299 views, 7 likes, 16 loves, 55 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from New Hope Community Church: 4/30/23 Weak or Broken Extractor Spring replace spring that is no longer serviceable. Using pliers or a rubber mallet is your best option if there has been severe damage, do what you need to but be careful not to damage any other pieces. Where 30 round magazines are involved in repeated stoppages and feeding malfunctions its not uncommon to find a specific problem: There isnt enough room at the top of a fully loaded 30-round magazine for the magazine catch to take hold of it and the spring is already depressed so far that there is no give. the back of the bolt carrier can be machined a little differently depending on the manufacturer. The charging handle is what cocks back the bolt mechanism in the rifle. Once the bolt is locked back move the safety selector to the safe position and take out the magazine. A place for responsible gun owners and enthusiasts to talk about guns without the politics. Can You Use an AR-15 Charging Handle In an AR-9? The other ten percent will require the operator to use his or her fingers to clear the brass by sweeping them though the magazine well. The charging handle is located inside the upper receiver and gets pulled back above the buffer tube and stock of the rifle. In this case, you may be able to resolve your problem with a simple tap, rack and reassess, but if the failure recurs with any frequency, it is likely your rifle has a true malfunction that needs to be addressed. You can not use an AR-15 charging handle in an AR-10 upper receiver because the AR-10 has a larger bolt carrier and upper receiver assembly. Receive exclusive deals, new product announcements and need to know information. The standard mil-spec charging handle can be easily found in most gun stores and online. We have suspended all shipments to Washington residents due to the signing of HB1240. Categorized as a failure to chamber or feed, the simple problem of an improper lock due to a magazine that is either setting against the ground or influenced by forward pressure will create a malfunction that is easily remedied by using tap and tug and keeping your magazine clear of the ground and other obstacles. Nous partageons galement des informations sur votre usage de notre site avec nos rseaux sociaux, publicitaires et partenaires d'analyse. Pull the charging handle all the way to the rear and release it every time. There are several common categories of malfunction. The article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Im having the same issue with my new SA piston kit rifle length on the Falkor Defense Receiver set. One new winner* is announced every week! Neckbone Armory is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The remedy will depend on whether the cartridge is actually stuck in the chamber and if another round has been fed. After looking at the most common stoppages and malfunctions of the AR-15, you really need to take away two things: The AR-15 functions best when kept clean and lubricated, dont neglect basic rifle hygiene! Apply steady pressure. Strong springs, components with quality finishes and parts that fit properly are essential for trouble free operation of the AR-15 weapon system. When you pull back on the charging handle, it hooks over the gas key on the bolt carrier, a little staked down piece on top of the bolt carrier that the gas tube settles into. Its sometime stuck and I can barely pull the charging handle back. Assuming youve ruled out magazine issues, you may have a damaged, worn or completely broken buffer spring. It will require fairly aggressive handling to gain the space you will need to clear the stuck round. When a failure to extract occurs, the bolt and bolt carrier may short stroke, or they may return completely rearward. It pulls the bolt carrier to the rear which opens the breech, ejects spent rounds, and cocks the hammer in one fluid motion. I just finished building my first AR-15. You may have heard stories of AR-15 jamming, failure to feed, and short stroke and wonder what causes them. Obviously, if you do find damage to the firing pin, it will require replacement. An upgraded charging handle may be more important to some than it is to others but I like to think its more important for some applications that it is for others. Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. This malfunction can be difficult to resolve. There are parts out there, and all it will take to get them is a little more time and effort. The most common AR-15 malfunctions are: failure to feed, failure to fire, short stroke, failure to eject, and failure to extract. It is possible that an unfired cartridge could be in the chamber. Most AR-15 charging handles will fit an AR-9 and are generally considered interchangeable. Once youve taken the pressure off the stuck round(s) youll need to rip out your magazine. If the stock is rotated out of alignment, then the charging handle can bind up at the front top of the stock. The extra few bucks for an upgraded charging handle will seem like a no brainer in that moment. Stopping Power and Caliber. It pulls the bolt carrier to the rear which opens the breech, ejects spent rounds, and cocks the hammer in one fluid motion. Failure to Feed (FTF) Failure to feed (FTF) is one of the most common malfunctions you'll encounter as a gun owner. Common Causes and What Can be Done to Prevent It, Why a Glock Will Stovepipe: Failure to Eject Issues Resolved, Which Revolver Is Most Powerful? When I pull back on the charging handle (BCM Gunfighter), it clicks at the full retraction point and is then loose, i.e., no spring tension to bring it back forward. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Now, the bolt isnt far enough along to use the forward assist to complete the cycle so what do you do? If you are shooting and experience a situation in which there is unusually weak recoil or a weak pop rather than the weapons normal report, you should stop immediately and lock the bolt to the rear. All you can do for this one is head back to the bench, brake the rifle down, and replace that spring with a quality replacement buffer spring like the one offered in Spikes Tactical AR-15 Buffer Tube Assembly Kit. Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. The charging handle is only operated manually. I used a flathead screw driver and it worked! Prevention? 1) You manually locked the bolt to the rear by actuating the bolt catch/bolt release mechanism while pulling back on the charging handle. Thats right, cycle it again. Will call SA customer service on Monday. This was runner up for best overall but its really a great ambidextrous option. Read on and learn about why your charging handle wont pull back and how to fix it. Up for a few 29-round mags, anyone? Either of which will inevitably cause AR-15 jamming. Heres a quick video showing the process, with written steps below: To remove an AR-15 charging handle the upper must be removed from the lower receiver or at least separated by removing the rear takedown pin. Left-handed shooters should use the right hand to feed a fresh mag and their trigger finger to release the bolt. Just finished my build and no ammo through it as of yet. If you have frequent double-feeds and youre a fan of 30-round mags, you just might be creating your own malfunction. Next, use the index finger to unlatch. Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. All Rights Reserved. You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. The appearance of a stovepipe jam is the source of its moniker. The correction of a brass over bolt malfunction requires a bit of force, but it really isnt a dire situation. Hi my name is Neckbone and I started this site because I love firearms and shooting sports. Strike upward against the charging handle taking care not to break it. i swapped the bolt for a Spike Tactical BCG and the rifle cycles fine with the upper closed and pinned. Without a charging handle, the user couldnt load a round into the chamber to ready the weapon for firing. Lock the BCG to the rear of the action and change the safety selector to safe. The cartridge that should have been ejected does not exit through the ejection port, but either stays part way in the chamber or ends up jammed into the upper when the bolt comes forward. You can misalign the ammunition inside the magazine or, if its backed by a strong magazine spring, you could even knock loose a round to try to jump into the chamber prematurely. AR-15 mortaring technique unjam a stuck bolt & charging - YouTube The top of the AR-9 bolt carrier is built to mimic a standard AR-15 with a mounted gas key for the charging handle to grab onto. In addition, the charging handle is used to manually cycle the bolt group. First, lets look at what makes up a charging handle. Charging handle would not pull back. While we consider the double-feed a simple stoppage, magazine function often contributes to this type of stoppage. The only other thing I changed out on the lower was a Norgon Ambi-Mag release and the Ultimate Arms Gear Ambi Safety. The best overall charging handle that Ive had the pleasure of using is the Geissele Super Charging Handle Found Here because of its ease of use and quality of build. It will operate the same way in an AR-15 or an AR-9. In fact, the going estimate is that 90 to 95 percent of all stoppages can be resolved with a quick run through of this process. For more information, please see our When one of these things occurs, what youre experiencing is a stoppage of your AR system. Then, using the elbow (not the shoulder), cycle the handle aggressively . In this case, you might get the first round off, and then the magazine falls away, knocked loose by recoil. Stoppages may be caused by simple human error or by mechanical malfunction. In order to determine which cause has created your failure to fire malfunction, inspect the round which failed to go off. The most common reason an AR-15 has trouble pulling back is because the charging handle is warped. By removing some of the coatings or paint, you can free up space for the charging handle to move freely in its track. In my case, i found it was the Bolt Carrier Group. This is a double-feed. The handle and bolt catch are used together to manually lock the bolt open. It is always best to simply release the charging handle and let the buffer spring do the work of returning the bolt carrier. You have entered an incorrect email address! Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more. When the charging handle is released the bolt strips a round from the magazine and loads it into the chamber. 3) You fired all of the ammunition and the bolt catch / bolt release mechanism engaged automatically once your . Youre now ready to fire. The strong hand pulls the handle slightly to the rear, allowing you to confirm theres a round chambered or that the chamber is clear. Gas systems are also at risk of not holding enough pressure to properly cycle when they become fouled. I'm guessing I have a bolt that's out of spec. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win. However, it can be a bit tricky if you arent aware of the l process. Incorrect technique could also break the latch, allowing the charging handle to follow the bolt back, thereby impacting your head. The stovepipe jam is simply diagnosed. While this may work, you still wont have a round chambered and ready to fire. Pull the bolt all the way back and lock it in place. The charging handle not pulling back on your rifle could signify significant problems on the inside. The first thing you will need to do is pull the bolt back and lock it in the rearward position. Thanks for any help. When the takedown pin is pulled, the upper and lower fit together tighter and the changing handle and bolt can be pulled back. Before you go any further, simply be sure that your magazine is loaded properly and solidly seated. A right-handed shooter releases the bolt by pressing with the thumb of the left hand.