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Old June 2, 2013, 12:35 AM   #1
American Red Neck
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Chambering

On my sig m400 ar-15 i notice that if i put a full 30 round mag in the rifle and use the charging handle to chamber it sometimes wont chamber the round unless i slingshot it really fast or use the bolt release but when im at the range loading only 10 rounds it chambers just fine. i am using steel and aluminum mags.
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Old June 2, 2013, 01:46 AM   #2
Theohazard
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Quote:
it sometimes wont chamber the round unless i slingshot it really fast or use the bolt release
That's normal. That's how you should always be chambering a round. It looks like your lower capacity mags let you get away with riding the charging handle forward, but you should be in the habit of pulling the charging handle all the way to the rear and letting go.
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Old June 2, 2013, 10:14 AM   #3
Art Eatman
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It's called "friction". Less upward force with ten rounds in a 30-round mag, so less resistance for the bolt to strip a round out of the mag.
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Old June 2, 2013, 11:20 AM   #4
arizona98tj
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Quote:
That's normal. That's how you should always be chambering a round. It looks like your lower capacity mags let you get away with riding the charging handle forward, but you should be in the habit of pulling the charging handle all the way to the rear and letting go.
The OP didn't say he was using lower capacity magazines. He indicated he was only loading 10 rounds into the magazine at the range (which would be the same 30 round magazine). There is no nearly as much stored energy in the 30 round mag spring when it is only loaded to 1/3 of it's capacity....so it is easier for the bolt to strip a round from the mag.
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Old June 2, 2013, 11:48 AM   #5
Theohazard
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Good catch, I mis-read the post. However, that's still the same process I was getting at. With 10 round mags I would also assume there'd be less pressure stored than a 30 round mag, but you're right; there's a LOT less pressure stored in a 30 round mag that only has 10 rounds in it.

Either way, his problem is that he's riding the charging handle forward, something that shouldn't be done with ANY auto-loading firearm. Some will let you get away with it (AR-15s with partially-loaded mags, Glocks, etc.), but it's a bad habit to get into.
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Old June 2, 2013, 03:09 PM   #6
Kimber84
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Chambering

I lost an opportunity on a coyote due to riding the handle down. We had just got setup and I had forgot to smack the bolt release before we got in. It was dead silent and I didn't want to make a ton of noise, so I road the charging handle down... Knowing it wouldn't fully lock in, I smacked the forward assist a couple of times.

Anyways, coyote comes busting in 30 sec after we hit the call, I settled on him and squeezed the trigger. Click! Never did get the bolt locked in, even with the forward assist... Lesson learned!
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