M14 Forum

Sustinemus

Here is a step-by-step procedure that should get it off without prying with screwdrivers and such:

1. Remove the trigger guard, stock, and recoil spring and guide.
2. Lay the action in front of you on it's left side with the muzzle pointed toward the right.
3. Position the op rod such that the very back edge of the handle is about 1/16 inch forward of the very back corner of the half moon shaped dismount notch.
4. Place your right thumb on the bottom of the cyclindrical portion of the op rod at the point where the "dogleg" is attached, and place your right index and social fingers at the top of the dogleg, opposite your thumb.
5. Place your left fingers on the back of the receiver behind the rear sight assembly, and your left thumb on the bottom of the op rod's handle at the point where the handle is adjacent to the receiver rail.
6. Press away from you with your right thumb and in towards you with your right fingers to impart a rotational force to the operating rod's dogleg that would tend to force the upper portion of the operating rod out and away from the receiver, rotating about the long axis of the cyclindrical portion of the op rod. (Alternatively, and to get a little more twisting leverage, you can use the tips of your right fingers to pull out on the hump of the oprod.)
7. While applying the pressure in step 6 with the right hand, use your left thumb to press up and away from you on the bottom of the operating rod's handle. You can get your thumb under that little notch on the bottom of the handle for more "up" leverage. This will allow the op rod's tab to ride over the slight step in the rail and on up into the dismount notch. When it goes it will make a nice "click" or "snap" sound.

This will get much easier with practice, and especially after a few hundred rounds have been fired through the rifle and the parts have "worn in" better.

If worse comes to worst, and you MUST pry, put a piece of duct tape on a large screwdriver blade (to protect the finish on the rifle). Place the screwdriver blade behind the oprod hump and pry outward using the stripper clip guide for leverage, while pushing up with the left hand as described in steps 5 and 7 above.
BE CAREFUL that you pry on the oprod hump and NOT the bolt roller!

Shadow

Thread made into a sticky. Very good post!

Threepoint14

Good timing with that post Sustinemus. I just got my M1A, and sure enough I could not get the op-rod to come off. So I started searching for M1A websites and found this one.

I tried several times following the instructions and thought I had it a couple of times. But ended up having to pry it. The real "trick" is understanding to put the rotaional torque on the long axis, before trying to pop out the op-rod handle into the notch in the receiver.

After some practice it's no problem now. However for some reason, I found it easier if I flip step #2 so the muzzle is pointing to the left. Then in step #4 place the first two fingers on the cylindrical part of the dogleg, with the thumb opposite. On step #5 the right thumb straddles the windage knob and the sight assemble, with the index finger hooking under the op-rod handle with your palm facing out to the right.

Anyway, thanks for the info. I look forward to exploring the forums.

landser9528

so i tried this, and i still cant get my op rod out! i bought it used and i had to get a local smith to fix it before round 1 was fired (the guide the oprod sits in was canted piston and rod barely connected) its now fixed but no matter how much i try i cant get the op rod out. apparently the previous owner never removed it! ive been told that it will break in but i find it disturbing i cant completley dissasemble my rifle. i dont know what to do maybe send it back to SA but i have a TRW barrel and i dont want to jepordize that...any advice appericated!

CarbineGuy

Thank you, thank you and thank you! Something about this removal discription was all it took I finally got my op rod out. Now I can clean my rifle.

Thank you again, Tim

Hickok

Many thanks for the great info. On my new M1a NM the operating rod was not wanting to come off no matter how hard I cussed, pushed or pulled. But following the tutorial given by Sutinemus it was so easy "a caveman could do it!"

Sustinemus, absolutely genius, thank you!

7.62bthp

Uh...HELLO?!?

tonyben

Tag for sticky...

stainless1911

My gunsmith thold me to gently file the top edge off the "block" shaped part that goes into the slot, don't take off too much, but it worked.

SOCOM42

The problem would not exist if the takedown notch was properly machined

lwssdk

Similar problem for me.I know how it's supposed to work, but op rod won't come off. Less than one hundred rounds fired though. Is more break in necessary?

RAMMAC

If you are having a hard time getting the op rod off you can try this method. You don't have to use any force, the wedge shape of the small flat bladed screwdriver does the work. Notice that I use only my thumb and index finger to remove the op rod.

BagemTagem

This method may not work for all. My M1A doesnt have the gap that yours does. So i had to apply pressure to the op rod and tap it with a hammer.


Video: How to remove a stubborn op rod

RAMMAC

Have you tested the technique?

All rifles will have the gap even if it only appears only when the op rod is positioned over the disassembly notch while you apply upward pressure with your hand. And if your's is that tight, then you can still use this technique using the angled part at the bottom, rear of the op rod. Just position the op rod in the disassembly position and then pry lightly against that angled face and the op rod will lift and disconnect. You may have to use a jeweler's screwdriver rather than a larger screwdriver but it will still do the trick. The gap will usually appear because the op rod can move slightly upward when the tab is in the notch. Since the op rod is designed to be removed by lifting it upward when the tab is in the notch, the screwdriver is used as either a wedge or a lever that moves the rod upward for you.

Regardless, like I said in the video, it's just one more option that people have available, circumstances and mechanical ability will dictate what works best.

BagemTagem

I tried it but for some reason i could not fit any of my screwdrivers under it. The technique that i use, I learned from Art Luppino, works like a charm every time. I have seen other How-To's where people simply apply finger pressure and out pops the op-rod