My AR Question. Help.

[beerup949]

Hi guys, I just bought my first cal legal AR and when I load a round in the chamber then take the magazine out there is still a round in the chamber...Now when I re-rack the charging handle its not extracting the round in the chamber. I have to put a rod down the chamber to push the round out. I don't think this is normal....Any advice?


Thanks

[armygunsmith]

First of all, are you using live ammo? I suggest that you invest in some dummy rounds. Is there any resistance when you pull the charging handle, if not make sure that the extractor on your bolt is assembled correctly. Also did you lube the weapon at all after you finished building it?

[Turbinator]

First of all, are you using live ammo? I suggest that you invest in some dummy rounds.

+1

Please don't be another statistic.

Does the gun fire and extract normally otherwise? Are you riding the charging handle forward?

Turby

[reidnez]

Definitely not normal. Clean and lube the bolt/BCG, see if that fixes it (preferably using dummies or empty cartridges, as mentioned.) Pull the charging handle all the way to the rear, then release it and let it go forward on its own power--think "slingshot." Then, pull back the charging handle just a bit and do a chamber-check. The round should follow the bolt.

If that doesn't help, I'd look for some good instructions, with pictures, on how to remove the extractor. Clean the underside of the extractor and the space on the bolt where it seats Then carefully re-install it. Not difficult at all. If it's still not working, take it to a gunsmith.

[bobfried]

.......Pull the charging handle all the way to the rear, then release it and let it go forward on its own power--think "slingshot." ...........

Everything else is good advice except this portion, don't do that, this is how people break charging handles.

Pull the charging handle to the rear and lock the bolt in place with the bolt release. If you don't know how than learn. Than PUSH the CH ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT TILL IT LOCKS. Than insert a magazine with dummy rounds, slap on the bolt release and let the bolt ride home. Your most likely pull on the charging handle and just letting it go, creating what some calls riding the charging handle since you will instinctively hold on to the CH more than necessary. But more importantly it's a surefire way to break a charging handle if you do not lock it forward and use the bolt release.

I see this problem quite a bit with civilian shooters, if you ever shoot with a military guy you'll see them always locking the CH in place and using the bolt release to slam the bolt home.

[reidnez]

Really? I learned to shoot as a Marine, I would think the manual-of-arms for soldiers is the same. I am not trying to start an inter-service rivalry here, there have been enough of those. Maybe we aren't understanding each other. All I know is my experience.

We were always taught as recruits, when loading an empty rifle with the bolt closed: insert a loaded magazine, give it a tug to make sure it's seated, pull the charging handle to the rear, let it go forward on its own power (slingshot), brass check, tap the forward assist, click the selector lever to "annihilate," kill insurgents...Of course that is a an "admin load" when you are not being shot at. You are probably not going to take the time to do a brass-check and tap the forward assist with rounds coming downrange. You'll just tap-rack-bang if something goes wrong. And if you're in a situation where rounds might be coming down range, hopefully you weren't carrying an empty rifle in the first place...but now I'm getting into a lot of detail.

Now of course, if the bolt is locked back (as when changing magazines) then you would simply hit the bolt release. And you definitely want the charging handle to be forward-and-locked before you do this. Letting the bolt carrier slam the charging handle on its way forward could *definitely* break the CH, no argument here. Of course there would be no reason to have pulled it back in the first place, if the bolt was already locked back. But civilians do silly things. Actually, I did it once or twice as a Marine.

Again, no disrespect to a fellow vet. If you were taught that way or believe that to be the better way, more power to you. In any case, the way you describe certainly would not do any harm. I never broke a charging handle on my M16's, but maybe I was just lucky. Hopefully I don't break the CH on my new AR.

Everything else is good advice except this portion, don't do that, this is how people break charging handles.

Pull the charging handle to the rear and lock the bolt in place with the bolt release. If you don't know how than learn. Than PUSH the CH ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT TILL IT LOCKS. Than insert a magazine with dummy rounds, slap on the bolt release and let the bolt ride home. Your most likely pull on the charging handle and just letting it go, creating what some calls riding the charging handle since you will instinctively hold on to the CH more than necessary. But more importantly it's a surefire way to break a charging handle if you do not lock it forward and use the bolt release.

I see this problem quite a bit with civilian shooters, if you ever shoot with a military guy you'll see them always locking the CH in place and using the bolt release to slam the bolt home.

[bobfried]

Really? I learned to shoot as a Marine, I would think the manual-of-arms for soldiers is the same. I am not trying to start an inter-service rivalry here, there have been enough of those. Maybe we aren't understanding each other. All I know is my experience. We were always taught as recruits, when loading an empty rifle with the bolt closed: pull the charging handle to the rear, let it go forward on its own power, brass check, tap the forward assist...

Now of course, if the bolt is locked back (as when changing magazines) then you would simply hit the bolt release. And you definitely want the charging handle to be forward-and-locked before you do this. Of course there would be no reason to have pulled it back in the first place, if the bolt was already locked back. But civilians do silly things.

Again, no disrespect to a fellow vet. If you were taught that way or believe that to be the better way, more power to you. In any case, the way you describe certainly would not do any harm. I never broke a charging handle on my M16's, but maybe I was just lucky. Hopefully I don't break the CH on my new AR.

Don't know what to tell you but everyone I have ever shot with does this. Empty rifle, lock the bolt back than insert fresh magazine than slam the bolt home with the bolt release.

The only exception is a clearance drill where you'd do the whole SPORT thing, this is the only time I know of when you let the CH slingshot home because you'd have to do it 3 times. Every other time you always lock the CH in place. This is also the way all of the LE I have ever seen have done and all of the trainers I know also does this.

[reidnez]

Don't know what to tell you but everyone I have ever shot with does this. Empty rifle, lock the bolt back than insert fresh magazine than slam the bolt home with the bolt release.

The only exception is a clearance drill where you'd do the whole SPORT thing, this is the only time I know of when you let the CH slingshot home because you'd have to do it 3 times. Every other time you always lock the CH in place. This is also the way all of the LE I have ever seen have done and all of the trainers I know also does this.

That's totally cool, like I said it certainly wouldn't hurt anything. And it does eliminate the possibility of riding the bolt home, which is probably a good thing for an inexperienced shooter.

It's just funny because nobody I know shoots like that. All that proves is that we know different people.

[jpnosworthy]

Just to make sure.. are you feeding the round from the magazine (as you should) or shoving it directly into the chamber through the ejection port?

-J

Hi guys, I just bought my first cal legal AR and when I load a round in the chamber then take the magazine out there is still a round in the chamber...Now when I re-rack the charging handle its not extracting the round in the chamber. I have to put a rod down the chamber to push the round out. I don't think this is normal....Any advice?


Thanks

[beerup949]

Reply

I used to be in the Marine's too. I put the mag in first then rack the charging handle like a sling shot to load the first round. There is something wrong here...maybe I lubed it too much but the round is not following the bolt back to extract it correctly. It's like it sticks it in the barrel and then it's just sitting there. I either have to shoot it out or put a cleaning rod down the barrel. This is wierd. I put 50 rounds through this thing and it functioned properly. Then I take it home and clean it and when I'm messing around with it I find that this is happening. I'm gonna take apart again then re-assemble it. Lets see what happens.

[IW378]

Chamber a round via bolt release. Not charging handle

[Teletiger7]

Type of upper? How long is barrel? Gas tube length? What type of stock? What type of buffer? What type of o-ring is in the extractor? Sounds like extractor is not "grabbing" the case right. Take it to a smith to make sure all the parts are functioning correctly.

[beerup949]

Okay...the round is extracting properly. I think I left so much CLP on the bolt for some reason it was not extracting the round properly. I left the slide locked back for a while and let everything kinda dry out...Now its working properly. Whew!!!!

Thanks for all your help.

[landser1102]

Hey bobfried, so this is how the Army taught you guys to make your weapon into condition one? I find it hard to believe that nobody in the Army does what the Marines do like mentioned earlier...

So I guess chambering a round with pulling back the charging handle and let it fly is a big no no? What happens when you have to do immediate action drill? You pull the trigger, it goes click, then you pull the magazine out and lock the bolt back before trying to chamber a round back into the chamber? Sometimes this is necessary but unless you absolutely have to, why? The way I see it is if your charging handle can't even take that little bit of beating, you might as well get rid of the whole rifle and pick a better weapon. I would say beat the shiit out of the CH and make sure it works and is 100% reliable when you do need it.

[Phanuel]

I don't even understand how you could break the charging handle letting it slingshot forward. The BCG will stop when it's in battery and locked and the CH is not experiencing any 'extra' forces when you release it on the initial round charge. It experiences the most force against when when pulling the BCG back due to the buffer spring pushing against the BCG pushing against the CH in resistance to your charging action.

I'm not going to do a 3 handed bolt lock just to initially charge my rifle, that's a ridiculous requirement for a battle rifle that has rather poorly conceived of ergonomic shortcomings.