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

[cornholio1]

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

[markymark]

Yes, mine always chambers a round. Are you pulling the handle back all the way and then letting it go?

[blkA4alb]

Never had it happen on mine.

[bwiese]

Yup. If it doesn't you have a problem.

Does this happen when the bolt is locked open and is ready to drop on a loaded magazine?

Or is it a problem from a closed bolt that, when pulled back and let fly, doesn't strip a new round from the magazine?

[cornholio1]

Yup. If it doesn't you have a problem.

Does this happen when the bolt is locked open and is ready to drop on a loaded magazine?

Or is it a problem from a closed bolt that, when pulled back and let fly, doesn't strip a new round from the magazine?

its when i pull the charging handle myself and it didn't take the round from the magazine.

[NeoWeird]

Are you running it dry? Maybe you are losing momentum from excessive friction and the bolt just doesn't have the umph to set into battery.

Also, you have to pull it back and RELEASE. You don't follow through with the handle. Once it hits it's maximum position rearward, you release and let it shoot home.

Another problem might be worn/damaged springs, but that is 99% change not the case unless you are using an excessively used and old parts.

[cornholio1]

Are you running it dry? Maybe you are losing momentum from excessive friction and the bolt just doesn't have the umph to set into battery.

Also, you have to pull it back and RELEASE. You don't follow through with the handle. Once it hits it's maximum position rearward, you release and let it shoot home.

Another problem might be worn/damaged springs, but that is 99% change not the case unless you are using an excessively used and old parts.

That could be it or just a fluke. I need to lube her again! I might not have pull back all the way...I forget.

[NeoWeird]

OK, so are you saying the bolt closes and there is no round in the chamber, or that it attempts to take a round and doesn't close all the way?

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.

If it doesn't take a bullet try doing this. Open the bolt and lock it open. Put in a magazine with a round in it (again, when at the range or something) and use the bolt release the let the bolt slam into battery. If it strips a round then it is functioning the way it should. Next close the bolt and insert a loaded magazine. Really push it into the magwell, even smack it with the palm of your hand to make sure it seats well. After that pull the charging handle all the way back and let it go. Make sure it goes all the way rearward, you may want another person looking through the ejection port to make sure the bolt clears the bullet's rim. You might want to even hold the bolt open for a second just in case. If that still gives you problems, try a different magazine. Sometimes a magazine, even a quality made magazine, could be slightly out of spec, or could be at one end of it's tolerance range while some other parts are at the opposite end of their tolerance range and the parts just don't work flawlessly 100% of the time.

I'm sure there are other things to check too, but those are the first things that come to mind.

[cornholio1]

The bolt closes but there is no round in the chamber. I cycled it a couple time after it happened and it worked fine. So I am hoping it was a fluke. Hopefully ammo prices will come down or i won't be able to shoot as much and try it out.

I'll try it out again at the range again.

[69Mach1]

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

[Boarding-Team-Leader]

I have had it happen. If you are not careful when you load the last round the bullet tip can get hung up on the front of the magazine. The last round in this condition acts like a ramp and the bolt misses the rear rim of the case and slides over the round instead of pushing it into the chamber. Make sure all rounds are loaded flat and fully to the rear of the magazine.
Can't just take out the magazine and bang it against something to seat the rounds with our new "California Specials"
Fixed mag rifles can be a p.i.t.a. but it beats the alternative.
BTL

[C.G.]

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

Yup. Pro-mags by any chance?

[NeoWeird]

promags will cause ride overs due to their design. They have no follower legs to prevent the follower from tiping so any catch up can cause the rear of the bullet to drag or hang low and cause bolt ride overs. Again, while the bolt is open give a nice rap on the bottom of the mag with your palm, even if a fized mag, to cause enough vibration to free up the spring, folower, and rounds inside the magazine.

[blkA4alb]

promags will cause ride overs due to their design. They have no follower legs to prevent the follower from tiping so any catch up can cause the rear of the bullet to drag or hang low and cause bolt ride overs. Again, while the bolt is open give a nice rap on the bottom of the mag with your palm, even if a fized mag, to cause enough vibration to free up the spring, folower, and rounds inside the magazine.

Option 2: Replace with a quality Bushmaster 10 round magazine, problem solved.

[Mudvayne540ld]

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