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Posted: 12/31/2013 2:44:35 PM EDT
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I am pretty new to AR's and trying to figure out why my father's Colt keeps jamming. I tested by shooting with only 1 round in the magazine and the slide stayed back each time, with 4 different shots. However, about half the time there are additional rounds in the mag, it will jam by not completely discharging the spent round. The spent round ends up jammed with a new round trying to come in. Please see photos for reference.
Also, I'm wondering what this rifle is worth if we choose to sell it and by a different one. It's a pre-ban Colt model SP1. It does have some scratches as seen in the photos. Thanks! First jam. http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/r708/rruffrruff/1AF252E2-C0B6-42B7-B63A-A7E0DA944EAE_zps6q25spkb.jpg Second jam. http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/r708/rruffrruff/542A4429-67A3-4E0C-96F3-15AED5365BE4_zpse06rkyrn.jpg Close up of jammed casings after removal. http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/r708/rruffrruff/116936A0-6964-4B91-A32F-0407650B3D34_zpsdtemv4h8.jpg Any guesses what it's worth? http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/r708/rruffrruff/ar2_zps7439a130.jpg |
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First step is to try a different magazine.
As above lubricate it per a manual. Here's an Owner's manual on line: http://stevespages.com/pdf/colt_ar15.pdf Last, the rifle has been modified so who knows what else some previous owner may have done to it. Value depends on the actual condition of the rifle. Often value goes down if the rifle has been modified, which this one has. Pre-Bnan SP1 serial numbers were below SP360200. If so, assuming the rifle is in at least 90% original condition, value would be somewhere around $2300, with deductions for non-original condition. |
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That same problem happened to me with my old Colt HBAR (heavy barrel) A2 rifle, the culprit was a bad 20 rd mag, when I tried other mags no problems.
Also same thing with my cousin's ArmaLite midlength carbine, he was using bad brands of mags, I let him try my USGI type good brand mags and the problem was gone. Here's a link on how to properly lube an AR. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_7/548967_AR15_LUBE_POINTS.html Use good lube like SLiP 2000 regular or EWL or any equivalent synthetic lube. What kind of ammo are you using? |
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The BCG should shine in the light with a nice coat of oil. Put a couple drops into the holes on the BCG that lead to the bolt. Try that. Should that not work, try new mags. If neither of those work, it's time to start looking at the BCG components themselves.
Edit. Try a new factory ammo after each if those. Do all the easy/ cheap things first. |
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If that barrel has been cut and that flash hider put on it. You wrecked it's value!  Slip on, no big deal.
Like others have said that thing is BONE DRY. I'm starting to think someone did cut down that barrel and didn't open the gas port up. Or opened it up too much. Or running the wrong buffer. Thats my 3 guesses. |
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My buffer retainer came loose during firing and lodged itself in between the fire control group, causing my bolt to lock up several times - I kept thinking it was my magazine or ammo because I would get double feeds. Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Damn lol aint that some shit.....never even heard of that happening before |
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First off, thanks for all the quick responses. I'm new to AR's and want to learn as much as I can. My Dad's owned this gun for nearly twenty years. During that time he hasn't altered it or shot it much. We know there were at least 2 previous owners, probably more. One said it was full auto at one time but I don't know that to be true. The safety will spin 360 degrees. Does that mean anything?
A few updates to things posted... - We've tried 2 Colt and 2 off brand mags (all metal) and they all act the same. - I'll have to check the brand ammo. - I looked down the flash suppressor and I can see that halfway down it (3"-4" from the tip), it narrows to barrel width. Couldn't tell how it was attached or if the barrel had been cut. - I looked on the buffer (the forward part of the rear stock, right?) and didn't see any letters stamped. I'll plan to read the links on lubricating properly. From the comments, I think MAYBE it needs some oil! 
Thanks guys! |
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First off, thanks for all the quick responses. I'm new to AR's and want to learn as much as I can. My Dad's owned this gun for nearly twenty years. During that time he hasn't altered it or shot it much. We know there were at least 2 previous owners, probably more. One said it was full auto at one time but I don't know that to be true. The safety will spin 360 degrees. Does that mean anything? A few updates to things posted... - We've tried 2 Colt and 2 off brand mags (all metal) and they all act the same. - I'll have to check the brand ammo. - I looked down the flash suppressor and I can see that halfway down it (3"-4" from the tip), it narrows to barrel width. Couldn't tell how it was attached or if the barrel had been cut. - I looked on the buffer (the forward part of the rear stock, right?) and didn't see any letters stamped. I'll plan to read the links on lubricating properly. From the comments, I think MAYBE it needs some oil!
Thanks guys! Thanks for looking. And keep us updated. |
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I think that from the looks of it, the gun is a Frankengun. Meaning that somebody put it together from parts, mostly used parts from the looks of it.
I'm no Expert, but a SP1 should have been a 20" rifle with triangular handguards, not a carbine with round handguards. I suspect that the long flash hider is screwed onto/over a 14.5" or 10.5" surplus barrel. Looks like the upper receiver has a touch up to the finish, or has been refinished since new. What I suggest that you do is get the US Government Service Manual for the M16A2/M4 and use it to field strip the gun, and disassemble the bolt to check that it is assembled properly with the right parts. Looking at the photos, the bolt carrier and bolt do not appear to have much wear on them, while the outside of the gun shows much more wear from use. When I assembled my first AR15, I had a problem with brass extraction that looked similar to your photos. At first I thought the problem was short recoil, and undergassed. But after I broke down the bolt (which I did not assemble), I found the the ejector spring insert was missing. I install a ejector spring insert, and replaced the ejector spring for good measure, and cured all of the gun's problems. What I initially thought was short recoil or a magazine problem was actually an intermittent failure to extractor due to the missing extractor spring insert. |
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Lubrication as been mentioned.
After that my money is on a weak extractor spring. Been there done that. Get a new one with the black insert. While you're at it inspect the extractor. You could add the o-ring but I don't believe its something that should be needed. After that a heavier buffer will help soften the recoil impulse. |
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First off, thanks for all the quick responses. I'm new to AR's and want to learn as much as I can. My Dad's owned this gun for nearly twenty years. During that time he hasn't altered it or shot it much. We know there were at least 2 previous owners, probably more. One said it was full auto at one time but I don't know that to be true. The safety will spin 360 degrees. Does that mean anything? A few updates to things posted... - We've tried 2 Colt and 2 off brand mags (all metal) and they all act the same. - I'll have to check the brand ammo. - I looked down the flash suppressor and I can see that halfway down it (3"-4" from the tip), it narrows to barrel width. Couldn't tell how it was attached or if the barrel had been cut. - I looked on the buffer (the forward part of the rear stock, right?) and didn't see any letters stamped. I'll plan to read the links on lubricating properly. From the comments, I think MAYBE it needs some oil!
Thanks guys! If the rifle was at one time FA then it was most likely using a DIAS. (Drop in Auto Sear) The safety spins 360 Degrees because it is an M16 selector. The slab side SP 1 receiver does not have the small stops projecting from the receiver on the left hand side. This allows the selector to spin 360. You may have the rest of the FA fire control parts in the receiver. If the selector were a semi auto selector, it would not spin 360. It would be stopped by the selector detent, which would engage the selector internally. |
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If the rifle was at one time FA then it was most likely using a DIAS. (Drop in Auto Sear) The safety spins 360 Degrees because it is an M16 selector. The slab side SP 1 receiver does not have the small stops projecting from the receiver on the left hand side. This allows the selector to spin 360. You may have the rest of the FA fire control parts in the receiver. If the selector were a semi auto selector, it would not spin 360. It would be stopped by the selector detent, which would engage the selector eternally. So how does all of this affect the value of the gun? Is this gun "rare" in any sense? We've been thinking of selling it and buying a newer one but I don't know what it's worth. Any thoughts on selling, keeping, and value? What would you do? |
| I get it now. Someone wanted to look like an old CAR-15 Link Someone had an SP1 lower, took the rifle stock off and put a carbine stock on it. Got an 11.5 upper and got that flash hider to bring it to proper length. |
| Have you fired a lot of rounds through it without issue? It's possible you have to short a buffer spring and the carrier is going past the ejection port. Put a few quarters down the buffer tube until the carrier does not go past the ejection port for an easy fix. |
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First, get some oil on that thing.Check that the extractor is ok, not rounded off, no burs... Check that the ejector moves. Oh and did I mention lube the darn thing! First thing I noticed while viewing the images was the massive lack of lube. That alone may very well solve the issue. |
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IMHO.... that is a Colt CAR-15 or a XM177 ish.... I know Colt sold them like that ( not the full auto part ) briefly.
Colt sold civilian versions with that long barrel extension ( which has since been banned by ATF as a form of sound suppressor) .... I have seen one of these before , it had a 1n14 twist barrel and was very light and handy. And it also had no raised "guard" around the magazine release. Also the straight hand guard retainer ring is a dead give away.I do not believe your rifle is a "Franken Gun" ... I believe it to be a '60s - '70s CAR-15. Do some serious research before you even consider selling it. The 1n14 twist has a following unto itself. Especially in that specific rifle. At the very least you have a Slabside SP1 , which is a very early Colt someone may have put one of these on it ....( the very bottom of the page... http://www.bushmaster.com/products.asp?cat=8.... but research it first...contact Colt with the serial number and see what they have to say. |
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So how does all of this affect the value of the gun? Is this gun "rare" in any sense? We've been thinking of selling it and buying a newer one but I don't know what it's worth. Any thoughts on selling, keeping, and value? What would you do? There are a lot of differences of your carbine with the Colt factory SP1 carbine model no. R6001 which was in production from 1977 up to 1985. The Sporter SP1 carbine R6001 production models have a lightweight 16" barrel with an A1 flash suppressor, the pivot pin have a large slotted pan heads both sides (not flush), the grips are A1 and the buttstock are vinyl acetate-covered aluminum buttstock body, with two position receiver extension (buffer tube). My first Colt carbine that I used to have was the next model that replaced this SP1 carbine, the replacement was model R6420 and the lower receiver marked "AR-15A2 Sporter II", I bought it when they first came out in '85, the differences of my carbine to the SP1 carbine was the 1/7 twist barrel, A2 closed bottom slots flash suppressor, A2 front sight, teardrop forward assist, A2 grip, and a synthetic buttstock body which are usually called CAR Fiberlite stocks. You could post your value question at the Retro forum on their tacked thread "Official Appraisal Thread Request For Appraisals Only In This Thread" (link to retro forum below). They will ask your serial number (just give them your serial number in the thousands, you don't have to give them the last three serial numbers), close up pictures of your upper half, grip, buttstock, etc., and markings of your bolt carrier and bolt (or buttstock if any). http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_3/123_AR_15___M_16_Retro_Forum.html |
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There are a lot of differences of your carbine with the Colt factory SP1 carbine model no. R6001 which was in production from 1977 up to 1985. The Sporter SP1 carbine R6001 production models have a lightweight 16" barrel with an A1 flash suppressor, the pivot pin have a large slotted pan heads both sides (not flush), the grips are A1 and the buttstock are vinyl acetate-covered aluminum buttstock body, with two position receiver extension (buffer tube). My first Colt carbine that I used to have was the next model that replaced this SP1 carbine, the replacement was model R6420 and the lower receiver marked "AR-15A2 Sporter II", I bought it when they first came out in '85, the differences of my carbine to the SP1 carbine was the 1/7 twist barrel, A2 closed bottom slots flash suppressor, A2 front sight, teardrop forward assist, A2 grip, and a synthetic buttstock body which are usually called CAR Fiberlite stocks. You could post your value question at the Retro forum on their tacked thread "Official Appraisal Thread Request For Appraisals Only In This Thread" (link to retro forum below). They will ask your serial number (just give them your serial number in the thousands, you don't have to give them the last three serial numbers), close up pictures of your upper half, grip, buttstock, etc., and markings of your bolt carrier and bolt (or buttstock if any). http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_3/123_AR_15___M_16_Retro_Forum.html Quoted:
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So how does all of this affect the value of the gun? Is this gun "rare" in any sense? We've been thinking of selling it and buying a newer one but I don't know what it's worth. Any thoughts on selling, keeping, and value? What would you do? There are a lot of differences of your carbine with the Colt factory SP1 carbine model no. R6001 which was in production from 1977 up to 1985. The Sporter SP1 carbine R6001 production models have a lightweight 16" barrel with an A1 flash suppressor, the pivot pin have a large slotted pan heads both sides (not flush), the grips are A1 and the buttstock are vinyl acetate-covered aluminum buttstock body, with two position receiver extension (buffer tube). My first Colt carbine that I used to have was the next model that replaced this SP1 carbine, the replacement was model R6420 and the lower receiver marked "AR-15A2 Sporter II", I bought it when they first came out in '85, the differences of my carbine to the SP1 carbine was the 1/7 twist barrel, A2 closed bottom slots flash suppressor, A2 front sight, teardrop forward assist, A2 grip, and a synthetic buttstock body which are usually called CAR Fiberlite stocks. You could post your value question at the Retro forum on their tacked thread "Official Appraisal Thread Request For Appraisals Only In This Thread" (link to retro forum below). They will ask your serial number (just give them your serial number in the thousands, you don't have to give them the last three serial numbers), close up pictures of your upper half, grip, buttstock, etc., and markings of your bolt carrier and bolt (or buttstock if any). http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_3/123_AR_15___M_16_Retro_Forum.html Thanks a bunch! By the way, is there any danger in posting a serial number online? Should this be kept private? |
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Thanks a bunch! By the way, is there any danger in posting a serial number online? Should this be kept private? Just don't show the last three numbers of your serial number. The danger of showing all the serial number is because some jokers might report your serial number as stolen, then when you sell it you will have to prove it with paperwork that the gun is legally yours. |
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