Gunsmithing Side charger FIX with 6AL4V

[CarCrusher]

I got a BCA upper side charger for a 300AAC build and after taking the bolt apart a few times I noticed the handle mushrooming.
Looks like soft handle steel against the hardened carrier started making a mess of the factory handle. Wasn't over-torqued either, just
brought snug each time. The carrier has (had) a slight curve at the landing and that seemed to contribute to the flaring as well.
I was afraid with repeated flaring the socket head 10-32 would protrude through the carrier wall and stop the bolt!
I used a shoulder bolt Grade 12.9 and so Titanium rod and made this.

Carcrusher

Carcrusher (carcrusher) on ImgBB

carcrusher.imgbb.com

No way it can come through and stop the bolt now. Can't corrode and it's extended enough so that a cross-reach AK charge
keeps my hand from hitting the QD scope levers.
I'm just a retired machinist who understands guns. And isn't scared of Ti.

 

[CarCrusher]

Ah, the prototype bolt was a 12.9. My source says these are more a grade 8 steel bolt.
I also offer these in stainless 18.8 now. Boat gun, Bayou, Alaska, wherever, it won't corrode.

 

[CarCrusher]

Now making Ti hand-guards with 7075 barrel nuts.
Wrapped in 750 Paracord (black, FDE, OD) to eliminate ring.
M-Lok slots.

 

[smoooth1]

Very nice!

Interested to hear more about your tool post mounted router.

 

[CarCrusher]

It's a 4 axis DRO 9 x 42 milling machine.

 

[CarCrusher]

Very nice!

Interested to hear more about your tool post mounted router.

Oh, it's a grinder. Has a BXA machined aluminum holder. Needs more HP, but then again what doesn't.
I use that to re-grind taps and hardened tooling to shape. Uses 1/4" shaft alum oxide stones.
Got it a long time ago on eBay.

 

[Badfinger]

Nice work but personally I don't like a reciprocating bolt.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I don't see how you could get in the way of a recip bolt handle.
Here's mine. Standoff is a drill bushing countersunk in an aluminum hand shaped scrap.
Gonna modify for two bolt holes.

 

[CarCrusher]

Put yourself in this not-so-happy place:
You just charged a round into the chamber and it froze ever so slightly out-of-battery.
Bolt carrier in still in the buffer tube, the weapon is completely locked up solid.....................
You figure a piece of junk wedged into the chamber along with the round. Been here, done this.
All the while this goes through your head, there are muzzle reports to your 2 o'clock.
The second hand is moving.............

Option 1- pull the charging handle on a normal top charger(won't budge).
put gloves on and try it (still won't budge). Not enough leverage. You can feel the charging handle flex a lot.
you tell yourself take out a cleaning rod and tap on a live round stuck in the chamber (hell no).
You reach for your 1911 and go completely defensive.
This is going to be a long fight.

Option 2- Put the buttstock on the ground, lean the barrel away and stomp on the charging handle.
Round pops out and you re-aquire the tango. Dispatch.
The fight (hunt) continues now.
They continue to drop.

In my last situation, the tangos were coyotes and yes, a small something ( a tiny twig) fell into the chamber and deformed the neck of the case. Matters not if they were yotes, zombies, a terrorist (protester?) trying to burning down my house, or crazed Somalies over-running my position high on Khat.

They're dead now. God can sort them out. They won't eat the chickens or kill my family.

The adrenalin rush of a locked-up gun when S%#T goes sideways is STUNNING the first time it happens.
I never want to get that rush anymore. Too old. An AK "strength" addressing an AR "shortcoming" is a welcome thing for me.
It's not for everybody, but a REALLY BIG benefit is no gas back down the charging handle tunnel.
And we're always suppressed at night.