AR-15 Trigger Loose Part

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chorning83

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At the range yesterday shooting my Rem R-15 VTR and my trigger wasn't resetting every 5 or so shots. I had to cycle my safety from safe to fire to get it to reset. When switching to safety, there was some resistance but then I could cycle it back and forth without a problem. I couldn't replicate the problem doing manual functions checks, it only happened when I actually fired live rounds.

Came home to clean the rifle and started researching what could be wrong with the trigger. I disassembled the trigger and hammer assembly and found a small cap with a hole in it rattling around inside my lower receiver. Does anyone know what this is?? I've attached pics of my trigger and hammer, but I don't know where that part would've disconnected from. The rifle is about 2 years old with all factory parts.

Thanks in advance.
 

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I'm gonna go with punctured primer with the anvil blown out. I don't believe any part of an AR looks like that.
 
That's what I thought at first, but the shape of the head was a bit flared, like no primer I had seen before. Took out my calipers and it is the same diameter of a small rifle primer. Then I popped a spent primer out a case and they look similar, but just a bit off. I'm sure that's what it is though. Sorry my phone doesn't want to focus when I try to take an up close pic.

I'm not sure how it got in there to begin with. I have separate benches for reloading and cleaning.
 
It happens while firing the AR and the primer ends up in the lower receiver/firing control group.
You notice it when you start having issues as you did.
Now you know what to look for if it happens again.
I save all my brass whether I am going to reload it or not so I can look at the casings and primer to spot anything that is amiss before it gets ugly.
 
That is certainly a primer. It is misshapen due to the pressure that acts on it during firing. In this case one might suspect higher than usual pressure. Flat and pierced.

Anyhow, this is why military brass has crimped pockets. Nobody wants something silly like a loose primer getting them killed.
 
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Does your rifle have a .223 chamber or a 5.56 chamber? I've seen popped primers when firing 5.56 in a .223 chamber. It can happen for other reasons, too. I was shooting frangible training ammo when taking a course at Gunsite some years back and had several of those happen. I was doing the same thing you were before we stopped to diagnose the problem and found the loose primers in the lower.
 
You blew a primer at some point,and its pierced.The small rifle primer can get under the trigger(hard to see) and stop the gun from firing.I have had this happen with loads that were too hot or soft brass(Norinco:barf::barf:).

I carry a few dental picks in my cleaning kit,easy way to sweep out the offending primer, and have resurrected a few guns that experienced this stoppage.

Military ammo normally has the primer staked and harder primer cups to lessen these problems.
 
This proves one of Murphy's laws: any foreign object will end up in the worst possible place. I have fixed numerous shotguns that had a single shot in the trigger group blocking the trigger or safety.
 
My rifle is only rated for 223, no 5.56 allowed. That's pretty crazy how a primer can detach and wreak havoc. I've only been reloading for about 8 months and never noticed picking up a casing missing a primer. But I've had the rifle for about 2 years so I guess it could've been in there for a while sitting like a ticking time bomb.


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I believe that there have been at least a couple different companies that have made/marketed a drop in/snap in "shield" that is supposed to prevent any wayward primers from finding their way down into the fire control components to prevent such as you experienced. I don't own any/haven't tried any so I cannot speak to their efficacy.
 
Your reloads are probably too hot or you wouldn't be blowing primers.

Please post your complete load details.
Case used
Primer used
Powder used
Charge used
Bullet used.
OAL seating length.

Thanks
rc
 
Don't automatically blame the reloads. I ran into a batch of Chinese brass case 5.56 that would blow one primer out of ten or so. The velocity seemed consistent so I assumed that some of the brass was softer. Pitched the remainder anyway.
 
My rifle is only rated for 223, no 5.56 allowed.

Not so. Remington (Bushmaster) has stated and written on numerous occasions that the chamber is a hybrid chamber and that 5.56mm can safely be fired in that rifle. A quick internet search brings up a lot of information confirming this.


IIRC the .223 marking is an attempt to channel the conversation away from a military rifle and more toward a hunting rifle to deflect negative publicity surrounding these types of rifles. All marketing...........



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Acera said:
chorning83 said:
...My rifle is only rated for 223, no 5.56 allowed.


Not so. Remington (Bushmaster) has stated and written on numerous occasions that the chamber is a hybrid chamber and that 5.56mm can safely be fired in that rifle. A quick internet search brings up a lot of information confirming this.


IIRC the .223 marking is an attempt to channel the conversation away from a military rifle and more toward a hunting rifle to deflect negative publicity surrounding these types of rifles. All marketing...........


Then the barrel should be marked correctly as a .223 Wilde or whatever hybrid designation applies. Chambering the wrong round is serious business. Failing to mark the rifle correctly can result in either a dangerous situation or limit the owner's use for no good reason.
 
I called Remington when I bought my rifle and they told me to avoid shooting 5.56 but I would be interested in calling them again and seeing if and why they've changed their recommendation.

Currently, I am shooting a mix of handloads and factory ammo. Factory is just Rem UMC and Federal, both 55g. My hand loads are reusing the same factory brass with Hornady 55g SP, 22.7g H335, and CCI primers with COL of 2.20".


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Bill, I think that for most people marking the barrel in that manner would be confusing, folks would be out looking for .223 Wylde ammo. IIRC the receiver is marked "multi", so that is not a lot of help. Those of us who buy barrels chambered that way (me, 2 last week) understand what it is. I don't know what chamber they put in that rifle, (it could be the Armalite chamber) but heard it is modified.

Any manufacturer of an AR type rifle that is marked .223 and not fully capable of safely handling 5.56 is massively irresponsible and wide open to a lawsuit in case of an issue. Majority of shooters believe they are 100% interchangeable.

OP needs to call Remington again and insist they put that information on their website.




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