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Bolt handle coming out TOO easily on m4


Vortec MAX

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I have a Benelli m4 that I use in 3-gun competition. I have a Carrier Comp oversize bolt handle on it. A couple of months ago, I lost the bolt handle during a stage. Luckily I found it. Yesterday, I found it partially pulled out just before I started a stage. It seems like it pulls out easier than it has before.So what does this mean? Is the bolt handle worn out? Do I need a new spring for the detent? The handle does not appear to be excessively worn.Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.Mike

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You're lucky you found that thing!

 

Have you looked at the tip of the carriercomp handle to see if it is worn at all? What you could try is to replace the bolt detent and spring. You could use a spacer inside the spring channel to increase the spring tension.

 

One fast way to test if it is the carriercomp handle or not is by sticking the OEM handle in and see if the tension is the same.

 

https://www.brownells.com/schematics/benelli-u-s-a-/m4-sid916.aspx#s50320sid916

https://www.brownells.com/schematics/benelli-u-s-a-/m4-sid916.aspx#s50296sid916

Edited by StrangerDanger
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No problem. You can also rotate the bolt handle and engage it by one of the other two bevels. My guess is the issue is with the detent though and you’ll have poor retention in all three index points.

 

The pin is easy to get out, but it’s a huge pain to get back in since it’s so short. You have to get the pin started, then compress the spring and detent with a small punch while you drive the pin in. Once the pin is partially in, you can keep the spring under it while you drive the pin the rest of the way in. Having a vice will help. Having a second person would help even more.

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My Plan A would be to gently open up / deepen the handle component and see if it helps. One can remove the bolt and insert the handle and observe exactly what the situation is.

 

In my view the detent-handle engagement of the axle component of the handle is a non-load bearing surface that simply retains the pin in its lateral position thru the bolt; the actual axle of the handle bears all the load with retraction of the bolt, however its only with hand pulling rearward force, not a repetitive high speed violent impact on the axle part. So I don't think the surface hardening is particularly important at that engagement site. One only has to deepen one of the surfaces not both on the Carrier Comp; the G&G "spinner" however is a continuous circular detent. Due to part intolerances, the tip of the detent may not be engaging the handle recess correctly.

 

Plan B addressing your correct observation about the limiting travel of the retaining pin, would be to fill in the handle recess with some JB weld, then incrementally enlarge the engagement until it felt like a solid fit.

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In my view the detent-handle engagement of the axle component of the handle is a non-load bearing surface that simply retains the pin in its lateral position thru the bolt; the actual axle of the handle bears all the load with retraction of the bolt, however its only with hand pulling rearward force, not a repetitive high speed violent impact on the axle part. So I don't think the surface hardening is particularly important at that engagement site.

 

Tho, it seems to me, that since the detent pin snaps into and out of the slot in the axle, that it could over time start to wear the metal and enlarge or otherwise deform the slot to where the detent pin won't hold the handle in securely anymore.

 

I wouldn't do it. If it were mine, and a new spring and detent did not solve the problem and, if the issue is not there with the OEM handle, I'd just go back to the OEM.

 

I never saw any reason to replace that OEM part anyway.

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Maybe the detent / spring are just full of crud and they and the channel that retain them may just need a good cleaning to allow the detent to have free full travel to engage the handle.

 

Collectively, all the parts involved are a few bucks total. IF one desires a different handle, buy the parts and swap them out and see what happens. Carry on.

Edited by benelliwerkes
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