Question on M1A ejection

[FLRon]

This might be a really dumb question, so excuse me please.

My question is this...

When I put dummy rounds into my M1A magazine, insert the mag, and then pull the op rod back to cycle the round, they do not eject. Since I am used to seeing unfired rounds eject from my auto handguns, i was wondering why the rifle doesn't cause them to fly out when I bring the op rod back.
I carefully tried it with a live round, and the round chambered perfectly, but did not eject either.

Could it be that it requires the pressure of a live round, or am i just missing something here?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[TexasRifleman]

How hard did you pull the op rod back? The round has got to hit the ejector pretty hard to kick it out of the way.

With most of mine if you gently pull the op rod back the round falls out on it's own or just lays there.

 

[General Geoff]

The extractor will pull the round out of the chamber no matter how gently you pull the op rod back, but it would take a very forceful tug to get the ejector to "fling" the round out as if it were being ejected by the gas system.

 

[10X]

Are you saying that the round did not extract? If so, I suspect you need to let the bolt slam home so the extractor snaps over the cartridge case rim.

The ejector is spring loaded in the bolt and should throw the case away from the rifle.

 

[FLRon]

I will retry with a bit more rigor.

 

[FLRon]

You guys are great! Thanks for easing my mind. I let it snap back and they ejected perfectly.

I was only concerned because the rifle is new and I replaced all the bolt parts to USGI parts. I have never taken a bolt apart and put it back together, so I was uncertain if I did it correctly.

I appreciate your speedy responses.

 

[Dienekes]

Those bolts are fun to reassemble, aren't they?

 

[FLRon]

It's funny, but after reading Kulkeck & McKee's "M14 Complete Assembly Guide" over and over and over, it took me about 3 weeks to get the nerve to actually try it. It's just a little intimidating the first time you start to take things apart.

By the way, it's a great book if you don't have it. I already put in a Sadlak tac mag latch, and did some shimming on the gas cylinder, among other things that helped me really learn this rifle. The book was all I needed to get the job done.

I'm not ready to lap a bolt or time a barrel, but it's good learning enough to maintain things properly.