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Author Topic: Failure to feed .223 in AR15  (Read 2185 times)

Offline dougusafsp

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Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« on: March 06, 2012, 11:51:33 AM »
Ok so my AR will feed 5.56 just fine but will not feed .223. I think it is with my gas block not aligning with the gas port on the barrel. I have tried measuring port and block and not sure if I'm getti.g things lined up exactly. Any ideas? Any volunteers out there willing to take a look at it? Any help would be awesome. Just pretty fed up with this. Thanks
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Offline Dan W

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2012, 12:06:24 PM »
Try this...

Load one round of .223 into a magazine. Insert magazine, chamber and fire the single round.

Does the carrier lock back on the empty magazine?

If not you are likely under gassed. Could be due to gas block alignment, gas key loose or leaking on the carrier, leaking bolt gas rings, or as a last resort an undersized gas port in the barrel.

Is this a carbine , midlength or rifle gas system?

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Offline dougusafsp

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2012, 12:28:03 PM »
The port is in the carbine position on a 16" barrel. The bolt does not lock open with .223 but does with 5.56
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Offline bkoenig

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2012, 12:35:32 PM »
Definitely sounds undergassed, which is odd for carbine gas on a 16" barrel.  If your gas block is misaligned that might cause it, but gas blocks generally have a pretty big port to accomodate that.  If the block is more or less straight up and down I would guess either the gas port is too small or something wrong with your bolt carrier group like Dan said.  Do you ever shoot out at the Izaak Walton League?  If so I could meet you there some time and we could try a bcg from one of my rifles.
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Offline dougusafsp

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2012, 01:23:16 PM »
No I'm not a memeber at Izzac Walton so no I don't go out there. I normally shoot at WMA that allow target shooting. I was thinking it maybe bolt carrier related. I baught the gun used from a gun store so no idea how many rounds have been put through it or how well maintained the gun was. I maybe shooting again Saturday depending on weather. Anyone interested in meeting up let me know. I did replace the buffer tube wih a milspec tube with new buffer and spring. Wondering if that could be an issue?
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Offline bkoenig

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2012, 02:03:12 PM »
Maybe if the buffer is too heavy.
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Offline OnTheFly

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2012, 03:37:15 PM »
Could the spring be too strong?

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Offline RLMoeller

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2012, 03:52:05 PM »
What spring and buffer did you put in? 
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Offline FarmerRick

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2012, 04:13:08 PM »
I had a similar problem on one of mine that I switched to a clamp on gas block and free-floating tube. 
After firing the first round, my BCG wouldn't move back far enough to load the next round no matter what ammo I used.  It ended up that I had the gas block too far back, right up against the small shoulder that locates the handguard cap(which was no longer being used).  After moving the block forward about 1/16", everything was just fine with any ammo, including wolf .223.

YMMV 
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Offline dougusafsp

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2012, 04:38:35 PM »
the tube and spring if I remember right is ATI milspec. I did move the clamp on gas block forward but still have the issue
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Offline SeanN

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2012, 04:57:19 PM »
You may be using a buffer too heavy. What weight buffer are you using? Also, is the spring the rifle length? You want to make sure you're using a carbine buffer spring and not a rifle buffer spring.
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Offline bkoenig

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Re: Failure to feed .223 in AR15
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2012, 06:18:15 PM »
My bet is that the buffer is too heavy. 
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