With some of you with a lot of experience offer some suggestions as to why all of a sudden my mags don't click in place easily. I can get them to seat if I hammer them with the heel of my hand. But I don't feel comfortable hammering things into place. One of the mags is a Bushmaster and the other a Colt.  They all worked before.

I pulled the bolt assembly apart and cleaned it well. But the problem still persists. Is it possible to overload a magazine?

sdodd

Yes you might be getting 31 in the mags, this will make it near impossible to seat the mag with the carrier forward.
how does it work with the carrier locked back?

Hmm, no problem wit the bolt carrier back.  Must be OK then ...

sdodd

Unload the magazine, and count 30 rounds into it. The last cartridge should be on the right side.



If it is too difficult for you to seat with the full 30 rounders, download to 28.

yep GTG i never seat a mag with the carrier forward, just no need.
Slide mag in, hit bolt release, bamm ready to go.
No banging or pounding of the magazine at all.