Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[Thegman]

New solo 300 owner here, is this normal?

Without the magazine installed the bolt doesn’t want to stay forward in battery and will still fire even with the bolt halfway back (about 1.75” from forward position). I am struggling to see how this isn’t a problem…

Also, are you guys keeping the bolt catch installed? Seems pointless with this upper.

https://imgur.com/a/8NLBE4u

I've started cleaning the oil/grease from my detent bearings with carb cleaner and using Lock-Ease graphite spray on them. That seems to work pretty well and I think it reduces the chances of them gumming up and getting sticky/sticking. Teflon dry lube would probably work as well but haven't tried it yet.

I'd also try removing the spring behind your bolt and see if you prefer that. That's always working against the bolt staying in battery like was happening with yours. Less chance of the bolt accidentally getting pushed out of battery without the spring pushing back on the bolt carrier.

 

[Trackselk]

@Thegman
Do you remove the bolt spring in general? Does it give us any advantages?

 

[Sundodger]

Teflon dry lube

Thank you. I was waffling back and forth about what lube to use; oil, grease, etc.

If a dry film provides the lubricity and the film durability needed, I am onboard. I hate how much oil/grease attracts dust/grit and how they will slowly leach out of where to want them to where you don't want them.

 

[robtattoo]

@Thegman
Do you remove the bolt spring in general? Does it give us any advantages?

I did, on both of mine.
I found it less likely to knock a round out of battery without the spring. It's definitely smoother to chamber & eject a round.

 

[Trackselk]

I did, on both of mine.
I found it less likely to knock a round out of battery without the spring. It's definitely smoother to chamber & eject a round.

Thanks! With my 3/4" minimal bolt handle mine stays firmly in battery through hell or high water, but the flip side is that tiny handle makes it tough to chamber and extract rounds. I'm going to love this rifle even more now with the spring removed!

On a related subject, I've been meaning to warn the community that the poly safety selector can 'walk' to the fire position when the rifle is slung over ones back. I just cut and sanded mine down, which should solve the problem. I will progressively sand it down flatter if it's still a problem. When I hunt solo there's one in the chamber....
Oh, and I had to change to a metal (detent pin?) For the safety, as it was NOT engaging with enough force to stop a high wind from changing it's position! Ymmv

 

[robtattoo]

Thanks! With my 3/4" minimal bolt handle mine stays firmly in battery through hell or high water, but the flip side is that tiny handle makes it tough to chamber and extract rounds. I'm going to love this rifle even more now with the spring removed!

On a related subject, I've been meaning to warn the community that the poly safety selector can 'walk' to the fire position when the rifle is slung over ones back. I just cut and sanded mine down, which should solve the problem. I will progressively sand it down flatter if it's still a problem. When I hunt solo there's one in the chamber....
Oh, and I had to change to a metal (detent pin?) For the safety, as it was NOT engaging with enough force to stop a high wind from changing it's position! Ymmv

Good to know.

Thankfully, I went with a standard, milspec LPK.

 

[Thegman]

@Thegman
Do you remove the bolt spring in general? Does it give us any advantages?

Yes, I don't run any Solos with springs anymore. No advantage to them I can see, and the advantage of less likely coming out of battery without them.

I have also installed rubber rings/wahers on some bolt tails (I think #6 plumbing washer) where the gas rings would normally be. That adds some friction between the bolt and carrier that helps the bolt stay in battery even more. I'm not completely sold on that as a necessity, but worth trying to see if you like running it that way.

 

[Thegman]

Thank you. I was waffling back and forth about what lube to use; oil, grease, etc.

If a dry film provides the lubricity and the film durability needed, I am onboard. I hate how much oil/grease attracts dust/grit and how they will slowly leach out of where to want them to where you don't want them.

Yes, give it a try. The detent moves better/sticks less with the graphite dry lube than with oils. I think Teflon lube will be about as good as the graphite.

 

[Trackselk]

Yes, I don't run any Solos with springs anymore. No advantage to them I can see, and the advantage of less likely coming out of battery without them.

I have also installed rubber rings/wahers on some bolt tails (I think #6 plumbing washer) where the gas rings would normally be. That adds some friction between the bolt and carrier that helps the bolt stay in battery even more. I'm not completely sold on that as a necessity, but worth trying to see if you like running it that way.

Hmm, maybe I need to cycle mine 200 times or something, but it has a lot of resistance. Even really hot reloads and bushwacking it stays in battery, granted there isn't much for the brush to grab onto. I think I might have just got a really tight one, I'm not complaining, the Solo has been flawless we with some red aim(?) grease.
Thanks again

 

[packgoatguy]

I've got a friend interested in building a ULUL, has anyone heard when Tennessee Arms will have their Carbon Fiber lowers back in stock? Any good alternatives come on the market lately?

Carbon TNARMS-15

 

[packgoatguy]

I’m about to try out my tegra that’s still in the box since I broke my tnarms lower the other day. Hopefully they will be as good as the TNA

How's your Tegra working out?