Hello gentleman. I have a Sig Sauer R516P. I recently purchased a Magpul B.A.D. lever from Bravo Company along with an ambi-safety and a couple other parts and pieces. Everything installed easily and worked great except the BAD lever. I immediately noticed that part of the receiver was going to interfere with its operation. I’ve included a couple pics to show the interference. I wrote magpul an email with the same pictures and a question about whether or not they had any ideas about making it work with bending the lever in two spots to clear the interfering rise in the receiver. I’m here because Magpul did not respond to my email. I’m looking for ideas to make this lever work. I’d prefer not to alter my lower receiver, but I know it’s an option and I won’t rule it out. I’d like to know of any ideas you all might have. I know there are some great minds on here, and I’ve already learned a lot just reading all the stickies, FAQs and threads on this board. I thank you for that and any advice, incite, or ideas you can throw my way on this problem I’m running into.
I would never consider modifying my receiver for a $20 part. I’d bend the BAD if I felt it was a must. If that didn’t work, I wouldn’t use it.
Personally, I used them for a while, then one took a hit, broke and interfered with my bolt catch. I no longer use BAD levers.
Bend it.
That was my thought as well. I don’t want to alter my lower. I don’t see any issues with filing off a little bit of that fence around the ambi mag release, but it gives me the willies, and how would I refinish the area I filed?
I believe bending is the way I’m going to go. My second question is how to go about bending it. According to Magpul’s website the lever is “Machined from durable billet 6061-T6 aluminum,” and “Finished with MIL-A-8625F, Type III, Class 2 hard anodizing with manganese phosphate on the screw per MIL-DTL-16232G.” Will heating of the lever destroy this finish? Will attempting to bend it cold break the lever? I read a thread on this board where someone was “tuning” the lever to specific receivers that that wouldn’t allow it to clear the trigger well. https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=892330 He recommended bending in small increments using a vice and a pair of vice grips with something to protect the finish on each. I’m going to have to bend the lever a little more, and in other directions than what’s needed for tuning.
I bent one of mine when my gun hit the deck during a drill. It did no damage to the finish or arm itself though the back plate did break.
My advice would be find a thinner piece of tubbing and press it down around it where you need the bend or bends.
I wouldn’t bother heating it, it’s not hard to work with. I still have the one that broke, so at some point today I’ll play around with it and see what works.
Whatever you do, don’t alter your lower. One time I slipped with a dremel and dug into the lower. A little bit of that bluing that comes in the bigger blue bottle blackened it right up. I don’t remember if it was cold blue or not, but it’s made to work on aluminum as well as the carbon steel. It’s a pretty clear liquid. My local shop sells it, but every now and then I just pour some into a container to have at home, so I don’t have the actual bottle. It works well and looks good.