Removing LMT MWS bolt catch

[m1ajunkie]

The bolt catch on my MWS has started flopping around freely, no spring pressure against it. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I need to get this fixed as the bolt gets caught about every other round.

Tonight I found an allen wrench the correct size for the screw in the bolt catch, but I can't turn the screw. I actually twisted the little wrench and broke the tip off. I got the tip out with a magnet but I am still at a loss on how to get this screw loose.

Do any of you have ideas on how to get the screw loose that holds the bolt catch in? Any ideas why the catch would just flop around freely? It's like the spring is broken or stuck in the compressed position.

Thanks

 

[997/2man]

Fuck. At least there wasn't a "phhwwooooshing" sound…


You lost a spring somewhere.

GL.

 

[rjacobs]

call LMT and ask them. I would maybe send it in.

 

[Laseredge]

I had the same thing happen to mine. The bolt catch had jammed the plunger/spring in the compressed position. The screw is red locktited so it is hard to get out.
Hammered the plunger with a pin punch and got it broken loose. The bolt catch had deformed the aluminum around the plunger just enough to make it stick in the compressed position.
Works perfect now.

 

[greentimber]

I've had two strip within the last week. Got one out with an EZ Out (bitching easy about it) and the other is being cut free with an EDM. Huge PITA from a terrible design.

 

[Hogshooter]

Heat goes a long way in loosening the red locktight before trying to remove the allen screw.

 

[m1ajunkie]

I had a chance today to look into my issue. I put a little heat on the screw holding the bolt catch in, then it came right out without issue. Just like LCJones I found a bit of aluminum had been pushed over the plunger and caused it to stick in the down position. A little working with a small phillips head screwdriver and a drill bit and I'm back in business.

 

[Hogshooter]

Glad it worked out with a little heat. I was ready to replace the spring in mine a while back due to the bolt catch engaging every other round but it turned out to be the over gassing issue when running suppressed. Compensated for it with the slash heavy buffer and spring. Even got a new spring from LMT but never used it.

 

[matt33]

This is a very old thread, but I had a similar issue happened with my LMT mws 6.5 cm today. the bolt catch on the right side was very loose and held the bolt back without an empty magazine. It turns out the screw that secures the bolt catch on the opposite left hand side had backed out, and was just hanging on by a couple of threads. I tightened the Allen screw that secures the bolt catch on the left side of the rifle, all is well, it completely fixed the issue

Just posting my experience in case Google leads anyone else here

 

[mudholestomper]

I have an Aero M5 receiver with this same issue. I know I used blue loctite on it, but it’s so tiny that I now have a broken Allen wrench tip stuck in it.

I used an Aero lpk and the gun works perfectly fine, but I read somewhere that the bolt catches can snap after some time. And I believe it.

So I sourced a Forward Controls Design replacement, made out of solid steel. But the screw is stuck and there’s no room to get at with any sort of tools.

I’m still working on a solution, but I’m also considering just sending it to Aero for them to figure out…