DK Firearms

extractor issues. AR15

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  • Vaquero

    Moving stuff to the gas prices thread.....
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    Where would you start in diagnosing the problem?
    The rims are nearly ripped off of the casings. It's a buddies gun. AR15, factory build, no mods.
    Factory ammo. PPU and Winchester headstamps both have the damage.
    Target Sports
     
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    Acera

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    He might have a sticky chamber. Had a buddy with the same issue, we used steel wool and a drill to polish the chamber up and it solved the problem.
     

    TexasRedneck

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    WHATEVER you do, do it one thing at a time. Only reason (IMO) that there'd be that kind of damage on a case would be if it was sticking in the chamber, so that's where I'd start. How "free" are one of the spent cartridges going in and out of the chamber?
     

    Dawico

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    WHATEVER you do, do it one thing at a time. Only reason (IMO) that there'd be that kind of damage on a case would be if it was sticking in the chamber, so that's where I'd start. How "free" are one of the spent cartridges going in and out of the chamber?

    This.

    As stated by Acera the chamber appears rough and is holding the cases in too tight.
     

    Shorts

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    He might have a sticky chamber. Had a buddy with the same issue, we used steel wool and a drill to polish the chamber up and it solved the problem.

    That's what I'd look at as well.

    I would be curious to know what spring and O-ring/bushing that extractor has in it too.
     

    TX69

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    He might have a sticky chamber. Had a buddy with the same issue, we used steel wool and a drill to polish the chamber up and it solved the problem.

    No offense but I would never use steel wool and a drill in a rifle chamber.
     

    AaronP220

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    Clean the chamber and make sure rounds aren't sticking.

    CLEAN IT. Don't get in there with a dremel and start getting crazy. Gunsmiths make a LOT of money with sentences that started with "well, I pulled out my dremel". They make chamber brushes and cleaning solutions. If possible, shoot it after that and see if the issue is still there. If it is, look at your gas system. Are you running a really short gas system? If so, pull the tube and clean it with the gas block. Check the gas rings etc.

    If the chamber is good and your extractor is still trying to rip the rim off the case that tells me the bullet is still in the barrel when your bolt is trying to unlock and you have a gas issue. When you fire a rifle, the case expands in the chamber. When the pressure drops after the bullet gets passed the gas block the case shrinks back down, the bolt unlocks and the round ejects. When you shorten gas systems on AR or it’s not tuned right (dwell time etc) you're basically trying to rip the case out while it's still expanded from bullet firing pressure. How companies try to get around this is they make the extractor grab the case like a mother (which is where the extractor spring coupled with a rubber donut comes in) and allow the extractor to literally rip the case out of the chamber while it’s still expanded.

    So, look at your chamber make sure it’s clean and then clean the gas system, check the rings etc and then shoot again. If this is a problem that just started showing up after you’ve shot it for a long time without issue then it’s probably time for some maintinence.
     

    Stumpnav

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    Is it a new gun or has it run fine for a while and is just starting to misbehave?

    what brand and model is it? I helped a buddy resolve an ejection problem on his AR. After trying everything I thought it could be I did some research and found out that particular model was known for bad gas blocks. A new gas block later his AR runs like a scalded dog.
     

    cbigclarke

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    Is it a new gun or has it run fine for a while and is just starting to misbehave?

    what brand and model is it? I helped a buddy resolve an ejection problem on his AR. After trying everything I thought it could be I did some research and found out that particular model was known for bad gas blocks. A new gas block later his AR runs like a scalded dog.

    you care to share that brand and model with the rest of us
     

    shortround

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    Chambered for .223 or 5.56?

    Name of factory that built the rifle?

    How many rounds were fired before problem surfaced?

    Any steel cases fired before the brass-cased ammo? If so, how many rounds?

    Is the bolt factory original, or has it been modified in any way -- especially the extractor and buffer spring assembly?

    Does an unfired factory round extract and eject cleanly (do this only after removing firing pin)?

    Was chamber properly cleaned with an AR-15 chamber brush before the shooting session?

    Gas system is not the problem: A faulty gas system would not generate enough pressure for the extractor to rip the rim off a brass cartridge case.

    Generally, stuck cases are caused by excessive build-up of carbon in the chamber, or more rarely a too tight chamber.
     

    Ole Cowboy

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    Clean the chamber and make sure rounds aren't sticking.

    CLEAN IT. Don't get in there with a dremel and start getting crazy. Gunsmiths make a LOT of money with sentences that started with "well, I pulled out my dremel". They make chamber brushes and cleaning solutions. If possible, shoot it after that and see if the issue is still there. If it is, look at your gas system. Are you running a really short gas system? If so, pull the tube and clean it with the gas block. Check the gas rings etc.

    If the chamber is good and your extractor is still trying to rip the rim off the case that tells me the bullet is still in the barrel when your bolt is trying to unlock and you have a gas issue. When you fire a rifle, the case expands in the chamber. When the pressure drops after the bullet gets passed the gas block the case shrinks back down, the bolt unlocks and the round ejects. When you shorten gas systems on AR or it’s not tuned right (dwell time etc) you're basically trying to rip the case out while it's still expanded from bullet firing pressure. How companies try to get around this is they make the extractor grab the case like a mother (which is where the extractor spring coupled with a rubber donut comes in) and allow the extractor to literally rip the case out of the chamber while it’s still expanded.

    So, look at your chamber make sure it’s clean and then clean the gas system, check the rings etc and then shoot again. If this is a problem that just started showing up after you’ve shot it for a long time without issue then it’s probably time for some maintinence.
    Right on with that.

    Be it a new or old gun you might try polishing the chamber:

    When I have an ejection issue my first inspection and effort to repeat is the mag. CHecking for seating, rocking, dirt etc. If you cannot trace it to A mag then my next step is the chamber. I like to sue some medium steel wool and give the chamber a good polish. Look in the chamber and at a light and look for concentric light rings as you move the upper around. If its dirty, has any burnishing or brass marking in the chamber then you may want to put some BRASSO on your steel wool. BRASSO will polish to mil spec optical clarity. You will find a lot of pilots use BRASSO on the helmets to remove slight scratches and restore the optical clarity of the face lens. This is safe procedure, it would take a LOT of effort to remove any measurable amount of metal, what you are doing is polishing. Use you HAND and a arbor such as wood in a combo twisting and turning back and forth action, No Dremels allowed.

    NOTE: BRASSO contains some ammonia so a good cleaning of the chamber and bbl after you polish the chamber is in order...do NOT let ammonia set inside you bbl or BCG. Use it with a purpose and clean immediately. Long exposure with a stong (household) solution can cause pitting. Brasso has <1% ammonia.

    If after doing a mag test and a chamber polish you are still having ejection issues then address the other issues 1 by 1...
     

    Vaquero

    Moving stuff to the gas prices thread.....
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    Sorry for the slow replies.

    Bushmaster brand
    unknown round count.
    no steel , ever.

    It has ripped a rim off and left a fired casing lodged in the chamber before.

    Thats all I have been able to get out of him so far.
    Honestly, he doesn't seem to want any "help".
    So, I'm not gonna worry about it anymore.

    I thank each of you for your advice and time.
    I hope I never need the knowledge imparted, but I won't forget it.
     
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