Is it normal to have a small indent in the primer by the firing pin just by cocing it? When I noticed this I cycled several rounds through without firing and they all ended up with small indents. It kind of scares me that a round might go off just by loading it. Thanks for any and all input.
Dent in primer just by cocking my AR15
- Thread starter derek1975
- Start date
Yes it's normal. Do not use Federal primers or load a round into the chamber them allow the bolt to slam shut on AR's or any rifle that has an inertia firing pin, ie does not have a firing pin spring. This is especially true of M-14, M-1 Garand rifles.
Scott
Scott
As Scott pointed out, it is the nature of the beast with a floating firing pin.
THe AR-15/M16 went thru several different firing pins to find out one that would not cause issues.
Its not a big deal, the M16FOW will not slam fire due to the way the bolt cam into locking. The only issues is if you have very light primers, but Federal who have relatively soft primer generally cause no issues, though due to their soft brass have a penchance for spitting primers when the round is fired, so I would avoid Federal ammuntion in autoloaders.
THe AR-15/M16 went thru several different firing pins to find out one that would not cause issues.
Its not a big deal, the M16FOW will not slam fire due to the way the bolt cam into locking. The only issues is if you have very light primers, but Federal who have relatively soft primer generally cause no issues, though due to their soft brass have a penchance for spitting primers when the round is fired, so I would avoid Federal ammuntion in autoloaders.
We have a saying in the food industry: If in doubt, throw it out.
Practically, if you don't want to pitch them and are worried, shoot them when you are doing bench work and are for sure pointed down range.
YMMV, but realistically I've had the same and never noticed a difference second time in the mag and down the tube.
However, someone with more AR experience than me, such as Scott and Kevin may have a more educated comment.
Practically, if you don't want to pitch them and are worried, shoot them when you are doing bench work and are for sure pointed down range.
YMMV, but realistically I've had the same and never noticed a difference second time in the mag and down the tube.
However, someone with more AR experience than me, such as Scott and Kevin may have a more educated comment.
The real risk is that the primer compound will be damaged to the point where the round won't fire when the trigger is pulled if you chamber the same round more than once. This isn't really a big deal for casual target shooting or practice/training, but any round that has been chambered and extracted should not be reused for any application that requires 100% reliability such as match or self defence use.
See about halfway down on this post for more detail:
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19881
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There was a safety bulletin put out thru US Army TRADOC/ARDEC when I was in Iraq, and apparently some round that where being rechambered over 14 times (Lake City M855) would go off upon a subsequent chambering.
I've never seen it, and I would be more worried about bullet setback, or a dead primer, but something to keep in the back of ones mind.
I've never seen it, and I would be more worried about bullet setback, or a dead primer, but something to keep in the back of ones mind.
I saw the post on that issue on LF, printed off the notice and gave it to my BC before my last roto. Wpns tech never heard about it and no one else seemed concerned about it. I drew a can of ammo at the beginning of the tour and had my troop turn their chambered rounds at the end of the week and I gave them a replacement.
Overboard? Maybe, but I had the resources available to do it so what the hell. Saved the turned in rounds for a troop range fun day.
Overboard? Maybe, but I had the resources available to do it so what the hell. Saved the turned in rounds for a troop range fun day.
