AR FTF issues...

[SomeGuy75]

So I took my new AR (never been fired) out to the range the other day. I broke it down before I took it out, lightly oiled all the usual moving parts, and it still seemed a little stiff, like metal on metal. When I loaded up a mag and chambered the first round, it still felt tight, but I figured it’s just new and will smooth out after a few rounds. The first round fired fine, the spent casing ejected and it seemed to cycle well but when I went to fire the second round, the trigger wouldn’t do anything. No click, nothing. The bolt looked like it was in position. I manually cycled a round and then it fired but did the same thing. I had to manually cycle out a live round after each fired round. Then I saw this:




I’m guessing something is keeping it from going into battery. I’m not forcing anything or having to push/shove a round in when I manually cycle the rifle. I tired multiple mage with the same result, and the same mags worked fine on another AR I was shooting. Next I noticed this:



Seems like a lot of wear for 20 rounds through a new rifle.

I’m nowhere near an AR expert, I grew up shooting handguns, so any advice would be appreciated.

[coryhenry]

Is there a question or description of what happened?

[SomeGuy75]

Is there a question or description of what happened?

Sorry I was working on the pics and accidentally posted before I typed lol.

[tehDiceman]

Not sure I'd worry about the charging handle, some of mine are getting worn like that but the firearm works perfect.

Everything smooth in the upper receiver? If you pop the upper off can you drop a round in to the chamber without fighting it?

[alpha_romeo_XV]

Is the rifle a factory rifle or home build? If home build was it a "complete upper" with head spaced BCG? Does the lower have the correct spring and buffer for the stock type?

[SkyHawk]

What does the bottom of the bolt carrier look like?

What lower is it? If the mag is riding too high that will be a problem.

Try chambering a round, remove the mag, then fire. Is the trigger live for the next shot after that?

[ar15barrels]

I am an AR expert but I have more questions before I can give a diagnosis.
Was the gun cycling a live round into the chamber on it's own after each shot or was it merely ejecting the fired case and closing over an empty chamber?

Was your ammo wolf?

If the chamber was empty, then you are under-gassed which is related to the wolf ammo being too under-powered to properly function a new gun during break-in.

If live rounds were cycling into the chamber and the bolt was not fully closing, that's also under-gassed.
Try some real nato cross stamped brass cased ammo for the first couple hundred rounds and lube the bolt carrier very well.

If the bolt carrier is fully closing, but the hammer was at rest on the carrier, your disconnector is not functioning properly.
This is called hammer follow.
Do a function check of your fire control.
Most common cause of hammer follow is the disconnector spring installed upside down or the disconnector spring not installed at all.

[SomeGuy75]

Thanks to everyone for the replies, a little more info:

Was the gun cycling a live round into the chamber on it's own after each shot or was it merely ejecting the fired case and closing over an empty chamber?
*It ejected the spent casing and chambered a new live round.

*Was your ammo wolf?
Yes

If the chamber was empty, then you are under-gassed which is related to the wolf ammo being too under-powered to properly function a new gun during break-in.
*N/A

If live rounds were cycling into the chamber and the bolt was not fully closing, that's also under-gassed.
*This is what I was thinking, but why the damage to the rounds?

Try some real nato cross stamped brass cased ammo for the first couple hundred rounds and lube the bolt carrier very well.
*What brand do you recommend?

*This is a complete AR I purchased as one piece a from a dealer a couple years ago. Not something I pieced together.

[Tere_Hanges]

Just curious what brand AR? BCM, Colt, DD, Noveske, S&W?

I've had cheap PSA uppers that were undergassed. I replaced the barrel and was G2G.

[Skip_Dog]

Tagged for info.
I would put the upper on a different lower and try both rifles (if possible) to narrow where the issue is. Does the mag lock in place and drop free?

Sorry I am here for the info only. Learn something new every day and your issue is new to me.

[enorbit3]

If you are over-inserting the mag would that cause it to strip a new round and feed into the chamber and also damage/score the round below it?

[enorbit3]

Wait. Looks like a PMAG. Don't those have tabs to prevent over insertion?

[ar15barrels]

but why the damage to the rounds?

The bullet damage is from manually extracting/ejecting and would never occur during normal operation as the bullet would have left via the barrel instead of the ejection port.
The case dents are from the carrier and are normal.
Those dents get removed when the case is fired.

*What brand do you recommend?

ATK runs the lake city ammo depot.
ATK also owns the federal brand.
Just make sure the ammo has the nato cross on the headstamp and it should be proper 5.56 ammo.

[SVT-40]

Use better ammo.

Use a different magazine.

Load your mags only half full.

liberally oil the bolt and carrier.

New guns will not be as reliable as guns which have been broken in and the parts mated to each other by use.

[command_liner]

Looks familiar.

Midway USA sold me some DPMS parts mislabeled in a bag. The buffer, buffer tube and buffer spring would not work together.

In my specific case, the buffer tube was too short -- an AR15 buffer tube on an AR10 build. Very hard to spot. Would do something very similar to what you show.