LR308 bolt catch buffer and spring

[WW2]

I built my first LR-308 this last weekend. After cleaning the stripped receiver I made the error of not running a drill bit in each and every hole in the receiver. As a result, there was some hidden crud in the bolt catch spring hole. Now the spring and bolt catch buffer are stuck in the hole.

Any ideas on how I can extract the bolt catch buffer and spring?

 

[HiBC]

You made me curious.I have a DPMS LR-308 L.
Before we go farther,I assume you are talking about the bolt catch,left side of the receiver?
The quick look made me quite concerned.It did look like it was assembled driving in a blind roll pin!!! IMO,its just unacceptable to design such an assembly.
Then I took a deep breath,and decided to take a closer look.
I got out my 10X LED illuminated loupe. I clearly saw a hex socket.Its not a roll pin,its a hex drive screw.
My "pin" can be unscrewed with an Allen wrench.

Which means you have a very difficult situation if you drove a pin in the hole.

If yours is just like mine,odds are the threads are goobered,or will be if you somehow remove the pin.Removing the pin...a blind roll pin stuck in hard anodized aluminum...is a challenge,to say the least.

Someone else may have a better idea,but,it may be that the straightest course will be to contact DPMS about sending the stripped lower plus the installed bolt catch.I would assume they would not put struggle into this problem,the solution is a replacement lower.There are ways they can do that regarding the BATF paperwork,etc,I'm pretty sure.

I assume you are talking about the bolt catch on the left side of the lower receiver.
Your use of the word "buffer" is confusing.
Or are you asking about the buffer retainer that keeps the buffer and spring in the receiver extension at the rear of the receiver?That is a whole different ball game.

I'd hold off on the idea of running a drill through the holes.You really want the anodizing to remain intact.

 

[Ibmikey]

HiBC, You are quite correct the bolt release lever is retained by a threaded pin, i believe the OP is referring to the detent or plunger and spring placing tension on the bolt stop. Apparently these parts are wedged into the hole, obviously removing the lever is the first step and then placing a small amount of Break free or like fluid and a probe should allow the release of the parts......probably clear across the room where the cat can eat them. Actually this all seems so basic I must be incorrectly understanding the problem.

 

[HiBC]

I'd appreciate it if the OP would follow up.
On an AR-15 type rifle,the bolt catch IS assembled to the receiver by a roll pin.
I think due to magazine width and real estate the same design is not workable with the .308 version.So they went with the threaded pin.

The way I interpreted the problem,(which could be wrong) the OP may have made a mistake and drove a roll pin in where the threaded pin is supposed to go.That would be very unfortunate.There is no easy way to get a roll pin out of a blind hole.(At least in my experience)

I'm a little unsure following the use of the word "buffer" To me,that is about the part between the bolt carrier group and the spring inside the receiver extension. I suppose he could name the buffer retainer plunger the "bolt catch"

 

[stagpanther]

He's probably taliking about the spring and detent pin which drop into a hole that push out on the lever--not the roll pin (or screw-pin on a xx10 platform, though I have seen a roll pin on them as well) which secures the catch to the receiver. My guess is that he put the wrong spring or pin (might have forced the pin in upside down) from the LPK into the hole--I've never put a receiver together that needed "reaming" of the holes

 

[WW2]

I used the terms from the DPMS parts kit

Thanks for the replies!

Fortunately, I did not make the mistake of driving a roll pin in to the blind hole. I did use the proper threaded retaining pin/screw.

The pictures should help clarify what was happening.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/146694804@N04/29211560062/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/146694804@N04/29211560002/in/dateposted-public/

I did manage to get the buffer (plunger) and spring removed. Here is what I did:

- Gently Used a 1/8" punch to tap on the buffer (Plunger) to see if that would knock it loose. The buffer came partially out of the hole, but only the round top so I could not get ahold of it to extract it.

- Used compressed air to try to blow it loose. I used a can of electronics duster air. No luck.

- Inverted the can of electronic air duster to blow the cold liquid on the buffer (plunger); still no luck but the parts were now quite cold.

- Sprayed throttle body cleaner on the buffer (plunger) to try to break down any crud that was there. The buffer (plunger) now came out a little more but not enough to grab and extract.

- Used a 1/8" punch to tap along the center line of the slot above the spring and buffer (plunger) (see the Center line annotated in the second picture). With all the other steps the buffer began to protrude more. After about 5 minutes of tapping the buffer (plunger) was out enough that I was able to lock on to it with a vascular clamp and extract it.

- cleaned out the spring hole with a drill bit, more throttle body cleaner, and cleared it with compressed air. This cleaned the entire bolt catch slot.

I then cleaned the buffer (plunger), spring and Bolt catch. Lubed them with Hoppe's #9 and reinstalled them. All is working perfectly now!

 

[WW2]

Stagpanther - This was and 80% lower and it required some fitting. The Pivot pin ears were too small so had to ream them out. The Magazine release slot was small and the magazine release was sticking. A few passes with a flat file opened it enough to allow proper function.

So, some fitting was required. But for the Bolt catch spring I just used the drill bit to get the crud out of the hole (too bad it was after the fact).

 

[stagpanther]

Stagpanther - This was and 80% lower and it required some fitting. The Pivot pin ears were too small so had to ream them out. The Magazine release slot was small and the magazine release was sticking. A few passes with a flat file opened it enough to allow proper function.

So, some fitting was required. But for the Bolt catch spring I just used the drill bit to get the crud out of the hole (too bad it was after the fact).
__________________
Clinging to my God and my guns!

Luke 22:36
Quote:

Sorry you went through that--I've thought about trying em out but they seem more trouble than they're worth to simply have an unserialized receiver.

 

[WW2]

I had a lot of fun machining the 80% lower. I put the rifle together from a kit that included the upper completely assembled.

I also built and AR-15 in 7.62x39 without a hitch.

As I am getting better at machining I already have the bug to build another in standard 5.56x45. But this time I think I will try a complete kit and do all the assembly, both lower and upper, myself.

Here in California as of January we will need to get serial numbers when we build these and register them as assault weapons so no "non-serialized" weapons in this state. Although we are hopeful that since they are registered as assault weapons we can remove the California Button and install a proper magazine release button. Time will tell.

The real bummer is that I have a Hi-Point carbine in 9mm with a California Button to make it NOT an assault weapon. With the new gun laws I now must register it as an Assault Weapon.