AR-15 Keeps Jamming

emt0229 · September 24, 2010, 12:11 AM

Okay here is the deal. Just bought an AR-15 bushy A-2. I took it out shooting and it did fine. I field stripped it, cleaned it, good to go. Now, when I put a loaded mag in the the thing, pull the charging handle back, it feeds the first round fine. When I pull the charging handle back again to cycle the bolt and clear the rounds (just to see whats up) the first round will clear just fine however, the second round does not seem to chamber. It gets caught right below the the barrel and the bolt slams into the back of the round. It does this EVERY TIME. The first round chambers fine, I pull the charging handle back, the first round ejects perfectly...I let the charging handle fly home and the second round does not feed properly and it jams. Not sure what to do...The mags are two different brands.

Any ideas?

HiBC · September 24, 2010, 02:25 AM

Ok,if I understand correctly,this does not occur while you are shooting.It occurs while you are manually cycling rounds though your rifle.
And it is happening after you stripped and cleaned it.It is also a practically new rifle.
I'll get called a nanny here by someone,but I am generally rather reluctant to cycle live ammo through if I am sitting around my house.Please do consider the folks who may be only 6 or 8 sheets of drywall away.
New semi autos have a bit more friction in their system for a while.Maybe you get a percentage of drag there.
Did you properly lube it as you reassembled it?Lube is good.Lack of it will give a percentage of friction.
Now here is a suspect.You see,ordinarilly in function the charging handle is not moving.It is locked forward.Not saying you cannot do a recharge such as an immediate action drill by pulling back and letting fly,but more often,the bolt is held back by the bolt catch,a mag is inserted,and the bolt catch is released with the charging handle forward.
The extra drag of the charging handle flying forward is a percentage.
It may be that 2nd round feed ramp is slightly catchier than the first.

Recommendations:You really are not doing your ammo any favors slamming it through cycling.
While the charging handle will take a certain number of those slam homes,eventually that little hook will wear through the hard coat where it strikes the upper,and then that aluminum will wear pretty fast.
IMHO,I;d quit running my ammo through the rifle in the house,and I'd go shoot.It does work when you shoot it,right?
Shoot a few hundred and likely the problem will be gone.Good luck.

DnPRK · September 24, 2010, 07:28 PM

Have you tried a different magazine?

AR-15 mags are dual feed. They alternate feeding from left-right-left-right Etc.

Try loading only 4 rounds in the magazine and see if they feed using the slingshot method on the charging handle.

If it won't feed from one side with only 4 rounds, then your feed lips are probably bent. That happens when you drop the magazine on the floor.

If it feeds the 4 rounds, but won't feed from a full magazine, then the mag spring, follower or mag body is the culprit.

7jinxed7 · September 25, 2010, 05:22 PM

What kind of mags are they?

I would check the owners manual first just to make sure it is lubed properly. If it worked fine before it should work fine now.

September 24, 2010, 12:11 AM	#1
emt0229 Junior Member Join Date: September 24, 2010 Posts: 12	AR-15 Keeps Jamming Okay here is the deal. Just bought an AR-15 bushy A-2. I took it out shooting and it did fine. I field stripped it, cleaned it, good to go. Now, when I put a loaded mag in the the thing, pull the charging handle back, it feeds the first round fine. When I pull the charging handle back again to cycle the bolt and clear the rounds (just to see whats up) the first round will clear just fine however, the second round does not seem to chamber. It gets caught right below the the barrel and the bolt slams into the back of the round. It does this EVERY TIME. The first round chambers fine, I pull the charging handle back, the first round ejects perfectly...I let the charging handle fly home and the second round does not feed properly and it jams. Not sure what to do...The mags are two different brands. Any ideas?

September 24, 2010, 02:25 AM	#2
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,350	Ok,if I understand correctly,this does not occur while you are shooting.It occurs while you are manually cycling rounds though your rifle. And it is happening after you stripped and cleaned it.It is also a practically new rifle. I'll get called a nanny here by someone,but I am generally rather reluctant to cycle live ammo through if I am sitting around my house.Please do consider the folks who may be only 6 or 8 sheets of drywall away. New semi autos have a bit more friction in their system for a while.Maybe you get a percentage of drag there. Did you properly lube it as you reassembled it?Lube is good.Lack of it will give a percentage of friction. Now here is a suspect.You see,ordinarilly in function the charging handle is not moving.It is locked forward.Not saying you cannot do a recharge such as an immediate action drill by pulling back and letting fly,but more often,the bolt is held back by the bolt catch,a mag is inserted,and the bolt catch is released with the charging handle forward. The extra drag of the charging handle flying forward is a percentage. It may be that 2nd round feed ramp is slightly catchier than the first. Recommendations:You really are not doing your ammo any favors slamming it through cycling. While the charging handle will take a certain number of those slam homes,eventually that little hook will wear through the hard coat where it strikes the upper,and then that aluminum will wear pretty fast. IMHO,I;d quit running my ammo through the rifle in the house,and I'd go shoot.It does work when you shoot it,right? Shoot a few hundred and likely the problem will be gone.Good luck.

September 24, 2010, 07:28 PM	#3
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	Have you tried a different magazine? AR-15 mags are dual feed. They alternate feeding from left-right-left-right Etc. Try loading only 4 rounds in the magazine and see if they feed using the slingshot method on the charging handle. If it won't feed from one side with only 4 rounds, then your feed lips are probably bent. That happens when you drop the magazine on the floor. If it feeds the 4 rounds, but won't feed from a full magazine, then the mag spring, follower or mag body is the culprit.

September 25, 2010, 05:22 PM	#4
7jinxed7 Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2009 Location: no where Posts: 352	What kind of mags are they? I would check the owners manual first just to make sure it is lubed properly. If it worked fine before it should work fine now.