Here's a poser for you...

Rastoff

Rastoff

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I have a new AR. The other day I was shooting and the expended magazine did not drop freely when the mag release was pressed. This happened with every mag. I figured I'd check it later. A few hours after I got home, I inserted and ejected an empty mag a few times. It dropped freely every time. I checked a couple and they all worked fine.

What is the deal? Any ideas why they would work fine at one point and not at another? The temperature was the same at both locations.
 
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Perhaps the heat from being fired made the magazine swell? Have no clue... plastic mags or aluminum?
 
Not sure why, but you can always adjust the mag catch to loosen its hold on the mags. Press the mag catch button and turn the mag catch itself counter clockwise a couple of turns and see if that helps next time you go to the range.
 
It could be the weight of the loaded mag when inserted,the presure created against the magwell from the recoil as the weapon is being fired,thus vibration "seating" the mag in the well along with the heat.

It was an early problem with the M-16's and why they were issued with only 20 round mags (30's had a tendency to jam) and "they" didn't really like us tapeing two 20's together for the same reason.

I think the key to your problem is the weapons temperature was different at the two different locations and they didn't do it empty and cold.
 
Could be the bolt was forward at home when you inserted the mags and seated differently? Did you try reinserting the same empty mag while at the range to see if it then dropped? I don't know, but I would first look for something that you are doing differently at home than at the range to lead you back to the root cause of the rifle not functioning properly before I got out a thermometer.:D
 
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Thanks for the comments. Some clarification:
The mags were all empty when this was happening.
The bolt was open.
They are all P-Mags.

It's not getting caught on the magazine catch, I checked that and tried to loosen it a little as suggested above.

It could be a warm or hot gun vs a cold gun.

At home the mags lock in easily with the bolt closed or open. They eject fine with the bolt closed or open.
 
My wife's M&P has a mag well that's on the small size of specs. She has to choose her mags carefully or else they do not eject. You could have the same and the mags hang up warm.
 
Dear God.................:rolleyes:


It's not temperature. The Pmags worked just fine all over A-stan; from the summer (100+ degrees) to the winter (-20 degrees.)

If anything, dust on the mag can grip a little in the magwell. And, the mag release on a Ca. version rifle, aka bullet button is often not the picture perfect release.

I don't know where you would put a rectal thermometer on a rifle to test it's temperature......I don't think my AR has a hole in the butt-stock.....:p
 
Insert the empty mag, then pull the charging handle all the way back--see if this recreates it.

I have a feeling there is a bind somewhere. Could be the bolt catch, a tight mag well, the lower itself, etc.
 
rojodiablo said:
Dear God.................:rolleyes:


It's not temperature. The Pmags worked just fine all over A-stan; from the summer (100+ degrees) to the winter (-20 degrees.)

If anything, dust on the mag can grip a little in the magwell. And, the mag release on a Ca. version rifle, aka bullet button is often not the picture perfect release.

I don't know where you would put a rectal thermometer on a rifle to test it's temperature......I don't think my AR has a hole in the butt-stock.....:p
Click to expand...

So then why would it not work right after firing but works fine at home? Would the mag or magwell have less dust at home than at the range, without cleaning?

And I don't need a rectal thermometer to know that the rifle gets warm after 30 rounds... a quick finger on the bolt will let you know that it is hotter than when you started.

Like I said, I don't know, was just a theory, but it doesn't sound any more far fetched than the dust theory. :D
 
Well... If it's not the mag, magwell or catch, and it's not related to debris... Then I vote for a disturbance in Earth's magnetic field creating the phenomenon of magnetic attraction between plastic and aluminum. It could happen...
 
keep it civil boys... honest question from a member seeking advice. i don't use/have or have owned a poly lower so i can't really speak to that. maybe the condition the rifle was in IE, 1,2,3. was it bolt back, bolt forward, did you try with a snap cap if so? odd problem for sure. i'll be following this thread to hear the outcome...
 
getoff said:
keep it civil boys... honest question from a member seeking advice. i don't use/have or have owned a poly lower so i can't really speak to that. maybe the condition the rifle was in IE, 1,2,3. was it bolt back, bolt forward, did you try with a snap cap if so? odd problem for sure. i'll be following this thread to hear the outcome...
Click to expand...

It's all good... we are all friends here! The conversation wouldn't be any different if we were having it over a beer. Just friendly ribbing, nobody is getting hurt feelings. :D
 
My wife suggested that it could be from the vacuum created after the projectile is forced from the barrel. I don't believe she is right either, but don't tell her that! :cool:
 
Maddmax said:
You might have just found your problem... polymer lower. Give it a good clean out and see what it does.
Click to expand...
If cleaning is an issue, why did they stick at the range and not at home?

cyphertext said:
My wife suggested that it could be from the vacuum created after the projectile is forced from the barrel. I don't believe she is right either, but don't tell her that! :cool:
Click to expand...
Um, ok, but I'm not sure there is a vacuum created when the gun is fired. I'm not ruling anything out though...

getoff said:
maybe the condition the rifle was in IE, 1,2,3. was it bolt back, bolt forward, did you try with a snap cap if so?
Click to expand...
Bolt back. I didn't try it with a snap cap for two reasons. One, the mag was empty when I had this problem so, I don't think a snap cap would make a difference. Second, I don't have any .223 snap caps so, it's a moot point anyway.

I just checked it a few more times. The empty mag drops out easily here in my office. Tried it with the bolt open and with it closed. It only comes out faster with the bolt closed. I expect that because of the follower pressure against the closed bolt.

This lower is an experiment. It was inexpensive so, I figured I'd give it a shot (pun intended). So far, I have no complaints except this mag thing. I'll try to get to the range next week and see if it does it again. If it continues to hang the mag at the range, It will be decommissioned.
 
Rastoff said:
Um, ok, but I'm not sure there is a vacuum created when the gun is fired. I'm not ruling anything out though...
Click to expand...

That was what I told her... showed her the space between the upper and lowers... she is a science person, but not an engineer or firearms person. :D
 
OK, I solved it. Apparently when I checked the mags at home, I didn't check all of them. :o:o Sure enough, some dropped free and some hung up a little. A little lube and all is well. Now all the mags drop right out.
 
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