Yesterday, my LGU began intermittently cocking/failing to cock fully. I removed the stock expecting to find a trigger adjustment needed and instead found the rivets holding the cocking arm to the gusset plates (2 plates are present that connect the cocking arm to the linking arm that goes to the "shoe") had worked loose. The cocking arm was pivoting slightly where it joins the two gusset plates when pressure was applied leading to intermittent failure to cock. This cocking mechanism construction seems to be one of the primary weaknesses of the rifle-I initially had concerns about the "shoe" design but neither the "shoe" nor stock has shown any wear after many thousands of shots. The cocking arm itself is robust but the gusseting plates are just adequate and if the rivets (which are actually very soft) wear then flex can occur. This rifle has been so accurate and such a pleasure to shoot that I was not willing to let it be down. I removed the cocking mechanism and drilled it for larger rivets. I aligned the mechanism with trial and error and then re-riveted the gusset plates using some on hand rivets but would probably have been better served getting some hardened rivets or steel rod to do the repair. Still, the rifle is shooting again and just as accurate as before. The repaired mechanism seems more solid than before.
I would advise all LGU owners to check this area. If you can detect ANY movement at the cocking arm/gusset plate area then drilling and re-riveting while it is still not shifting appreciably much might make life easier for you down the road. Once the arm starts to shift, getting it into the exact orientation needed to function correctly takes some time. I probably spent 3 hours last night and this morning fitting, moving, refitting, and finally re-rivetting the mechanism before it was ready to go. Doing this while the mechanism is still in normal alignment might be advantageous. I would suggest drilling one rivet out and re-rivetting with a slightly larger/harder rivet, then drill the other out and re-rivet that one to maintain alignment.
I hope this was a one-off issue never to happen to anyone again but the strength of the mechanism is borderline at best, and if you have one of these rifles then you know how good they shoot so you don't want to be without it. This might save LGU owners some headaches down the road.
I would advise all LGU owners to check this area. If you can detect ANY movement at the cocking arm/gusset plate area then drilling and re-riveting while it is still not shifting appreciably much might make life easier for you down the road. Once the arm starts to shift, getting it into the exact orientation needed to function correctly takes some time. I probably spent 3 hours last night and this morning fitting, moving, refitting, and finally re-rivetting the mechanism before it was ready to go. Doing this while the mechanism is still in normal alignment might be advantageous. I would suggest drilling one rivet out and re-rivetting with a slightly larger/harder rivet, then drill the other out and re-rivet that one to maintain alignment.
I hope this was a one-off issue never to happen to anyone again but the strength of the mechanism is borderline at best, and if you have one of these rifles then you know how good they shoot so you don't want to be without it. This might save LGU owners some headaches down the road.
