This is a discussion on AR Ejector Help within the Defensive Rifles & Shotgun Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; A round got stuck in the barrel or my AR today the range & had to be removed by a ram rod. I picked up ...
A round got stuck in the barrel or my AR today the range & had to be removed by a ram rod. I picked up many spent rounds and found several had damage on the rim similar to what is pictured but not to the extent. The round pictured is the one that was stuck and I dropped the bolt on it 3 times. My question is; is this a problem inherent with cheap Russian ammo or do you think I have an extractor problem?
DSC_0193_sm.jpg
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My first thought was "steel cased ammo".
It is not uncommon to have extraction problems with steel cased ammo on some guns.
It is better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb...
AR. CHL Instr. 07/02 FFL
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Array
Out of spec chamber is the first thought. What brand upper do you have?
Matching bolt?
Does the bolt appear to have some damage?
Inspect the chamber for buildup and and damage.
On hiatus.
Hit my limit for speculation, the sky is falling, and gun owners fighting amongst themselves.
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Out of spec that sounds serious, Ill check for debris & damage in the AM.
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Array
There is nothing wrong with your extractor, it ripped the case head off. It is a chamber issue.
Can you take a better pic of the side? It looks like gunk on the side of the casing.
I'll bet the chamber is OK.
Some of the Russian ammo is laquered to make it waterproof and rust free. As you shoot and heat up the gun, the laquer softens and makes it harder to extract. Then the extractor starts ripping chunks out of the rim.
The laquer eventually gums up the chamber and eventually you'll spend more time digging the cases out than you will shooting the gun.
A good thorough cleaning is in order to remove the laquer residue and powder fouling.
It is better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb...
AR. CHL Instr. 07/02 FFL
Maker of cool things to shoot
HotGuns has it right.
Some folks allegedly run oodles of the steel-cased ammo from former Commie countries without problem. That said, it is an unshakeable fact that such ammo is known to get stuck in chambers for the reasons HG mentioned. In the high-round count shooting I've witnessed (formal & informal training), I've never seen brass cases stick in AR chambers, only steel. Contributing to the situation is the fact that steel lacks both the elasticity and the lubricity of brass. Use with caution and care.
Smitty
NRA Endowment Member
How many rounds of laquered steel cased ammo have you shot without giving the chamber a good scrubbing?
I am in the "Your gun is fine, its an ammo issue camp."
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Former, USMC 0311, OIF/OEF vet
NRA Pistol/Rifle Instructor, RSO, Ohio CHL Instructor
My Firearms Blog: Little Miami Tactical Shooter's Corner
Thanks guys, I knew going in that some folks have trouble with steel ammo but hoped that I would not be one of them. The allure of low price ammo sucked me in. I will give the gun a thorough cleaning & inspection in the morning.
The upshot is while trying to dial in my new scope I had several shots only expand the hole from other shots. I might get some brass and go back tomorrow.
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Maybe 90 rounds but I fired them pretty quickly, the barrel was hot. ALSO as it is new I have only run about 500 rounds through it.
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Array
Were you mixing brass and steel? Steel doesn't expand like brass so more fouling is present around the case. I've read different things on the cause, but some say it's caused by the laqeur and others say that's not possible and it's due to the fouling around the case. My experience with it has been the fouling. I run my rifles hot and can pretty much catch a spent case in the air and the laqeur is not melting off. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just not been my personal experience.
Personally, I've only experienced problems when mixing brass and steel and have not had a few stuck cases, and this was with a known 5.56 chamber.
Edit - a quick Google search brought this up. Not the one I was looking for, but similar.
Here they originally thought it was caused by laqeur, but at least in the case of mixing steel and this particular brass, it was caused by fouling.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu18.htm
Post number 15. He basically suggests taking a blow torch to steel case and see if the laqeur melts. It likely won't.
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=99220
Chris, if you cannot duplicate the problem using quality ammo, then I'd say you're good to go.
Proven combat techniques may not be flashy and may require a bit more physical effort on the part of the shooter. Further, they may not win competition matches, but they will help ensure your survival in a shooting or gunfight on the street. ~Paul Howe
Array
I my self zoomed in on your spent case and you can see all kinds of fouling on that case.
It's not your rifle.
david
Array
Ammo Gremlins,they show up when you least expect them,I've had them steal powder out of reloads,re-seat spent primers instead of new ones,eject pregnant 9mm brass out of a 40 barrel.Etc
"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"
--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC .
The rifle cleaned up nice & I didn't see any damage on the bolt and for what I could see (or feel) in the chamber. I was sort of expecting to see some metal shavings or chips but didn't. Honestly the rifle hasn't been fired enough to expose the witness marks fully, perhaps it will loosen up a bit after more rounds.
Jon - Just steel, I will check out the box of truth links now.
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Array
Again, what brand upper?
On hiatus.
Hit my limit for speculation, the sky is falling, and gun owners fighting amongst themselves.
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!
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