AR-15 - load mag with bolt open or closed?

[subrosa]

What is the general wisdom with loading a mag into an empty AR-15?

Would you normally lock the bolt back, load the mag, then hit the bolt release?

or

would you load the mag, then charge the weapon?

With the bolt closed I seem to see the round pop out of the mag prior to the bolt coming forward (when I pull the charging handle fully rearward), this seems to lead to some FTF(eed) at least using dummy rounds/spent cases.

This AR has seen 400 or so trouble free rounds, but I have only loaded mags with the bolt in the full reward position.

[killshot44]

What is the general wisdom with loading a mag into an empty AR-15?

Would you normally lock the bolt back, load the mag, then hit the bolt release?

Yes.

[vta]

ARs are notorious for being hard to seat the mag when it is fully loaded. lock it back to make seating the mag easier on yourself. get a Magpul BAD lever if you want to simplify things.

[Bhobbs]

I load my Ar with the bolt back. Why go through the extra step?

[Mute]

I also load with a locked back bolt. My procedure is to release bolt. Release mag and visually (or by touch) verify that a round was stripped, re-seat the mag and verify that it's firmly and properly locked in.

[ENDO]

AR charge

I also load with a locked back bolt. My procedure is to release bolt. Release mag and visually (or by touch) verify that a round was stripped, re-seat the mag and verify that it's firmly and properly locked in.

This^^^^^

[evidens83]

Open bolt

[Sniper3142]

The easiest way if you have a fully loaded magazine is with the bolt locked back.

But either method should work just fine. Neither method should cause any more failures than the other if done properly.

[bohoki]

open bolt unless the mag is downloaded 1

[CrippledPidgeon]

This AR has seen 400 or so trouble free rounds, but I have only loaded mags with the bolt in the full reward position.

Don't fix what ain't broken :P

[evolixsurf]

the first mag I load bolt closed and the rest opened. Never had a problem.