HELP! Serious bolt-stick problem on x-mag

[Ando]

Booo...was hoping I wasn't the only one. My Special Ed. Sydarm doses that BS with no round in the breach. With rounds the thing shoots like a champ.

Only other thing in your case I would look at is your bolt spring. You already stated you had a overly large carrier so it's not that. Not sure what spring you have but replace the current one or go up a size.

You basically need to start swapping out parts. Swap the valve to another mag...Try a different lvl X bolt system...Last but not least, I know it's a pain but totally swapped out the sear and try to reduplicate the problem.

We do that all the time on our aircraft when we're stumped and have exhausted the troubleshooting procedures in our manuals

Costs us a ton of money but it's guaranteed 100% in finding the problem child.

EDIT:
Is your bushing in your rail?

[ArmyEngineer]

Booo...was hoping I wasn't the only one. My Sydarm doses that BS with no round in the breach. With rounds the thing shoots like a champ.

Only other thing in your case, I would look at is your bolt spring. You already stated you had a overly large carrier so it's not that. Not sure what spring you have but replace the current one or go up a size.

You basically need to start swapping out parts. Swapping the valve to another body...Try a different lvl X bolt system...Last but not least...I know it's a pain but totally swapped out the sear and try to reduplicate the problem.

We do that all the time on our aircraft when we're stumped and have exhausted the troubleshooting procedures in our manuals

Costs us a ton of money but it's guaranteed 100% in finding the problem child.

EDIT:
Is your bushing in your rail?

The bushing is in place on both markers, They are also both using gold springs that extend 3/8" past the end of the bolt, but they aren't in the greatest shape. I have tried all different torques on the field and frame screws. I have not seen the same powertube tip shearing as om3n experienced, thank goodness. That was pretty nasty looking. I tried swapping my valves between e-mags and I put my silver ule body back in. The lowers needed a little tuning, but I have everything perfectly aligned now.

I don't have a spare parts box, so I guess now would be a good time to build one. Or maybe it is time to let Tuna have a go at these two. He sounds pretty busy at the moment, but maybe I can have them back in a couple weeks if I go ahead and put them in the mail.

Om3n sent me a PM, and it looks like he is about to send his off to Tuna. I'm still curious to know what all parts he replaced without success.

[om3n]

The bushing is in place on both markers, They are also both using gold springs that extend 3/8" past the end of the bolt, but they aren't in the greatest shape. I have tried all different torques on the field and frame screws. I have not seen the same powertube tip shearing as om3n experienced, thank goodness. That was pretty nasty looking. I tried swapping my valves between e-mags and I put my silver ule body back in. The lowers needed a little tuning, but I have everything perfectly aligned now.

I don't have a spare parts box, so I guess now would be a good time to build one. Or maybe it is time to let Tuna have a go at these two. He sounds pretty busy at the moment, but maybe I can have them back in a couple weeks if I go ahead and put them in the mail.

Om3n sent me a PM, and it looks like he is about to send his off to Tuna. I'm still curious to know what all parts he replaced without success.

I just pm'd you back- I replaced the powertube tip, bolt spring, and bolt bumper, as well as shortened the plunger length to the correct length. I still have the exact same problem.

I'm not sure I'm gonna send it off to tuna just yet, but if I can't get it working tomorrow I might just do it. I'll make another video tomorrow but this is what I am seeing right now: When I gas up the gun, it leaks a bit (I believe it's the on/off) but after a few shots the leak goes away. The gun "seems" to shoot fine until I try to make the lvl 10 trip, then it sticks almost exactly how Army Engineer's bolt sticks except mine doesn't leak. I sometimes have to push with considerable force to get the bolt back. Also, after a few dozen shots after replacing the parts mentioned above, I looked at my sear/bolt/powertube tip, and:

-the sear had fresh scratches
-the bolt had fresh marks on it
-the powertube tip had obviously been stressed (yes the new one) but not to the point of damage yet.

2 more things: I only hand tighten the valve screw, and I do have the bushing in place.


I'm going to make a new video tomorrow- what would you guys like to see in my video? what would you like me to test?

And don't worry about jacking my thread ArmyEngineer- I'm willing to share

[Ando]

Baa...I hate you guys. I don't know what else it could be. Try maxing out the shims in the lvl 10. After that...I'm stumped

If you guys do send it off to Tuna. Ask him what the problem was.

[BigEvil]

Up the dwell to 30

[athomas]

I actually added one just before that video. lol Currently there are three, and that is the most I've tried, since 4 is supposed to leak. 0-3 and the number of shims seems to have no effect on the sticking. Any other ideas?

When the bolt sticks that far out, shims won't help. Shims only adjust how far the bolt needs to go to vent. Since they are only 0.01" each, and the bolt vent hole is really close to the carrier oring anyway, they usually don't make any difference. They certainly don't make any difference if the value has released air either by firing or venting air. That's the whole point of the shims, to allow a means of venting air if the bolt has moved but not far enough to release air. I'd take the shims completely out for troubleshooting. They are not needed for normal operation and can actually be a problem.

[athomas]

Om3n: try putting your valve into the mag body without any bolt spring. Don't attach air. See if the bolt moves back and forth freely. You may have to tip the gun forward and back to get it to move, but it should move without much effort.

[Ando]

Up the dwell to 30

It's in mech goober

[om3n]

Om3n: try putting your valve into the mag body without any bolt spring. Don't attach air. See if the bolt moves back and forth freely. You may have to tip the gun forward and back to get it to move, but it should move without much effort.

I do this in my fancy new video I'm uploading right now. If we can't figure this out by tonight, it's off to tuna for me. I think I'm almost there, except the powertube tip and bolt are still getting worn. You'll see what I mean in my new video

[Tunaman]

The only thing that can wear the Powertube Tip on the side like yours is would be the bolt. Try another bolt.

[om3n]

The only thing that can wear the Powertube Tip on the side like yours is would be the bolt. Try another bolt.

Ok, maybe I'll just send it to you anyways. I tried pm'ing you earlier but your pmbox was full- if you could pm me your address that would be great


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EDIT
****

video quality will improve after a bit

[athomas]

The bolt seems to be moving back and forth freely, so nothing catching it.

I have to go with Tunaman's suggestion. The bolt must be the problem. Is the bolt stem centered in the outer shell of the bolt? Perhaps it is off center just a bit.

[om3n]

OMG. I just found a serious problem that might be the root cause or still a side effect, I'm not sure yet. Ill explain more when I get home... But the bolt is definitely trash now

[maniacmechanic]

OMG. I just found a serious problem that might be the root cause or still a side effect, I'm not sure yet. Ill explain more when I get home... But the bolt is definitely trash now

Did the bolt stem break ???

[om3n]

Did the bolt stem break ???

Nope, something that you would not have expected.


SO... with the increase of small bore paint, I decided to go out and buy a nice .682 Lapco barrel a little while ago. I'm uploading a video... you gotta see it.