Posted: 3/14/2009 6:48:34 PM EDT
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So today I had my first hiccup with my Bushmaster... Since buying it in December I have had no problems whatsoever and have put nearly 1000 rounds of different quality ammo. Today I was shooting with my buddies while on spring break and we get through 120 rounds of Winchester 5.56 55gr FMJ and one box of PMC flawlessly. I load another 20 rounds of Winchester in my MPAG and charge the rifle.
Boom....Click. The next round fails to load. I eject the magazine, clear the rifle and inspect it. I insert the magazine again, charge the rifle and boom... Click. I clear the rifle once more and the third time one shot gets off and the next round fails to chamber and becomes wedged between the bolt and the barrel... I said thats it, shes done. time to get her cleaned up which I just finished doing. I have never had this happen so understandably Im worried. Can someone explain what might have occured or went wrong? Is this a magazine problem? |
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So today I had my first hiccup with my Bushmaster... Since buying it in December I have had no problems whatsoever and have put nearly 1000 rounds of different quality ammo. Today I was shooting with my buddies while on spring break and we get through 120 rounds of Winchester 5.56 55gr FMJ and one box of PMC flawlessly. I load another 20 rounds of Winchester in my MPAG and charge the rifle. Boom....Click. The next round fails to load. I eject the magazine, clear the rifle and inspect it. I insert the magazine again, charge the rifle and boom... Click. I clear the rifle once more and the third time one shot gets off and the next round fails to chamber and becomes wedged between the bolt and the barrel... I said thats it, shes done. time to get her cleaned up which I just finished doing. I have never had this happen so understandably Im worried. Can someone explain what might have occured or went wrong? Is this a magazine problem? I had the same thing happen with my PMAG. Just ensure it is seated completely in the well. To check, drop the mag, reinsert and then tug on it. PMAGs, from what I understand, have a hard time seating with the bolt forward. |
And people give me the look  when I say I don't care for PMags.
Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. |
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1k plus and zero issues and then it falls on it's face? Gun smith O'clock. $250.00 Or you can fix it yourself for about $10.00. Clean and lube. Try another mag Check the gas rings. Etc. Well i was an idiot and I took the bolt carrier key off for the first time not knowing that the keys need to be tightened to 37in lbs and staked. |
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1k plus and zero issues and then it falls on it's face? Gun smith O'clock. $250.00 Or you can fix it yourself for about $10.00. Clean and lube. Try another mag Check the gas rings. Etc. Well i was an idiot and I took the bolt carrier key off for the first time not knowing that the keys need to be tightened to 37in lbs and staked. Staked? Not really. They do need to be tight but most of mine are not. |
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1k plus and zero issues and then it falls on it's face? Gun smith O'clock. $250.00 Or you can fix it yourself for about $10.00. Clean and lube. Try another mag Check the gas rings. Etc. Well i was an idiot and I took the bolt carrier key off for the first time not knowing that the keys need to be tightened to 37in lbs and staked. Staked? Not really. They do need to be tight but most of mine are not. The carrier key needs to be tight but many are not properly staked and work fine. Check the gas rings and replace (cheap). Keep the action clean and run it well lubed. |
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Try several of the fixes suggested here, but don't get discouraged or waste a lot of time.
Call Bushmaster, and they'll probably suggest you send the upper to them. Mine's a 2005 and had FTE problems. Like a good little soldier I did every thing suggested here, and all suggestions were appropriate. But the problem persisted. I sent it to Bushmaster, they worked the Maine Magic on it, and within a couple of weeks it arrived at my door, fixed, and with no return shipping charges. Can't beat that for service. good luck! |
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I had the same problem happen to my rifle just a couple of days ago. Here's the thread I posted on the Magazine forum...
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=17&t=431614&page=2� |
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And people give me the look when I say I don't care for PMags.
Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. I'm with you on that... Right before this last Deployment to Iraq I had some pmags go down in the middle of table 3. I will never put my life on pmags I pick up some CMMG SS followers and never looked back. 
Never had a problem with CMMG. |
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Quoted: And people give me the look when I say I don't care for PMags. Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. I'm not sure how > 1,000 rounds of flawless functioning followed by a sudden problem suggests an inherent problem with the PMag. |
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1k plus and zero issues and then it falls on it's face? Gun smith O'clock. $250.00 Or you can fix it yourself for about $10.00. Clean and lube. Try another mag Check the gas rings. Etc. Well i was an idiot and I took the bolt carrier key off for the first time not knowing that the keys need to be tightened to 37in lbs and staked. Now we're getting somewhere. 40in/lbs don't have to be staked but I highly suggest threadlocker. Blue at a minimum as loctite is temp sensitive and tends to breakdown under high temps. Get that carrier key tightened down, lube it up and try that pmag again. |
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And people give me the look when I say I don't care for PMags.
Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. I'm not sure how > 1,000 rounds of flawless functioning followed by a sudden problem suggests an inherent problem with the PMag. You're right it does seem more like it needs oil or cleaning. But I've never had an issue running a 1000rds through one using standard issued mags either. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: And people give me the look when I say I don't care for PMags. Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. I'm not sure how > 1,000 rounds of flawless functioning followed by a sudden problem suggests an inherent problem with the PMag. You're right it does seem more like it needs oil or cleaning. But I've never had an issue running a 1000rds through one using standard issued mags either. And the vast majority of PMag users (including myself) that I've heard from have never had an issue running > 1,000 rds. through their ARs either. So I'm not sure I follow the point of your second statement. |
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And people give me the look when I say I don't care for PMags.
Just load up some standard aluminum mags and see if it helps. I've never had an issue using them in my Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA and all I use is Monarch imported steel cased ammo. The only thing I change up is installing some Magpul followers. I'm not sure how > 1,000 rounds of flawless functioning followed by a sudden problem suggests an inherent problem with the PMag. You're right it does seem more like it needs oil or cleaning. But I've never had an issue running a 1000rds through one using standard issued mags either. And the vast majority of PMag users (including myself) that I've heard from have never had an issue running > 1,000 rds. through their ARs either. So I'm not sure I follow the point of your second statement. Dan this was a little before your time; Mag pul had a big recall in 07... check to see if you have a born on date of 06/07 and they did a one for one on the bodies. No telling how many 06/07 pmags are out there ( all Gen 2) 
They pulled the info off there web site but left the head line. JULY 2, 2007 Magpul announces pre-6/07 PMAG free voluntary exchange. Details can be found by clicking here. ar15armory.com http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/Magpul-PMag-body-exchange-program-2-t18133.html Shooters Connection I found something out just recently about the Magpul PMAG’s You may have some customers that have purchased our PMAG extensions and are not getting them to work with their PMAG’s. The one thing you will need to ask them is for the date code on their PMAG. If their PMAG was manufactured before 06/07, it is under a recall from Magpul and they should return the body to Magpul Industries per the instructions on the Magpul website: http://www.magpul.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80_120&products_id=271 This is a free replacement service that Magpul provides for their customers. http://shootersconnection.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1235 |
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"If the problem persists I will take her somwehere...." Suit yourself. I gave you the best advice I had to give.  I know and I will take your advice and look my rifle over and do as you said. I didn't mean any disrespect by that statement. Afterall you guys have been a big help to me. |
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Quoted: Dan this was a little before your time; Mag pul had a big recall in 07... check to see if you have a born on date of 06/07 and they did a one for one on the bodies. No telling how many 06/07 pmags are out there ( all Gen 2) I'm aware of that recall. But it really has nothing to do with my point, which was to question why someone would conclude that the magaze was at fault for a failure when it had worked trouble-free for over 1,000 rounds. |
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Well I went pig hunting tonight with some friends to try out my Bushmaster...Didnt get any pigs but I got an excuse to try the magazines out.
I shot 7 rounds ut of my 20rd aluminum magazine without any problems whatsoever. Then switched out with my PMAG that I had trouble with last time. Shot 5 rounds without any problems. I know this prob isn't a good "test" to see if the mags are the problem but she was well lubed and worked like a champ. Im def gonna go to the rage after class sometime this week and put 100 or so rounds through just to make sure. Im also going to change the gas rings. Hopefully it was just a bad day and this wont happen again. Could this have been an issue of not lubing the bolt and chamber effectively? |