AR15 - Failure to extract / Light strike
- Thread starter Rivalen
- Start date
Sure, that's possible.
Which just gave me a eureka moment; depress the ejector pin on the bolt face and make sure it's moving freely. If it's seized, it won't allow the case to get close enough to the bolt face and thus allow the extractor to grab the rim and that will also cause light strikes. That would also explain what appears to be gouging on the bolt face side of the rim (as opposed to gouging from the extractor on the other side).
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BattleRife
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There is no reason to believe there is anything wrong with the extractor. The rims are badly mangled on the lightly struck cases shown in post 13, the extractor is doing its job. Also, bad extractors do not cause light strikes.
First thing is to check the ammo and chamber. No way an unfired cartidge can stick in a chamber unless one of the two is out of spec. My guess is that the cartridges are encountering resistance when seating, getting themselves jammed in tight and also preventing the bolt from fully closing. The light strikes are therefore the design of the AR-15 preventing an out-of-battery discharge, exactly the way it is supposed to.
The most likely culprit is the ammo, A few cases that are a bit fat in the body mixed in with the batch. The problem would be exacerbated if the rifle has a tight chamber.
It could also be the chamber has been damaged or has some debris or build up in it, but then you would expect every round to give problems.
First thing is to check the ammo and chamber. No way an unfired cartidge can stick in a chamber unless one of the two is out of spec. My guess is that the cartridges are encountering resistance when seating, getting themselves jammed in tight and also preventing the bolt from fully closing. The light strikes are therefore the design of the AR-15 preventing an out-of-battery discharge, exactly the way it is supposed to.
The most likely culprit is the ammo, A few cases that are a bit fat in the body mixed in with the batch. The problem would be exacerbated if the rifle has a tight chamber.
It could also be the chamber has been damaged or has some debris or build up in it, but then you would expect every round to give problems.
Battlerife - the OP has said that the cases that are getting light strikes are not being removed from the chamber via the extractor.
Extractor gouging is usually on the bullet-side of the rim, not the bolt face side.
Also, having another round smack into the back of a case that is stuck in the chamber can 'wedge' it further in, exacerbating the original fail-to-extract problem
Extractor gouging is usually on the bullet-side of the rim, not the bolt face side.
Also, having another round smack into the back of a case that is stuck in the chamber can 'wedge' it further in, exacerbating the original fail-to-extract problem
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I checked the ejector pin and it works properly. I can put a case in there and the extractor will hold it.
I went to my local fun store and bought another brand of 223; they didn't have much that wasn't HP. I managed to get some Remington UMC 55gr FMJ. I will try this on my next range trip.
I also bought a 2 pack of A-Zoom snap caps; I had the exact same behavior:
1- Put 2 snap caps in the mag and insert mag on open bolt.
2- Push the bolt release
3- Pull charging handle, 1st round ejects
4- Drop the charging handle, 2nd rounds chambers.
5- Pull charging handle, bolt remains open on empty mag but the round is stuck in the chamber.
6- Pull charging handle and drop bolt a few time, the round finally ejects.
The rifle cannot even cycle properly with snap caps; it also ate their rims...
I don't know if AZOOM snap caps are cheap or anything, but both are heavily damaged from only 1 use (Well, one was just ejected and the second suffered more bolt ramming
). At 10$ for 2 the durability is kinda... crappy!
I went to my local fun store and bought another brand of 223; they didn't have much that wasn't HP. I managed to get some Remington UMC 55gr FMJ. I will try this on my next range trip.
I also bought a 2 pack of A-Zoom snap caps; I had the exact same behavior:
1- Put 2 snap caps in the mag and insert mag on open bolt.
2- Push the bolt release
3- Pull charging handle, 1st round ejects
4- Drop the charging handle, 2nd rounds chambers.
5- Pull charging handle, bolt remains open on empty mag but the round is stuck in the chamber.
6- Pull charging handle and drop bolt a few time, the round finally ejects.
The rifle cannot even cycle properly with snap caps; it also ate their rims...
I don't know if AZOOM snap caps are cheap or anything, but both are heavily damaged from only 1 use (Well, one was just ejected and the second suffered more bolt ramming
). At 10$ for 2 the durability is kinda... crappy!
So, to clarify, if you take (for example) a bullet tip and just press it against the ejector pin, you can depress it flush with the bolt face and it moves in and out smoothly?
If so, try and find someone with a set of headspace gauges.
The fact that it's doing the same thing with snap caps makes me think it's not ammo related.
Conversely, you could contact armseast. IIRC stag has a lifetime warranty on their rifles (not sure if it's only for the original owner though)
If so, try and find someone with a set of headspace gauges.
The fact that it's doing the same thing with snap caps makes me think it's not ammo related.
Conversely, you could contact armseast. IIRC stag has a lifetime warranty on their rifles (not sure if it's only for the original owner though)
I've had similar problems with my black forge AR15, shooting fine, cycling rounds then click. The round is not fired, and I can't pull the charging handle back as the bolt seems jammed. I either have to pull the charging handle back with both hands or jar the rifle to loosen the bolt and make it cycle back. I can't figure my issue out either except for the fact that a thorough cleaning and applying fresh lubricants seems to solve the problem.
