New Bushmaster AR-15 M4 feeding issues

[CindyE]

Got this AR Thanksgiving weekend. This is only the second time I've gone shooting with it. I had very little problems with the 223 ammo (oh, by the way this is chambered for 223/5.56 NATO), but today i shot about 50 rounds of 5.56 NATO and it started to jam every.single.time. Mostly it just wasn't feeding properly, and i just had to pull the lever back. A couple of times I had to drop the mag and get rid of the jammed ammo. We tried several different magazines, all got the same results. The same ammo ran flawlessly thru another AR-15. Sorry if I didn't explain well, I am new to the ARs. On the plus side, I was hitting pretty well, and enjoyed my new Bushnell red dot.
thanks

 

[Bill B]

Can you explain a little more? Was it not stripping the next round out of the magazine? was the stripped round not going into the chamber?

 

[WJB63]

I would check the key on the bolt carrier. Bushmasters sometimes have issues with the staking of these and it might be loose. If it is not loose, you might want to make sure there is nothing obstructing it. I have had on several occasions had a case pop its primer out during ejection and it managed to get lodged in the carrier key.

 

[CindyE]

the next round appeared to be not stripping most of the time, but a couple of times it would be lodged in there crooked.

 

[MtnBiker6510]

Did you try different magazines and did the same thing happen?

 

[armedindy]

is it dinging up the rounds pretty badly when they get jammed up in there? do you have m4 style feed ramps....check the feed ramps and make sure they are flush and there is no "catch" or "lip" that shouldnt be there

 

[Bill B]

the next round appeared to be not stripping most of the time, but a couple of times it would be lodged in there crooked.

As stated, check the bolt carrier, also check the gas rings on the bolt, make sure the gaps aren't lined up.

 

[CindyE]

Did you try different magazines and did the same thing happen?

yes same thing happened with 3 different magazines

 

[CindyE]

is it dinging up the rounds pretty badly when they get jammed up in there? do you have m4 style feed ramps....check the feed ramps and make sure they are flush and there is no "catch" or "lip" that shouldnt be there

yes it is making a pretty good dent on the rounds, and the feed ramp "looks" ok.

 

[CindyE]

I am wondering now if it could be the magazine catch, i did notice it didn't seem to be clicking in there real well today. Maybe it wasn't seated high enough for the rounds to feed? I see there is an adjustment for that.

 

[SILVERBACK]

Are you running that thing sloppy wet with oil, some guns like alot of oil.

 

[cwillour]

Are you running that thing sloppy wet with oil, some guns like alot of oil.

^^^^^Almost exactly what I was thinking^^^^^

Especially if you are new to ARs and the rifle is new, I have to ask if you lubed the bolt before shooting it. I had a upper I put together that ran fine for me but refused to run for another member after I sold it to him w/ a new BCG (I was keeping my older "test" one.)

After buying it back and trying it, I realized he had simply not known to take the bolt out and oil it prior to use. A quick dis-assembly of the BCG, a dose of FP-10, and I was back in business (he bought the upper back, BTW, and verified it now runs well for him -- so all is well.)

 

[SILVERBACK]

lightweight synthetic motor oil, 0 - 20w royal purple, don't get the burnt oil smell. But any synthetic oil of your flavor works.

 

[CindyE]

ahhh...probably not sloppy wet, we did notice a lot of greasy dirty gunk in there while cleaning, we did oil all of the recommended places. we are new to rifles, having owned only handguns and shotguns.

 

[SILVERBACK]

I'll take a oiled up dirty AR, before I take a clean one with marginal oil.

 

[mvician]

also check the gas rings on the bolt, make sure the gaps aren't lined up.

Doesn't mean anything........the AR will run even with one ring.

 

[mvician]

This is only the second time I've gone shooting with it.

I had very little problems with the 223 ammo (oh, by the way this is chambered for 223/5.56 NATO),

but today i shot about 50 rounds of 5.56 NATO and it started to jam every.single.time.

What brand of ammo?

Is this the only ammo you shot today?

When you shot the last round from the magazine, did the bolt carrier lock to the back or did it come forward?

Pull the bolt carrier out and check the 2 screws on the gas key to make sure they are TIGHT.

 

[CindyE]

What brand of ammo?

Is this the only ammo you shot today?

When you shot the last round from the magazine, did the bolt carrier lock to the back or did it come forward?

Pull the bolt carrier out and check the 2 screws on the gas key to make sure they are TIGHT.

I started out with a few rounds of Remington 223, then all we had left was Lake City 5.56. The bolt carrier did not lock back when the mag was emptied. I did check the gas key and it is tight. Weather permitting (and that doesn't sound good) we will go out again tomorrow and see if the magazine lock adjustments and oiling helped.
Thinking about going to the AR build next weekend and getting more comfortable with these guns.

 

[KDUBCR250]

If you are shooting with someone else who has a AR you could always swap uppers and bolts to try and pen point where the issue realy is.

 

[worddoer]

Was this a newly manufactured AR?

If you have too much trouble with it, I would call Bushmaster and have them work on it. It should be under the free warranty service if this was new manufacture.