Keeperfaith
Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 235
Hello, I just wanted to spread the word about a mag failure I had w/ my AR-15 and a magpul magazine.
I think the malfunction is mostly my fault from an over zealous "mag tap" to ensure the mag is seated all the way in the mag well (so when I try to fire, the magazine won't drop out).
I was doing magazine re-load drills. I would only load 5-20 rounds in each magazine so I would have to re load more often. I was shooting, ran dry and dropped out the empty magazine. I put in a magpul 30 round mag and tapped it in the mag well rather forcefully. When I slapped the bolt release nothing happened. I thought I had a double feed. I tried dropping my magazine to get the stuck rounds out. The magazine wouldn't budge. I tried pulling the bolt back further w/ the charging handle, it traveled back a very short distance (because the bolt was already being held back by the bolt stop/release).
Well I was stupmed and I still had live rounds in the magazine...
I took the floor plate off the magazine and emptied the rounds, assured there was nothing in the chamber and showed it to two Police Academy instructors. THey had NEVER seen this type of malfunction and we could not see what was causing the bolt to be stuck and at the same time the magazine to be stuck. It appeared to be the hammer stuck between the bolt and magazine and it would wiggle when we moved it. I thought the hammer broke.
I took it home and disassembled the magazine button, still stuck. I then used a roll pin punch to take out the roll pin for the bolt catch. That was the problem. The magazine was slapped in the mag well too far and it traveled OVER the bolt catch/release and became stuck, it also kept the bolt back and unable to move forward.
I dont know if this would happen with a traditional metal magazine as the rear portion of the metal mag is relatively smooth and the magpul does have a couple of grooves (for the magpul magazine covers to snap onto).
TRAINING TIP: Don't slap mags in too hard during reloads. I firm tap will do good enough.
OTHER INFO: The rifle was a factory made Olympic arms AR-15 Rifle, No internal modifications. The magazine was a new black 30-round Magpul Magazines.
FYI: I will not stop using magpul, I really like their products. I may replace my internals on my Olympic arms AR though, the bolt catch was really wobbly after this incident but didn't show any damage just scratches from me trying to push it down w/ a screw driver before I disassembled it.
THE PICS: are two metal magazine next to two Magpul mags. See the grooves or indentions on the backs of the magpul mags? Those indentions are what got caught on the bolt catch/release when I slapped the mag too far into the mag well. FYI the tan magpul was duracoated tan, you can really see the wear marks from being loaded into the magazine well.
Thanks for reading, sorry for the long post
Steve
I think the malfunction is mostly my fault from an over zealous "mag tap" to ensure the mag is seated all the way in the mag well (so when I try to fire, the magazine won't drop out).
I was doing magazine re-load drills. I would only load 5-20 rounds in each magazine so I would have to re load more often. I was shooting, ran dry and dropped out the empty magazine. I put in a magpul 30 round mag and tapped it in the mag well rather forcefully. When I slapped the bolt release nothing happened. I thought I had a double feed. I tried dropping my magazine to get the stuck rounds out. The magazine wouldn't budge. I tried pulling the bolt back further w/ the charging handle, it traveled back a very short distance (because the bolt was already being held back by the bolt stop/release).
Well I was stupmed and I still had live rounds in the magazine...
I took the floor plate off the magazine and emptied the rounds, assured there was nothing in the chamber and showed it to two Police Academy instructors. THey had NEVER seen this type of malfunction and we could not see what was causing the bolt to be stuck and at the same time the magazine to be stuck. It appeared to be the hammer stuck between the bolt and magazine and it would wiggle when we moved it. I thought the hammer broke.
I took it home and disassembled the magazine button, still stuck. I then used a roll pin punch to take out the roll pin for the bolt catch. That was the problem. The magazine was slapped in the mag well too far and it traveled OVER the bolt catch/release and became stuck, it also kept the bolt back and unable to move forward.
I dont know if this would happen with a traditional metal magazine as the rear portion of the metal mag is relatively smooth and the magpul does have a couple of grooves (for the magpul magazine covers to snap onto).
TRAINING TIP: Don't slap mags in too hard during reloads. I firm tap will do good enough.
OTHER INFO: The rifle was a factory made Olympic arms AR-15 Rifle, No internal modifications. The magazine was a new black 30-round Magpul Magazines.
FYI: I will not stop using magpul, I really like their products. I may replace my internals on my Olympic arms AR though, the bolt catch was really wobbly after this incident but didn't show any damage just scratches from me trying to push it down w/ a screw driver before I disassembled it.
THE PICS: are two metal magazine next to two Magpul mags. See the grooves or indentions on the backs of the magpul mags? Those indentions are what got caught on the bolt catch/release when I slapped the mag too far into the mag well. FYI the tan magpul was duracoated tan, you can really see the wear marks from being loaded into the magazine well.
Thanks for reading, sorry for the long post
Steve
