[TheOtherMike]

I have a PSA Gen-2 PA-10 in .308, that I got a couple years ago.

Of course, I have been tinkering with it ever since, gradually adding upgrades as required. One of the more recent ones is an extended charging handle which makes it much easier to load and unload a scoped rifle.

Not willing to pay the big bucks for a name brand charging handle, I was happy to find a .308 charging handle with an extended latch at a gun show seller for only $20.

I installed it, and fired the gun several times, including in a Multigun match. There were no obvious problems with the new handle, and the gun seemed to perform well.

Then I made a trip to the range to test some loads, and noticed something unusual.

On the last shot of every mag, when the bolt locked open -- the charging handle was unlatched and protruding approx 2" from the back of the rifle.

Maybe the latch on the el-cheapo charging handle was weak.

So at the last show, I picked up an ambi charging handle from the same seller (I really wanted an ambi anyway)

I got home, installed the new charging handle, fired the gun -- and immediately experienced the same problem with the brand new charging handle. The factory charging handle did not have this problem.

On closer comparison of the factory and aftermarket charging handles, I found that the "slot" milled into the underside of the handle is longer on the factory one. Measuring from the back of the charging handle, the slot begins at 1.335" on the factory one, and 1.620" on the aftermarket extended handle, for a difference of 0.285" (The ambi charging handle appeared to have the same slot length as the aftermarket extended handle, but was harder to measure with calipers)

My conclusion is that the bolt smacks the back of the aftermarket charging handles on every shot, violently and rapidly ejecting it out the back of the gun. I only noticed it when the bolt locked open, because on the other shots the bolt returned forward and took the charging handle with it.

If I was a "Buy Once, Cry Once" guy I'd have ponied up for a name-brand charging handle. Then again, I would have bought a higher end rifle and missed out on all the tinkering fun.

Not a total loss, though. I was able to move the extended latch to the factory charging handle.

 

[onlymaroonmatters]

Well that sucks. I just always get an extended latch and keep the factory handle

 

[TheOtherMike]

What I haven't figured out yet is the "why":

- Were those aftermarket charging handles made for "some other pattern of 308 AR"? I have not experienced this with el-cheapo AR-15 charging handles, but the 308s are notorious for incompatible parts issues.

- Or were they just "designed and made overseas by people who have never even seen an AR, much less a 308 one"?

- Or maybe this is peculiar to the PSA rifle. The buffer tube, buffer, and all related components came from the factory this way, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are correct.

 

[Redlick83]

With some heavier recoiling rifles I have seen some of the big extended latches come open due to recoil forces. Had it happen with a badger latch on my 458. Kept hitting me in the nose after a few rounds. Swapped it to a 556 and it’s not happened again.

You can probably swap latch spring or put in a small spacer to provide more force on the latch.

 

[TheOtherMike]

- Or maybe this is peculiar to the PSA rifle. The buffer tube, buffer, and all related components came from the factory this way, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are correct.

Note to self for future experimentation.... try putting some quarters in the stock, and see if the gun stops ejecting the the charging handle before other problems occur. (like not locking open on the last shot in a mag)