Dust cover for the 15-22

[industrialfish]

Even for a mock-up that is pretty impressive. For my attempt I'm going to try use black plastic so I can heat shape it, and use some little brass hinges.

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

Thanks! It's looking even better now that I've started painting it. Are you figuring on spring loading yours? Or making it so it blows open when firing? Post some pics I'm curious to see your idea..

 

[Citoriplus]

The magnet idea is interesting but would there be any chance of a magnet disrupting the springs
and firing pin inside the bolt? I thought about using a magnet as a way to keep the cover open.

The magnet needed to have that kind of effect would permanently stop your wrist watch. So no, the kind of magnets used on a fridge would work just fine and I suggested using the rubberized version to reduce the chance of it scratching the bolt.

I don't have a real AR so I'm at a loss as far as how the real ejection port covers work. I see they are a simple hinge wih a spring
to keep tension on them to stay open or closed, but how do they stay locked open? Are they meant to stay closed and only open to let a spent casing out?

The dust cover is spring loaded to the open position and needs to be manually closed. It snaps into position with a recessed ball at the top. It operates like the lock on a socket wrench handle.
It can be 'latched' closed while the bolt is in the open or closed position. There is an angle cut on the front of the bolt carrier to knock it open as the bolt closes and a notch in the middle that will kick it open if its closed.

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

The magnet needed to have that kind of effect would permanently stop your wrist watch. So no, the kind of magnets used on a fridge would work just fine and I suggested using the rubberized version to reduce the chance of it scratching the bolt.



The dust cover is spring loaded to the open position and needs to be manually closed. It snaps into position with a recessed ball at the top. It operates like the lock on a socket wrench handle.
It can be 'latched' closed while the bolt is in the open or closed position. There is an angle cut on the front of the bolt carrier to knock it open as the bolt closes and a notch in the middle that will kick it open if its closed.

Okay, I see now. Thank you. I will try the magnet idea out and post how it works out. I need to get to the hardware store and find an appropriate spring for the hinge. I'll also post some more photos later to show the progression of the cover.

 

[tylerrybkowski]

Man I love this place its like arts and crafts back in high school Too bad most of us don't have metal shops like belt-fed my girlfriend would dump me I never would be home hahah

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

Man I love this place its like arts and crafts back in high school Too bad most of us don't have metal shops like belt-fed my girlfriend would dump me I never would be home hahah

Tell me about it. I've been doing this with a dull pair of tin snips, a leatherman, sand paper and my bare hands...If my girlfriend wasn't so busy with nursing school she'd of dumped my *** long ago! Haha!!

 

[tylerrybkowski]

God i love being a real man most people can't appreciate stuff like this haha

 

[industrialfish]

Thanks! It's looking even better now that I've started painting it. Are you figuring on spring loading yours? Or making it so it blows open when firing? Post some pics I'm curious to see your idea..

No spring for me, I'm going to put a flat 3mm magnet on the top and bottom of the port and on the cover so it "locks" open or closed. If it doesn't interfere with ejection, I'll let it blow open. Other wise I'll attach a small wedge on the inside that the bolt will smack when it closes and pop it open.

 

[Citoriplus]

No spring for me, I'm going to put a flat 3mm magnet on the top and bottom of the port and on the cover so it "locks" open or closed. If it doesn't interfere with ejection, I'll let it blow open. Other wise I'll attach a small wedge on the inside that the bolt will smack when it closes and pop it open.

Your better off spring loading it open, holding it closed for any lenght of time more than needed is probably going to cause feed/ejection problems.
I don't believe that an empty .22LR shell case has either the mechanical advantage or mass needed to reliably knock open the port every time if the magnet your using is big enough to hold it closed under normal handling conditions.
Using a spring will also force the door to open faster and wider while keeping it from bouncing up in the way of successive ejected cases.
Putting a wedge on the door might work fine if your going to run around with the bolt held open all the time.
But without a cutout in the side of the bolt the door is not going to be able to close when the bolt is in battery.

 

[industrialfish]

Putting a wedge on the door might work fine if your going to run around with the bolt held open all the time.
But without a cutout in the side of the bolt the door is not going to be able to close when the bolt is in battery.

But if the bolt is closed, why do you need a dust cover

The magnets are tiny, and without a spring, there is not any force to overcome to keep the cover closed.

 

[Citoriplus]

Ok, if that's what your looking for. I just don't think its worth all the effort if its only use is while the bolt is open, because most of the time people (me included) don't leave the bolt open for extended periods.

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

I think the trick is going to be finding a spring and magnet that work together. If the magnet isn't strong enough, the spring will keep flipping the cover open. If the spring isn't strong enough it won't do what it should....

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

I'm kind of curious as to why the AR's have the cover. Other semi-auto's don't have them...Has it become more of an aesthetic thing with the advent of chrome lined barrels and such, or is it still an important part of the gun?

 

[industrialfish]

It only opens to 90 degrees, but I'm fine with that for now. The magnets are stuck to the upper with double sided tape.

 

[PainterlyShotgroup]

Looking good! It fits right in there. Did you work out a solution with the bolt?

I haven't been home to work on mine for a couple of days. Now with this snow who knows when I'll get back, haha...

 

[Citoriplus]

I'm kind of curious as to why the AR's have the cover. Other semi-auto's don't have them...Has it become more of an aesthetic thing with the advent of chrome lined barrels and such, or is it still an important part of the gun?

Yes it is, the cover helps keep the bolt carrier and the inside of the receiver free of dirt and dust.
Not a bad thing in places like Iraq where sand is the ever present enemy of any kind of mechanical equipment.
Other semi auto's don't have it more because they didn't believe it necessary.
The AR's were and are built to tighter tolerances with less empty space inside than say an AK and as such are more susceptible to foreign debris.
In other words it doesn't take as much garbage to jam one up as the AK, but the flip side is that its smaller, lighter and far more accurate at greater ranges.
A good one in the right hands can reliably hit varmint sized targets out past 300 meters. Try the same thing with even the best AK and I wonder if you could hit the side of a fair sized truck, forget a man at the same range.

industrialfish,
Looks good, but seeing yours I think I might try the same thing using a short piece of piano hinge.
It may be wide enough on its own to cover the opening and still be able to open nearly 180 degree's.
Cutting one of the pin wraps out should leave enough room for a coil spring to fit on the pin to help pop it open when needed.

 

[tylerrybkowski]

Looks great im impressed keep it up man!

 

[industrialfish]

I used a small piece of plastic tube and a wire from a bread tie for the hinge, however the 5-min epoxy isn't holding on the hinge. So I'm going to look for an alternative.

The reason it only went 90 degrees was because I put the hinge pieces in between the cover pieces, instead of offset outwards like a door hinge. Trial and error, learning from mistakes.

 

[Citoriplus]

The tubing you used probably has a Teflon or Nylon component to it and that's why the epoxy doesn't stick to it too well.
I think your on the right track, its just going to take a bit more 'trial & error' before you get the right combination of parts.

I wish I had thought of it earlier today because I was working in a Lowe's store and I could have looked around to see what might 'fit'.

 

[norris019]

dust covers

that looks pretty good i would rock it.