Got a couple of spare bolts for the ARs in 7.62x39. Looking for OD Green pistol grips to go on them; hoping to find some that are at least reasonably comfortable to use (I'm fine with standard A2 grips) that can be used to store spare bolts without worrying about losing said bolts. Any suggestions?

ETA: Title edited in a cheap bid for suggestions for other on-rifle storage options as well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Il Cattivo,

Don't bother with the various Magpul grips with the bolt inserts. Tried that before, and the insert kept dropping out at inopportune times.

Is there a reason that the bolt needs to be on the gun specifically at all times? Could you not just keep a spare bolt in the range bag, or parts bin, or AR magazine box?

I will echo Rogue, I tried the Magpul bolt insert thingy and the bolt would work itself loose and flop around in the grip. You can imagine how annoying that would be.

I've never stored a bolt in one, but I am a fan of the Magpul MIAD grips (more for the grip itself than the storage compartment). My first one had an insert that allowed for the storage of 5 extra rounds...kinda pointless, but wth...I threw some in there just to try it and it held up fine. The others came with inserts and little oil bottles. Ultimately, I ended up taking out the inserts, wrapping some spare batteries for my optic in styrofoam packing material and stuffing them in there. Nice to have them handy when you need them, and the styrofoam keeps them from rattling around in there. I imagine a similar technique would work for a spare bolt...if it will fit.

^^^ I'm ambitious - I was thinking of also adding a small bit of rag (which might help) and a small tube of CLP or some other lube (which might not, if space is tight to begin with). I definitely like the idea of not having it rattle around.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Don't bother with the various Magpul grips with the bolt inserts. Tried that before, and the insert kept dropping out at inopportune times.

Is there a reason that the bolt needs to be on the gun specifically at all times? Could you not just keep a spare bolt in the range bag, or parts bin, or AR magazine box?

AR bolts for the 7.62x39 do have one heck of a history of cracking either around the lugs or (more commonly, it seems) at the extractor. Nevertheless, I really like 7.62x39 AR carbines and have had no problem (yet, I keep trying) with brass-cased ammunition. The idea behind having it on the rifle all the time is pretty much to stop worrying about cracking the bolt that's already in the bolt carrier without having to stop and remember to make sure I've got a spare bolt somewhere at hand whenever I feel like taking the rifle somewhere.

The AK is good, the 6.8 SPC II is good, I just want a Cuerno De Gene-O.

assuming you are using a collapsible stock?

if not, in the trap in the A1 or A2 stock,

tho personally, if I were that concerned, I would do as suggested and have one in the range bag, or if hunting, in a small pack or box with the cleaning gear (pull thru, oil, bolt, maybe a firing pin retaining pin in a small tackle box/ parts bin type container)

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
<snip>
in the trap in the A1 or A2 stock,
<snip>

If I was that concerned about it, this was my thought exactly.

Two collapsible, two fixed - I'm OK for the fixed.

Magpul insert worked fine for me with a small zip tie around the top of the sleeve to add tension to hold the bolt.

Ah, to make it wider so that after it was shoved in it would take more force to pull it out?

@ RogueJSK & David W,

I modified the Magpul & made it work. IMO, Magpul should have figured this out themselves. My simple solution...

I drilled the grip insert at the cam pin location of the bolt & added a cam pin. The grip keeps the cam pin in place. A 5/16" hole @ 1.488" up from the base.

I drilled the insert near the bottom & added two firing pin retaining pins as spares. These two holes are located so the pins straddle the tail of the bolt. Precision not required.

An o-ring around it all holds the spare firing pin in place.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Don't bother with the various Magpul grips with the bolt inserts. Tried that before, and the insert kept dropping out at inopportune times.

Is there a reason that the bolt needs to be on the gun specifically at all times? Could you not just keep a spare bolt in the range bag, or parts bin, or AR magazine box?

I did the same thing Vinny did, except for the o-ring (I used tape).

I solved the "Drops out randomly" problem by drilling one small hole at the back of the base of the grip core and one small hole through the back of the pistol grip (kind of like a "laynard"). Then I put a very small zip tie through both holes and trimmed off the excess.

Very secure, no more lost grip cores.

So why would one need to carry a bolt in the field? Well, your bolt goes down, and I have seen them break (particularly at the cam pin hole), you're rifle is out of action. There is no remedy for this problem other than a replacement part.

I've seen bolts go down in matches and the competitor had to go home--would have been much worse in combat.

My zip-tie lock isn't fast, but if I need to, I should always have a knife on me and I cut the lock off and get into my bolt core. A bolt is much more useful than anything else I'd keep in the pistol grip (batteries? 3 spare rounds?).

quote:

Originally posted by LDD:
I've seen bolts go down in matches and the competitor had to go home--would have been much worse in combat.

I've seen two bolts fracture in matches.

The first was on a Benelli semi-auto shotgun in a sporting clays match. Of course, that station's score was bad. The shooter went to his car, retrieved another shotgun, and finished the match.

The second was a team match, where one partner uses a carbine and the other a bolt action & pistol. There were 4 stages that afternoon, each one lasting 5 minutes. The AR-15 carbine guy's bolt fractured two lugs. He cleared the jam after some trouble, and the team timed out on the stage before completing it. They returned to the car where they had a spare bolt, then completed the day's remaining stages without issues.

At least with AR15s in 223, bolt breakage is really, really rare with quality bolts. In my experience, the barrel likely is toast before a good bolt is on its last legs. Having a spare bolt is a reasonable idea, but I see no reason to have it on the rifle. If a bolt breaks in competition, that stage will likely be toast. All but a very few competitions have breaks between stages where rapid repairs can be made. The only exceptions that I'm aware of are the 1 and 2 hour field stages for Competitions Dynamics Team Match and for Wyoming Tactical Rifle Championship.

FWIW, I don't compete. I do buy and sell land on the Mexican border, though.

I'd just check if there's a Viewtainer of appropriate size and throw it in a range bag, in the car, etc.

Magpul grip stuffed with zip lock and bolt/ firing pin.

You actually have to pull it out due to snugness

^^^ That's not a problem and it would certainly give me confidence to know there wasn't something internal whacking itself against the bottom of the grip every time the rifle is shifted around.