Why I No Longer Use Magpul Bad Levers!!!

[phylodog]

This is where my apprehension comes from. As you can see from this picture of a bolt catch, there isn't a lot of material surrounding the roll pin.

When pushing the B.A.D. lever up to engage to bolt catch, it pulls the paddle out away from the side of the receiver (red arrow). This pushes the bottom of the bolt catch into the cut out of the receiver (green arrow). If the lever moves up enough to force the bottom of the bolt catch to bottom out in the receiver cut out, you have created stress in the small pieces of material surrounding the roll pin (yellow circles).

Being such a thin piece of steel and having a three inch lever pushing on it, it wouldn't take too much to create stress fractures and an eventual failure of the bolt catch like Corey showed in the OP. In the few examples I have handled in person, the B.A.D. lever seemed to "bottom out" against the top of the trigger guard before the bottom of the bolt catch would impact the cut out of the receiver. Considering the amount of play involved between the roll pin, bolt catch and B.A.D. lever I wouldn't be surprised to see things not mate up properly and begin stressing the bolt catch.

I'm not trashing the product, I'm a huge Magpul fan but I don't think the design of the B.A.D. lever is a good one. I saw a video of a different product which is supposed to be coming to market that used a modified mag release to engage the bolt catch but I can't find it now. If I locate that video I'll post it up, that product appeared to limit the amount of force being applied to the bolt catch.

 

[Patternpimp]

The hole creates a stress raiser in the casting, possibly aggrevated by a a scratch created when inserting the roll pin. However this would have been considered by any engineer worth their salt. As someone who deals with castings everyday, I would lean towards an oxide film inclusion in the aluminum casting. With that stated if you want to sell your BAD Lever shoot me a PM.

 

[greyhound47]

The hole creates a stress raiser in the casting, possibly aggrevated by a a scratch created when inserting the roll pin. However this would have been considered by any engineer worth their salt. As someone who deals with castings everyday, I would lean towards an oxide film inclusion in the aluminum casting. With that stated if you want to sell your BAD Lever shoot me a PM.

I figure if it was a real problem we would have been hearing about this repeatedly. Bad casting is what I am thinking too. I have boith my rifles covered!

 

[mmartinsbin]

I agree. Being an engineer myself and assembling my AR from a stripped receiver this is a casting issue not a leverage problem. Quality components are important, not only the receiver forging but the parts kit as well.

The hole creates a stress raiser in the casting, possibly aggrevated by a a scratch created when inserting the roll pin. However this would have been considered by any engineer worth their salt. As someone who deals with castings everyday, I would lean towards an oxide film inclusion in the aluminum casting. With that stated if you want to sell your BAD Lever shoot me a PM.

 

[knobcreeknut]

Corey

A buddy of mine has had the bolt release break twice on a colt 9mm subgun. These both occurred long before the BAD lever ever existed. Could this be a common issue on these guns? Both of his breakages occurred during firing.

 

[shooter521]

Corey

A buddy of mine has had the bolt release break twice on a colt 9mm subgun. These both occurred long before the BAD lever ever existed. Could this be a common issue on these guns? Both of his breakages occurred during firing.

Yes, bolt breakage on the Colt 9mm SMGs and semi-auto carbines is a known phenomenon.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_15/478502_.html

 

[AzNooB]

I'll have to say it's a bad casting too. It just doesn't make any sense that the BAD lever broke off that section of the bolt catch.