DI ar45 slows down after a mag and a half. won't strip the next round. plus one other weird issue.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - DI ar45 slows down after a mag and a half. won't strip the next round. plus one other weird issue.

Posted: 2/14/2020 7:34:12 PM EDT

I got a DI ar45 pistol. it uses the GG mag lower bazooka bro or whoever.

I have had a couple of issues with it today.
First, I could only fire one round at a time for a bit.
If I held down the trigger, the disconnector wouldn't release when I let off the trigger, so the trigger never set so I could pull it again.
Since it is pretty much stock parts, except the filled down hammer hook, I figured this must be something I can solve on my own.
But for the life of me I can't figure out why it could do that let alone why it was doing it.
I messed with it a few times with the upper off the gun and it finally started working again like normal.

What causes this?

Second issue is that after a mag and a half, I can feel the bolt face sticking a bit as the lugs unlock.
It gets so bad that eventually it will fire, eject, and cock the hammer, but won't go back far enough to strip the next round.
I can manually pull back to load and it will fire, but still not go back far enough. The more I do that, the dirtier it gets and makes it harder to pull back.
I thought it might be me oiling the rings, which I was warned about, so I dried them out and changed the carrier to a nitrided one over the phosphate one. but now I see it is the lug engagment really vs the moving of the bolt in the bcg.

I don't want to send it back if this is something I can fix on my own. The pain in shipping isn't worth it, if I can fix it for a few bucks in parts or just cleaning and shooting more till it loosens up.
Any idea's on this one?

Posted: 2/14/2020 9:34:02 PM EDT

[#1]

You need to look for some cleaner ammo - pistol powders are dirty and sooty, and you need to burn cleaner if you want to keep things running in DI.

Same thing that happened to the M16 in Vietnam when the army messed with the powder.

As for the trigger reset, that usually means you assembled the FCG wrong somehow. I don't know your familiarity level with assembling FCGs, but if you aren't an old pro at it, do it four or five times while watching and rewatching youtube videos or following clear instructions with good pictures.

First things to check are that the trigger spring is correctly oriented and not backwards or upside down, and that the disconnector isn't binding and the disconnector spring isn't upside down.

Posting pics here might help us diagnose you.

Posted: 2/14/2020 10:01:56 PM EDT

[#2]

Is the Hammer notched?

Posted: 2/14/2020 10:54:22 PM EDT

[#3]

Couple of questions, who made the upper? I assume it is a used upper or did you get it new? What ammo were you running? Factory or handloads (bullet/powder?) With that ammo if you put 1 round in without a mag and hold the bolt release and fire the round will the carrier lock back or does it catch short of full lock back? If it locks back fully then the upper is running good with that ammo. If it doesn't then you need to look at the buffer/spring. Are you running a standard buffer and spring? Once you get it to lock back with no mag and holding the bolt release, I would start looking into the trigger/lower issues and make sure that as was stated by others that it is installed correctly. Once you get the trigger worked out and functioning correctly, do the same test as above but add in using the mag and if all functions you should be good to go. If you still have issues look at the gas tube and how it seats in the gas key it should not drag or be mis aligned. The last thing I would look at is the hammer spring, I have seen where a heavy spring can cause the carrier to slow down and cause issues functioning.
If after all of the above testing and you still are having issues I would suggest contacting the manufacturer and see what they have to say about it and if needed send the complete gun to them with the ammo you will be using and have them tune it and get it running for you. As much as the DI 45 is fun to shoot thet are very finicky to get running, but once running they are screamers. Good luck.

Posted: 2/14/2020 11:00:16 PM EDT

[#4]

If it is one of mine, call me at the shop and I'll send you a return label.....If not....I'll do what I can. Are you running CLP as a lubricant? If so...it has a VERY low flash point 210 degrees and will cause the exact problem you describe. I ship a bottle of Cherry Balmz Black Rifle Balm with every upper I sell. It DOES make a difference.
Was it purchased as a complete rifle? Why is the hammer filed ????
If not and you built a stripped lower what weight buffer and is it a standard spring. Can you post a pic of gas system and feed ramp.....that will tell me if it is one of mine or an RMW
Rudy

Quoted:
Is the Hammer notched?

View Quote

Notched hammer doesn't really affect a DI45.....it screws up a blowback in a heartbeat.....

Posted: 2/14/2020 11:57:08 PM EDT

[#5]

It is one of Ron's. I bought it as a complete gun new from him.
And nothing bad to say on him, I just don't like shipping stuff if I can help it.
Plus I have had this thing for a while, I just don't get to shoot very often. So it hasn't had a lot of rounds on it.

All I have done is shoot and clean it.

The hammer reset thing is a new development. didn't happen in the first 100 rounds.

I use something called snake oil. It was around a long time ago, heck I don't even know if they sell it anymore.

All factory ammo.
I tried 3 different kinds.
Winchester white box
Fiochi
mag tech.

all 3 times I have gone out it has done this.

I left the gas rings in the bcg dry this time.
I oiled the outside of the bcg and bolt.

But like I said I can feel it gritting up at the end.
The one time I did oil it I had to mortar it to get the bolt to break loose.

Do I just need a higher flashpoint lube on the bolt? or the carrier?

What goes wrong in the trigger group after a few hundred rounds?

The hammer is bobbed I guess is the word. The tail is gone off of it. Came that way. seems to be stainless or one of those nickle ones.
I will try to get some pics tomorrow.

Posted: 2/15/2020 1:07:24 AM EDT

[#6]

shoot it.......pull the carrier apart and dump the contents out on a sheet of printer paper...I'm guessing you'll find chunks of jacket metal from the bullet passing the gas port. This is caused by either a burr or too big a gas port.....I have seen both. I have also seen the gas port drilled on an angle on some of the ones I have worked on. While you have the Bolt carrier apart.....drop the carrier in the upper with the muzzle down.....it SHOULD drop all the way to the barrel extension with NO resistance. If it doesn't either the key is loose....(possible) or the gas tube is misaligned (probable) due to the design and execution of the gas block on those. Once it is down on the barrel extension with no bolt, up end the receiver pointing the barrel up, carrier should fall out with no resistance. If it doesn't send it back.

Definitely get some Cherry Balmz Black rifle balm.......worth every penny......I believe in it so much I got rid of everything else in my shop and ship a bottle with every upper I sell. Simply brush it on the friction points of the BCG and charging handle.....you will feel the difference the first time you pull the charging handle back to load a round.

as far as the trigger not resetting....most common cause is a worn or out of spec disconnector.....

And ammo wise I have run 500 rounds without malfunction many times in a single range session with all three brands you are using in one of my guns.

Worst case scenario...send it to me and I'll make it run no sweat... But I'll replace gas system and barrel as soon as I get it at minimum.

Posted: 2/15/2020 10:47:40 AM EDT

[#7]

I would call Ron @ RMWXTREME.COM and let him look @ your issues and I would suggest sending him the complete gun with some ammo you plan to use most so he can look at everything and get it running for you. I have several of Ron's DI setups and they run great, are accurate and fun to shoot.

Posted: 2/15/2020 11:32:26 AM EDT

[#8]

I might have to let Ron know.

I don't think it is the gas or carrier.

I swapped carriers with a nitrided carrier before this last trip.

But regardless, there isn't any gunk in it the last 2 times.
It seems to hang up with the bolt engaging the lugs.

But once I clean the lugs it drops in fine.

I will gut it again over this weekend, take some pics and try your other tests.

Thanks.

Posted: 2/15/2020 7:58:06 PM EDT

[#9]

ok, I took it apart.

so I ran a few tests.

First I tried the bolt itself.
No binding just putting the bolt in and out or twisting it in the barrel end.
I thought for sure it would be hard to move, but nothing.

I dropped just the carrier into the upper and it slid home easy as well.
it even bounced a bit back if I drop it from about half way.

I took a few pics of the bolt, inside the carrier and into the upper/barrel

bolt
https://imgur.com/pLzXbkt

inside the carrier
https://imgur.com/WXobKbV

inside the upper
https://imgur.com/Qboquz1

here are 2 disconnectors
the top is what came out, the bottom is fresh out of a psa lpk
https://imgur.com/AVVeAsd

I don't see much if any difference. IF anything the hook is shorter on the one that is in the gun.

and for those that cared here is the bobbed hammer.
https://imgur.com/HPTjxHW

oh and I ordered that cherrybalmz stuff. 5 for 2 deal was too good to pass up.

Posted: 2/16/2020 5:23:30 PM EDT

[#10]

It looks pretty good from the pics....do you have any issues extracting a loaded round with the charging handle?
What lube have you been using?
Another possibility is either a slight lack of concentricity of chamber to barrel extension....or short headspace. The gas tube jamming in the key can also cause hard unlock and extraction.....try running a small drill (#15 wire size) into the gas key by hand to make sure you don't have any firing residue build up in the key that the gas tube can hit on.

Never know.......lube all the friction points on the bolt carrier with Cherry Balmz......I put it on the sides of the cam pin slot, the carrier rails...the a little on the back of the locking lugs.....the gas key where it rides in the charging handle and the guide tabs of the charging handle as well as the top of the nose. Never know...it might clear up the issues.

Posted: 2/16/2020 5:56:06 PM EDT

[#11]

when it is clean, no , I don't. but after that mag and a half, it is just hard to pull back on an empty chamber.
don't really feel a difference with or without a round.

once I get the cherrybalmz in I will see if I can give it another try in a few months.

Thanks for all the help.

Posted: 2/16/2020 6:40:39 PM EDT

[#12]

Might be a little tight on the extension...the dimension between the breech face of the barrel locking lugs of the extension....holler if I can help.

Posted: 2/16/2020 7:08:29 PM EDT

[#13]

If I understand what you are saying, then no, no issues there either.

I took the bcg apart and dropped just the bolt in to the barrel extension.
It moved freely in and out and rotated freely without a round.

Now I have a few dummy 45 rounds I might try that again and see if it is tough to do that. I left it dirty to experiment.

assuming that is what you mean.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - DI ar45 slows down after a mag and a half. won't strip the next round. plus one other weird issue.

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