Wear in pin and safety selector holes in 7075 80% lower?

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  • My Toy

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 31, 2008
    1,194
    Westminster
    Will the un-anodized pin and safety selector holes drilled in 80% 7075 lowers wear faster than the anodized holes in a complete stripped lower that you would purchase through an FFL.
    I guess my question is -- does the anodizing offer some degree of wear resistance or is this a non-issue?
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Will the un-anodized pin and safety selector holes drilled in 80% 7075 lowers wear faster than the anodized holes in a complete stripped lower that you would purchase through an FFL.
    I guess my question is -- does the anodizing offer some degree of wear resistance or is this a non-issue?

    You can buy pin gauges for checking those if you are worried. PM Clandestine(Chad) for the appropriate sizes for go and no-go gauging.
     

    Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    Even if the holes do somehow wear out of spec 50,000 rounds/50 years from now, you can always drill out the holes larger and insert bushings.
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    Most rarely use the selector switch so wear should not be an issue. If you are concerned about the trigger and hammer pins, try a set of anti-roll pins. They do not rotate with use so wear on the lower is eliminated. I did one polymer lower and used them on it just for that reason.
     

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    The holes will wear faster without anodizing. Anodizing is where the hardness lies in uppers and lowers. You can send your lower out for anodizing, but it needs to be marked.

    The safety should not be an issue as long as you keep it lubricated.

    If you want it anodized New Frontier Armory charges $15.00 for lower anodizing. They do really good work too.
    https://www.newfrontierarmory.com/shop/anodizing-service/


    As far an antirotation pins go, dont use them. They are snake oil.
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    The holes will wear faster without anodizing. Anodizing is where the hardness lies in uppers and lowers. You can send your lower out for anodizing, but it needs to be marked.

    The safety should not be an issue as long as you keep it lubricated.

    If you want it anodized New Frontier Armory charges $15.00 for lower anodizing. They do really good work too.
    https://www.newfrontierarmory.com/shop/anodizing-service/


    As far an antirotation pins go, dont use them. They are snake oil.

    I will disagree with chad on them being snake oil, they are not necessary in most cases and attention needs to be paid when installing. But if your lower is not anodized do not use anti roll pins. They are usually stainless steel and will corrode when in contact with raw aluminum. Even in finished lower you have to be careful if you just whack the anti roll in with a hammer and chip the anodizing it is bare aluminum on ss. Also with any pin lube especially the ends and inside the trigger and hammer
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    The anti-walk pins I have on my polymer lower are coated on all surfaces so direct contact with aluminum should not be a problem for those that choose to use them. Make sure to check the finish on anything that will be in direct contact with the lower as jrumann59 has pointed out. Different metals usually do not play nicely with each other and corrosion may become an issue where they touch. Aluminum can be particularly vulnerable.
     

    My Toy

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 31, 2008
    1,194
    Westminster
    Would using something like Loctite 242 (Blue) which is supposed to allow Loctited parts to be removed with hand tools be an alternative to anti-rotation pins for the hammer/trigger pin?
     

    NateIU10

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2009
    4,587
    Southport, CT
    Once it is finished it is a gun and needs to be traced.

    Federally, marking requirements only apply to licensees manufacturing firearms (NFA or GCA) or makers making firearms (NFA) (ETA: I guess I should also say that there are marking requirements for importers). Stated simply, there is no federal law that requires a non-licensee to mark anything on non-NFA firearms. Some states (CA is one example) do have marking requirements, but not many.

    If the anodizer doesn't accept non-serialized firearms that's fine, I was just confused by the statement that the lower "must" be marked if it were to be sent for anodize.
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    Would using something like Loctite 242 (Blue) which is supposed to allow Loctited parts to be removed with hand tools be an alternative to anti-rotation pins for the hammer/trigger pin?

    Loctite is for threads and the type of force imparted on the pins I doubt Loctite would work and is not needed. IF your pins are walking out there is another issue but if you lube the pins wear would be kept to a minimum and you probably will not be alive when they finally egg out. :D
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    Just use KNS pins and call it a day.

    Only on traditional triggers but they are not really needed on a properly spec lower and trigger. Giesselle triggers recommend THEIR pins, their pins are grooved in a different spot than mil-spec and KNS type pins. AS chad has said anti-rotational pins can cause issues that can be overlooked in diagnosis of trigger issues. They also cause corrosion issues if installed haphazardly and the bare stainless steel of the anti-rotational comes into contact with bare aluminum of the lower. For most builds the standard pins are fine. Also remember any issues in the FCG will need allen or torx tools to remove in the field when you use the anti-rotational,
     

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,031
    Elkton, MD
    Why would it need to be marked?

    ATF tells them it's needed to log them under their FFL. There has been sevel incidents with anodizers and ATF regarding this issue that have been discussed on various forms and Facebook groups.

    Perhaps it can be fought but the anodizers have made it clear that if there is no markings they send it back and no work is done.
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,530
    Columbia
    Would using something like Loctite 242 (Blue) which is supposed to allow Loctited parts to be removed with hand tools be an alternative to anti-rotation pins for the hammer/trigger pin?



    No, DO NOT USE LOCTITE.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

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