1st post. New LAR-8 owner.

The search was being brutal (1 per minute, and the code????) so I figured you veterans could sort this out WAY quicker than I could hunt it down. Google didn't give me any love either, and you guys seem to be hooked in there pretty good.

Sorry if this is a beat to death topic.

Can I safely, and without heavy wear and tear, single load a round via the ejection port on my LAR-8 (or any AR15 type system). As in toss a round through the port (magazine or no), feed it into the chamber a little ways so it's straight, and slam the bolt home.

I'm well aware of the slam fire potential in the AR design, so that's not my question. I'm more concerned about hard wear on the extractor (or anything else). From the way the bolt face is set up, it doesn't seem like the AR has a controlled feed system, so I'm unsure if the extractor is already designed to be forcibly slammed over the round. It sure looks to me like this is the only way it happens, but maybe I'm missing something.

So, single loading through the breech...Sin or Standard operating procedure?

BTW, I haven't used the forums as a member, but I've found all sorts of awesome info here via google. Thanks for the great public resource.

It's fine, just like a M1, M14, a Rem. 700's,..... It;s not a controlled feed

Yes.

That's how I single load rounds that are longer than mag length.

Been doing it for years w/ no problems.  It'll be fine.

S&W manual specifically says not to do this.   But for long cartridges, or letting somebody shoot for the first time, it's entirely acceptable (to me) to thumb a round in to the chamber, then slowly release the bolt carrier, then press the forward assist, or thumb the bolt closed with the scallop on the side of the carrier group.  Just make sure it closes all the way (it'll click when the extractor slips over the rim of the cartridge and the bolt locks into place).

imho,
-edfardos

Yes. You'll also want this this: