I think this problem and the associated troubleshooting steps merits a post.
Symptoms:
The usual suspect is the "trolly" mechanism attached to the charging handles. I've seen instances where people have agonized by cleaning and re-lube these components. In some cases, it's not these components at all.
This is the decision tree style process that I have found to find the root cause of the problems:
1. Remove the action from the rifle
2. Cycle the charging handle back and forth (testing each side one at a time)
a) Interference is felt on both sides?: problematic mechanism or the flat linkage component
b) Interference is felt on one side: problem is isolated to that specific charging handle
c) No interference is felt: the problem is not associated with this mechanism
3. Inspect the bolt / probe action. Test the movement back and forth for interference.
a) Interference is felt, the bolt / probe gets hung up in one or more places. Remove the magazine rotation mechanism and re-test for interference .. this is the component:
i) If interference IS NOT felt, this component is likely the problem. Inspect it:
ii) Interference IS felt:
This is an example what I mean:
The bolt is machined precisely to slide back and forth in the housing. Any scratches, nicks, or imperfections to that bore and/or the bolt are going to cause problems. You need to be very careful not to make the problems worse, but to resolve the sticking and rough charging issues - it has to be dealt with.
Polishing the bolt / probe - fortunately, there is an M5M4 thread on the back side of the bolt that you can attach a long screw into, which can be used in a chuck on a lathe (or a drill if you don't have a lathe) for polishing.
I avoid sandpaper and use a very light polishing cloth. Do not remove a bunch of material and shrink the overall diameters!
As to how this happens in the first place - there are a few ways that small particles / debris can enter the bore that the bolt rides in. That debris can get mixed in with the (heavy) factory grease, and in turn forms an abrasive mixture that can chew away at the anodization and ultimately the aluminum block.
Anyways, I hope this thread helps someone chasing down what can seem like an unsolvable problem. I've worked on a few Lelyas and R5Ms, and this is the third rifle that I've seen now with this problem.
Symptoms:
- Rough / sticky cocking problems with the EdGun Lelya / R5M
- Difficulty returning the charging handle to the forward / locked position
The usual suspect is the "trolly" mechanism attached to the charging handles. I've seen instances where people have agonized by cleaning and re-lube these components. In some cases, it's not these components at all.
This is the decision tree style process that I have found to find the root cause of the problems:
1. Remove the action from the rifle
2. Cycle the charging handle back and forth (testing each side one at a time)
a) Interference is felt on both sides?: problematic mechanism or the flat linkage component
b) Interference is felt on one side: problem is isolated to that specific charging handle
c) No interference is felt: the problem is not associated with this mechanism
3. Inspect the bolt / probe action. Test the movement back and forth for interference.
a) Interference is felt, the bolt / probe gets hung up in one or more places. Remove the magazine rotation mechanism and re-test for interference .. this is the component:
i) If interference IS NOT felt, this component is likely the problem. Inspect it:
- Check for burrs / gouges / rust / rust pitting on the part
- Make sure it's not warped
- Ensure it's torqued back down evenly
ii) Interference IS felt:
- Visually inspect the bolt / probe for marring
- Strip down the action and remove the bolt
- Check the inner bore of the block that the bolt / probe slides back and forth in for scratches / gouges! If present, this is your problem!
This is an example what I mean:
The bolt is machined precisely to slide back and forth in the housing. Any scratches, nicks, or imperfections to that bore and/or the bolt are going to cause problems. You need to be very careful not to make the problems worse, but to resolve the sticking and rough charging issues - it has to be dealt with.
Polishing the bolt / probe - fortunately, there is an M5
I avoid sandpaper and use a very light polishing cloth. Do not remove a bunch of material and shrink the overall diameters!
As to how this happens in the first place - there are a few ways that small particles / debris can enter the bore that the bolt rides in. That debris can get mixed in with the (heavy) factory grease, and in turn forms an abrasive mixture that can chew away at the anodization and ultimately the aluminum block.
Anyways, I hope this thread helps someone chasing down what can seem like an unsolvable problem. I've worked on a few Lelyas and R5Ms, and this is the third rifle that I've seen now with this problem.
