Hey guys,

I need some help understanding why I'm having this problem. I have 2 PMAG 30rd magazines. One of them works just fine. The second one (and my favorite, only 100 have a unique engraving) doesn't seem to get along with my AR15. The first issue I noticed was it takes quite a bit of force/a good smack to seat the magazine. This is annoying and I would like to find a solution to make it more reasonable. The bigger issue is when dropping the charging handle, the bolt won't lock all the way. I have to use the forward assist about 3/4 of the time. This only occurs on the first round. After I fire that first round, it seems to function just fine. Any ideas why this is happening? The gun is new, less than 200 rounds through it and only has this issue with one of my magazines.

Thanks!
Kyle

Magazine is fucked up, don't  use it.  You said it has engravings you like, so put in on the wall or something to stare at, because according to your post, its the only mag you have that doesn't work. No point in using it since you can't, since it doesn't work right... get it? Mags have never been cheaper than now, so buy 'em cheap and stack 'em deep.

The previous post says it better than I can.  If I have a magazine malfunction once I know it's the magazine, I stomp the shit out of it, so I'll never use it again.

It will take more force to seat the mag when the bolt is closed.  

I generally load my mags to full minus 1 round to decrease spring tension and makes seating a full mag easier with bolt closed.  Get rid off the fancy mag.

Sounds like your riding the charging handle. Do you let it fly or ease it down some? Does it work correctly of you smack the paddle?

You lubing the thing correctly?

pvupilot,
Welcome to the forum!
A couple of suggestions;  Make sure the chamber is really, really clean.  This will often help this type of malfunction.  Use a chamber brush with CLP and then some cleaning cloths.
If your magazine still is an issue then put it in the "I like to look at it " pile but do not use it to operate a tool that you want to depend on to save your life or that of a loved one.  Or better yet, give it to someone whose life you have no regard for <sarc>.
Magazines are cheap, life is not.

How many rounds are you loading into the magazine?  Do you just load the mag until literally no more can go in?  If so, that's your problem, you must download at least one round (two is better) to allow space for the mag to seat on a closed bolt and so that the bolt closing can overcome friction in the mag to strip the round.

Bah! Never download a mag. Put 30 rds in a 30-rd mag. But, avoid loading against the closed bolt. Normal mags work fine either way. You have an abnormal mag that is causing the bolt carrier to drag, creating a situation that should not be tolerated. I'm sure Magpul will gladly replace the mag and you can try the new one to see if its better.

It sounds like the mag catch is a little low, causing the magazine to sit a little high, causing drag.  While a fully loaded 30 round mag is more difficult to seat on a closed bolt, it still usually just requires a more firm push, but Pmags specifically have a little extra room so they can be loaded to full capacity with no ill effect.  However, that is not your issue.  You issue is the bolt failing to lock up when you charge the rifle, AND only with that one magazine according to your post.  That indicates that you're operating the rifle correctly, since you do not experience problems with other mags. So again, ditch the mag and move on.  Contact magpul here in the 'industry forum' and they will likely replace the mag.

Thanks! The chamber is clean, I've put less than 50 rounds through since the last cleaning. I may just have to put it in that pile, unfortunately...



I've tested it with loads anywhere between 2 - 20. I've never had a magazine loaded to the max.



I'll give that a try. I've thought the same thing with the magazine sitting high and figured that would be the issue.

Thanks for the help guys! I'll see what I can have done about swapping the mag.

Kyle,

Don't expect too much out of plastic even though it's polymer. It may just have come out of the mold wrong. I'd just toss it away and get another. Besides that I hate to use the 30 rounders myself and prefer the standard 20 round versions and I never load them to the max.


Impala

"NEVER fall in love with your magazines!"

Pat Rogers

What happens when you put that loaded mag into the AR with the bolt locked to the rear? There should be no way unless the mag is FUBAR for it not to functon and chamber a round with all that force from the BCG flying forward when pressing the bolt release.

Yep, even then it required the use of the forward assist. I contacted the retailer about it and they set up an exchange. The new one is working perfectly. I'm not sure what the problem was but I do notice this on is easier to seat than the other one was.