Ar15 mag wont set when full

[Potatohead]

The last few range trips, if my mag is full (30 rd) it wont set (click, connect, however you wanna say it) when i push it in. I have to take a round out. Is this just something i shouldnt worry about or is their a fix?

 

[CountryUgly]

Don't sweat it. Just download one. I've never had a PMag that would lock in with 30 rds loaded and the bolt closed. If you have to have 30rds instead of 29 or 28 (Magpul actually recommends leaving 2 out I believe) just slam tha mag home with the bolt open.

 

[Potatohead]

ahhh...thanks very much. sounds good

 

[Fishbed77]

What kind of mag is it?

 

[taliv]

it definitely indicates something is out of spec, but isn't the end of the world.

seating a full mag is usually difficult. you may need to use more muscle. downloading to 28 is a common fix, even when things are 100% in spec because when you NEED to do a mag change, you don't want to have to fight your gun.

you should be able to do it though. it is normally easier to do this with PMAGs as you can actually fit 31 rounds in a pmag, and so the spring usually feels a bit easier with 30 compared to some other mags.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Law enforcement issued 30 round mags usually download to 27 or 28 rounds.

My personal range experience has been that fully loaded 30-round magazines seat best when the bolt is locked open. You then fully retract the bolt to allow the hold-open to disengage and release the bolt to chamber the first round. If you want to have the gun in a empty-chamber, loaded magazine state, you load less than full capacity to easily seat the magazine with the bolt closed.

 

[dbb1776]

Smack It! It may be difficult but it's a gun not a carton of eggs.

 

[David E]

Make sure you're not loading 31 rds

Also make sure the mag interior is clean, etc

 

[lpsharp88]

My personal range experience has been that fully loaded 30-round magazines seat best when the bolt is locked open

That. In my experience (military and civilian), having the bolt locked open negates that issue. Also, as other people have said, if you want to load with the bolt forward, give it a slap on the base of the magazine, that should lock it into place. The only time any of my mags wouldn't seat (all are PMAGs), is when I accidentally loaded 31.

 

[Potatohead]

Make sure you're not loading 31 rds

Also make sure the mag interior is clean, etc

good point! thanks everyone. i really dont even see a brand on it. just bought it in a clear bag at LGS. maybe thats the problem

 

[Potatohead]

good info carl, thx

 

[Potatohead]

Smack It! It may be difficult but it's a gun not a carton of eggs.

i actually do forget this sometimes and want to pussyfoot around with my guns like im going to break something

 

[HOOfan_1]

I always insert a loaded mag with the bolt open. I don't like having my charging handle fly back and gouge my upper receiver.

 

[Mobuck]

"I always insert a loaded mag with the bolt open. I don't like having my charging handle fly back and gouge my upper receiver"??????
More explanation of that comment is needed.

 

[Jeff H]

I always insert a loaded mag with the bolt open. I don't like having my charging handle fly back and gouge my upper receiver.

I'm with Mobuck. What does that mean? Properly working charging handles don't move unless you pull them.

 

[HOOfan_1]

"I always insert a loaded mag with the bolt open. I don't like having my charging handle fly back and gouge my upper receiver"??????
More explanation of that comment is needed.

I'm with Mobuck. What does that mean? Properly working charging handles don't move unless you pull them.

If you chamber a round by pulling back the charging handle, you can either

A) Ride it slowly closed...in which case the bolt may not go into battery, and you will have to use a forward assist if you have one

or

B) The charging handle will fly back with the bolt carrier and the latch will rub up against the upper


If you chamber a round by locking the bolt open, you can slowly push the charging handle into the locked position...and then just press the bolt release and let it close at full speed

 

[taliv]

for admin reloads, yes, load with bolt open if you wish. always push the CH forward after locking the bolt back. don't ride it forward.

however, a properly functioning AR should allow you to load bolt closed as well. all the 'tactical reload' techniques require it.

 

[MrCleanOK]

No matter what kind of magazine you're using, always load two less than what it will hold if you want to be able to insert it on a closed bolt without difficulty. Some are easier than others, but the issue is that you are pushing the rounds further into the magazine when you insert on a closed bolt. If you load a 30-round magazine to capacity, how easy is it to push that top round down just a little more? Now try with 28 rounds.

If you always load from an open bolt, then by all means top your magazines off.

 

[Sav .250]

29 rounds instead of 30 ? Problem solved.

 

[Potatohead]

[always push the CH forward after locking the bolt back. don't ride it forward./QUOTE]

What exactly do you mean by this, or which part is the CH exactly. im a newb obviously

 

[Al Thompson]

Smack It! It may be difficult but it's a gun not a carton of eggs.

Smacking it is pretty unreliable. I vastly prefer Pat Rogers's "Push, Pull" to ensure the magazine was/is seated.

Tater, a quick way to make sure your loaded magazine will seat on a closed bolt is to press the top cartridge down with your thumb. Just make sure you have about a half inch of "play" or space when you press down.

 

[Al Thompson]

Charging handle is the "T" shaped device that you use to open the bolt.

 

[taliv]

the charging handle is the handle on the top of the upper receiver near the stock.

it is held forward by the force of the action spring. you use it to pull the bolt carrier group back.

if you pull it all the way back, you can press the button on the left side, then let the handle go forward slightly. this will lock the bolt open to the rear.

once that happens, there is no spring tension on the charging handle, so it will slide back and forth freely.

you should try to avoid the situation where the CH is halfway forward in the middle of its range of travel, when you press the button on the left side to release the bolt. you don't want the bolt carrier to smack it in the middle. this can damage the CH (particularly the cheaper commercial ones)

so, once you lock the bolt back, simply push the CH all the way forward again so that it securely latches in place and isn't wandering around.

that help?

 

[MtnCreek]

Check to make sure the mag catch is engaging the mag fully. Buddy of mine was having similar issue and I pushed the mag release in, rotated the mag catch in a couple turns and it solved the problem. As it was, a downloaded mag didn't give enough resistance to the catch / mag to cause problems, but a fully loaded mag would.

 

[Potatohead]

that totally helps. i didnt know it wasnt good for it to kind of float around. thanks