was also a billet lower it had a weird angle but I was able to make it work. I used a hand drill and went one size bigger on the pin which worked out pretty good because it was a whole lot easier to get out. Is there any material left to work with? You may be surprised what can be done with it. Or it may be toast.....

[wilderness medic]

Bummer I was really hoping you were local. I had drilled one from the closed side before with a drill bit that I brazed onto an extension and then knocked the pin out from the front. It was also a billet lower it had a weird angle but I was able to make it work. I used a hand drill and went one size bigger on the pin which worked out pretty good because it was a whole lot easier to get out. Is there any material left to work with? You may be surprised what can be done with it. Or it may be toast.....

Heres whats left.

[wilderness medic]

Oh and this. I've had nothing but the worst treatment and experience with Brownells. Which is surprising considering their reputation. I really, really wanted to like them but after three expensive purchases being defective and offered nothing but a "not our fault" I'm done with them

[Exospeed]

Am I the only one who is lost as to why this is Brownells fault?

[FlyingShooter]

Am I the only one who is lost as to why this is Brownells fault?

I agree, $2.99 would have saved the receiver. This is what you should’ve used:

https://www.battlearmsdevelopment.com/threaded-bolt-catch-pin