Problem with my AR

[Nautilus]

I was shooting yesterday & I had put about 150 rounds through when... after I fired a round, the bolt only moved back about 1/2" and stopped. It's completly frozen in place I can't get it to budge. I can't even get the upper & lower apart to try to get at it.

I was shooting the Wolf poly coated .223

Any idea's on a fix before I just say fuck it and bring it back to my gun shop to let them fix it?

[JE3146]

I was shooting yesterday & I had put about 150 rounds through when... after I fired a round, the bolt only moved back about 1/2" and stopped. It's completly frozen in place I can't get it to budge. I can't even get the upper & lower apart to try to get at it.

I was shooting the Wolf poly coated .223

Any idea's on a fix before I just say fuck it and bring it back to my gun shop to let them fix it?

Sounds like a popped primer to me. Might of gotten the primer stuck above the BCG or along the side causing it to lock tight.

If you can, try and use the foreward assist to push it back forward so you can seperate the upper from lower, then you can get a flashlight in there to inspect further.

If you can't do that, what you're gonna have to do is remove your stock and try to get that bolt carrier group out without dealing with spring tension.

To be honest, you just experienced one of the top 2 worst things (aside form a kaboom) that can happen to an AR. I think the worst is a squib to be honest...

[ubersoldate]

Make sure the rounds already gone off, and dont point the thing at yourself, but try banging it buttstock down on the ground...
I agree with Jordan though, popped primer, pretty rare but still sucks!
I would at least try to bang it a couple good times to see if that loosens anything up enough to get to it....
Either way, good luck and keep us posted!

[imanaknut]

Make sure the rounds already gone off

I have to repeat this!! I had one hang up like that, only there was a live round partially in the chamber. I used the front of our bench to smack the butt stock on so that the muzzle was pointed down range. When I finally hit it hard enough to shake it loose, the round went off! That is one of the many reasons I always assume a firearm to be loaded!

[ubersoldate]

I have to repeat this!! I had one hang up like that, only there was a live round partially in the chamber. I used the front of our bench to smack the butt stock on so that the muzzle was pointed down range. When I finally hit it hard enough to shake it loose, the round went off! That is one of the many reasons I always assume a firearm to be loaded!

You got that right!
ALWAYS loaded is the only way to think about firearms...

[Nautilus]

It is possible that there is a live round in there. It may have cycled completely and then froze with a 1/2" left on the return stroke rather then the recoil. I'll keep that in mind and let you guys know what I come up with. This is my first AR... if it was one of my AK's I'd break out the 3lb hammer and hammer it open... but I'm afraid of breaking this one...


EDIT:Ok... using your advice I brought the rifle outside and making sure it was aimed away from everything... I smacked the butstock a couple times lightly... Nothing. So I tried smacking it moderately... and I head a "click" I tried pulling back the charging handle... and sure enough I could pull it back but there was no shell casing... So I locked the bolt back and the empty casing is still in the chamber (primer there intact but it has been fired) So I tried sliding a cleaning rod down the barrel and giving it a nudge... but it feels like it's pretty siezed in there... any idea's? I didn't want to try ramming the shell out with the cleaning rod unless you guys think I should?

[JE3146]

It is possible that there is a live round in there. It may have cycled completely and then froze with a 1/2" left on the return stroke rather then the recoil. I'll keep that in mind and let you guys know what I come up with. This is my first AR... if it was one of my AK's I'd break out the 3lb hammer and hammer it open... but I'm afraid of breaking this one...


EDIT:Ok... using your advice I brought the rifle outside and making sure it was aimed away from everything... I smacked the butstock a couple times lightly... Nothing. So I tried smacking it moderately... and I head a "click" I tried pulling back the charging handle... and sure enough I could pull it back but there was no shell casing... So I locked the bolt back and the empty casing is still in the chamber (primer there intact but it has been fired) So I tried sliding a cleaning rod down the barrel and giving it a nudge... but it feels like it's pretty siezed in there... any idea's? I didn't want to try ramming the shell out with the cleaning rod unless you guys think I should?

Ok, this sounds more like a stuck case issue. I thought the bolt had completely pulled off the chamber, but you're making it sound like the carrier had just pulled away a half inch, leaving the bolt locked in place.

This would mean stuck shell casing, which you have obviously found :).

Take a wooden dowell, or a cleaning rod you dont care too much about and give it a few light swacks with a hammer. with the buttstock on solid ground.

For safety sake, keep your head out of the way of the muzzle ;)

[Nautilus]

Ok, this sounds more like a stuck case issue. I thought the bolt had completely pulled off the chamber, but you're making it sound like the carrier had just pulled away a half inch, leaving the bolt locked in place.

This would mean stuck shell casing, which you have obviously found :).

Take a wooden dowell, or a cleaning rod you dont care too much about and give it a few light swacks with a hammer. with the buttstock on solid ground.

For safety sake, keep your head out of the way of the muzzle ;)

Worked! Thanks for everyones help.

Only other question is this... What could cause this? The gun was clean before I went shooting so it shouldn't have been to bad after roughly 150 rounds. Can this happen if it get's overheated? I know the barrel was pretty warm, but I didn't think it was that hot...

[imanaknut]

Some ARs have very tight chambers. I have one that is supposedly "match grade" and there are some manufacturers of brass rounds that I need to use a cleaning rod to knock the rounds out. Very accurate with them because the rifle becomes an expensive bolt action. Kind of hard on the extractor though. I have one AR that will only feed Sellier & Bellot reliably, so that is all I use. I have another that will fire the cheapest of stuff I feed it. Go figure.

[JE3146]

Worked! Thanks for everyones help.

Only other question is this... What could cause this? The gun was clean before I went shooting so it shouldn't have been to bad after roughly 150 rounds. Can this happen if it get's overheated? I know the barrel was pretty warm, but I didn't think it was that hot...

I've had exactly 1 stuck shell casing and it was with a batch of poly Wolf.

Was 103 degrees out and I had just rapid fired like 2 mags. Was a hot SOB and it prolly just gummed up.

Happens sometimes with Wolf. Its the meager price you pay for paying less :)


Try cleaning your chamber out with some carb cleaner and a 12 guage brass brush. Usually helps scrub that thing super clean.


Glad you got it fixed!

[ubersoldate]

OK. good to hear, but I gotta ask...
Was the gun over oiled, or more oil than needed in the chamber?

Ive seen this happen so many times I cant count..
Last calvert shoot even...At a indoor range here in austin last week as well...

With wolf, you gotta run that baby dry, or close to...
For some reason, from what Ive seen, wolf will mix with the extra oil, and stick casings like crazy....
Everyone over oils, and sticks cases pretty quick...
Just my two cents...

[Nautilus]

Over oiled is a possibility, but I try to run it pretty dry...

Exactly when it happened....

I had run the last 55 rounds through it pretty quick... Round #55 took out the tack holding up my paper target... With a hot barrel and a round chambered I threw the safe on and walked the 60-70 yards to the target and tacked on a new one. I then waked back threw the safety off and fired a round.... and thats when it happened... So I'm guessing it's the same thing that happened to JE3146. I was also shooting the wolf poly.

Oh well, it's fixed. Thanks for all the help.