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3/29/2008 6:31:00 PM EDT
After watching Kelly McCann's 'Tactical Carbine' training DVD I decided to follow his advice and equip our AR-15s with tac latches.  They seem to work well, except for one problem.  The latches are made of steel.  The regular charging handle and latch and the upper receiver are made of aluminum.  The steel tac  latch seems to be wearing out the area in front of the recess where the latch locks.  I have decided to switch back to a regular latch to stop this damage.

Has anyone else noticed this?  Does anyone make an aluminum tac latch?

Thanks for any advice!
3/29/2008 6:34:24 PM EDT
[#1]

Quoted:
After watching Kelly McCann's 'Tactical Carbine' training DVD I decided to follow his advice and equip our AR-15s with tac latches.  They seem to work well, except for one problem.  The latches are made of steel.  The regular charging handle and latch and the upper receiver are made of aluminum.  The steel tac  latch seems to be wearing out the area in front of the recess where the latch locks.  I have decided to switch back to a regular latch to stop this damage.

Has anyone else noticed this?  Does anyone make an aluminum tac latch?

Thanks for any advice!


Don't know about a aluminum tac latch, but DPMS makes a steel charging handle.

ETA: Duh, you're saying it's wearing the receiver.  Good question.
3/29/2008 7:11:37 PM EDT
[#2]
After doing a web search it sounds like this is a fairly common problem.  SOme say it is not an issue for them, they will just replace the upper when needed.  To me, the amount of damage after maybe 500 rounds is unacceptable.
3/29/2008 7:54:22 PM EDT
[#3]
All of my receivers that have had any use show a lot of wear around the chanrging handle latch and they all have normal charging handles.
3/29/2008 8:49:21 PM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:
All of my receivers that have had any use show a lot of wear around the chanrging handle latch and they all have normal charging handles.


Mine too.  I do a ton of dry fire training, so my charging handles get used a lot.  

Even with the regular latches, the notches in my upper receivers are a smooth chamfered radius, instead of a sharp corner.  The latch still grabs and holds, and the wear appears to be self limiting, ie. it wears to a certain point, then stops.

I wouldn't worry about it.
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