Live Rounds Sticking in AR Chamber

T

theDuck

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I am dealing with 2 Norinco AR clones. In each, a live round can be chambered OK but if the shooter wishes to unchamber a live round the BCG is a pain to get open. Banging the charging handle with something or reefing on it with 2 hands will open the action but simply using the 2 finger pull does not open the action. The rifles shoot fine and extract and eject spent cases fine. The actions get cleaned regularly.
Ammo used is either Norinco or hand loads whose brass gauges OK in a Dillon case gauge. The actions are well lubed with Breakfree CLP.
Any suggestions?
 
have the rifles seen lots of steel cased ammo? the lacquer on the cases can build up in the chamber and cause this to happen.
 
Make up a dummy with no primer and powder and see if that fits.

The gauges are helpful, are not always as tight as actual chambers. The gauges also don't have a throat,
which can also block a complete cartridge from chambering if the projectile is seated too long.
 
If it's sticking only with the handloads you need to use a small base resizer for tbe brass. Otherwise clean and drown it in G96.

That being said Sounds like a tight Norinco "match" chamber. My Dlask 10/22 barrel dies the same thing. The positive is it may be good for accuracy. Alternatively shoot the round instead of trying to have it eject. You can go "ping" and pretend it's a garand! Maybe it will loosen up with use? Makes me think Norinco spec at it's finest but again might make a good target rifle base.
 
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The problem is that the Norinco bolts are out of spec. Buddy had the same problem. Pretty soon your Norcs will fail to extract/eject and some small amount of peening will become noticeable on the bolt lugs. Replacement of the bolt with a quality replacement part will solve the problem. His norc ran fine for about 300 rounds before the stiff ejection occurred then about another 100 or so before it became a jammomatic. Replaced the bolt with a Daniel Defence piece and has ran fine again for about 300 rounds.
 
I have a good 1500 rounds through one and there is close to 1000 through the other. I'll try chambering other factory rounds in them and see what happens. Thanks for the replies so far.
 
The 2 rifles went to the range today. I chambered and ejected live rounds no problem. Norinco, R-P, handloads, LC. I fired 10 shots and tried ejecting live rounds again. The R-P and LC were fine to eject but the handloads and Norinco were difficult to eject. Seems the action being hot after firing is the cause with some ammo. Anyone else come across this.
 
Yep when I jackhammer my CA I'm getting these issues, like after 150 rounds rapid fire, I'll get a slow feed and light primer strike and then I have to mortar the rifle to get the round out.
I called CA today and they're probably going to have me RMA the rifle.
I'm not too sure why this is happening, I'm running 55 grain AE in it, not silly stupid crap ammo.
The CA is a match rifle though, could be its just too tight to jackhammer it. But dammit its stil an AR15 and at the price for a CA it should run like a goddamn train all the time!
 
I was having this issue not too long ago. Same deal, Norinco + handloads. AE 223 factory ammo ran fine but the handloads were difficult to clear by hand. If you measure the AE brass it is actually quite short (1.743 on average), which probably allows it to be chambered in many different rifles reliably. But what i found is that when a case with no bullet or primer was chambered there was a small dent on the case mouth. A good dousing of G69, scrubbing with the bore brush and swabing seemed to get whatever was in there out and now I can eject handloads easily again
 
I've had the same issue with a couple of my AR's. Neither of them Norinco and good quality ammo. The only thing they have in common is square bolt lugs. The Knights with the E3 bolt has never done this neither has either of my 308 AR's.
In the two that have had this one is a 223 Wilde chamber from ATRS and the other is an actual AAC 300 Blackout upper. So both good quality uppers but with square bolt lugs.
The Knights is 223 and of course has rounded bolt lugs with the E3 bolt.
The 308s both have rounded lugs and have not had the issue. So that's why my theory is something to do with the bolts. Both rifles that have this issue haven't had that many rounds through them yet so maybe it's something that will smooth out with time. Fortunately this issue doesn't happen often.
 
Scarheart said:
I've had the same issue with a couple of my AR's. Neither of them Norinco and good quality ammo. The only thing they have in common is square bolt lugs. The Knights with the E3 bolt has never done this neither has either of my 308 AR's.
In the two that have had this one is a 223 Wilde chamber from ATRS and the other is an actual AAC 300 Blackout upper. So both good quality uppers but with square bolt lugs.
The Knights is 223 and of course has rounded bolt lugs with the E3 bolt.
The 308s both have rounded lugs and have not had the issue. So that's why my theory is something to do with the bolts. Both rifles that have this issue haven't had that many rounds through them yet so maybe it's something that will smooth out with time. Fortunately this issue doesn't happen often.
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Hey I think you're onto something here. My Christensen Arms is chambered in .223 Wilde and I've run it for about 800 rounds total now and I've had this issue happen maybe 5 times in 800 rounds. I'm not sure about the bolt lugs, I'll look tonight, but I think they are square if I recall!
MY CA is also a match rifle so maybe the chamber is just too tight.
 
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