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Page AR-15 » AR Discussions
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 9/6/2010 5:20:00 AM EDT
Team,

I had an interesting failure at the range yesterday.  I was shooting my always reliable AR15.  I was using new factory Federal XM193 ammo with 20 round USGI magazines.  I was shooting with two associates, one right hander and one left hander. We all shot using my rifle.  We each shot a 20 round mag at the target.  I went first and had no issues, the right-hander then shot and had no issues. The left hander then shot had a failure to load mid-way through the 20 round magazine.  After removing the round, I inspected the firearm and it appeared in working order.  I inspected the magazine and it appeared to be in working order.  Inspected the round and aside from a few scrapes on the case, it appeared to be fine.

I loaded the round back into the magazine and fired the remaining rounds with no issue.  I then loaded a new 20 round magazine and the lefthander commenced firing.  After the fifth round the rifle failed to feed again.  I went through the same procedure as above.  This same failure occured three times to the lefthanded shooter.  Everytime I cleared the failure to feed, and finished out the magazine, I shot with no additional failures.  We shot a total of about 300+ rounds.  The only failures happened with the lefthander.  This rifle has never failed to feed for me in the 10 years I've owned it.  

During matches, I have often shot this rifle left handed with no issue.  After the failure, I put a 20 round mag through the rifle shooting left handed and could not repoduce this failure.  If it had only happened once, I would have chalked it up to chance.  After the third similar failure with the same shooter, I am left puzzled.

What do you think?  





Link Posted: 9/6/2010 5:37:06 AM EDT
[#1]
I'm of no help, but this line made me chuckle.

Quoted:
After the third similar failure with the same shooter, I am left puzzled.


Link Posted: 9/6/2010 5:48:04 AM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
Team,

I had an interesting failure at the range yesterday.  I was shooting my always reliable AR15.  I was using new factory Federal XM193 ammo with 20 round USGI magazines.  I was shooting with two associates, one right hander and one left hander. We all shot using my rifle.  We each shot a 20 round mag at the target.  I went first and had no issues, the right-hander then shot and had no issues. The left hander then shot had a failure to load mid-way through the 20 round magazine.  After removing the round, I inspected the firearm and it appeared in working order.  I inspected the magazine and it appeared to be in working order.  Inspected the round and aside from a few scrapes on the case, it appeared to be fine.

I loaded the round back into the magazine and fired the remaining rounds with no issue.  I then loaded a new 20 round magazine and the lefthander commenced firing.  After the fifth round the rifle failed to feed again.  I went through the same procedure as above.  This same failure occured three times to the lefthanded shooter.  Everytime I cleared the failure to feed, and finished out the magazine, I shot with no additional failures.  We shot a total of about 300+ rounds.  The only failures happened with the lefthander.  This rifle has never failed to feed for me in the 10 years I've owned it.  

During matches, I have often shot this rifle left handed with no issue.  After the failure, I put a 20 round mag through the rifle shooting left handed and could not repoduce this failure.  If it had only happened once, I would have chalked it up to chance.  After the third similar failure with the same shooter, I am left puzzled.

What do you think?  







What buffer weight are you using? Sounds like whatever it is, it may be too heavy for Lefty's limp shoulder.

Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:04:18 AM EDT
[#3]
Was the lefty holding the mag well? If he was, he may have induced the stoppage by blocking the ejection port with his thumb.
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:15:23 AM EDT
[#4]
Was he gripping or resting the mag on something?
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:17:17 AM EDT
[#5]
I blame the lefty's limp shoulder shooting style.  I know a limp wrist can cause problems with a pistol, so why not a limp shoulder?  Other than that, I am also LEFT confused.
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:26:57 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Was the lefty holding the mag well? If he was, he may have induced the stoppage by blocking the ejection port with his thumb.


I'm betting this.  Really easy to get a thumb or something just enought in the way to cause problems.  
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:31:18 AM EDT
[#7]
Another reason why you should not associate with the genetically inferior and why they should be confined to carnival life or medical experimentation.
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:47:50 AM EDT
[#8]
I had that happen to me at the range by holding the AR fairly loose at my shoulder, when I tightened it up, no problem...
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 6:48:09 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
Another reason why you should not associate with the genetically inferior and why they should be confined to carnival life or medical experimentation.

ROFLMAO!
















Link Posted: 9/6/2010 7:17:06 AM EDT
[#10]
This happened several times during my 2800 round, no lube test. Failures occurred at 1800 rounds with the weapon not properly in the shooter's shoulder. A lighter buffer solved the issue. More powerful ammo probably would have done the same.
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 7:49:00 AM EDT
[#11]
I guess that's  possible. I have an AR pistol that can't be shouldered and fires consistantly. And I use a 9mm buffer.
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 8:16:16 AM EDT
[#12]
Thanks for all the replies.  I use a standard carbine buffer and spring as this rifle has a Magpul M93 collapsible stock.  As to the ammo, Federal 5.56 XM193 is pretty powerful stuff.  I did not pay attention to if he was holding the mag or magwell.  I think it has to be something like that due to the similarity of the failure and the fact that no one else experianced a similar failure even shooting left handed.  Thanks for the diagnosis ARFCOM!  
Link Posted: 9/6/2010 9:08:41 AM EDT
[#13]
I had an issue like this.  For me it turned out to be the magazine.  Even though I thought we were all using different magazines, the one person who always had the mid-mag failure was grabbing the same magazine.  On the third failure I put the magazine aside and things went smooth.  I then loaded and shot the magazine myself and it had the same FTF mid-mag.  There were 10 magazines between 3 shooters, but sure enough 1 mag just happened to cause 1 guys problem.



I replaced the spring and follower and never had another issue with it.
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