dpms ar10 extractor spring problem?

Beretta16 · November 8, 2008, 12:16 PM

I brought home my ar10 and I took it all apart for a thorough cleaning and after putting it all back together I saw the extractor spring sitting on the table. In the directions it says do not remove the extractor spring from the extractor, so I took it all apart again and I tried to seat the spring in the indent on the end of the extractor, but it won't stay. Is there a part that I'm missing that possibly fell out with the spring or is the spring supposed to sit in the indent without falling out or is it just supposed to sit in there loosly in the indent, but that wouldn't make sense since the directions say don't remove the spring from the extractor.

MeekAndMild · November 8, 2008, 12:45 PM

Maybe this will help. Its the link to customer support. http://www.dpmsinc.com/support/

tkcomer · November 8, 2008, 01:26 PM

Head on over to AR15.com. You'll have to register to ask questions. Once registered, click on AR15, then click on AR Variants. You may get an answer there. This gang knows the DPMS rifles.

**44 AMP** · November 9, 2008, 01:08 AM

Turn the spring over, and give it a little twist when you seat it in the recess. This worked on M16A1s when I was in the army. One end of the spring has a coil just a little bit larger than the other, and it was a tight fit in the recess in the extractor.

This might not work, but it is worth a try, I think.

Beretta16 · November 9, 2008, 09:27 PM

I took the rifle back apart and set the spring in the indent on the extractor. It sits in there loosly, not like it's supposed to , but it's upright and it seems to work; it doesn't move around or tip over. I reassembled the rifle and loaded a round into the chamber and pulled back on the charging handle to see if it would extract. It extracted, but when pulling back on the charging handle it is really stiff for the first inch, or so, like the locking blocks are really tight in the chamber. Is this normal for a new rifle? Is it supposed to be that tight, because you really have to pull on it to get it back. It extracts fine. Is the rifle safe to shoot?

MeekAndMild · November 9, 2008, 10:14 PM

Today I had the time to read the Remington version of the AR-10 manual and take apart a rifle to clean and look inside. The spring has a small insert inside it and should fit fairly tightly into the hole, to the point where it might take a brass punch to seat properly. Of course what Remington is buying and what DPMS is putting into their own guns may be a little bit different. Hope this helps some.

Beretta16 · November 12, 2008, 07:59 PM

UPDATE: I called DPMS and all is well. The charging handle is extremely stiff still for the first inch or so. They say it may be a bent charging handle, but I'm not so sure... When I take it apart to clean it I really have to push on the bolt carrier to get it back in for the last centimeter and then it pops into place. It is very hard to take back out again after as well. I'll be sending the gun back to DPMS for hopefully a quick fix.

What does this sound like to you?

Nanuk · November 12, 2008, 10:29 PM

Sounds like you did the right thing. Something is not kosher.

**44 AMP** · November 12, 2008, 10:56 PM

Changing one thing at a time is the key. Consider:
With the upper off the lower,
1) leaving the charging handle out, insert the bolt carrier. If no trouble, problem is charging handle

2) remove bolt from carrier, insert carrier. If no trouble, problem is somewhere in bolt fit in the carrier, the cam pin, or cam slot in the carrier. If it is trouble without the bolt, the trouble is likely the carrier key/gas tube alignment.

No matter what it is specifically, sending it back to the maker is a good idea, let them figure it out and fix it for you.

November 8, 2008, 12:16 PM	#1
Beretta16 Junior member Join Date: November 22, 2007 Location: MN Posts: 230	dpms ar10 extractor spring problem? I brought home my ar10 and I took it all apart for a thorough cleaning and after putting it all back together I saw the extractor spring sitting on the table. In the directions it says do not remove the extractor spring from the extractor, so I took it all apart again and I tried to seat the spring in the indent on the end of the extractor, but it won't stay. Is there a part that I'm missing that possibly fell out with the spring or is the spring supposed to sit in the indent without falling out or is it just supposed to sit in there loosly in the indent, but that wouldn't make sense since the directions say don't remove the spring from the extractor.

November 8, 2008, 12:45 PM	#2
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	Maybe this will help. Its the link to customer support. http://www.dpmsinc.com/support/ __________________ In a few years when the dust finally clears and people start counting their change there is a pretty good chance that President Obama may become known as The Great Absquatulator. You heard it first here on TFL.

November 9, 2008, 01:08 AM	#4
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,811	Not sure if it is tthe same as the AR 15, but if it is... Turn the spring over, and give it a little twist when you seat it in the recess. This worked on M16A1s when I was in the army. One end of the spring has a coil just a little bit larger than the other, and it was a tight fit in the recess in the extractor. This might not work, but it is worth a try, I think. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 9, 2008, 10:14 PM	#6
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	Today I had the time to read the Remington version of the AR-10 manual and take apart a rifle to clean and look inside. The spring has a small insert inside it and should fit fairly tightly into the hole, to the point where it might take a brass punch to seat properly. Of course what Remington is buying and what DPMS is putting into their own guns may be a little bit different. Hope this helps some. __________________ In a few years when the dust finally clears and people start counting their change there is a pretty good chance that President Obama may become known as The Great Absquatulator. You heard it first here on TFL.

November 12, 2008, 10:56 PM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,811	A little trouble shooting will identify the culprit Changing one thing at a time is the key. Consider: With the upper off the lower, 1) leaving the charging handle out, insert the bolt carrier. If no trouble, problem is charging handle 2) remove bolt from carrier, insert carrier. If no trouble, problem is somewhere in bolt fit in the carrier, the cam pin, or cam slot in the carrier. If it is trouble without the bolt, the trouble is likely the carrier key/gas tube alignment. No matter what it is specifically, sending it back to the maker is a good idea, let them figure it out and fix it for you. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 8, 2008, 01:26 PM	#3
tkcomer Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2006 Location: Maysville, KY Posts: 200	Head on over to AR15.com. You'll have to register to ask questions. Once registered, click on AR15, then click on AR Variants. You may get an answer there. This gang knows the DPMS rifles.

November 9, 2008, 09:27 PM	#5
Beretta16 Junior member Join Date: November 22, 2007 Location: MN Posts: 230	I took the rifle back apart and set the spring in the indent on the extractor. It sits in there loosly, not like it's supposed to , but it's upright and it seems to work; it doesn't move around or tip over. I reassembled the rifle and loaded a round into the chamber and pulled back on the charging handle to see if it would extract. It extracted, but when pulling back on the charging handle it is really stiff for the first inch, or so, like the locking blocks are really tight in the chamber. Is this normal for a new rifle? Is it supposed to be that tight, because you really have to pull on it to get it back. It extracts fine. Is the rifle safe to shoot?

November 12, 2008, 07:59 PM	#7
Beretta16 Junior member Join Date: November 22, 2007 Location: MN Posts: 230	UPDATE: I called DPMS and all is well. The charging handle is extremely stiff still for the first inch or so. They say it may be a bent charging handle, but I'm not so sure... When I take it apart to clean it I really have to push on the bolt carrier to get it back in for the last centimeter and then it pops into place. It is very hard to take back out again after as well. I'll be sending the gun back to DPMS for hopefully a quick fix. What does this sound like to you?

November 12, 2008, 10:29 PM	#8
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	Sounds like you did the right thing. Something is not kosher.

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