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ShootingSight charging handle for M4


shootingsight

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Thought you all might get a kick out of this.  I'm making an M4 charging handle (well, likely several varieties).  Stem will be case-hard steel for wear, while the handle will be aluminum for weight savings.

 

Here is a video of the threads being cut (I love my CNC lathe), as well as some 'nearly complete' parts.

Picture

Video

2019-12-06 17.59.19.jpg

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1 hour ago, NineInchNails said:

With one of those and a tig welder, you could probably make just about anything. Do you intend to copy Benelli's design for the non-rotational tip of the charging handle?

I was playing with that today, trying square cut versus radius cut versus drilling holes for the detent in the bolt to pop into.  Because of the radius tip on the detent, it doesn't really prevent rotation, and if you do rotate it, the detent pin begins to lift so the handle can start walking out.

I have an idea how to do it so it won't spin, and you have to just straight pull to remove it.  Or I could make it a spinner.  Actually, on that thought, I'll start a new topic and see what people prefer.

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Love that CNC lathe. It's like cheating compared to operating a manual lathe.

 

I personally don't know what I'd prefer when it comes to an aftermarket bolt knob for the M4 design wise. I've had them all from the GG&G, carriercomp, Design Concepts, FFT, TTI and probably a couple others. While the knurling on the carriercomp was absolutely beautiful craftsmanship, I felt it roughed up my hand when going fast. I immediately got rid of the GG&G model and determined I didn't like the large diameter knobs at all. I found I liked the TTI shape the best with minimal texture on it so that if I blade it with my pinkie when swiping the bolt carrier, it doesn't tear up my hands.

I guess I prefer that the knob did not spin and was locked in position.

Now, if you could design it so the bolt handle would not come out unless you depressed a detent thru the tip of the handle, you'd really have my interest. I've pulled the knob off during reloading on accident.

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Dammit!  I got my hands full, and here you go throwing me a challenge that I'm thinking about .... plungers with detent balls exist down to 1/4" easily.  I'll need to look if there are smaller.  If you get rid of the factory detent and just leave the hole, it might work.  However getting the factory detent out might be a challenge.  Looks to be a blind hole.  Near term, I might make several of each to send out for testing.

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That detent in the bolt carrier comes out pretty easy. I think it's like a 3/32 punch. They're only a PITA to put back in due to how small the pin is that holds it in place. I like your design with the steel shank and the aluminum knob for weight savings. That'll be lighter than titanium.

Really interested to see what you come up with. Every time I try to work thru the problem without building a new bolt carrier, I get stuck. Tough to get all of that in to such a small object.

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Must be a burr in the pin hole on mine, because it looks like the hole is smaller on the inside than the outside.  If it is supposed to be a straight hole, then you can just drive the pin inwards.

In thinking about it, one way would be to permanently fix the detent.  You would slot the tip of the handle, so you insert, then rotate it to lock in place.  You would then need some sort of releasable anti-rotate concept on the handle end.

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