Mellow greetings fellow ARFers. I have a problem with my AR15. I've read the FAQ, the List Rules, the Sample Post and the Glossary and couldn't find this exact problem.

My AR has an upper built by PSA. It is a 16" barrel with a midlength gas system, a 5.56 chamber, and I'm using one of PSA's premium bolt carrier groups.

The symptoms of the problem I am about to describe have been when using Wolf Military Classic 62 grain ammo and Magpul PMAGs, Gen 2.

This has happened 3 separate times, without any real consistency. I believe it has never happened with the first round in a magazine. I will pull the trigger and get a click, no bang. Bolt carrier will be set back slightly and not fully forward. Charging handle will be locked and not want to move. Each time this has happened and I managed to unlock the bolt carrier, there has been an unfired round in the chamber, and each time the neck of the case of the unfired round looks like it has been gouged, and after looking into a couple unopened boxes of this Wolf ammo, the necks on about every 10th round or so (maybe less) are like this already - i.e. not being caused by my gun (see picture below)



At least one time the thing was locked up so bad that no amount of hammering on the charging handle or BCG seemed to be getting me anywhere. Out of frustration, I made sure I had eye protection on, I split the upper from the lower to reset the hammer, put them back together, tied some paracord around the trigger, retreated a safe distance and pulled the trigger via the paracord to see what would happen. Interestingly, the round fired normally and the case ejected fine. This was probably not my smartest moment.

I have only ever had this problem with Wolf Military Classic 62 grain, and each time the neck of the case has been deformed similar to the pictures above, so I can only conclude this is somehow causing the problem - however I don't really understand how. The gun has never had an issue with Wolf Gold, or some Independence that I got from Wally world. If somebody more knowledgeable than I could perhaps explain exactly what is causing the problem, it would put my mind at ease.

Thanks in advance.

A rookie out of his league.

Semi-interesting update:

contacted Wolf. They ask for lot # of the ammo.... dont have the case itself since i bought as a half-case. Lot # nowhere to be found inside individual ammo boxes like its supposed to be! Got SGAmmo involved, they offered to buy back the ammo if Wolf doesnt come through. SGAmmo is awesome (but we already knew that), going to see if Wolf agrees to take it back with no lot #.

I can't see your picture while I'm at work, but from your description, the ammunition has a bad case neck causing it to stick in the chamber.  Your misfires are because the bolt isn't fully closed.  The cases are sticking hard enough they are difficult to remove, you should probably try the mortar technique to get them out in the future.



I would sort the ammunition and throw out the rounds with damaged case necks.  Alternatively you could take them all back to where you bought them and get them replaced or call Wolf and see if they will replace the rounds.

       
 

ETA - I re-read. ammo looks fine, you load the mag, drop the bolt to charge the weapon and you get a click no bang because it's out of battery. When you pull the round out it looks like that. If so then it sounds like you might have a burr on the feed ramps that's catching on the edge of the casing as it's entering the chamber. Can you take a real close up bright picture of your feed ramps?

It only happens with this one type of ammo. That screams it's an ammo problem.

It's not a feed ramp problem. The bolt is forward, just out of battery. He's not getting a failure to feed.

I just saw the picture, and the ammunition is definitely your problem.  If you see a round with a bad case like that throw it out.        
 

thank you all - i assumed it had to be the ammo. im curious as to why this is causing the rounds to get stuck SO HARD? The mortar technique has worked pretty easily on one, i mentioned above i simply recocked the hammer and fired another because i could not get the charging handle to move for anything.

should i call Wolf about this to see what theyll say/do?

The case neck is folded on itself making the diameter too large for the chamber.  The bolt slams the round into the chamber and jams it in place.  Once inside it's a bear to extract.        
 

Am I at risk of causing damage to the chamber when this happens, or are the steel cases not hard enough to cause concern?

It should be soft enough steel that it doesn't cause permanent damage in a chrome lined chamber.  I still wouldn't bother trying to shoot them, too much of a pain trying to clear them later.        
 

Agreed - I just sent a note to Wolf and provided the picture I posted above and an explanation of the problem. I'll see what they say. I've always understood that Wolf steel ammo is the most consistent and preferred of steel ammo for range use. This is disappointing. Luckily I have other ammo in the short term.

Never load any ammo that looks defective in any way. I won't shoot steel case in anything but Commie guns, and even then only as a last resort. You are very fortunate that your rifle didn't fire with the bolt out-of-battery.

That ammo, at least the rounds that are obviously trashed, should be returned to the manufacturer. Make sure you include the original box with the lot number. Contact them with those pictures and see if they'll send you a refund or replacement. All ammo companies, even Wolf, want to know about problems like this. Quality control is a top priority because of the liability issues associated with people being injured or worse.

If you examine the AR bolt and carrier design you will see it is highly unlikely for an out of battery discharge to occur.



The bolt rotates into position(locks), then the carrier must finish closing before the firing pin can reach the primer.  Every shot the firing pin is pulled back from the bolt from the carrier and cannot touch the primer until the bolt is in battery.





 

This helps me better understand what has been happening actually. I was especially confused as to why I would be getting a "click" and no bang in this situation. The firing pin can't reach the primer due to the bolt carrier being too far back (due to the round not being fully seated because of the case necks). After I hammered on the bolt carrier group for a while I cocked the hammer and put the thing back together and fired the round successfully from a safe distance. And it was able to extract normally. I think I got that right?

    Iseen it also on their 55 GR. rounds also

You had me feeling out about the wolf gold I just bought, but I checked every box (1000rds) and they're all fine.  I'm sure wolf will replace them, I've heard good things about their customer service.

i also have wolf gold and that stuff is quite nice. never had a problem with it like this stuff. no response from wolf yet. i used the contact form on their website - wonder if i should try something else or keep waiting?

Bad batch.  It happens.  Wolf will swap it out.

the cases are like this before theyre even out of the cardboard box. not being caused by the rifle.

Straight up defective ammo problem,  then.

Yup, I'd say nothing else it could be. When I posted the thread I figured it had to be something with the ammo, but I just couldn't really wrap my head around exactly how cases deformed like this could be getting stuck so bad (this is my first AR).

Gonna try Wolf again Monday if I don't hear anything back from them. I figure they might be slow since it has been Thanksgiving most of the week.