Magpul BAD Lever - Old-Busted?

[orionz06]

They were often problematic with medium-normal sized hands.

[Chemsoldier]

I liked using it in Appleseed shoots, especially on stages 2 and 3 of the AQT where time is at a premium, it just seemed easier to get back in position. Instead of another step to hit the bolt release before getting your support elbow back into position, with the BAD you can release the bolt with your trigger finger while you are settling back into position. That is about the only niche where I really liked having it.

[theJanitor]

Still have one on my redimod equipped gun. Partly because I couldn’t find the right bit to take it off...
They make more sense in That role, but aren’t necessary.
Used right my finger is no more “in the trigger guard” than if I’m using the mag release.

I have a Redi-Mod incoming from a buddy, right now. It's been years since I've had one. I ditched it at the time, cause I wanted a lighter, slicker rifle. But the current social condition has got me thinking of more ammo on the gun, and I'm still not sold on the magpul drum. I remember the BAD lever working well in this role, as the Redi-Mod crowds the bolt catch.

[rob_s]

IIRC, the point of the BAD was primarily to lock the bolt back, not to drop the bolt, thus making malfunctions faster to clear. However, due to tolerance stacking and the like, folks were having bolts that locked back intermittently even while not on empty, and also supposedly stressing the bolt catch pins.

Early on I forgives out that the “wobble” that the guys in the video are complaining about is a feature, not a flaw. Folks that tried to shim the thing and/or remove material to try and make it rigidly mounted encountered problems.

In 12 years I’ve never broken a bolt catch pin.

Maybe because the design is stupid, or in this case bad.

Why have something that runs in to the trigger guard that then is meant to be actuated by the trigger finger? Seems like a problem of the same premise of what promoted NDs with Serpas. I thought the trigger finger was ideally meant to have one job: manipulating the trigger. I’m not terribly experienced with the AR platform but I’ve had no problems with hitting the bolt release with my suppprt thumb.

How do you drop the mag?

I always avoided them because I heard from both LAV and Will Larson that they were know to induce malfunctions. IIRC something about the extra weight and premature lockback. Could just as well be an issue of out of spec lowers, springs, and bolt catches though. YMMV.

See above re:cranking down on them and removing the slop.

I do seem to recall some people having issues installing them on lower tier guns, or guns where someone decided that “tight as shit” was the best approach to parts fitting (like a Les Baer 1911).

[RevolverRob]

I tried one, but my short-to-medium length fingers found that I kept hitting the thing when going for the mag release and simultaneously dropping the mag and the bolt. Which didn't help make my mag changes any quicker.

I probably could have trained around it, but I found that it was just easier to go to a palm slap or thumb push with my off (left) hand. And I trained my brain to do that and I haven't bothered to go back since.

But then again, I'm one of those guys who does the verboten, sometimes, when engaging closer targets. I hit the bolt catch with my off hand thumb and wrap the hand around the...gasp...mag well.

[navyman8903]

People who love them, love them. People who hate them, hate them. I've found if you don't pay attention to how it actually works, or proper installation, you're going to have a bad time. I've used them for years without a single stoppage or malfunction. Never had one break or fall off. I've got like 6 of them now.....All are good to go. If it works for you great, if it doesn't, keep it movin.

[Mark D]

I have one sitting around somewhere, unused and never mounted. I realized I didn't want to be fingering the trigger area unless I'm actually fingering the trigger, with everything that entails (conscious decision to shoot, etc).

But it sounds like some people really like 'em, and can use them safely. Different strokes, I guess.

[StraitR]

They were often problematic with medium-normal sized hands.

Agreed. Having medium hands, I found them more cumbersome than useful.

[UNM1136]

I have been running one since they came out. On a Colt LE6930 with a RediMag. I am suppressing an upper for this gun this year, and those parts aren't going anywhere. In carbine classes I AI'd for the largest agency in the state the head instructor always had me demo it because he was a believer, too. Zero problems with NDs or premature lockbacks. I have medium to large hands with long fingers.

pat

[TCinVA]

They tended to prevent a lot of guns from locking open on empty.

I received one gratis at a class I attended where Costa brought a big bunch of swag, including AFGs and BAD levers. This is back when both were new on the market.

Almost everybody put one on their gun. Almost everybody took it off their gun shortly thereafter when guns stopped locking open on empty, guns locked open with rounds still in the magazine, when they hung up on gear, etc.

It was nice for locking the bolt open quickly, but the downsides of making the guns behave in unpredictable ways overshadowed that rather infrequent need.

They seem to work fine on some guns, but not others. My own pretty new 6920 in that group at the class included in the number I've seen over the years that have problems. So I've seen no need to introduce that uncertainty into any of my other guns.

You do you, but I don't want them on anything I own.