Pulling the charging handle wont chamber a round

D

DerrickLee

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So I just got my AR15 a few weeks ago and Ive fired off a couple hundred rounds with only two jams which i believe is just a bad magazine. However there is one problem. When I pull the charging handle back to load the first round it does not chamber the round. I have to pull the charging handle back lock the bolt in place put the magazine in and then release the bolt in order to chamber a round. And yes I have made sure that I am pulling the charging handle back all the way. Anyone got any ideas?
 
waynesixgun said:
What type of mags are you using?
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Exactly. Some people have trouble with the LAR15 10 round magazines chambering the first round. This is due usually to the really strong spring the new ones come with. I have the original springs back in mine (Mark sent me the longer replacements when I was demoing the Tavor as it needed the mag to have more pressure. With the original springs they work all ten rounds in my AR's.
 
the magazines are fully locked in place and I give each one a tug after to make sure. They are the stock ten round( pinned to five rounds) magazines that bushmaster includes.
 
Do you "Ride" the cocking handle as you let the bolt go into battery? If you are going to use the handle to load your rifle, you must pull it back slightly and release it, do not hand onto it, just ler her go!

Scott
 
I see. You are inserting a magazine with the bolt CLOSED initially right? You then pull the charging handle back and release but it doesn't pick up the round. You then have to pull the handle back, lock it open, then insert a mag (after you have removed it I guess) then it will pick up the round. Perhaps with your mags, when you're inserting them on the closed bolt, and since they probably have a week spring, the rounds get settled where they are, i.e. all five under the Bolt Carrier Group, and when you bring the charging handle back and let go forward, they do not move up enough in the mag for the first to be caught by the bolt moving forward.

I would suggest that you do not insert your mag on a closed bolt for a while, only on an open one. And just push the bolt release button on the left hand side to let the bolt go forward (instead of using the charging handle all the time). If everything works good from then on, it is more than likely your mags. Pick up a couple 30 rounders pinned to 5 or the 10 round ones from Questar. See if that does the trick. If you really like your mags, you can probably change the spring to a longer one, but in a pinned mag it is usually a real pain in the arse to do.
 
I don't think that the spring is the problem, rather how the mags are pinned. Many are pinned quite tightly to a limit of 5 rounds and may not seat properly when inserted into a rifle with the bolt closed or will require some force to do so.

When inserting into a rifle with a closed bolt try using a mag with 4 rounds and not 5. You could also try loading a 5 round mag with the bolt open. Either way, if the first round gets picked up you know what the problem is: the tightness of the pinning job and not the spring.
 
I had the same problem when I got my RRA a couple of months ago. The mag that came with the rifle was pinned to 5 rounds (exactly) So I could not pull the charging handle back. When I could pull the handle back the mag was not seated properly. When I used my LAR mag it worked fine (pulling the charging handle back on a fully loaded mag and striping a round)
I recently bought 4 P-Mags and they are pinned to 5.5 rounds which leaves a little room to allows the rounds to be pushed down by the bolt and properly seating the mag.
 
Interestingly enough - the Owners manual for my new CQ556 states that the correct way to load the first cartridge is to pull back the charging handle; lock the bolt in place; push the handle forward and latch; put the safety to Safe; insert a loaded magazine; release the bolt; put the safety to Fire - and away we go.

The simple way works fine too but that is the factory recommendation.
 
Publican said:
Interestingly enough - the Owners manual for my new CQ556 states that the correct way to load the first cartridge is to pull back the charging handle; lock the bolt in place; push the handle forward and latch; put the safety to Safe; insert a loaded magazine; release the bolt; put the safety to Fire - and away we go.

The simple way works fine too but that is the factory recommendation.
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The best way in my experience, too.

I appreciate the reasons of some for working the charging handle, but in our typical use of the rifle (sporting) it isn't necessary, and with our typical circumstances (pinned magazines) it isn't as reliable.
 
The charge handle is tasked with one function, to charge the rifle. If your rifle is a quality piece the charge handle works 100% of the time. If your mags are pinned poorly that is a magazine issue and needs to be sorted. Altering ones manual of arms is not the answer. Then again as you said, for most who shoot from the bench with front and rear supports at a stationary target at a known distance in an attempt to "group" a service rifle with cheap ammo, it doesn't much matter.

TDC
 
Publican said:
Interestingly enough - the Owners manual for my new CQ556 states that the correct way to load the first cartridge is to pull back the charging handle; lock the bolt in place; push the handle forward and latch; put the safety to Safe; insert a loaded magazine; release the bolt; put the safety to Fire - and away we go.

The simple way works fine too but that is the factory recommendation.
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Well that works to chamber a round....but not necessarily to load the rifle.

Service rifle shooters for example are given the command to load, ie just put the mag in. That does not mean to chamber, the ready command.
 
TDC said:
The charge handle is tasked with one function, to charge the rifle. If your rifle is a quality piece the charge handle works 100% of the time. If your mags are pinned poorly that is a magazine issue and needs to be sorted. Altering ones manual of arms is not the answer. Then again as you said, for most who shoot from the bench with front and rear supports at a stationary target at a known distance in an attempt to "group" a service rifle with cheap ammo, it doesn't much matter.

TDC
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I didn't say that, I said sporting use.

In my experience, in all the varieties of shooting I practice, using the charging handle to load the first round has proven neither desirable nor necessary.

Your mileage may vary, of course ... :cool:
 
Gothmog said:
I didn't say that, I said sporting use.

In my experience, in all the varieties of shooting I practice, using the charging handle to load the first round has proven neither desirable nor necessary.

Your mileage may vary, of course ... :cool:
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Please explain how running the charge handle is neither "desirable nor necessary"?

TDC
 
TDC said:
Please explain how running the charge handle is neither "desirable nor necessary"?

TDC
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In the context of our original question TDC, and I believe I've covered that ground already.

But we digress.

Let's not hijack this thread any further please ...
 
Back to the original question..... one of my mags (30rnds pinned to 5) does the same thing. If I even try to use the cocking handle to chamber a round, the bullet usually ends up mashed completely inside the casing. Out of 4 mags, I have 1 that works perfect. Pain in the ass!!
 
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