M16 sear hole repair

[Elkaholic]

My M16 needs some repair. M60 Joe used to be the go to guy, he fixed it the last time. He did great work but is retired now. Any recommendations or do I have to put my big boy panties on and do it myself?

 

[Mr.Maim]

Joe did a significant amount of work on an Oly RR for me in 2016. I referred someone to him in 2020 and he had retired by that point but pointed my referral to Gary's Bunker.
https://www.garysbunker.com/

I have also read a bunch of posts on AR15.com about Victor at US Anodizing.
http://www.usanodizing.com/contact.htm

 

[Elkaholic]

Joe did a significant amount of work on an Oly RR for me in 2016. I referred someone to him in 2020 and he had retired by that point but pointed my referral to Gary's Bunker.
https://www.garysbunker.com/

I have also read a bunch of posts on AR15.com about Victor at US Anodizing.
http://www.usanodizing.com/contact.htm

Thank you for your response. Did you or whoever you referred use Gary's Bunker? In the little bit of research I've done, those are the 2 places that keep coming up

 

[Mr.Maim]

Sorry I don't have direct or secondhand experience with either.

 

[Elkaholic]

Well. I put my big boy panty's on. Thank god i have a really good machinist buddy that held my hand threw it. It had been repaired the same way before. You drill, tap and put an insert in. If you weld and drill a new hole it will beat itself out fast. The aluminum is super soft

 

[ig720]

I'd only trust a handful of smiths out there. Especially with a transferable. I had some work done by Victor at USanodizing that was great. I'd also check Taylor Pickerel, not sure if I'm spelling his name right. He also seems pretty knowledgable. I've never dealt with him as he stopped returning all forms of communication. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Elkaholic]

I'd only trust a handful of smiths out there. Especially with a transferable. I had some work done by Victor at USanodizing that was great. I'd also check Taylor Pickerel, not sure if I'm spelling his name right. He also seems pretty knowledgable. I've never dealt with him as he stopped returning all forms of communication. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

The 2 pictures above your post are of the repair I did. I have a very good machinist buddy. He held my hand threw doing it on his equipment. Used 7075 for the insert material. I know the outside doesn't look great in my picture but it really is nice. you rub your finger across it and you cant feel anything but the hole. i blackened it up a little with a sharpie. I'm going to run it like this for the summer and refinish this winter. testing happens this weekend

 

[JoshNC]

How did the damage occur, or was the hole drilled incorrectly when the SP1 was converted?

 

[Elkaholic]

How did the damage occur, or was the hole drilled incorrectly when the SP1 was converted?

To the best of my knowledge this is a factory Colt converted gun. 3 digit serial number, built in 1964. Back then maybe you didn't need need to do markings if it was a conversion. It is a transferable. I've had it for about 14 years. It has been used and abused. Belt fed 22LR upper, AM15 drum fed 22LR upper, Shrike belt fed upper. This is going to sound strange but I think the 22 uppers are harder on it. Tons of shooting in the configuration of the picture. Barrels are cheap