The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Question about AR-15 buffer and ejection

semi_problomatic · January 3, 2014, 01:32 PM

What's the problem now?

Function of the rifle:

Feed- from the magzine
Chamber- explains itself
Lock-bolt locks
Fire- explains itself
Unlock- bolt unlocks from star chamber
Extract- brass pulled from chamber
Eject- round flung clear of reciever
Feed- cycle starts again

So are you having problems with the bullets feeding from the magazine, or not chambering? The reason I ask is you said you "ejected the round". Which means it fed fine, but did not chamber. Which (generally) means it's not the magazine, but the chamber. If it was the magazine you'd of said something like "double feeds" or "round jams itself over the gas tube". Steel case doesn't expand like brass, so it doesn't seal the gasses as well, fouling the chamber more than normal. Not to mention that laquer crap on tula ammo doesn't burn, and the powder it turns into fouls the chamber as well. Is your rifle a 5.56 nato, .223, or wylde chamber? Depending on which one it could be a bit tighter specs. Couple that with a fouled chamber and you could have failure to chamber issues. Also there could've been something on your magazine which could've got jammed in your star chamber. When I was a dumb private on a ftx I dropped some foam earplugs in an empty magazine pouch. Some time later I shoved 2 mags loaded with blanks upside down in that pouch. Needless to say, at the thickest part of out engagement I'm having serious chambering issues and trying to dig burnt pieces of foam earplug out of my star chamber. Not saying you have earplugs in there, but if there's a lot of built up crap it can keep your bolt from fully seating causing issues.

Usually if you go from steel to brass you have failure to extract issues, as the brass will feed and chamber, but when it expands it gets stuck. Going from steel to brass is generally a bad idea without a good chamber cleaning. I suppose you could have a failure to chamber if you had a tight spec's chamber that got dirty... I use a nitrided barrel with a wylde chamber and have yet to hit these issues, and I'm fairly liberal with my cleaning regime...

Either way, I don't think your buffer is the issue. But check where your brass lands. If it's landing 1 o'clockish your buffer (or spring) is to heavy. 3 o'clockish just right, 5 o'clockish 20 miles away, it's too light. Thats pretty general, but it's usually easy to see.

January 3, 2014, 01:32 PM	#14
semi_problomatic Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2009 Location: Ft. Polk Posts: 883	What's the problem now? Function of the rifle: Feed- from the magzine Chamber- explains itself Lock-bolt locks Fire- explains itself Unlock- bolt unlocks from star chamber Extract- brass pulled from chamber Eject- round flung clear of reciever Feed- cycle starts again So are you having problems with the bullets feeding from the magazine, or not chambering? The reason I ask is you said you "ejected the round". Which means it fed fine, but did not chamber. Which (generally) means it's not the magazine, but the chamber. If it was the magazine you'd of said something like "double feeds" or "round jams itself over the gas tube". Steel case doesn't expand like brass, so it doesn't seal the gasses as well, fouling the chamber more than normal. Not to mention that laquer crap on tula ammo doesn't burn, and the powder it turns into fouls the chamber as well. Is your rifle a 5.56 nato, .223, or wylde chamber? Depending on which one it could be a bit tighter specs. Couple that with a fouled chamber and you could have failure to chamber issues. Also there could've been something on your magazine which could've got jammed in your star chamber. When I was a dumb private on a ftx I dropped some foam earplugs in an empty magazine pouch. Some time later I shoved 2 mags loaded with blanks upside down in that pouch. Needless to say, at the thickest part of out engagement I'm having serious chambering issues and trying to dig burnt pieces of foam earplug out of my star chamber. Not saying you have earplugs in there, but if there's a lot of built up crap it can keep your bolt from fully seating causing issues. Usually if you go from steel to brass you have failure to extract issues, as the brass will feed and chamber, but when it expands it gets stuck. Going from steel to brass is generally a bad idea without a good chamber cleaning. I suppose you could have a failure to chamber if you had a tight spec's chamber that got dirty... I use a nitrided barrel with a wylde chamber and have yet to hit these issues, and I'm fairly liberal with my cleaning regime... Either way, I don't think your buffer is the issue. But check where your brass lands. If it's landing 1 o'clockish your buffer (or spring) is to heavy. 3 o'clockish just right, 5 o'clockish 20 miles away, it's too light. Thats pretty general, but it's usually easy to see. __________________ Freedom's just a word. If I'm gonna die for a word, my word is jello... Last edited by semi_problomatic; January 3, 2014 at 01:43 PM.