ar-15 reassembly

omahahaha · January 27, 2011, 03:04 PM

This week I took my ar-15 apart for the first time to clean it. I got it apart cleaned and back together fairly easily. However, I remember my friend showing me how to put the bolt back into the carrier to make sure the ejector was facing the right way. I did the best I could with following a youtube video and from watching him from memory. When I put a mag in and chambered a round and then pulled the charging handle again no round was ejected. Should it have been and if so what the eff did I do wrong?

Sixer · January 27, 2011, 03:12 PM

Wait... so you pulled the charging handle back...

Did the bolt come back with it?

Do you still have a round in the chamber?

Bartholomew Roberts · January 27, 2011, 03:14 PM

Just to confirm we are all using the same language here, you disassembled your bolt down to the ejector (the small round pin on the bottom of the bolt face) and now the rifle does not eject?

1. Did you remember to install the ejector spring underneath the ejector? This should have been pretty memorable since trying to put the ejector back in under spring tension and then slip the roll pin in to hold it in place can be fun.

2. If you did remember, then my guess is that there is debris or foreign material in the ejector pin hole that is binding it.

Either way, assuming we both mean the same part when we say "ejector," I'd start by disassembling the bolt again and paying special attention to the ejector as you do it.

Also, to clarify:

When you pulled the charging handle back, did the round remain in the chamber or was it pulled out of the chamber (stuck to the bolt face) but did not eject out of the port? I ask because the first one is an extractor problem and the second one is an ejector problem.

Incognito · January 27, 2011, 05:05 PM

The extractor goes on the same side that ejection port is on. As stated above, the ejector is the little round button inside the bolt face.

See the extractor at about the 10:00 position.

madcratebuilder · January 28, 2011, 07:53 AM

The cam pin only fits in the bolt from one side. You can not put it in 180* out. There is a shoulder on the one side of the cam pin hole in the bolt.

Did you remove the extractor? You should extract the chambered round when you pull the bolt back.

omahahaha · January 28, 2011, 07:35 PM

Thanks for all the input so far. I just broke it down to clean it, I did not remove parts from the bolt.

madcrate, I agree that it only goes in one way, which is why I don't know what my friend was talking about.

I chambered one round and then pulled the charging handle again, bolt came back too, but the round stayed in the chamber.

incognito, the round pin is at 4:00, and is in the picture too... it wouldn't go in the other way. correct me if I'm wrong.

I will take pictures later tonight or tomorrow. thanks again.

Mobuck · January 28, 2011, 08:18 PM

If the bolt didn't go forward fully into battery, the extractor might not have snapped over the case rim. If this happened, it would not pull the round out of the chamber.

January 27, 2011, 03:04 PM	#1
omahahaha Member Join Date: June 12, 2009 Posts: 78	ar-15 reassembly This week I took my ar-15 apart for the first time to clean it. I got it apart cleaned and back together fairly easily. However, I remember my friend showing me how to put the bolt back into the carrier to make sure the ejector was facing the right way. I did the best I could with following a youtube video and from watching him from memory. When I put a mag in and chambered a round and then pulled the charging handle again no round was ejected. Should it have been and if so what the eff did I do wrong?

January 27, 2011, 03:12 PM	#2
Sixer Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,891	Wait... so you pulled the charging handle back... Did the bolt come back with it? Do you still have a round in the chamber? __________________ Hopp Custom Leather <------ click for HOLSTER awesomeness!! -There is no theory of evolution... Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.

January 27, 2011, 03:14 PM	#3
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	Just to confirm we are all using the same language here, you disassembled your bolt down to the ejector (the small round pin on the bottom of the bolt face) and now the rifle does not eject? 1. Did you remember to install the ejector spring underneath the ejector? This should have been pretty memorable since trying to put the ejector back in under spring tension and then slip the roll pin in to hold it in place can be fun. 2. If you did remember, then my guess is that there is debris or foreign material in the ejector pin hole that is binding it. Either way, assuming we both mean the same part when we say "ejector," I'd start by disassembling the bolt again and paying special attention to the ejector as you do it. Also, to clarify: When you pulled the charging handle back, did the round remain in the chamber or was it pulled out of the chamber (stuck to the bolt face) but did not eject out of the port? I ask because the first one is an extractor problem and the second one is an ejector problem.

January 27, 2011, 05:05 PM	#4
Incognito Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 370	The extractor goes on the same side that ejection port is on. As stated above, the ejector is the little round button inside the bolt face. See the extractor at about the 10:00 position.

January 28, 2011, 07:53 AM	#5
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	The cam pin only fits in the bolt from one side. You can not put it in 180* out. There is a shoulder on the one side of the cam pin hole in the bolt. Did you remove the extractor? You should extract the chambered round when you pull the bolt back.

January 28, 2011, 07:35 PM	#6
omahahaha Member Join Date: June 12, 2009 Posts: 78	Thanks for all the input so far. I just broke it down to clean it, I did not remove parts from the bolt. madcrate, I agree that it only goes in one way, which is why I don't know what my friend was talking about. I chambered one round and then pulled the charging handle again, bolt came back too, but the round stayed in the chamber. incognito, the round pin is at 4:00, and is in the picture too... it wouldn't go in the other way. correct me if I'm wrong. I will take pictures later tonight or tomorrow. thanks again.

January 28, 2011, 08:18 PM	#7
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	If the bolt didn't go forward fully into battery, the extractor might not have snapped over the case rim. If this happened, it would not pull the round out of the chamber.