M14 Forum

Quicksilvergoat · February 19th, 2012, 06:32 PM

How would you straighten it?

SOCOM42 · February 19th, 2012, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quicksilvergoat

How would you straighten it?

i have a fixture that fits in a milling machine vise that i use. it needs to be straightened right at the right angle turn.

Mikey · February 19th, 2012, 06:38 PM

to have it straiten do they need the whole rifle or just the op rod?

And who all can I send this to to get fixed?

SOCOM42 · February 19th, 2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

to have it bent do they need the whole rifle or just the op rod?

best fitted to one it is going in at this point, barrel and rcvr are all that would be needed.

if everything was to spec then rod only.

company policy may require something else

Mikey · February 19th, 2012, 06:59 PM

is there anyone in Illinois who can fix the op rod? - I just hate to have to ship the rifle - very very expensive

jake2far · February 19th, 2012, 07:24 PM

Before you assume the op rod is bent take a straight edge, lay it on the shelf or ledge that supports the op rod, see if it is flat. Lay the straight edge on the bottom of the shelf to see if it is flat. I have seen one receiver posted on this forum that had a bow like a banana. If the receiver is straight than it appears the op is bent. If it is bent take a magnifying glass, inspect the op rod to see if it is a reweld. If it isn't a reweld, keep it as a spare get a new one and see if you can get your bent one straightened.

Good luck

Jim

Mikey · February 19th, 2012, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jake2far

Before you assume the op rod is bent take a straight edge, lay it on the shelf or ledge that supports the op rod, see if it is flat. Lay the straight edge on the bottom of the shelf to see if it is flat. I have seen one receiver posted on this forum that had a bow like a banana. If the receiver is straight than it appears the op is bent. If it is bent take a magnifying glass, inspect the op rod to see if it is a reweld. If it isn't a reweld, keep it as a spare get a new one and see if you can get your bent one straightened.

Good luck

Jim

Thanks,

I checked the receiver and there is no perceptible bend - so it's definitely the op rod - good thing to check though, hadn't considered that

I didn't have a magnifying glass but I can find no signs of the op rod being re-welded, still I think I may just fork out the cash for a new SEI op rod and be done with it - hopefully it will line up and if not I'll have to send it out.

bd111 · February 20th, 2012, 04:38 AM

If it's a USGI op rod, other than TRW, it was welded together when it was made. I can't tell enough looking at the photos (good job on those!) whether the op rod is out of spec or the receiver's channel might have a high spot or narrow out with the effect of pushing up on the tab under the force of recoil. If it were mine I wouldn't send anything to anybody until I had borrowed another known good op rod and fired some of the same ammo you're shooting. M118LR is in-spec ammo for your rifle.

Mikey · February 20th, 2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bd111

If it's a USGI op rod, other than TRW, it was welded together when it was made. I can't tell enough looking at the photos (good job on those!) whether the op rod is out of spec or the receiver's channel might have a high spot or narrow out with the effect of pushing up on the tab under the force of recoil. If it were mine I wouldn't send anything to anybody until I had borrowed another known good op rod and fired some of the same ammo you're shooting. M118LR is in-spec ammo for your rifle.

I ran the op rod through it's track while holding it down so the tab was all the way in the channel, it took a surprising amount force but traveled all the way into and out of the diss-assembly notch with the tab as far down as it'll go.

If the rod went back beyond the diss-assembly notch it got really tight - but I don't think it's supposed to go that far back anyway - as i mentioned earlier there is a small tight spot with the tab about halfway into the notch but you have to move the op rod pretty slow to notice it.

Trying a good known op rod sounds like a really good idea, unfortunately I don't know anyone around here with another m14 - so unless someone from the forum is willing to let me borrow one I'm out of luck there.

SOCOM42 · February 20th, 2012, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

if the rod went back beyond the diss-assembly notch it got really tight - but i don't think it's supposed to go that far back anyway - as i mentioned earlier there is a small tight spot with the tab about halfway into the notch but you have to move the op rod pretty slow to notice it.

oprod is suppose to go all the way back until the right angled face hits the front of the receiver.

The should be no drag or "bumps" along the way in either direction.

This travel should be done with the tilt test.

Mikey · February 20th, 2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOCOM42

oprod is suppose to go all the way back until the right angled face hits the front of the receiver.

The should be no drag or "bumps" along the way in either direction.

This travel should be done with the tilt test.

Then it appears we may have found the issue - with the spring and guide in it goes in and out of the area behind the notch without much trouble. However during the tilt test the op rod does not go past the diss-assembly notch and behind the notch, it is very very tight - now I'm thinking the place where it gets a little snug right before the notch is where the track on the receiver may be getting out of spec.

This is gonna take a while to fix isn't it

SOCOM42 · February 20th, 2012, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

then it appears we may have found the issue - with the spring and guide in it goes in and out of the area behind the notch without much trouble. However during the tilt test the op rod does not go past the diss-assembly notch and behind the notch, it is very very tight - now i'm thinking the place where it gets a little snug right before the notch is where the track on the receiver may be getting out of spec.

This is gonna take a while to fix isn't it usn4

your dealing with a rewelded rod (tab)that appears to be bent and an aftermarket receiver that may or may not be close to spec.

As said, get another rod and try it. That may solve the problem even if just for a test.

Only other thing is to send it out to someone who can do the job.

Mikey · February 20th, 2012, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOCOM42

your dealing with a rewelded rod (tab)that appears to be bent and an aftermarket receiver that may or may not be close to spec.

As said, get another rod and try it. That may solve the problem even if just for a test.

Only other thing is to send it out to someone who can do the job.

As I mentioned, I don't have anyone to borrow one from so I guess I'll just order one and if that doesn't solve the issue I'll send the rifle and new rod into SEI and have them fix it - I don't think there's much else to do at this point.

Anyway, thanks for all the help - I really appreciate it!