I just bought a lightly used LAR-8 and was at the range today for the first time to shoot in new optics. Everything was going great for 10 rounds until I squeezed and instead of boom I hear click. Thinking maybe I have a bad load (factory)I try again and same result. Now I know I have a mechanical issue. I pull the rear pin and start to tilt the lower down to inspect and the buffer and spring come shooting out of the buttstock and the buffer retainer pin and spring are laying above the trigger mechanism in the lower. It looks like something bad has happened because the buffer retainer's sharp end looks to have been partially sheared off. I inspected the bolt carrier and extractor, etc and all appeared to be in order to my untrained eye. I am not an experienced AR guy or gunsmith for that matter, does anyone have any ideas on what went wrong???
RRA LAR-8 Problem
- Thread starter gunnardog
- Start date
Re: RRA LAR-8 Problem
Check this out below...pretty sure this is your problem.
The standard A-15 catch will work fine in the Rem and DPMS, but it takes a different and larger one for the Armalite. Look at the difference in the frame design in this area. The fix I give students is to load the buffer tube with 15/16 dia washers to reduce the forward rebound of the buffer to 1/16 inch. Do this with out the buffer spring to set the forward travel. This reduces the pounding the frame gets when firing and stops the frame and bolt stops from breaking as often. The Armalite has lots of trouble in this area. If you have a lathe you can cut a one piece unit from aluminum or nylon. This works on all of these rifles, A15 included. I find that usualy .200 to .230 thickness is most often used. This was the beef that I had with Armalite. They knew this was going on but wouldn't fix it. I shoot the DPMS Rem frames in competition now because of less breakage
Check this out below...pretty sure this is your problem.
The standard A-15 catch will work fine in the Rem and DPMS, but it takes a different and larger one for the Armalite. Look at the difference in the frame design in this area. The fix I give students is to load the buffer tube with 15/16 dia washers to reduce the forward rebound of the buffer to 1/16 inch. Do this with out the buffer spring to set the forward travel. This reduces the pounding the frame gets when firing and stops the frame and bolt stops from breaking as often. The Armalite has lots of trouble in this area. If you have a lathe you can cut a one piece unit from aluminum or nylon. This works on all of these rifles, A15 included. I find that usualy .200 to .230 thickness is most often used. This was the beef that I had with Armalite. They knew this was going on but wouldn't fix it. I shoot the DPMS Rem frames in competition now because of less breakage
Re: RRA LAR-8 Problem
yea pic please, I have a carbine LAR-8 and love it. Just today RRA released their polymer mags that have been in the works for pushing a year. I have a FAL and the RRA LAR-8 fit the bill when looking for a AR in .308. Lets see pics and i'll compare to mine
yea pic please, I have a carbine LAR-8 and love it. Just today RRA released their polymer mags that have been in the works for pushing a year. I have a FAL and the RRA LAR-8 fit the bill when looking for a AR in .308. Lets see pics and i'll compare to mine
Re: RRA LAR-8 Problem
[img:right]http://picasaweb.google.com/115776183311834078719/Misc#5564275812282870626[/img]
Here is the pic. When I disassembled the gun I think I realized what had happened. After I bought the gun I installed a single point carry strap to the gun. When I reinstalled the buttstock tube into the threads I think the buffer retainer slid up and then I must have pinched the retainer by threading the buttstock tight against it because it would have been protruding if the buttstock tube was not there to retain it in place. Let me know your thoughts on what you see.
[img:right]http://picasaweb.google.com/115776183311834078719/Misc#5564275812282870626[/img]
Here is the pic. When I disassembled the gun I think I realized what had happened. After I bought the gun I installed a single point carry strap to the gun. When I reinstalled the buttstock tube into the threads I think the buffer retainer slid up and then I must have pinched the retainer by threading the buttstock tight against it because it would have been protruding if the buttstock tube was not there to retain it in place. Let me know your thoughts on what you see.
Re: RRA LAR-8 Problem
I would say I think you figured it out. Good luck. Has anyone seen that RRA is now offering the LAR-8 in 243 and 7mm-08.
I would say I think you figured it out. Good luck. Has anyone seen that RRA is now offering the LAR-8 in 243 and 7mm-08.
Re: RRA LAR-8 Problem
I hope so but I am still a little puzzled as to why the gun was misfiring and just dimpling the primer. I guess the detent might have come completely out of hole and caused a problem in the carrier. I could still cycle the gun each time and it would feed another shell but just continue to dimple the next one too. When I get the new one installed I will just have to try it. Thanks for the input!!!!
I hope so but I am still a little puzzled as to why the gun was misfiring and just dimpling the primer. I guess the detent might have come completely out of hole and caused a problem in the carrier. I could still cycle the gun each time and it would feed another shell but just continue to dimple the next one too. When I get the new one installed I will just have to try it. Thanks for the input!!!!
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