Fellas,
We don't have to be a mechanical engineer to figure out some OF THE COMMON PROBLEMS we encounter with our XCR's and other weapons. I believe EVERYONE who owns any gun should have some basic mechanical insight. To say that "I don't have it" means to me "I won't try" and "I don't care". These are the same folks who will also bring up that same question I always see/hear "Which is the best for the SHTF gun?" Well if indeed the S-H's-T-F I doubt posting our problems on the intraweb, if so accesible still at that time, will bring a quickly needed solution. Much less expecting courrier services to be up and running.
Folks, the XCR really hasn't got anything new that has't been around for at least 60 years as far as a basic design goes. There are no computer chips to mess around with unless of course somehow you managed to shove one in the XCR somehow. Plus I can't see how RA, or any other gun manufacturer, can make the XCR, or any other gun, more anti-armorer/pro-self repair any simpler. So accessing any part in order to remove and replace, repair, or adjust any simpler.
IF YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE CRATERED OR PIERCED PRIMERS SEE DA STICKY.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE EJECTOR IS LOOSE SEE STICKY OR RETIGHTEN W/LOC-TITE.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT YOUR XCR ISN'T FIRING ALL TOO WELL, SHAKE THE THING, SEE WHERE IT IS RATTLING FROM AND EITHER TIGHTEN THAT OR FIND DA PART/GET ANOTHER AND REPLACE IT.
Ya'll will be amazed, if not astonished, that you can find the tools necessary to work on your XCR at Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE, TrueValue, Harbor Freight (eewww) or mom and pop hardware. You should at least have handy a 1/4" allen wrench for the barrel and a 5/8" open end for the old GB handy, like say in whatever case you carry your XCR along with a cleaning rod (not bore smake-that I just use for cleaning) and broken shell extractor for that once in a million chance a case head separates (not the gun's fault). Ya'll will also be amazed that the same hardware store may carry 90% of the bolts, screws, springs, and clips that are on your XCR. But I recommend to get them from RA because we are talking inexpensive parts here.
Most inportantly;
IF YOU DO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR XCR THAT CAN'T BE FIXED IN DA FIELD, CALL, E-MAIL, OR WRITE ROBINSON ARMS FIRST!
If it needs to be aired on open forum with da problem, at least give them a call 1st, THEN tell us about your experiences but don't be like this "It's a POS because I can't tighten a barrel bolt, but I'm a high speed operator with 8K post count" guy:
http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=21172&pid=193152&st=0&#entry193152
No gun is immune to "issues". Even well proven designs will have issues arise from time to time such as in QC at times falter.
The XCR din't get to benefit from g'vmt expense R&D/T&E such as the SCAR did. Or the 40+ years for the M16 (I still can't believe it took THAT long to resolve crappy magazines that probably caused 60% of failures). And from a first hand source, the SCAR did have issues that were/are addressed during such test and evaluations making it an impressive weapon in the end, to include not having to re-invent a magazine. Funny, didn't the XCR enter to compete with the SCAR but then DQ'd b/c a blank adaptor wasn't included? BS if you ask me and SOCOM had already picked what they wanted before the test and eval. Nothing new really.
So we are pretty much are it in R&D/T&E on ours an RA dime.
Posting problems with the XCR is fine but it seems that we are posting the same problems over and over and ignoring the sticky's posting about the same issues.
Here have been my problems and issues regarding my XCR:
#1) Gas block came loose. Noticed it at around 250 round count and still worked. Resolved: I just tightened it. No lock tite. As later posted by RA carbon will self lock tite it as I noticed that on a recent complete disasembly.
#2) Trigger fails to reset. I will later divulge as to the condition of my XCR but I will say it was filthy to the extreme, on purpose for you benefit. Round count approx 1600. I noticed the retaining clip to the hammer axis pin missing and axis pin out about 1 mm. I shook my lower around and found the clip, retrived it and reinstalled it. Still continued to have minor trigger reset issues. I determined this was due to a) dirt, b) no lube on trigger wear parts, c) trigger design. I resolved it by complete dissasembly, clean, and re-lubing of critical contact points.
#3) Failure to Fire/feed and bolt closing, hard to pull CH back. Also during extreme testing. Round count discovered at 1755 but probably also happened around 1600. Issue-firing pin tip broke, but still fired. Also later noticed cratered primers. Dissasembled and checked bolt face noticing lack of protruding FP as I pushed up on the back. Popped roll pin (drift pin purchased at Lowe's) and saw that it also was slightly bent. I also discovered that I have the old FP. E-MAILED TERRA and 3 days later I have a new complete bolt with new updated FP.
Total cost for all 3 issues: $0.00
Down time for all 3 issues: 30 seconds for #1, about 20 min total for #2, 3 days as per US Postal Service ship time. If I'd had parts on hand, about 20 min to figure it out tops plus 30 seconds to swap out.
I hope this helps. Thank you for your time and you may continue with your daily lives now.
We don't have to be a mechanical engineer to figure out some OF THE COMMON PROBLEMS we encounter with our XCR's and other weapons. I believe EVERYONE who owns any gun should have some basic mechanical insight. To say that "I don't have it" means to me "I won't try" and "I don't care". These are the same folks who will also bring up that same question I always see/hear "Which is the best for the SHTF gun?" Well if indeed the S-H's-T-F I doubt posting our problems on the intraweb, if so accesible still at that time, will bring a quickly needed solution. Much less expecting courrier services to be up and running.
Folks, the XCR really hasn't got anything new that has't been around for at least 60 years as far as a basic design goes. There are no computer chips to mess around with unless of course somehow you managed to shove one in the XCR somehow. Plus I can't see how RA, or any other gun manufacturer, can make the XCR, or any other gun, more anti-armorer/pro-self repair any simpler. So accessing any part in order to remove and replace, repair, or adjust any simpler.
IF YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE CRATERED OR PIERCED PRIMERS SEE DA STICKY.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE EJECTOR IS LOOSE SEE STICKY OR RETIGHTEN W/LOC-TITE.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT YOUR XCR ISN'T FIRING ALL TOO WELL, SHAKE THE THING, SEE WHERE IT IS RATTLING FROM AND EITHER TIGHTEN THAT OR FIND DA PART/GET ANOTHER AND REPLACE IT.
Ya'll will be amazed, if not astonished, that you can find the tools necessary to work on your XCR at Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE, TrueValue, Harbor Freight (eewww) or mom and pop hardware. You should at least have handy a 1/4" allen wrench for the barrel and a 5/8" open end for the old GB handy, like say in whatever case you carry your XCR along with a cleaning rod (not bore smake-that I just use for cleaning) and broken shell extractor for that once in a million chance a case head separates (not the gun's fault). Ya'll will also be amazed that the same hardware store may carry 90% of the bolts, screws, springs, and clips that are on your XCR. But I recommend to get them from RA because we are talking inexpensive parts here.
Most inportantly;
IF YOU DO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR XCR THAT CAN'T BE FIXED IN DA FIELD, CALL, E-MAIL, OR WRITE ROBINSON ARMS FIRST!
If it needs to be aired on open forum with da problem, at least give them a call 1st, THEN tell us about your experiences but don't be like this "It's a POS because I can't tighten a barrel bolt, but I'm a high speed operator with 8K post count" guy:
http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=21172&pid=193152&st=0&#entry193152
Saiga-12 Forum said:
No gun is immune to "issues". Even well proven designs will have issues arise from time to time such as in QC at times falter.
The XCR din't get to benefit from g'vmt expense R&D/T&E such as the SCAR did. Or the 40+ years for the M16 (I still can't believe it took THAT long to resolve crappy magazines that probably caused 60% of failures). And from a first hand source, the SCAR did have issues that were/are addressed during such test and evaluations making it an impressive weapon in the end, to include not having to re-invent a magazine. Funny, didn't the XCR enter to compete with the SCAR but then DQ'd b/c a blank adaptor wasn't included? BS if you ask me and SOCOM had already picked what they wanted before the test and eval. Nothing new really.
So we are pretty much are it in R&D/T&E on ours an RA dime.
Posting problems with the XCR is fine but it seems that we are posting the same problems over and over and ignoring the sticky's posting about the same issues.
Here have been my problems and issues regarding my XCR:
#1) Gas block came loose. Noticed it at around 250 round count and still worked. Resolved: I just tightened it. No lock tite. As later posted by RA carbon will self lock tite it as I noticed that on a recent complete disasembly.
#2) Trigger fails to reset. I will later divulge as to the condition of my XCR but I will say it was filthy to the extreme, on purpose for you benefit. Round count approx 1600. I noticed the retaining clip to the hammer axis pin missing and axis pin out about 1 mm. I shook my lower around and found the clip, retrived it and reinstalled it. Still continued to have minor trigger reset issues. I determined this was due to a) dirt, b) no lube on trigger wear parts, c) trigger design. I resolved it by complete dissasembly, clean, and re-lubing of critical contact points.
#3) Failure to Fire/feed and bolt closing, hard to pull CH back. Also during extreme testing. Round count discovered at 1755 but probably also happened around 1600. Issue-firing pin tip broke, but still fired. Also later noticed cratered primers. Dissasembled and checked bolt face noticing lack of protruding FP as I pushed up on the back. Popped roll pin (drift pin purchased at Lowe's) and saw that it also was slightly bent. I also discovered that I have the old FP. E-MAILED TERRA and 3 days later I have a new complete bolt with new updated FP.
Total cost for all 3 issues: $0.00
Down time for all 3 issues: 30 seconds for #1, about 20 min total for #2, 3 days as per US Postal Service ship time. If I'd had parts on hand, about 20 min to figure it out tops plus 30 seconds to swap out.
I hope this helps. Thank you for your time and you may continue with your daily lives now.