AR15 trigger and magazine issues

[Turbomrdeuce]

hi guys, my friend built 3 ar's. 2 are pistols one with a ares armor 80% billet lower and the other with a daytona tactical 80% lower, the 3rd is a full sized 16" upper with a ares armor billet lower too. The specs on the guns are as follows

1.) 7.5" i believe its a radical arms but don't quote me upper
anderson arms lpk
franklin armory bcg
standard mil spec charging handle
magpul moe pistol grip
pistol buffer tube
80% daytona tactical lower

2.) 16" daytona tactical upper
cmmg lpk
standard mil spec bcd and charging handle
magpul moe pistol grip and stock
80% ares arms billet lower

3.)7.5" upper
anderson arms lpk
franklin armory bcg
bravo company ambi charging handle
pistol buffer tube
magpul pistol grip
80% ares arms billet lower

My issues are as follows:

First issue none of the 3 mentioned ar's will work with any of my brand new 10/30 hexmags, it seems as if they're fitting too high in the magwell which won't allow the bcg to slide and load a round completely. You have to slam the bottom of the magazine in order for it to lock in with the bcg closed but if open it does not need to be slammed in. Now my friend has a standard 10 round smith and wesson mag that came with his mp sportster and it works and functions like it should with all three ar's as far as feeding and cycling. What gives the difference between a metal magazine and these poly hex mags?

2nd issue ar pistol #1 and ar15 #2 trigger will not reset after each cycle. I have to either switch the safety to safe and back to fire for the trigger to re engage or push forward on the trigger for the gun to fire the newly cycled round.


Please help me solve why it won't properly seat my pmags and how to get these triggers to reset. All 3 rifles were built at the same time btw. Thanks guys for any input and help to figure this out. Thanks guys

[Turbomrdeuce]

heres a quick video i just made have a busy week coming up so i apologize for the quality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lelbh8du4no

[davidb]

#1 sounds like the mags are just new and springs are still tight, most my mags when new need to be slammed in on a closed bolt

#2 sounds like your trigger springs aren't installed correctly

[AreWeFree]

Double-check that your disconnector spring is correctly installed. Wider side of the spring should be down.

[SkyHawk]

It is very normal for 10/30 AR mags to not insert a closed bolt without being hammered in. I have studied this issue more than I care to and it is very frustrating.

In short, the difference between being able to jam in an 11th round past the polymer feed lips, or not being able to normally insert a mag with 10 rounds at all on a closed bolt, is about 3/64" or less of travel in the follower. Add in maybe another 1/64" and you can easily add the 11th round.

It is impossible to have it both ways in a plastic mag, because an 11th round can always be forced into a blocked plastic mag that allows proper insertion on a closed bolt with 10 rounds, because the feedlips flex. So people making blocked mags always err on the side of caution, which is also known as the free side of a jail cell door. The only way to do that is to leave absolutely no travel or wholly insufficient travel after the 10th round is inserted. Which means it will not insert on a closed bolt.

Even the factory 10 round short PMAG can take 11 rounds. But at least with that, your defense is that it was made to accept only ten. But that starts to hold up less as a defense with a large 30rd mag body that was 'blocked', if it takes 11 rounds.

It is a very frustrating problem created by our asinine laws. The AR mag design double stacks the rounds very wide and the rounds are of such a small diameter, that the difference between a usable 10 round mag able to be inserted properly on a closed bolt, or a felony for the seller - is very, very small. Factor in flexible feedlips, and it is not practical to correct.

It is why I am sticking with 10 round metal mags only. The feed lips do not flex, you cannot force an 11th round in, and they insert on a closed bolt very easily. Either that or you accept that your blocked poly mags are 9 rounds practically speaking. Or you accept that you will not be able to normally insert a 10rd loaded mag on a closed bolt without going home with bruising on your palm.

And don't forget to vote.

[meno377]

Are your trigger and disconnector springs installed in this orientation?

[davidb]

You know come to think of it the safety selector making it reset is kind of weird, almost like there's some binding going on in there...aside from looking to make sure the springs are in correctly, make sure there's no burrs on anything, or that the 80s were completed so there's no sticking on the sides of the trigger

[biglou]

I would disassemble the lowers and check the tolerance on the 80's. Then reassemble correctly, then function test.

[Turbomrdeuce]

guys I really appreciate all of the prompt responses, unfortunately the day after i posted this i had to go out of town for work. I will probably be back home after thanksgiving and will have some time to mess with the ar's. i will update when i try the fixes you all suggested.

[stix213]

SkyHawk nailed the mag issue. You should be function testing your lowers without actually trying to cycle live ammo.

With the lower removed from the upper, you set the lower to fire, cock back the hammer, and with your left hand preventing the hammer from actually striking metal you press down on the trigger and the hammer should drop. While still pressing the trigger down you then with your left hand cock back the hammer again. Then let off of the trigger. The trigger should follow your finger forward and you should hear a click when the trigger resets. Press the trigger again and the hammer should drop. This time release the trigger fully, the trigger should again follow your finger forward. Then cock the hammer back, press the trigger, and the hammer should drop.

Do additional tests where you check that the safety functions. But that's basically how I test any lower that I've assembled. Don't test it for the first time at the range.

[Turbomrdeuce]

guys i figured out the issue, I don't know how i did it but i had the trigger installed wrong.