Failure to eject - Empty shell pulled back into magazine...

[PizzaPizza]

So, this happened at the range this weekend...

I had a failure to eject. When I looked into the ejection port, I saw an empty case stuck in the magazine. After removing the magazine I took a couple photos.

What it appears happened is that after the round fired, the empty shell was dragged back to eject, but somehow got pulled back under the magazine lip and got lodged in the magazine. Additionally, when the bolt tried to recycle, it must have pushed the case forward denting it??!!

This is the first failure to eject I can remember. I had a few issues early on with this AR, but that was due to the bolt not cycling properly. Palmetto replaced the bolt and it has run flawlessly since (years).

I was slow firing when this happened and it was about the 3rd round in the magazine. I continued to shoot another 75-100 rounds after clearing this using the same magazine with no issues.

AR:

Palmetto 16" Midlength "Premium" Upper
Addax Tactical Lower
Geissele Super 42 Braided Recoil Spring
Geissele H1 Buffer
Magazine: 10 Round Aluminum Bushmaster





Any thoughts on how this occurred? Advice on what to look out for etc?

[Barang]

maybe your ejector is weaken?

[M1NM]

I don't see how that could happen. The case head is surrounded by the bolt. When it fires the pressure drives the bolt back since the pressure is in the case it's kept in positive contact with the bolt. When the neck clears the edge of the receiver the ejector pops it out. There is also positive upward pressure on the rounds in the mag so somehow that would also need to be overcome.
The only think I can think of that would cause this is loading an empty into the mag.

[ojisan]

Yup, what M1NM said.

[71MUSTY]

I've seen it happen occasionally before on some of may older WWII era rifles. I just assumed the mags were getting old.

[ar15barrels]

The case is way too high up in the boltface to magically move down into the magazine during extraction/ejection, especially considering that there are other rounds in the magazine pushing upward that would be in the way.
The rounds under the magazine are held down by the carrier.
As the carrier/bolt move behind the magazine, the top cartridge is pressed up against the feed lips to be stripped off the magazine by the bolt.
An empty case won't strip off the magazine because it's the bullet that slide up the feedramps in the barrel to get the cartridge to angle up an eventually be pushed all the way into the chamber.

Obvious answer is that the empty case was loaded accidentally while not watching what you were picking up from a pile/box of ammo.
Without the bullet, the case just slides forward and stops against the back of the barrel extension.

[BillyMays]

I second what Randall said. Except he probably knows what he's talking about and I'm just some guy on the internet.

[BucDan]

It's a new feature. Brass saver,east for reloaders. So you don't have to pick it up off ground.

[ar15barrels]

It's a new feature. Brass saver,east for reloaders. So you don't have to pick it up off ground.

Did you see how chewed up the case mouth is from being jammed against the barrel extension?
I would probably toss it if the wrinkles don't come out while sizing.

[SonofWWIIDI]

That must be one of those new progressive mags. You can put more than 10 rounds in it….




It just doesn’t want to let them go.

[c good]

I don't see how that could happen. The case head is surrounded by the bolt. When it fires the pressure drives the bolt back since the pressure is in the case it's kept in positive contact with the bolt. When the neck clears the edge of the receiver the ejector pops it out. There is also positive upward pressure on the rounds in the mag so somehow that would also need to be overcome.
The only think I can think of that would cause this is loading an empty into the mag.

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding! Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

[PizzaPizza]

Thanks for the info. I can't imagine I actually loaded an empty shell, but that makes a lot more sense and is, of course possible. The rifle fired and then jammed. That would make sense that the empty shell was picked up and wouldn't load, which would have the same sequence of events that I described earlier.

[sbo80]

I've seen it happen occasionally before on some of may older WWII era rifles.

But on the AR bolt, the case is held in a deep recessed spot in the bolt face. It can't come out of that recess, around the bolt (forward, then down, then backward) and then go down into the magazine. Even if your ejector was missing from the bolt that doesn't make sense. On most of those older guns, particular bolt actions, the bolt face is often flat, sometimes the only thing holding the cartridge against the bolt face is the extractor. Some have a small lip, but nothing like an AR. And certainly the extraction force on a gas AR is significant compared to a bolt gun you can gently pull back. I have a bolt gun if I softly pull the bolt back the case will barely fall over the side, making it easy to collect. A weaker extractor/ejector I could see it staying laying there and pushing the bolt forward mashing it back into the magazine well perhaps. An oopsie in mag loading makes more sense.

[walmart_ar15]

The only think I can think of that would cause this is loading an empty into the mag.

+ 1

[ZirconJohn]

Did it fire during travel into the chamber ???

I don't know how that could happen tho - but it looks like the shell never left the magazine - or else HOW in the hale did it get place BACK into the mag above the next round ... freaking weird!