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Posted: 3/5/2016 3:11:49 PM EDT
New AR owner, cleaned and lubed the gun using tutorials after buying it new. Shot flawlessly through the first three mags using some 223 from freedom ammunitions. After that the gun started only firing the first round. The second round would sometimes chamber and all i would get is a click and i would have to clear it. Other times it would give me this jam after firing the first round. 
Brought the gun home and broke it down, found the gas key was loose. Tightened it, you experts think that was the sole problem or do i have other things to worry about? |
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Yea, likely the problem was just a loose gas key. As mentioned, make sure to stake it to ensure it doesn't loosen up again.
I would probably also make sure the key doesn't bind up in any way to the gas tube. By hand and with just the upper off the lower, put the BCG into the upper and push it home slowly, making sure they are line up. |
| Thanks for the info. Trying to decide on taking the BCG to a gunsmith or just taking a hammer and punch to it. Buying the staking tool doesn't sit too well with me after spending a good chunk on this brand new gun. I'll figure it out and with some luck be running the thing flawlessly like those first three mags. |
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The metal from the key just needs to be peen into the side spines of the bolts (not the other way around).
Hence if you are trying peen the hardened metal head of the bolt, this just ends up with the torque value to the bolt lost instead. As for the key bolts, pull and throw the old ones away, and reinstall new key bolts torqued to 37 in lbs before you stake the key metal into the nut spines. Again, do not try to peen the bolts heads in any way, only the key metal itself into the spines of the bolts, and as for the old bolts, they have over steached and will just end up with one of both of them snapping soon instead. As for the key staking tool, it does do a new job of such, but so does just using a punch to peen the key metal into the side nut spines as well. |
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Quoted:
The metal from the key just needs to be peen into the side spines of the bolts (not the other way around). Hence if you are trying peen the hardened metal head of the bolt, this just ends up with the torque value to the bolt lost instead. As for the key bolts, pull and throw the old ones away, and reinstall new key bolts torqued to 37 in lbs before you stake the key metal into the nut spines. Again, do not try to peen the bolts heads in any way, only the key metal itself into the spines of the bolts, and as for the old bolts, they have over steached and will just end up with one of both of them snapping soon instead. As for the key staking tool, it does do a new job of such, but so does just using a punch to peen the key metal into the side nut spines as well. Thanks, you know a site that sells those bolts? |
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I'm going to suggest that even though the gas key was loose(define what you mean by loose) there appears to be other issues as well. Looking at the picture you attached if that is a live round being fed into the chamber but stuck in that position this might be indicative of more than just leaking gas. If the BCG retracted back far enough to pick up the next round in the mag(enough gas) but did not go into battery then you've got either rubbing parts or weak recoil spring.
Typically short stroking will eject the spent case but not pick up the next round in the magazine and/or sometimes cause the BCG to not lock back on an empty mag. Try this....load a magazine with a few rounds and see how far the recoil spring will push the next round out of the magazine toward battery while riding the charging handle. I realize it will more than likely be retarded at some point but it might help identify some dragging. In the mean time just tighten the gas key and see if that fixes the issue temporarily. Follow the other suggestions as well. |
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Quoted:
I'm going to suggest that even though the gas key was loose(define what you mean by loose) there appears to be other issues as well. Looking at the picture you attached if that is a live round being fed into the chamber but stuck in that position this might be indicative of more than just leaking gas. If the BCG retracted back far enough to pick up the next round in the mag(enough gas) but did not go into battery then you've got either rubbing parts or weak recoil spring. Typically short stroking will eject the spent case but not pick up the next round in the magazine and/or sometimes cause the BCG to not lock back on an empty mag. Try this....load a magazine with a few rounds and see how far the recoil spring will push the next round out of the magazine toward battery while riding the charging handle. I realize it will more than likely be retarded at some point but it might help identify some dragging. In the mean time just tighten the gas key and see if that fixes the issue temporarily. Follow the other suggestions as well. I could wiggle the key around with my hand and unscrew the bolts by hand after getting back from the range. Im not sure if thats a live round or the spent casing from the first round of the clip (the only one that would fire). |
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