First of all. . . so far I love the gun. I’m sure it’s normal, but there are two small things that just kinda bug me a little tiny bit:
1. The charging handle hits the SOPMOD stock when you pull it. I can see that the top leading edge of the plastic stock has a little bevel on it where the handle hits it, so I’m sure it’s normal, but it just seems like it could have been done a little better to me. Maybe a little less up and down play in the charging handle, or even an additional bevel in the bottom leading edge of the charging handle would make it less noticeable. . . just doesn’t seem well thought out.
2. The rifle comes with a flat top rail receiver instead of a carry handle top (it’s nice), but the standard rear sight which is mounted on it has a little spring-loaded ball on the left side that keeps the adjustable part of the sight cocked (twisted) a little bit at all times. I guess it makes sense to have it a little loose, and to have the spring-loaded ball to keep pressure on it so it’s not just rattling loosely and randomly, but at least it should have another spring-loaded ball on the right side too so that it would not always stay cock-eyed.
[b]Okay, THERE. . . I said it. I know, I’m being a whiner and a nitpicker, but I just had to get it off my chest.
You have one of the most tried and true pieces of kit on the market. Your weapon will serve you well for a long time. Until you start seeing major problems with reliability or accuracy, rock on. Your rifle is a standard most strive for. Congrats my friend.
Brandon
The sight, and all rear sights of that style, are intentionally designed like that and it is 100% normal.
If the charging handle didn’t have a bit of up/down play, you would see a lot more bent charging handles and non-functional weapons. Think about it. Would you rather have that non-linear torque move the entire charging handle up and down (what’s happening), or would you rather have it in such a tight channel that pressure gets applied at some point midway on the handle when it’s pulled out? Again, intentional and normal.
First of all congrats on an excellent purchase. I love my lmt defender, it’s been one of the nicest ars I’ve ever had the pleasure to own. Dont fret about the rear sight, if it bugs ya enough then replace it (kac micro 600 hint hint) Same with the charging handle.
If you have the heart, you could probably file the top of the stock down into a bevel like is found on magpul MOE stocks, this pretty much elimitanes catching. Just an idea.
Another thought - I have no idea. Are gunfighter charging handles stiffer?
Also, I fing my m4 stock catches the CH when fully collapsed, but i’ve never had a problem when 2 or more clicks out(where I use it). Maybe your noticing something similar/
Excellent responses from everybody. Yes, I am new to the AR-15 and to rifles in general. I am a pistol shooter.
No, I have not had the opportunity to fire my new LMT yet (as I’m sure most of you figured out). The beautiful outdoor range I will be using it at still has to vote me in as a member, and that should happen the beginning of next month. My only other close-by choice would be a crappy, dark, loud, unfriendly, miserable indoor range where you breath-in all the powder smoke and lead dust. . . mostly alongside alot of people who have never shot a gun before, and with a staff of employees who are arrogant, condescending, and who don’t really know as much as they think they do about guns, nor about life in general. Even if it were free, I would hate to go there. . . so I am waiting patiently for next month.
I am detail-oriented and a little perfectionistic, but not in a bad or annoying kind of way. I meticulously handload all my own pistol ammo with great care, and I am looking forward to reloading for my new rifle in the coming year ahead as well.
As I said in my opening post, I am well aware that the items that bugged me were perfectly normal for the platform. Thanks for your patience guys. . . I look forward to learning from you.
I understand completely. While normal, things like that can be irritating. I purchased an LMT Patrol rifle a while back that came with stuff melted all over the front sight base and scratches on the upper. I didn’t mind, because I planned on using it hard anyway.
Some people will say you are too picky and give you crap. The way I look at it is that it is nice to see something in its new beauty, especially when you pay full price, for even a short while.
Example: you own a construction company and go purchase a new pick-up truck. Even though you will use it as a work truck, anyone would flip-out if they arrive to pay and it has scratches and dents on it. Regardless of its intended use, new stuff should look new; if only until you beat the shit out of it:D
I use two SOPMODs and have never found an issue catching the handle on the stock, at any position. They already have a bevel to avoid this problem. I did have that issue with another brand/type (which had a bevel but not big enough) and a few minutes with a file fixed it. Doing it deliberately with a file gives you a smooth bevel where hitting it with the handle may or may not.
GFH handles are great but are not any stiffer. The play is a product of the design and intended dimensions.
I am detail-oriented and a little perfectionistic, but not in a bad or annoying kind of way. I meticulously handload all my own pistol ammo with great care, and I am looking forward to reloading for my new rifle in the coming year ahead as well.
There is another name for this it is called OCD. :jester:
Ha ha ha. . . sometimes it feels that way, but I do try not to overdo it! :suicide2:
A good friend of mine once bought a race car with an automatic racing transmission. Every time you’d shift the gears (you still shifted even thouigh it was an automatic) it would BANG into gear so hard your teeth would rattle. When it idled, it didn’t purrrr, it went CLOP, CLOP, CLOP and always seemed like it might stall at any minute. It was track car with big slicks on it and totally not for the street. We actually snuck it out onto some back-neighborhood streets one night as teenagers and LIT IT UP. . . ahh those were crazy days. Anyway, if ya didn’t know better, you would think that the car was broken based upon the way it idled and shifted. In the cae of my new rifle, I did know better as to my little gripes being normal for the platform, but I just felt like whining a bit. In time I’m sure I’ll look back at it with a different perspective.
