New build, jammed round in chamber - need help

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  • warp9764
    Bloodstained
    • Oct 2017
    • 45

    New build, jammed round in chamber - need help

    Hey everyone! So I finally got to take my new build to the range yesterday and try it out. In short, after a couple FTF (bolt caught on round still partly in the mag) I'm really stuck.

    First, a quick rundown of what I've got:
    Relevant gun info: AA 18" barrel with mid-length gas system, SLR Ti adjustable gas block, Franklin BFS trigger (comes with 'regular' and 'heavy' buffer springs), Spike's T1 carbine buffer.
    Ammo used: Wolf steel-cased (maybe a poor choice for breaking in, in hindsight)
    Mag: e-lander 10 round (from AA)

    Started with gas block in middle setting, using heavier spring

    1st FTF looked _exactly_ like the one in this thread:
    Greetings, Sorry to bother everyone, but I'm running out of ideas. I have a one out of four chance at any given time of having a failure to feed issued on my 6.5Grendel. At first, I thought it was the sharp edge on the entrance to the chamber. The barrel was removed and a very Smoooothly polished radius was applied. It


    Seemed finicky, so after a couple shots I swapped in the lighter buffer spring.

    2nd FTF the round was mostly in the chamber, but not all the way. Needed a friend to pull down on the charging handle to free the round.

    Adjusted the gas block 2 clicks for a bit more gas. Ran a string of 5 shots no problem, then on the 6th...

    3rd FTF - where I'm stuck right now. This round is jammed partly in the chamber hard, and my friend couldn't pull the charging handle down. It's STUCK.

    Question 1: (Most important) What is my best approach to free the jammed (steel cased) round? Should I mortar it? I'd hate to bash a brand new build so hard on the ground, but I'd also hate to have to pull the whole darn thing apart already. Still, I'll do what's best and with minimal damage.

    20180212_204529.jpg

    Question 2: Potential causes of my FTFs? As noted in the thread above, should I try a heavier buffer, like the T2 (1 step up)? And/or should I try dialing back the gas, or dial it up? Should I leave the lighter spring or go back to the heavier with more gas? Gah - so many combinations, I'm not sure where to start!

    Thanks in advance for any advice!
    Last edited by warp9764; 02-13-2018, 09:21 PM. Reason: Adding photo of current jam
  • Bigs28
    Chieftain
    • Feb 2016
    • 1786

    #2
    I will let someone else chime in on getting the bullet out but any chance you have different magazines to try?

    Comment

    • VASCAR2
      Chieftain
      • Mar 2011
      • 6219

      #3
      If you have a stuck bolt on an AR-15 the suggested method for a stuck bolt with a round in the chamber is to put the safety on. If the gun has a collapsable stock close the stock. Then keeping your face away from the muzzle slam the butt of the rifle against the ground. If the round is really stuck it may take a few good wacks. The inertia should unlock the bolt and free it enough to clear the chambered case. This method is called mortaring. I always remove the magazine before motaring an AR-15.

      If you left a loaded steel cased round in the chamber there might be a lot of crud or corrosion. Also if the rifle is really dirty or tight because it is new I’d probably get some Kroil penetrating oil on the carrier and towards the bolt, chamber barrel extension. I’d soak the BCG and rifle for a few hours with penetrating oil before trying to mortar the round out. If you don’t have penetrating oil you can use automatic transmission fluid.

      I would not try tapping on the charging handle with a mallet to free the bolt. If your not real careful you can bend or break the charging handle.

      With an adjustable gas block you don’t need a heavier buffer, you adjust the gas block to permit enough gas to cycle the action. I would use the standard weight buffer if this is a carbine length buffer tube with the supplied carbine buffer spring.

      When setting an adjustable gas block I start with the gas block almost completely closed. I load one round in the mag fire one round. If the round ejects but doesn’t lock the bolt back on the mag catch I open the gas block more until the bolt locks back on an empty mag.

      Wolf steel cased ammo produces a light recoil impulse. I useually open the gas block a little more once the bolt locks back with the bolt catch on an empty mag.
      Last edited by VASCAR2; 02-13-2018, 09:39 PM.

      Comment

      • warp9764
        Bloodstained
        • Oct 2017
        • 45

        #4
        And after some investigation, I've found this which might well be a big part of my FTF issue:
        TECH TIP by Robert Whitley, AR-X Enterprises LLC Over the years, while working with various AR-15 cartridges that require a larger bolt-face bolt (i.e. bigger than a 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem bolt-face, like those cartridges that use a 6.8 SPC bolt or the bolt face suitable for the 6.
        Last edited by warp9764; 02-13-2018, 09:45 PM.

        Comment

        • warp9764
          Bloodstained
          • Oct 2017
          • 45

          #5
          Yes, I have e-lander 10 and 24 round magazines, as well as another brand (can't remember at the moment) 5 round mag. I'll definitely try them once I get the jammed round freed up!

          Comment

          • warp9764
            Bloodstained
            • Oct 2017
            • 45

            #6
            Vascar2, thanks for the tips! Nothing sat in the chamber - the ammo is new and the rifle was virgin and recently lubed up prior to taking it to the range.

            I'll get a lot more lube in there around the the bolt and barrel extension and then try a safe mortar as you described!

            Comment

            • VASCAR2
              Chieftain
              • Mar 2011
              • 6219

              #7
              Originally posted by warp9764 View Post
              And after some investigation, I've found this which might well be a big part of my issue:
              http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...er-cartridges/
              The picture in the thread you referred to showed the bolt going over the head of the cartridge case. This issue is usually caused by insufficient gas or a bad mag where the cartridge isn’t raised fast enough to be pushed forward by the closing BCG. I suspect you don’t have the gas block opened enough, with insufficient gas the bolt carrier doesn’t go back far enough to get the required momentum from the buffer spring to force a round into the chamber. On a tight new build a cartridge can be difficult to extract.

              The ejector mod is a good idea and I did this mod to one of my bolts and helped.

              Comment

              • VASCAR2
                Chieftain
                • Mar 2011
                • 6219

                #8
                Let us know if you get the round out of the chamber warp9764. The penetrating oil won’t hurt anything but I’d probably run some patches through the bore and swab out the chamber after you get the stuck round out of the chamber. Wolf ammo can leave the rifle real dirty.

                Comment

                • rwh
                  Warrior
                  • Jun 2014
                  • 188

                  #9
                  You can wrap a large screwdriver in duct tape, insert at the front of the bolt carrier and twist. That should get the bolt open without much fuss.

                  Comment

                  • grayfox
                    Chieftain
                    • Jan 2017
                    • 4295

                    #10
                    Originally posted by VASCAR2 View Post
                    The picture in the thread you referred to showed the bolt going over the head of the cartridge case. This issue is usually caused by insufficient gas or a bad mag where the cartridge isn’t raised fast enough to be pushed forward by the closing BCG. I suspect you don’t have the gas block opened enough, with insufficient gas the bolt carrier doesn’t go back far enough to get the required momentum from the buffer spring to force a round into the chamber. On a tight new build a cartridge can be difficult to extract.
                    ...
                    One followup comment/question, Vascar since too little gas could be part of this type of problem doesn't it suggest that for an adjustable gas block, you might want to start full open and close down a click at a time as you shoot instead of fully closed to start with? That's one reason why I started fully open with mine, although I don't have lots of experience with AGBs... just have 2 of them. Thanks.
                    "Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"

                    Comment

                    • bj139
                      Chieftain
                      • Mar 2017
                      • 1968

                      #11
                      If this is a new build, clean your chamber with a 44 cal bronze brush and solvent. There is often some goo in a new barrel which causes sticking.
                      To mortar, collapse the buttstock so you won't break it and pulling baclk on the charging handle slam the butt on the ground or a sturdy bench,
                      I do it all the time with a manually operated AR.
                      Use plenty of lube on a new AR. Just spray it all over the bolt and shoot. Not in the chamber.
                      Last edited by bj139; 02-13-2018, 11:26 PM.

                      Comment

                      • Sticks
                        Chieftain
                        • Dec 2016
                        • 1922

                        #12
                        Originally posted by bj139 View Post
                        ...To mortar, collapse the buttstock so you won't break it and pulling back on the charging handle....
                        Key part of the instruction highlighted missing from Post #3 for those who don't know how to mortar an AR.
                        Sticks

                        Catchy sig line here.

                        Comment

                        • VASCAR2
                          Chieftain
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 6219

                          #13
                          Your right I neglected mentioning trying to pull down on charging handle when mortaring. It is really easier if you have two people.

                          Comment

                          • Tex Nomex
                            Warrior
                            • Dec 2017
                            • 185

                            #14
                            The absolute best way to remove a live round.

                            How to 'mortar' your AR-15. Personally, I'd prefer a sturdy bench top, but whatever.

                            Mortar no worky?
                            Lube your stuck round both top and bottom with light oil.
                            Let it sit while you eat a snack and drink a beverage.
                            Mortar again.

                            Nope?
                            Mortar using hammer and wood block against your expensive charging handle.

                            No joy?
                            Release the pivot and locking pins.
                            Gently separate upper receiver from lower receiver.
                            Use a taped up long, wide standard screwdriver up the mag well opening (or side opening) to pry the BC back and out.

                            Round falls out?
                            Kick yourself for not lubing the gas rings better and curse yourself for not getting the chrome-lined cylinder on the bolt carrier. Replace any broken rings. Lube them. Lube them. Lube them. Inspect bolt carrier for gouging inside the cylinder.

                            BCG is out, but round is still stuck in chamber? Heh... Sucks, yeah?
                            If you're the cautious type, vise your upper and use a caliber-sized hard wooden dowel and hammer to drive the bimetal bullet back into the case and shake out the powder. Keep your face away from the muzzle.
                            If you're lucky, just tapping the bullet from the top set it free.

                            No?
                            Use your screwdriver again, this time twist it against the case head to gently pry the case out of the chamber.

                            The case is now out.
                            Seriously. The case is out.

                            Inspect your bore, ensuring the bullet is indeed out of the barrel.
                            Inspect your chamber for anything left in there and any gouging.
                            Drop a round into your chamber and see if it drops it out.
                            Swirl the chamber with brush and solvent.
                            Drop a round into your chamber and see if it drops it out again.

                            Check your bolt face/head spacing.
                            Check your cartridge case for strange marks indicating ammo or chamber issues.

                            Report back here with your harrowing tale of heroism and pix/video.
                            "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
                            -- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers at 184-188

                            Comment

                            • warp9764
                              Bloodstained
                              • Oct 2017
                              • 45

                              #15
                              Thank you everyone VERY MUCH for the tips, especially about pulling the charging handle while mortaring!

                              VASCAR2, regarding my first FTF I did add more gas (2 clicks) after that and it seemed to clear that issue up. The 2nd and 3rd FTF were jammed rounds, which may be aided by the ejector mod (once I clear the rifle). Letting some oil soak in now before attempting to mortar. I don't have a second set of hands around, but I do have a good workbench in the garage - I'll use that!

                              Comment

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