Zero Land

 One of the things I like to do is check my rifle zero several times a year because things change.  It may have been a new lot of ammunition, or maybe when I checked the scope retention screws something shifted.  More likely I've changed.  Different trigger pull, different breathing, all kinds of reasons.

It's a 100 yards from my mat to the two black squares

When I used to shoot bullseye, we used to say, "The gun shoots better than I do."  And frankly, that’s the truth.  But if the gun isn't functioning right, if the ammunition isn't feeding right, or you think your sights are off, your scores and accuracy go to hell.  Just the other day, my friend was shooting a high-end gun, but his reloads had bulges and defects.  Nothing ran well for him.  He'll be able to fix that, but in the meantime, uncertainty has crept into his mind.  And until he can convince himself everything is right, he'll have troubles.

When I do my part, the gun..well you know the rest

That's best reason to recheck your zero.  It builds confidence in yourself, your weapon and your ammunition.  It reminds me that if I do my part, the gun will shoot where it should.

Following my range day, I popped my AR open and did a routine cleaning.  You know, scrub the bore, clean out powder residue, oil the springs and moving parts.  Depending on your philosophy your rifle is an important life-saving tool or major investment.  It very well could be both. 

I typically remove the bolt from the bolt carrier and give it a good cleaning with a brass brush.  This time it was a little different.  The pin holding the extractor arm fell out and so did the extractor, agong with a flattened O-ring, broken spring and black rubber insert.

Well, that’s a fine kettle of fish!

If one is none and two is one...you better have a spare

Fortunately, I had a backup, or two. I had a Bolt Upgrade/Rebuild Kit from Bravo Company Machining.  https://bravocompanyusa.com/bcm-sopmod-bolt-upgrade-rebuild-kit/

I found a YouTube video from them and quickly replaced the parts.  I thought their extractor arm was a little sharper, a little more aggressive than my eight-year-old one, so I swapped everything out.  Then I ordered a new one which just arrived.  After all, one is none and two is one.

I don't get paid to promote BCM.  I like their products.  They are quality and over the years I've replaced springs, widgets and what-nots from them and have always been happy.

Just a note: Every gun is reliant on springs and springs are the weak points.  No matter what your mindset, having a complete set of replacement springs is never a bad idea.