Do your AR's always chamber the first round when pulling charging handle?

[Smokeybehr]

try hitting the foward assist when this happens.
it has happened to me when I accidentialy "rode" the bolt home

IIRC, that was the purpose of the forward assist, so that you can let the bolt down quietly, then help the bolt into battery quietly. It was a silent SpecOps thing.

[DV8]

IIRC, that was the purpose of the forward assist, so that you can let the bolt down quietly, then help the bolt into battery quietly. It was a silent SpecOps thing.

You're kidding right? The forward assist was put there to push the bolt forward when it doesnt close on its own (some obstruction preventing it from doing so for instance). On a rifle with an operating rod, say an M-14, this wasnt necessary as you could slam the op rod forward to accomplish this.

First, after making sure everything is lubed properly. Then make sure you're not riding the charging handle when you load. Pull back, then let go of it. If it still doesnt load the first round, check your mag. Do you have other known good mags you could try or maybe use you upper on a friends lower?

A round could get setoff if it has a weak primer or you repeatedly use it to test loading. Best bet is to buy snap caps to test functionality. Its cheap insurance against an accidental discharge.

[ohsmily]

My guess is he didn't have the magazine all the way seated....sometimes you really have to smack/push them hard, especially when you are inserting a fully loaded magazine on a closed bolt.

[xrMike]

Sounds like a bad magazine, or the mag needs time to be broken in.

Yeah, I was having that problem with one of my Bushmaster 10-rounders for awhile. It would only do that when it was fully loaded with 10, and it would only hang up on the first round out of the mag.

But after using the mag for a couple hundred rounds, the problem went away. I figure the spring was too stiff and it finally softened up a little. But I don't know that for sure, just my guess.

[ohsmily]

IIRC, that was the purpose of the forward assist, so that you can let the bolt down quietly, then help the bolt into battery quietly. It was a silent SpecOps thing.

Haha....no....

[69Mach1]

IIRC, that was the purpose of the forward assist, so that you can let the bolt down quietly, then help the bolt into battery quietly. It was a silent SpecOps thing.

Why would special op units go into a hot zone with empty chambers?!

[bwiese]

Why would special op units go into a hot zone with empty chambers?!

Because their role models are uber-Tactical CA DOJ Special Supervisory Agents that accidentally take out tables with full-auto M4s. While such events are indeed to be regarded as Tactical Stops, other more sedate folks term them Negligent Discharges - and waggle their trigger fingers at such Special Supervisory Tactial Asians at gunshows.

[luvtolean]

IIRC, that was the purpose of the forward assist, so that you can let the bolt down quietly, then help the bolt into battery quietly. It was a silent SpecOps thing.

Funny, I thought it was because there is no "op rod" to bang forward, as on a Garand or M14, if when you charged the weapon the bolt didn't go all the way in to battery.

The two Garands I've shot both needed forward assist most clips.

[NorCal MedTac]

I had a similiar problem while I was using wolf steel case. I was told by someone at the range to switch and haven't had the problem since.

[glockk9mm]

Ocassionally, my first round will not chamber when I pull the charging handle. It doesn't happen often, but I wanted to see if anybody else experienced the same problem. Thanks

My AR does chamber always the first round when pulling the handle, the only problem i was having at the range was when I shoot the first round, the next round wont chamber, I have to pull the charging handle and let go again. I still dont know what the problem is.

[NeoWeird]

My AR does chamber always the first round when pulling the handle, the only problem i was having at the range was when I shoot the first round, the next round wont chamber, I have to pull the charging handle and let go again. I still dont know what the problem is.

It could be short stroking, but if you are NOT having the problem with a majority of the rounds than it is not the case. It is probably the magazine and the round is not being pushed up fast enough to have the bolt catch it, or the rear portion of the follower is dragging slightly and causes the same reaction. If you are using a cheaper magazine you might want to try a different one to see if that solves the problem. If you are using a quality magazine it might just need breaking it. You can try using some fine grit sand paper on the sharp edges of the magazine and the edges of the follower in case that is the problem. Of course, it could just be that the spring binds when you load the magazine and it needs a nice rap on the side to get it free; the bolt slamming home on an empty chamber may be just the impact needed to do that, so you fire the first shot with the magazine bound tight, the bolt hits home knocking it free, and when you pull back it loads normally. So try this:

1. Try a quality magazine
2. If it is a quality magazine try loading it, then hitting the floorplate with your open palm before shooting.
3. Break in the magazine the old fashioned way, or with some elbow grease.

[shinigami]

Don't load an AR in your house. I've heard from reputable sources that they are designed so that the firing pin softly touches the primer when te bolt slams closed. If you got a weak primer it could discharge. Ever since I heard that I haven't even thought about loading an AR in my house.

This is absolutely true, never load your AR in the house. I was testing mine at a range (pulling on CH and ejecting live rounds, downrange of course) and I noticed that there was a dent on the primer(?) my face turned white when I saw it. So that's my experience with that.

Well for safety reasons you shouldn't practice loading and ejecting with a live round in your house (or any place) anyway, that's why there's dummy rounds.

Just a warning to those new to the AR platform.

[Solidsnake87]

My ARs used to not chamber the first round on the pull but I noticed it was a mag problem and not the gun. Just spray some silicone oil or some form of gun lubricant on the inner magwell and try ur luck.

[NeoWeird]

This is absolutely true, never load your AR in the house. I was testing mine at a range (pulling on CH and ejecting live rounds, downrange of course) and I noticed that there was a dent on the primer(?) my face turned white when I saw it. So that's my experience with that.

Well for safety reasons you shouldn't practice loading and ejecting with a live round in your house (or any place) anyway, that's why there's dummy rounds.

Just a warning to those new to the AR platform.

I only say that because I have heard of some people using ARs with those copper powder disintigrating rounds being used as home defense rifles. It seemed like a good idea until I heard about the primer touches (I think it was someone warning to be careful because of that). Ever since then, I just leave my Remington 870 and my 1911's to do the work.

ETA: The lube is a good idea. Like I said, running firearms dry is a bad idea. You wouldn't dare think of driving your care without oil or with an empty radiator; why do that to your firearms?

[NwG]

Are you running a collapsible stock? If you have the stock in one of the foward positions (not all the way back) sometimes the charging handle will be stopped by the edge of the stock and short stroke the weapon... Have done it a few times with mine..