AR-15 Malfunction

[raceman94]

Yes, I know the very topic here strikes fear into ever gun-loving American here, but I seem to have a problem and welcome your thoughts!

Anyway, I took my AR-15 out shooting today and everything was going well...for the first 200 rounds anyway. There were a couple jams here and there, but for the most part, no big deal.

However, after the first two hundred rounds or so, every other round started to jam. Granted, I've never shot anywhere near 200 rounds, so at that point the rifle was extremely hot so I figured I'd just let it cool off. An hour later I went back to shoot it again and every three shots or so it was jamming up again.

Now I'm thinking it may just be the ammo since this was a different ammo brand, I tried two other brands and both of them caused it to jam too. So at this point I'm thinking it can't just be the ammo. There has to be more to it!

Then as I was cleaning the gun I began to wonder if all it needed was a little extra lubrication to keep it going?

I've never hand any issues with the magazines either.

Thoughts? Is it that simple or is there more to it such as a part malfunction.

The AR-15 I speak of is a Delton AR-15 that I purchased from the AR Bunker.

[uturnwilly]

Please define "jam" or describe what is happening (or not happening).

Are you refering to a failure to feed from the magazine or properly chamber the round?

Or a failure to fire?

Does it leave a fired case in the chamber (failure to extract)?

Does the fired case come out the chamber and hang up with the next round in the magazine (failure to eject)?

With a little more info I'm sure that the guys can help you solve the problem.

Keep your powder dry!

Uturn Willy

[raceman94]

Thanks for the reply. Let's see here...it's not firing at all, so I guess that eliminates the last two questions.

I guess the best thing I can say is option one, "a failure to feed from the magazine or properly chamber the round"

There's no trigger action at all. See if you follow this:

When I pull the charging handle back, it properly ejects the unfired bullet and then inserts another bullet in the chamber. But then when I try and pull the trigger, the trigger will not budge at all. So I pull the charging handle once again, and it properly ejects the unspent round and inserts a new round, and all the situation repeats.

A few other things I should mention here: 1. I did put one bullet in the chamber and that one bullet fired fine. 2. At one one, were were able to get about two rounds off before the gun started jamming up really bad.

But here's what kills me: the magazines that are now mis-feeding were working fine earlier.

It makes no sense! ARGH! So, um...help? (laughs)

[uturnwilly]

When the trigger does not move is it in the "set" (forward position) or is staying all the way to the rear?

I am somewhat ignorant of the lock work but I guess it is possible that either the trigger is not re-setting or the hammer is following the bolt forward.

Not to be a smart-ass but have you checked the safety to be sure it is operating properly?

Maybe one of the AR guys will chime in here 'cause I'm grasping at straws.

Willy

[raceman94]

I have no issues with you pointing out the obvious. Sometimes that's all it is, but I did check the saftey; several times in fact. And the safety was off.

I think I'm gonna take it up there on Friday and see if they have any ideas.

I've put less than 1000 rounds through it. If the AR-15 has a failure rate this low, well, wow, guess I would have been better off with an AK-47.

[uturnwilly]

Like any firearm the AR is simply a machine and sometimes things don't work right the first few time you use it. Sometimes it's a spring, or a burr or too little/much lube. But it is not indicative of an AR failure rate. What ever the problem might be - I doubt that it is "terminal" and once it is corrected and then properly maintained it should be damn reliable.
Willy

[raceman94]

Yeah, I probably am being too harsh. I admit that. I'm just aggravated that it keeps messing up.

I know you were probably generalizing, but here's a dumb question: the AR doesn't have a spring in the firing chamber does it? Because I don't remember seeing one in there?

[uturnwilly]

no spring in the chamber. Extractor on the outer edge of the bolt grips the rim of the cartridge and pulls it out of the chamber as the bolt is forced to the rear by the gas system, as the cartridge clears the chamber mouth the ejector in the bolt face pushes it out to the side - inertia does the rest.

I have looked at my AR and I still have no idea why your trigger locks up.

[raceman94]

Yeah, it's probally just one of those freak things. Like I said, I'm going to try and take it by the AR Bunker ASAP and see if they have any ideas.

[leeboat]

I am trying to figure this out but without looking at teh thing it is kinda hard to tell. I will be here all day today so if you can make it by I will be glad to fix it for you.

[raceman94]

Like I said before, thanks for explaining it to me. That thought never would have occurred to me. Uturnwilly, just in case you were wondering, leeboat said the pin under the trigger came out and he said that the spring in the trigger had worn down. Whatever the problem was, I just glad you were able to remedy it for me!

[leeboat]

Actually the trigger pin was drifting out and causing the trigger to drop down and not engage the hammer. The spring issue probably wouldnt have caused that alone but yes I am glad we were able to get this fixed for you.