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Springfield Hellion issue... Ejection port cover

F

Florida_Roof_Korean

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Hello all,

First time poster, long time fan. My Hellion/VHS-2 is barely a year old and already the ejection port cover is defective twice. After firing a number of rounds, the guide rod for the ejection port cover comes loose and it appears that a dowel that holds the cover closed falls out.

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The red oval shows where the dowel should sit, and rests against the port cover guide rod.

I returned my Hellion last September under an RMA and it was repaired. After firing it again today, the guide rod loosened again but luckily, I found the little, plastic dowel. However, a simple table check/fit didn't work and the port cover still won't close.

I really don't want to send my Hellion back for a 2nd port cover repair. I'd like to know if anyone has experienced this issue, AND, if anyone can advise me how to repair this at home.

Many thanks in advance!
 

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KillerFord1977 said:
I’ve had no issue.
Since the ejection port is ambidextrous, could you take the part from the other side?
Then Loctite it in so it doesn’t come off again on the other side ? It would get less to little use and Loctite may hold it in place on the other side
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I thought about doing so, but then I would risk losing that part as well. Every time I fire my Hellion, the port cover guide rod keeps getting loose. Tomorrow I'm going to reach out to Springfield support with my original RMA #. Twice in a row is just irritating. I would prefer they send me a beefier assembly with instructions on how to replace it. Paying for a box for shipment, and waiting 2-3 weeks for a repair this simple really isn't worth it, in my opinion.
 
FRK,
Looking at your picture it is hard to tell if the Dust Cover Lock Pin #107 is flat on the end where it engages the Dust Cover Pin #162 groove ... and does it have full spring tension holding it in the groove? Here is a closeup of mine. I would suggest pulling the dust cover pin out just far enough to be free of the lock pin to see how much farther the lock pin will come out and how much pressure it has.
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When you move the Dust cover does the Dust Cover Pin #162 rotate with the cover or is it stationary? Mine stays stationary with the rifle when I move the Dust cover open & close.

1) If the lock pin end is flat with 2) the sides of the pin nice and squared off 3) and the spring is pushing the lock pin hard enough into the cover pin groove 4) and the cover pin is stationary when moving the dust cover ... I'm not quite sure how it is coming disengaged.

Maybe dirt keeping the lock pin from pushing out far enough or a weak spring?

Let us know what you find.
 
Bear007 said:
FRK,
Looking at your picture it is hard to tell if the Dust Cover Lock Pin #107 is flat on the end where it engages the Dust Cover Pin #162 groove ... and does it have full spring tension holding it in the groove? Here is a closeup of mine. I would suggest pulling the dust cover pin out just far enough to be free of the lock pin to see how much farther the lock pin will come out and how much pressure it has.
View attachment 36211

When you move the Dust cover does the Dust Cover Pin #162 rotate with the cover or is it stationary? Mine stays stationary with the rifle when I move the Dust cover open & close.

1) If the lock pin end is flat with 2) the sides of the pin nice and squared off 3) and the spring is pushing the lock pin hard enough into the cover pin groove 4) and the cover pin is stationary when moving the dust cover ... I'm not quite sure how it is coming disengaged.

Maybe dirt keeping the lock pin from pushing out far enough or a weak spring?

Let us know what you find.
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Bear007,

Thanks for your input. My ejection port cover on the left side (not used), looks like this... The lock pin/dowel resting on the guide rod notch (that it is designed for). Funny thing is that I haven't fired my Hellion after receiving from repair last September until yesterday. I'm frustrated that Springfield support may have done a half-ass job. Yesterday after firing over 100 rounds, I found the guide pin rod sticking out and the lock pin/dowel missing. I found the pin/dowel on the floor (thankfully), but reassembling it didn't do squat. Perhaps the spring on the cover is weak, the insert for the guide rod is way too wide, or the pin/dowel was broken to begin with??

Either way... I am going to have a good talk with Springfield support tomorrow. This is the second time I am experiencing the same failure after they supposedly repaired it. At this point, I want them to send me a beefier cover port assembly, or replace the lower assembly altogether. I really don't want to send my entire rifle back for something as petty as this.
 
Ok. It seems the lock pin spring isn't putting any pressure on the lock pin to engage the groove on the dust cover pin. Unfortunately I don't think SA will send you the parts. I'll bet they tell you to send it in to them.

I would take all the parts that are falling off, all the way off and put them in a bagging when you do with a note that simply says, "these parts are falling off wheni shoot the rifle." They may have misunderstood what the problem was on the first go around.

Let us know how things go.
 
I'm curious??? When the lock pin #107 had fallen out I guess, even if you pushed the dust cover pin back into place and tried to close the dust cover it would not snap closed. The spring #160 in the middle has 2 jobs, push the lock pin down to engage the dust cover pin and push the dust cover lock #161 up to snap the dust cover closed.

If the Dust cover does still snap closed with the lock pin out then the spring is hungup inside the channel blocking it from pushing the lock pindown.

Screenshot_20230205_232355_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
 
Bear007 said:
I'm curious??? When the lock pin #107 had fallen out I guess, even if you pushed the dust cover pin back into place and tried to close the dust cover it would not snap closed. The spring #160 in the middle has 2 jobs, push the lock pin down to engage the dust cover pin and push the dust cover lock #161 up to snap the dust cover closed.

If the Dust cover does still snap closed with the lock pin out then the spring is hungup inside the channel blocking it from pushing the lock pindown.

View attachment 36232
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Bear007,

This helps out a lot! Parts # 160 & 161 are missing and I'm not about to dig around the range to find them. I'll find out what Springfield tells me.
 
Wow! I can see the spring falling out and missing but part #161 the dust cover lock is what holds the spring and lock pin in the cylinder. Part #14 is another lock pin which gets punched in to hold #161 the dust cover lock in the cylinder, which holds all 3 parts in the cylinder. I would think you have to be missing part #14 also for this all to happen or #161 the dust cover lock broke in half or something.

I'm pretty sure it's going back to SA.
 
Bear007 said:
Wow! I can see the spring falling out and missing but part #161 the dust cover lock is what holds the spring and lock pin in the cylinder. Part #14 is another lock pin which gets punched in to hold #161 the dust cover lock in the cylinder, which holds all 3 parts in the cylinder. I would think you have to be missing part #14 also for this all to happen or #161 the dust cover lock broke in half or something.

I'm pretty sure it's going back to SA.
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You're right. It's going back to SA and they will provide an RMA #. I specifically requested they replace the entire dust cover assembly and fire a bunch of rounds to make sure the pins & spring don't pop out. 2nd time is extremely unlucky (or **** poor repair work). 3rd time, and I may seriously find another 5.56 replacement. I hope that's not the case because the Hellion is a fun shooter.
 
Florida_Roof_Korean said:
You're right. It's going back to SA and they will provide an RMA #. I specifically requested they replace the entire dust cover assembly and fire a bunch of rounds to make sure the pins & spring don't pop out. 2nd time is extremely unlucky (or **** poor repair work). 3rd time, and I may seriously find another 5.56 replacement. I hope that's not the case because the Hellion is a fun shooter.
Click to expand...
Hello

First time posting here. My hellion dust cover failed the other day. What was worse is whatever tiny part came out caused the trigger to not reset and safety to not set. Disassembling the rifle, I heard something fall out when I pulled the trigger pack. No idea why it was or where it went. Bottom line I got the gun working from dry fire test except the dust cover won’t close. The little guide rod had also slid almost all the way out.

Was wondering on an update here please? I emailed SA Friday to see if they can send parts but I’ll have to figure out how to install. Awaiting response.

Thanks

Rich
 
Richd said:
Hello

First time posting here. My hellion dust cover failed the other day. What was worse is whatever tiny part came out caused the trigger to not reset and safety to not set. Disassembling the rifle, I heard something fall out when I pulled the trigger pack. No idea why it was or where it went. Bottom line I got the gun working from dry fire test except the dust cover won’t close. The little guide rod had also slid almost all the way out.

Was wondering on an update here please? I emailed SA Friday to see if they can send parts but I’ll have to figure out how to install. Awaiting response.

Thanks

Rich
Click to expand...
Emailing SA is an exercise in futility. Call them.
 
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