Need help with my AR-15


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I have a pre-ban Rock Island AR-15. Almost every time I shoot it, it doesnt pull the case out of the chamber, but it will every time if I hand cycle it. I switched bolts with my father-in-laws gun and it was much better, only jammed 2-4 times in 30-40 shots. This gun has been stripped completely down and cleaned by a friend who is in SF. This seemed to help for maybe 40 rounds. Local gunsmith couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. I had a bull barrel put on it several years ago, and I don't remember it doing this before, but that might just be my faded memory. I've tried several different brands of ammo and military ammo. Someone at the gunrange told me that there is a difference between .223 and 5.56 ammo. Is this true? I thought they were the same thing.

The guy that put the bull barrel on moved several states away and we lost touch. He does work on all of his own guns and competition shoots, so he does have some idea what he was doing, I think.

thanks

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

Sounds to me like there isn't enough gas getting back to the action to fully cycle it. There could be misalignment issues with the placement of the gas block on the barrel or the port may not be large enough to make the gun function. There is also the possibility that the gas tube could have an obstruction or be really fouled with carbon.

How is the gas block held to the barrel?

Can you post a picture?

hangunnr

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

Here is a pic of the gas block on my AR. There are generally three ways to attach the block to the barrel. It can be cross pinned, secured with set screws or there are some that clamp on. This one is held in place by 2 set screws on the bottom.

DSCN1568.jpg

If you would remove the gas block you'd see a port on the inside of the barrel channel. This gas port must line up with the gas vent hole in the barrel to assure that there is enough pressure to work the guns action.

It dosen't take much misalignment to screw up the works.

hangunnr

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I created a forum and loaded the pics

http://www.realtree.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/804

The name is MagnoliaHunter's Hangout.

After taking it apart, I'm guessing that you are talking about the silver rod above the barrel. I misunderstood earlier, thought you were talking about the piece that sticks up from the bolt. How do I tell if they are aligning or not?

thanks once again,

Trav

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Re: I created a forum and loaded the pics

First off I will say this: I hate any of the M-16 systoms but with my line of work, I have to take what they give me. the tub that is pushing out of the top of the bbl and into the recever. this needs to be cleanded, you can use a Carbon blast and long pipe cleaners. Something else, you may look at your exstracter spring, it is on the side of the bolt, it is held in by a pin.

One thing you need to do is put your dads bolt back and get yours in your gun. It was head spaced for your gun and your dads was set for his, this can blow a gun up.

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Re: I created a forum and loaded the pics

the tub that is pushing out of the top of the bbl and into the recever. this needs to be cleanded, you can use a Carbon blast and long pipe cleaners.

Are you refering to the silver "tube"? Not trying to be a jerk, just trying to be sure what you are talking about. Where do you get pipe cleaners long enough to clean the entire length of that tube? In my cleaning routine that was not cleaned.

My bolt is back in my gun. I had been told that I could just switch them out.

"Something else, you may look at your exstracter spring, it is on the side of the bolt, it is held in by a pin."

When looking at the end of the bolt, there is ALMOST enough gap between the extractor and the rest of the bolt to wedge my fingernail in. Is that too much? Should it be tight?

thanks for your help,

Trav

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Re: I created a forum and loaded the pics

[ QUOTE ]

Are you refering to the silver "tube"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, this is the tube that channels the gas back to the bolt.

[ QUOTE ]

I had been told that I could just switch them out.

[/ QUOTE ]

In a mil spec type firearm such as your AR the bolts should interchange. The only time this won't apply is if the face of the bolt has been modified.

hangunnr

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Re: I created a forum and loaded the pics

Yes like hangunner said, it is the silver pipe, the pipe cleaners can be got a sites like www.midway.com or others.

For the bolt, anytime you put a new bolt head in, you need to have it head spaced. I would never let anyone shoot a gun with out it being head spaced. that goes for an M-4, AK, M-700 or a M-2. Good thing with all the spair parts we keep on hand we also have the gage.

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

I didn't see anybody respond to this question?

[ QUOTE ]

Someone at the gunrange told me that there is a difference between .223 and 5.56 ammo. Is this true? I thought they were the same thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

They will fit in the same gun, but 5.56 is loaded at much higher pressures than .223 ammo. A firearm that is stamped .223 cannot shoot 5.56, as the chamber was not designed for that high of pressures. On the other hand a firearm stamped 5.56 can shoot either round. Most AR type rifles are stamped 5.56, but if for some reason yours says .223, DO NOT SHOOT 5.56 AMMO.

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

Thanks for all the help.

Couldnt find them around here so I ordered the extra-long pipe cleaners from Midway.

The chamber is clean, and not pitted, at least not enough to see with the naked eye. If the chamber was out of round, would the case be out of round after I fired it?

This is probably a dumb question, but is there a hole in the barrel at the end where the gas tube block is? In othere words, will the cleaner come out into the barrel if sprayed into the receiver end of the gas tube?

thanks again,

Trav

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

[ QUOTE ]

This is probably a dumb question, but is there a hole in the barrel at the end where the gas tube block is? In othere words, will the cleaner come out into the barrel if sprayed into the receiver end of the gas tube?

thanks again,

Trav

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, it's not a dumb question.

Yes, there is a gas port in the top of the barrel. This is what i was refering to eariler. The front sight / gas block combo you have has a gas port that MUST align with the hole in the barrel. If these parts don't line up there won't be enough gas pressure / volume to completely cycle the action. IMO the only way to assure the correct placement of the gas block is to remove the part and take precise measurements.

hangunnr

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Re: Need help with my AR-15

Ok, I'm going to hope that it is just dirty and when my new superduper pipe cleaners get here they will be able to clean it, because I know I am not skilled enough to to what hangunnr said. I could take it apart and take some measurements, some of them might even be what hangunnr wanted me to measure. But there is no way I'll be the first to shoot it after I put it back together again. lol

Midway emailed and said that my order was shipped.

thanks again.

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