What have y'all found is the cause of most problems in the AR-15?
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Bartholomew Roberts
Member
I voted magazine spring based on my own mags; but I bet if you looked at a larger sample (like military issued mags), you would see mag lips and mag body higher on the list.
El Tejon
Member
Of the two ARs I have broken this year, the take down pin and the trigger were what failed on those two.
While I've broken all parts of an AR, IME, if there is a problem with an AR, it has usually been a lack of lube or the magazine.
While I've broken all parts of an AR, IME, if there is a problem with an AR, it has usually been a lack of lube or the magazine.
CYANIDEGENOCIDE
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it sh*ts where it eats!
nothing like blowing hot gases and carbon through the works, thats real good for performance
nothing like blowing hot gases and carbon through the works, thats real good for performance
Bobarino
member
you left out ammo.
Bobby
Bobby
rbernie
Contributing Member
And how many failures has this caused for you? Or do you have no practical experience with the specific topic and are just jumping in so you can express an opinion?
My AR15 failures have all been related to ammo problems or build QC issues. Once those get sorted out, I have never broken a specific hard part. The again, few of my ARs have more than 7K-8K rounds through them, and most are under 5K.
jfountain2
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I didn't vote because you didn't have an option for "wife found the cash stash and went shopping before I could"
JesseL
Member
My little Oly had a few doublefeeds from one particular magazine.
Things have been perfect since I threw away that mag.
Things have been perfect since I threw away that mag.
ZombiesAhead
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Hey y'all this poll should allow for multiple ree-sponses. Shucks.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not in numerical order of importance or frequency:
1. Old worn-out GI mags.
2. Out-of-spec after-market mags.
3. Crappy plastic Thermold mil-sup mags.
4. Crappy foreign mil-sup ammo.
5. Crappy reloaded ammo.
6. Poor or non-existant maintenance.
7. Weak extractor spring after a few thousand rounds.
That's about it.
"Crapping where you eat" is the least of the AR's problems, and way far down the list of thngs like 1 - 6 that make them not work occasionally.
It only becomes an issue when you have to clean one "White Gloove" clean for an inspection in Basic Training!
rcmodel
1. Old worn-out GI mags.
2. Out-of-spec after-market mags.
3. Crappy plastic Thermold mil-sup mags.
4. Crappy foreign mil-sup ammo.
5. Crappy reloaded ammo.
6. Poor or non-existant maintenance.
7. Weak extractor spring after a few thousand rounds.
That's about it.
"Crapping where you eat" is the least of the AR's problems, and way far down the list of thngs like 1 - 6 that make them not work occasionally.
It only becomes an issue when you have to clean one "White Gloove" clean for an inspection in Basic Training!
rcmodel
CDignition
Member
Most cause of problems is user ignorance/lack of training....the rifle itself is fine.
ugaarguy
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Of the few that we see come into the shop for service the most common problems are dirty and/or steel cased ammo (Wolf Military Classic), and a serious lack of lubrication. The combination of dirty steel cased ammo and no lube will almost certainly choke an AR.
Magazine quality is a less frequent problem with cheap & plentiful GI mags, and most folks not using the mags hard.
Magazine quality is a less frequent problem with cheap & plentiful GI mags, and most folks not using the mags hard.
briansmithwins
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Problems I've seen was caused by:
Bad Mags- Why do people keep mags that don't work?
Lack of Lube- ARs will run when filthy, as long as it's wet.
Bolt parts- bad extractors and broken bolts.
Bad ammo- If the ammo won't cycle your rifle, why do you keep shooting it?
Optics/sights not being zeroed- Rifle may run perfect, but you can't hit the target.
Pilot error- No matter how many times you ram the magazine in upside down, it won't catch.
BSW
Bad Mags- Why do people keep mags that don't work?
Lack of Lube- ARs will run when filthy, as long as it's wet.
Bolt parts- bad extractors and broken bolts.
Bad ammo- If the ammo won't cycle your rifle, why do you keep shooting it?
Optics/sights not being zeroed- Rifle may run perfect, but you can't hit the target.
Pilot error- No matter how many times you ram the magazine in upside down, it won't catch.
BSW
MTMilitiaman
Member
Usually, in my experience, if an AR or an M16 is jamming, the usual culprits are magazines (usually springs, sometimes feed lips, more rarely mag bodies), ammunition, or dirt, grit, or debris in the chamber.
JoeLad
Member
Cleaning the BCG.
It sh*ts where it eats making it a PITA to clean. That's why I went with a gas piston setup on one of my carbines, and plan on converting more of them.
Magazines are also a weak point. Dents or bent feed lips put them OOS real quick.
It sh*ts where it eats making it a PITA to clean. That's why I went with a gas piston setup on one of my carbines, and plan on converting more of them.
Magazines are also a weak point. Dents or bent feed lips put them OOS real quick.
ProficientRifleman
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The magazines are always the first suspect when you have trouble with an AR type rifle.
Keep it clean and lubed and use good mags (magpuls are the best on the market in my opinion). You should have few problems.
Keep it clean and lubed and use good mags (magpuls are the best on the market in my opinion). You should have few problems.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
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LiquidTension
Member
The biggest problem I've had with my AR is that ammo is so expensive I can hardly afford to shoot it. Other than that, an improperly staked gas key (on a home build - not mine) is the only thing I've seen cause a malfunction.
A friend of mine works on the rebuild lines at Anniston Army Depot. He has regularly conducted 6000 round tests on rebuilt M16's. They simply load them and shoot full auto. During the magazine change, they blow compressed air down the barrel.
I do not recall him ever saying that a rebuilt M16 fail. In fact my impression is the opposite.
The M16 has been developed to a high standard of mechanical reliablity. parts breakage on mil spec units is very low.
What I have seen on the firing line are jams. Typically a misfeed from the magazine. The cartridge is tipped up, the bullet jammed between the gas tube. This is common enough that a lot of competitive shooters carry needle nosed leatherman type multitools. You can't get your fingers in that little ejection port.
Another common problem is ruined firing pin tips due to pierced primers. Sometimes people have ejection problems, the extractor has worn. Back in the bad old days, before decent two stage triggers, "tuned" single stage triggers would malfunction and you would hear an occasional double.
And this one happens a lot. And it is not a fault of the rifle, but of the reloader. Blown primers. Highpower shooters are always pushing their bullets as fast as they can. I remember one year, squadded on Rodriquez next to an AMU shooter, and I told him, based on my examination of their ammo, that it was too hot. He told me that it was not hot enough. And what do you know, back at 600 yards he had his lower removed from his rifle, and was pounding it on the ground, trying to get that blown primer out of the trigger mechanism. By the time he got the thing cleared and assembled, the wind had changed and his next shot was an "eight". At his level of competition, you shoot perfect scores, and ties are decided by "X's"..
If you listen, you can hear the train coming around the corner. If you don't listen, you get hit by the train.
I do not recall him ever saying that a rebuilt M16 fail. In fact my impression is the opposite.
The M16 has been developed to a high standard of mechanical reliablity. parts breakage on mil spec units is very low.
What I have seen on the firing line are jams. Typically a misfeed from the magazine. The cartridge is tipped up, the bullet jammed between the gas tube. This is common enough that a lot of competitive shooters carry needle nosed leatherman type multitools. You can't get your fingers in that little ejection port.
Another common problem is ruined firing pin tips due to pierced primers. Sometimes people have ejection problems, the extractor has worn. Back in the bad old days, before decent two stage triggers, "tuned" single stage triggers would malfunction and you would hear an occasional double.
And this one happens a lot. And it is not a fault of the rifle, but of the reloader. Blown primers. Highpower shooters are always pushing their bullets as fast as they can. I remember one year, squadded on Rodriquez next to an AMU shooter, and I told him, based on my examination of their ammo, that it was too hot. He told me that it was not hot enough. And what do you know, back at 600 yards he had his lower removed from his rifle, and was pounding it on the ground, trying to get that blown primer out of the trigger mechanism. By the time he got the thing cleared and assembled, the wind had changed and his next shot was an "eight". At his level of competition, you shoot perfect scores, and ties are decided by "X's"..
If you listen, you can hear the train coming around the corner. If you don't listen, you get hit by the train.
possum
Member
i would say that like all bottom feeder weapons that mags have the possibilty of being a big problem. but there are great mags out there, and there are lots of upgrades. and if i have a bad mag i either ditch it or repair it with new springs.
i would also say that thought it isn't on your list under lubrication is a big reason for ar's not running like they should.
i would also say that thought it isn't on your list under lubrication is a big reason for ar's not running like they should.
Cougfan2
Member
Have had problems if I did not clean often enough. Had problems with a couple of cheap mags, but since I went to Magpul PMags, no mag issues whatsoever.
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