I purchased my new Saint-Victor B5 less than a year ago new. The dust cover would not close even after pushing heavily. I did not notice this until after getting home with my new gun. I contacted Springfield and was told they would simply hit the cover with an armorer's hammer several times to close the cover and loosen up. They indicated I could do the same thing so as not to need to ship back to Springfield. I have a rubber mallet. I covered the dust cover with a cloth and tried repeatedly to hit the cover. It will close when hit by the mallet but not with simple hand pressure. I really hate hitting my new rifle with a mallet and don't really want to ship back to Springfield unless that is my only option. Of course, I do not want to damage my rifle. Any ideas?
Saint Victor B5 Dust Cover not properly closing, any ideas?
- Thread starter Ezzrider
- Start date
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Could be a stiff pin, spring or either of them bent slightly.
Check the pins on either side of the dust cover that go into the slots on the receiver
Edit: meant to say rod, not pins… check the rod on either side of the cover to see if bent
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Thanks. No, the rods are not bent. I can take a flat edge and depress the ball-looking plunger that keeps the cover closed and it will close. Will not close just hitting the dust cover without manually depressing the plunger. I guess maybe the plunger is new and too stiff?
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
It should loosen up with time and use.
Thanks. The issue is if it will not close at all don't know how it will loosen up? I guess if I use a flat edge to assist closing repeatedly over time maybe it will.
Keystone19250
SAINT
Oil will dissipate overtime so see if you can force some synthetic gun grease down into the hole that the rod sits in.
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
I guess I missed that? I've taken the assembly apart before and it was a pita too keep from losing parts! It's just a tiny spring and detent, but could have a rubber piece also. The retainer piece could be adjusted by a small flat tip that will loosen up and give some freedom?
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Rod/spring may be bound up forcing a little extra pressure on the cover and not allowing it to line up perfect and close.
Try taking it apart. Then re insert it all back. Super simple. Just small parts
Lots of videos
Just be careful not to lose the spring and c clip holding it together.
Thanks. My particular model does not seem that easy and have yet to see any video.
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
Yours might require the handguard to be removed? The rod can only be removed going toward the muzzle.
Bear007
Custom
My Saint Victor .308 dust cover, received last July, will not close either. I simply push the pin with a small screwdriver when I want to close it. 2 days after I got my .308 a sales guy at a LGS got the same rifle and his wouldn't close either.
I have read more than a few posts regarding Saints with this same problem. The pin extends a tiny bit past the ramp that is supposed to push it in when closing. This quality control issue is something that Springfield has obviously not been checking before sending out the rifles.
I have read more than a few posts regarding Saints with this same problem. The pin extends a tiny bit past the ramp that is supposed to push it in when closing. This quality control issue is something that Springfield has obviously not been checking before sending out the rifles.
^ This video should show you how to replace the port cover, without the need to remove the handguard.
Ejection port door won't close...need advice > AR Discussions > AR15.COM
I picked up a NIB Colt 6721 yesterday. I will have to say that the fit and finish (excepting the EPD) is the best I have seen.I inspected it before I bought it, but I guess not thoroughly enough. The
www.ar15.com
^ This thread may be helpful in terms of troubleshooting.
As @Bear007 noted, it's disappointing that an issue as easy to catch as this is making it past QC prior to the gun shipping out of the factory. It's this kind of issue that erodes at consumer confidence for a product - if something this easy to check is missed, it prompts the corroding question of "then what else could be wrong that we can't see?"
Bear007
Custom
With everything else on the rifle working great and the rifle being a blast to shoot, the dust cover not closing without a little help pushing the dtent in a little hasn't really bothered me too much.
In the link to AR15.com from @TSiWRX above, one post believes the dtent is just pressed into the dust cover a little off or I could guess the hole it presses into is not quite cut right. All in all it seems easy enough to fix, I just haven't bothered with it yet. Springfield did offer to fix it but I didn't want to send it in. I'll probably switch the cover one day.
I could get out the micrometer and start measuring and comparing. It will probably tell me with in minutes what the problem is. Maybe I'll do this one day soon, after my Pop Pop weekend duties are over. Can't get out any tools while the little guy is around, he is faster at grabbing things than I am at blocking him lol.
In the link to AR15.com from @TSiWRX above, one post believes the dtent is just pressed into the dust cover a little off or I could guess the hole it presses into is not quite cut right. All in all it seems easy enough to fix, I just haven't bothered with it yet. Springfield did offer to fix it but I didn't want to send it in. I'll probably switch the cover one day.
I could get out the micrometer and start measuring and comparing. It will probably tell me with in minutes what the problem is. Maybe I'll do this one day soon, after my Pop Pop weekend duties are over. Can't get out any tools while the little guy is around, he is faster at grabbing things than I am at blocking him lol.
@TSiWRX,
Thanks for the video. I always shoot C-clips across the table, floor or wherever I'm working at least once on any job. Isn't getting down on your hands and knees looking for it part of the job?
As an amateur plumber, I don't consider myself having done a right-proper job if I don't visit the hardware store at least 3 times during the course of the fix!
Thanks. Unfortunately doing what Springfield told me to do hitting with a rubber mallet and cloth covering the dust cover as not to mark it I created a small ding in the receiver where the plunger hits the receiver. It does close with a good whack. I made several of these whacks closings every time but will not close with normal hand pressure. At this point, I will just live with the ding in my receiver and use a flat edge to close. I realize you do not have to close the dust cover but again with a new high-priced gun it should.
I don't disagree. Heaven knows that there are some rather pricy guns out there, that's built-right, to-boot, that carry some small cosmetic blemishes.
It's like that castle-nut stake-job, though, to take the other viewpoint. Like Mike Mihalski of SOLGW says, if that isn't done right -since it costs next-to-nothing and is only a reflection of effort given- if that's not done perfectly, what's the customer to assume?
I absolutely think that any AR that's marketed with the Saint B5's claims should have every component functioning properly - especially at that price-point.
It's arguable the the dust-cover serves more than just its by-Hoyle role. There are some really high-speed teams out there that utilize dust-cover closure as a part of their "make ready" for the weapon.
^ The Alliance Police Training Facility ( Alliance Police Training | To Serve & Protect the Citizens of Alliance, Ohio ) has that staked up by their staging area just outside the shoot-house.
And here's Frank Proctor, making-ready before starting a stage -
^ Go to the 0:46 time-point in that video on the Frank Proctor Shooting YouTube Channel, and hang around until the 1:15 time-point.
The idea is that during administrative loading, the shooter isn't just "going through the motions" because it's an admin procedure. Rather, that he/she should be actively paying attention - the utmost attention - to their actions so that the shooter can absolutely insure that the gun is ready-to-go when it comes out of the holster or up on target.
You're right, @Ezzrider -it's not something that critically affects the weapon- but you're definitely also right in wanting it to work properly, especially given the price-tag.
Bear007
Custom
I tell my wife that's why I hate home repair jobs. When it's your business or job you are equipped with most of the parts and tools you'll need for a job. Harry Homeowner isn't, but our local hardware stores, Home Depot or Lowes are.
My little hardware store close by has a good selection of C-clips too.
Bassbob
Emissary
^ This video should show you how to replace the port cover, without the need to remove the handguard.
Ejection port door won't close...need advice > AR Discussions > AR15.COM
I picked up a NIB Colt 6721 yesterday. I will have to say that the fit and finish (excepting the EPD) is the best I have seen.I inspected it before I bought it, but I guess not thoroughly enough. The
^ This thread may be helpful in terms of troubleshooting.
As @Bear007 noted, it's disappointing that an issue as easy to catch as this is making it past QC prior to the gun shipping out of the factory. It's this kind of issue that erodes at consumer confidence for a product - if something this easy to check is missed, it prompts the corroding question of "then what else could be wrong that we can't see?"
Isn't this just the standard way to remove and install a dust cover ? The only time you should have to remove the handguard is if you have one that won't let the pin come out the other side. BCA uppers are like this. At least the 2 I have. I wanted to swap dust covers on one of them and discovered that.