bulk roll pins?

[mikeshaw2]

N00b mistake time... Installed the bolt release BEFORE I installed the magazine release.

Obviously that don't work so I burned thru a roll pin.

Are the roll pins on McMaster Carr the equivalent to the $1 ea roll pins on Midway? I'd like to have a few 'extras' around for the bolt release and gas block 'just in case.'

IOW are roll pins roll pins?

I'm pretty sure that bolt catch pins are 3/32" X 5/8" gas blocks are 5/64" x 5/16", etc The rest I don't have problems with

M

 

[Trigger Monkey]

What rifle is this for?

 

[AMGtuned]

Seems like this could have been accomplished as it was.

 

[B y r o n]

N00b mistake time... Installed the bolt release BEFORE I installed the magazine release.

Obviously that don't work so I burned thru a roll pin. . . .

M

I'm a little lost here. Recently I assembled an Aero Precision M5 (308 size) lower. It does use a threaded bolt release pin instead of a roll pin. But I installed it first and then installed the magazine release without any issue.

You said it didn't work for you so I'm wondering what parts you were using that prevented this? Also, you "burned thru a roll pin", I don't understand. Roll pins are made of spring steel and are reusable so was it damaged when you tapped it out?

 

[Shifty6BR]

Not understanding the situation, why was it not possible to install the mag release post bolt catch release?

 

[mikeshaw2]

Not understanding the situation, why was it not possible to install the mag release post bolt catch release?

When turning to install, the mag release catch wouldn't spin past the bolt release

So I took the bolt release back off and spun on the mag release.

Now I'm trying to accumulate more roll pins so I have extras

M

 

[mikeshaw2]

What rifle is this for?

any AR I build in the future

M

 

[Trigger Monkey]

If you're using mil-spec parts you should be able to install the magazine release regardless of whether the bolt release is installed or not.

 

[Shifty6BR]

When turning to install, the mag release catch wouldn't spin past the bolt release

So I took the bolt release back off and spun on the mag release.

Now I'm trying to accumulate more roll pins so I have extras

M

You can push in on the button side to compress the spring and give yourself plenty of clearance around the bolt catch. I normally use a small dowel rod, end of a plastic pen whatever is handy and slightly smaller than the mag button.

 

[B y r o n]

Also, if you don't use a dowel to push the magazine release button (I use the end of an old toothbrush) you can simply pull the the catch and continue to thread it in. Only issue I could see is if you're using an oversize bolt catch.

 

[Merle]

BKF AR15 Bolt Catch Coiled Roll Pin (10 Pack)

Spring Steel Coiled Spring Pins, 3/32

bkingsfirearms.com

 

[strikeeagle1]

I fabricated a simple tool for magazine catch installations.

 

[blfuller]

There's different types of roll pins. The pins used on the AR platform are split roll pins. Pins that meet ASME B18.8.2 specifications and made in the USA are your best choice.

 

[Yondering]

And yes, they are standard sized roll pins, not a special size.

But - you know they aren't single use, right? If you didn't destroy it when you took it out, you can just use it again.

 

[brassninja]

And yes, they are standard sized roll pins, not a special size.

But - you know they aren't single use, right? If you didn't destroy it when you took it out, you can just use it again.

Right, as long as you rotate it each time, both ways, each direction.

 

[Yondering]

Right, as long as you rotate it each time, both ways, each direction.

Say what now? I'd like to hear your reasoning for that.

We're talking about spring steel roll pins, like this:

"Spring steel" is the key phrase here. If you're using a decent quality pin (i.e. not soft unhardened chinesium junk) and aren't damaging the pin with the wrong type of punch, they can be used many times without any need to rotate them back and forth or anything like that. They're normally driven all the way into the hole anyway, so rotating it wouldn't make any difference; both ends were already fully inserted in the hole.

If you have to rotate the pin to get it to hold, you probably are working with a junk low quality pin that doesn't have the spring to it that they're supposed to.


The other type of roll pin that's rolled up several layers thick can be a different story, and quality varies widely on those IME especially in lower end firearms. But that type is not used in the AR15 platform.

 

[strikeeagle1]

........It seems most modern mfg.'s assemblies use coiled roll pins rather than split spring pins, the 3rd paragraph of the White Paper is most likely the engineering reason. The Sig classic P series pistols with folded carbon steel slide -breech block assemblies used a unique application with two concentric slotted spring H.D. pins oriented at 180 deg apart for proper installation; by convention the larger pin slot oriented @ 12 o'clock, the smaller internal pin @ 6 o'clock. Sig eventually transitioned to solid pins then coiled pins for assemblies.

 

[brassninja]

Say what now? I'd like to hear your reasoning for that.

We're talking about spring steel roll pins, like this:

"Spring steel" is the key phrase here. If you're using a decent quality pin (i.e. not soft unhardened chinesium junk) and aren't damaging the pin with the wrong type of punch, they can be used many times without any need to rotate them back and forth or anything like that. They're normally driven all the way into the hole anyway, so rotating it wouldn't make any difference; both ends were already fully inserted in the hole.

If you have to rotate the pin to get it to hold, you probably are working with a junk low quality pin that doesn't have the spring to it that they're supposed to.


The other type of roll pin that's rolled up several layers thick can be a different story, and quality varies widely on those IME especially in lower end firearms. But that type is not used in the AR15 platform.

I just thought I would stir up some.......that accelerated quickly. Maybe less coffee?

 

[Naaman]

I love that we can geek out on the forums about roll pins.

 

[Yondering]

I just thought I would stir up some.......that accelerated quickly. Maybe less coffee?

Sure, it's always great to have someone misleading people with BS just for fun.

And what "accelerated quickly", exactly? I didn't call you out or insult you, just asked why you thought that, and offered correct info to explain what you might have seen. Some of you are really quick to see offense where there was none.

 

[Yondering]

........It seems most modern mfg.'s assemblies use coiled roll pins rather than split spring pins, the 3rd paragraph of the White Paper is most likely the engineering reason. The Sig classic P series pistols with folded carbon steel slide -breech block assemblies used a unique application with two concentric slotted spring H.D. pins oriented at 180 deg apart for proper installation; by convention the larger pin slot oriented @ 12 o'clock, the smaller internal pin @ 6 o'clock. Sig eventually transitioned to solid pins then coiled pins for assemblies.

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That's for pistols, and pretty specific to firing pin retention and sometimes trigger pins, for the most part. The OP was talking about a bolt catch roll pin in an AR, which are not coiled pins like this.

 

[brassninja]

Sure, it's always great to have someone misleading people with BS just for fun.

And what "accelerated quickly", exactly? I didn't call you out or insult you, just asked why you thought that, and offered correct info to explain what you might have seen. Some of you are really quick to see offense where there was none.

Dang it, it was a joke, I thought I left enough silliness to indicate that, back under my rock.

 

[SalomonQST99]

N00b mistake time... Installed the bolt release BEFORE I installed the magazine release.

Obviously that don't work so I burned thru a roll pin.

Are the roll pins on McMaster Carr the equivalent to the $1 ea roll pins on Midway? I'd like to have a few 'extras' around for the bolt release and gas block 'just in case.'

IOW are roll pins roll pins?

I'm pretty sure that bolt catch pins are 3/32" X 5/8" gas blocks are 5/64" x 5/16", etc The rest I don't have problems with

M

Damage Industries has a good selection: Damage