AR sorrows

[Jarhead77]

Went to BGF today and as usual, had a great time.....until I fired a round off our of my AR, cycled normally, from what I could tell, pulled trigger...click. Tap, Pull...crap... can't pull the bolt back. Count my rounds in the magazine...6 left. I think there's a hot one in the chamber.


Bolt turns ever so slightly when I pull back on it but seizes at the point in the pic.
Anyone know a good AR gunsmith or a way to pry that dog out?

Thanks.

 

[sloughfoot]

Slam the butt into the ground while pulling back on the charging handle.

Fix or stop using that ammo.

 

[Jarhead77]

I'll give that a try. Thanks

 

[jd4320t]

Slam the butt into the ground while pulling back on the charging handle.

Fix or stop using that ammo.

Collapse the stock all the way too

 

[Jarhead77]

Good call JD. Thx.

 

[IndyGunworks]

What ammo were you using?

 

[philbert001]

Slam the butt into the ground while pulling back on the charging handle.

Fix or stop using that ammo.

This!

I had this issue with some handloads a year or so ago. Turns out that my seating die didn't like being seated in my press where Lee recommended, and every once in a while, it would push the neck in, just enough to mushroom the shoulder. I backed out the seating die a half a turn, and cranked in the seater to compensate. Haven't had issue ever since.

Once you get the round out, measure it, and see if that's what is out of spec.

 

[snorko]

Slam the butt into the ground while pulling back on the charging handle.

Fix or stop using that ammo.

Since you think you have a loaded round in the chamber. Think carefully. Did you check the ejected brass for any damage?

 

[engineerpower]

First thing I would do is (intelligently) drop a cleaning rod down the barrel and confirm/deny the presence of a live round in your chamber. If you do have a live 'un, and the buttslam method doesn't work, the next method would be taking the barrel off. IIRC the only special tool you need is a barrel wrench, which wouldn't be a bad tool to have around. Now you have an excuse to justify it!

If your chamber is empty or on a fired brass, you could use an appropriately-sized drill rod and a non-BFH hammer to tap on the bolt face to loosen it up a little from the front end. From your picture it looks like your lugs are clearing the barrel extension and may just need a small amount of persuasion...

 

[Jarhead77]

What ammo were you using?
New Rem.223
Damage to ejected brass?
None! I'd gone through almost 100 rd's when this happened and I picked up all of the brass. No issues.

I'll let you all know after work today what happens!

 

[1911ly]

Have you shot steel in it before? That is usually when the issue happens. Brass ammo doesn't follow steel very well. Clean the crap out of the chamber. I use a 45cal brush.

 

[teddy12b]

I had an issue like this with a DPMS 308. I had to collapse the butt stock and give it a couple "taps" while pulling on the charging handle. I think in my case it was a slightly tight chamber due to some packing oil that worked itself out after I scrubbed the heck out of the chamber.

Just curious, but what make/model of AR-15 is this? Is it new with a low round count?

 

[NyleRN]

Have you shot steel in it before? That is usually when the issue happens. Brass ammo doesn't follow steel very well. Clean the crap out of the chamber. I use a 45cal brush.

What's the reasoning behind this? I've never heard that before

 

[rvb]

Fortress PDS AR 15 Malfunction; bolt stuck forward cleared by mortaring - YouTube

-rvb

 

[1911ly]

What's the reasoning behind this? I've never heard that before

Steel ammo is coated with a rust preventative. The preventive coats the chamber. For what ever reason brass sticks to it very well. People that shoot steel all the time seem to only have issues when they try brass. Some chambers don't like steel at all. IE one of my RRA's. My Double Star would jam after steel if I did not scrub the bore. I gave up on steel. Your mileage may vary. Shoot it if you can or want. I avoid it like the plague.

 

[1911ly]

Oh, And I am not the only one to have this issue. If you search you'll find others. I think it's fairly common.

 

[jblomenberg16]

If slamming the buttstock doesn't do the trick (it usually does), take a long flat blade screwdriver, and insert through the mag well and align the blade so it rests flat on the bolt carrier (there is a small shoulder that you should be able to place it against). Very gently apply pressure using the magwell as the fulcrum. You will also want to pull back on the CH at the same time, so this is sort of a 3 handed operation. I usually place the butt on the ground with the barrel pointing up and away from me (and everything else I don't want to hit) as much as I can, with the magwell facing towards me and slightly to my right. This allows me to pry with the right hand and pull with the left. You may need to increase pressure, but don't try to pop the screwdriver, as it could pop it free and result in some scratches to your bolt carrier and or magwell.

While not ideal, this is easier (and I'd say safer) than trying to remove the barrel to get out the live round.

 

[Jarhead77]

So... "Slamming the butt into the ground" didn't seem to help. I took a brake alignment tool and pried the BCG from inside the mag well and that did the trick.



Oh, Its a spikes tactical 1:7 5.56. Round count is well over 1000

I'm still not sure why it locked up. I have used steel cased ammo in this rifle but its been quite a while. For those of you who don't know me I am still a Jarhead at heart and clean my weapons thoroughly after every firing, even if I only fire 6 rounds, I'm cleaning it. I don't think I've had anything build up in the chamber as I use mil spec bore cleaner and CLP liberally along with a bore brush the get between and under the "star".

Regardless, the round has a significant dent in it and the tip of the round has a nice gouge in it. I put it in a case gauge and it slips right in. I also re-chambered it by hand with no issues.

I'm going to the range again this week and will give it another try.
Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions!! I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[M67]

Well that's your problem, quit babying your AR. Just shoot it and lube it

Seriously though, glad you got the round out without having to take your barrel off.

Still seriously though, just shoot it and lube it

Even with that crater in the casing, what's the case measure at the shoulder? Is there any marks on the brass from where it got stuck?

 

[1911ly]

If the tip of the round had a gouge I wonder if the oal was to long and it hit as it was chambering? Although I don't know how that would play in to the round getting stuck in the chamber unless it bent the neck of the brass. Interesting thing to ponder.

I might add I clean my guns just like you. Well most of the time :-)