Hi all,
I'm just breaking in an AR15 that I put together.  The rifle functions fine and shoots pretty well, but I've noticed that the spent brass all have a slight dent about midway up on the case - really in the same spot on each case.  I'm sure someone here must have had this happen and can recommend a fix.  Thanks in advance for any help.

Here are two methods:

1. Simply place some tape on your deflector which is possbly causing your dents, (unless extracting is so violent it's whanging against the back of the ejection port, in which case, see #2

2. Potty train that puppy. This is done by removing the "ejector" (not to be confused w/ the extractor) and ejector spring and "CAREFULLY" clip no more than two rounds OFF the ejector spring (note: small dikes are necessary for this as it needs to be a clean cut and ya don't want to be un-necessarily bending of the sprng itself) This will change ejection pattern and reduce the velocity of the exiting brass. BTW, HP shooters do this all the time to get their rifles to drop their brass in small consistent piles for easy pick-up, hence the term "potty-training".

Hope this helps,
Mike

Humm my rifle dents the neck of the brass right wherre the bullet seats.  Looks like it might be time to trim a spring.  Triming the spring still renders the rifle reliable?

Quoted: Simply place some tape on your deflector which is possbly causing your dents, (unless extracting is so violent it's whanging against the back of the ejection port, in which case, see #2

+1 -- I used a litte piece of velcro tape (the fuzzy side) on my vmatch.  It's the only one of my ARs that dents the brass this way, and ironically the only one I reload for.  The velcro took care of the problem.

Come to think of it, I removed the velcro piece some time ago and I don't think the cases are getting dinged anymore.  Maybe my ejector grew up and potty-trained itself.

Quoted: Humm my rifle dents the neck of the brass right wherre the bullet seats.  Looks like it might be time to trim a spring.  Triming the spring still renders the rifle reliable?

As these dents (in the neck) are easily removed when re-sizing/reloading by the sizing die, I don't worry about them. The original poster was referring to dents further down that brass where the neck sizer portion of the full-length sizing die doesn't reach, hence the "potty-training" to limit his too violent extraction issues (not un-common on some AR15/M16 rifles).

As long as your careful and trim no more than two "rounds" (or one "round" after the initial two) at a time off the spring UNTIL the brass begins to land consisitently where ya want it, this modification is trouble free as far as reliability is concerned. It is done generally tho by HighPower shooters looking to keep their brass together for easy retrieval and to avoid slinging brass into the competitor next to ya's face.

Not something one generally does unless as above ya have a special reason to require it.

Mike

Thx Mike  I'll probably leave it alone then.

Daubs Sir:
Do cut that spring!!! there is nothing more aggrevating than to shoot beside an ar that has not been adjusted. however the need is to adjust it in increments, the end result is to get all those rounds to e3nd up at 2"Oclock, do this by shortening the EJECTOR spring by .080 first and then trim to get the 2oclock ejection. It will start at about 5oclock and you can tune it until it reaches the desired 2oclock area. Even if you screw up (not likely) the spring they don't cost much.

and remember, never squat with yer Spurs on!!!
Clarence