just built my first AR, rounds jamming on feed ramps.

tenringdriller · 10-20-2009, 04:16 AM

finally got my lower in the mail and sold out my war chest of silver boulion (at a kick-ass profit) to complete my AR build. rounds keep jamming up in the feed ramps, sometimes i can burn 20 rnds before it happens, other times it's every 2 or 3 shots. HUGE pain in the ass to pull back the charging handle, push the mag release and somehow pull the mag out. I want this rifle to function reliably! should I get out the jeweler's files and bench in the feed ramps? help me out ya'll.

jrswanson1 · 10-20-2009, 08:12 AM

Are the feed ramps lined up? Are they smooth? What kind of bullets are you using? What mags are you using? If you're having trouble getting the magazine out, that might be the problem.

Jim

tenringdriller · 10-20-2009, 01:40 PM

feed ramps look lined up and smooth, using aluminum mags with pmag springs and anti-tilt followers, wolf 62 gr steel case fmj .223 ammo

Deersniper · 10-20-2009, 02:01 PM

Wolf.

TACAV · 10-20-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deersniper

Wolf.

Yea wolf is failproof in my AKs with the exception of one split casing i had one time out of tons of rounds.

I dont use it in my ARs though.
Try a brass cased round. By some Federal/American Eagle or Privi Partisan in bulk and try it then.

Its not as cheap as wolf but its works wonders.

Pothole · 10-20-2009, 02:51 PM

try different ammo and mags before you bust out any tools

tenringdriller · 10-21-2009, 01:45 AM

i only i hadn't bought so much wolf off the same guy that sold me the rifle kit. I don't see how the case material makes a difference when the tip of the bullet is what's jamming in my feed ramps, thought maybe my mags weren't seating properly so I tightened up my mag release. Also I've noticed that with the bolt closed the mags won't seat all the way no matter how hard you slap em in, unless i have the bolt locked back they don't click in....this is my first AR but i've never owned a rifle that did that...is it normal?

Mooseman684 · 10-21-2009, 01:53 AM

Its The Magazines...The Bullet Guide slots on an AR should not be filed down...the Mag Lips help Guide the bullet into the slots straight in the Chamber...

Rich

at4rxj · 10-21-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

Its The Magazines...There is no feed ramp that you can work on an AR...the Mag Lips Guide the bullet straight in the Chamber...
Rich

HUH???

There are 2 different kinds of feed ramps on AR's.... M4 style and rifle style.

The M4 ramps are deeper and longer, and cut into the upper receiver as well as the barrel extension. The rifle ramps are shallower (considered the "older", or original style), and are only in the barrel extension... not the upper.

Both of these generally work fine. Where you can have a problem is if you have mis-matched parts... like a upper receiver with no ramps and a barrel extension with M4 ramps... Or a barrel extension with rifle ramps and a receiver with m4 cuts.

There's typically not much you can do with the ramps as long as you have the proper setup. You can polish them a little, and smooth the edges (especially if you're using a fatter caliber like 6.8 or something...), but typically you don't need to do much with them.

Feeding problems are 99% of the time a mag issue or a gas system/ejection issue.

hard to get a pic of them, but you can see the ramps here... These are M4 style ramps.

Pothole · 10-21-2009, 05:28 PM

on those aluminum mags some times the lips get bent or tweaked a bit especially if there surplus, id would try to find some magpul P-Mags, there actually cheaper around my house than new aluminum ones

or if you have a few of them you could try bending the lips on the mag back down a bit, you should be able to seat the mag with the bolt closed, it should only marginally more difficult due to the spring already being compressed from the bullets, not impossible

Redbeernuts · 10-21-2009, 09:04 PM

It"s the wolf ammo!!!

Mooseman684 · 10-21-2009, 10:06 PM

Ok , Let me Re-phrase that...The Two Bullet Guide Slots should NOT BE Touched with a File or Dremel ( as in Re-Ramped) on an AR15 Barrel . There is No Need to touch them and they also function as Part of the Bolt lockup and the Metal is Thinner at that point than the rest of the Barrel lugs.
The Magazine feed lips need to be in good shape for the bullets feeding from the left or right side of the mag to hit the respective guides.

Rich

privateer · 10-21-2009, 10:19 PM

You said you were using p-mag followers so I gotta assume the problem is the steel case wolf ammo. I had a similar problem with my colt and it only happened when I shot steel case ammo, try lubing the hell out of the chamber befor shooting and see if it helps, and then run out and buy brass ammo.

John

tenringdriller · 10-22-2009, 03:00 AM

wow thanks guys, glad to get some good advice from some vets. i have rifle-style feed ramps. I was never planning on taking a rat tail file or a dremmel to them, just a jeweler's file to try and smooth them out a bit. it could be the mags, they're brand new in the plastic tho...could also be the wolf ammo. will buy a few boxes of brass case and see if that makes a difference, if not then i'll take the mags back.

tenringdriller · 10-22-2009, 03:06 AM

oh, also i have a flat top upper with a detachable carry-handle rear sight. when fully clamped down it is offset to the right (ejection port) side of the rifle and as a result i have to max out my rear sight to get the rounds close. any suggestions other than to take back the carry handle?

madcratebuilder · 10-22-2009, 06:03 AM

Your rifle feed ramps are fine, the M4 style is a full auto improvement. Unless you have a major miss-alignment don't mess with them. The fact that you are having problems inserting the mags with the bolt closed makes me think it's mag related, or a combination of magazines and steel case ammo.

tenringdriller · 10-22-2009, 01:38 PM

Just got off the phone with the guy that sold me everything but the lower....he says that the wolf ammo is all he shoots and never has a problem with it, that he shoots the same c-pro mags without incident and that (imagine this) the problem is probably that the lower that i bought (elsewhere) has a bad angle on the mag well....hmmph. told me to bring it by his shop and he'd tinker with it, see if he can isolate the issue.

ACfixer · 10-22-2009, 02:58 PM

What brand lower? I agree it may be an alignment issue with the mag to the feed ramp which points at the lower.

It's not the ammo, I put Wolf, Silver Bear, PMC, Prvi, good, bad... whatever and it all fires fine in mine. The Russian stuff will get your rifle dirty quicker, that's all.

ackspac · 10-22-2009, 03:03 PM

Wolf ammo. Try the good stuff first. Wolf will not feed in my AR. All that coating thats put on the ammo gets gummed up quickly.

at4rxj · 10-22-2009, 03:20 PM

As far as your sights...

Are you sure it's the rear sight that's off? Typically it's your front sight base being very slightly canted to one side.

10-20-2009, 04:16 AM	#1
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	just built my first AR, rounds jamming on feed ramps. finally got my lower in the mail and sold out my war chest of silver boulion (at a kick-ass profit) to complete my AR build. rounds keep jamming up in the feed ramps, sometimes i can burn 20 rnds before it happens, other times it's every 2 or 3 shots. HUGE pain in the ass to pull back the charging handle, push the mag release and somehow pull the mag out. I want this rifle to function reliably! should I get out the jeweler's files and bench in the feed ramps? help me out ya'll. __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-20-2009, 01:40 PM	#3
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	feed ramps look lined up and smooth, using aluminum mags with pmag springs and anti-tilt followers, wolf 62 gr steel case fmj .223 ammo __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-21-2009, 01:45 AM	#7
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	i only i hadn't bought so much wolf off the same guy that sold me the rifle kit. I don't see how the case material makes a difference when the tip of the bullet is what's jamming in my feed ramps, thought maybe my mags weren't seating properly so I tightened up my mag release. Also I've noticed that with the bolt closed the mags won't seat all the way no matter how hard you slap em in, unless i have the bolt locked back they don't click in....this is my first AR but i've never owned a rifle that did that...is it normal? __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-21-2009, 01:53 AM	#8
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 11,315 Images: 2	Its The Magazines...The Bullet Guide slots on an AR should not be filed down...the Mag Lips help Guide the bullet into the slots straight in the Chamber... Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM! Last edited by Mooseman684; 10-21-2009 at 10:18 PM. Reason: I wrote wrong what I wanted to say...

10-21-2009, 05:28 PM	#10
Pothole Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Washington Posts: 201 Images: 21	on those aluminum mags some times the lips get bent or tweaked a bit especially if there surplus, id would try to find some magpul P-Mags, there actually cheaper around my house than new aluminum ones or if you have a few of them you could try bending the lips on the mag back down a bit, you should be able to seat the mag with the bolt closed, it should only marginally more difficult due to the spring already being compressed from the bullets, not impossible Last edited by Pothole; 10-21-2009 at 05:31 PM.

10-20-2009, 08:12 AM	#2
jrswanson1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,093	Are the feed ramps lined up? Are they smooth? What kind of bullets are you using? What mags are you using? If you're having trouble getting the magazine out, that might be the problem. Jim

10-20-2009, 02:01 PM	#4
Deersniper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 3,611	Wolf.

10-20-2009, 02:51 PM	#6
Pothole Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Washington Posts: 201 Images: 21	try different ammo and mags before you bust out any tools

10-21-2009, 09:04 PM	#11
Redbeernuts Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 494	It"s the wolf ammo!!!

10-21-2009, 10:06 PM	#12
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 11,315 Images: 2	Ok , Let me Re-phrase that...The Two Bullet Guide Slots should NOT BE Touched with a File or Dremel ( as in Re-Ramped) on an AR15 Barrel . There is No Need to touch them and they also function as Part of the Bolt lockup and the Metal is Thinner at that point than the rest of the Barrel lugs. The Magazine feed lips need to be in good shape for the bullets feeding from the left or right side of the mag to hit the respective guides. Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-21-2009, 10:19 PM	#13
privateer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Anchorage , Alaska Posts: 882	You said you were using p-mag followers so I gotta assume the problem is the steel case wolf ammo. I had a similar problem with my colt and it only happened when I shot steel case ammo, try lubing the hell out of the chamber befor shooting and see if it helps, and then run out and buy brass ammo. John

10-22-2009, 03:00 AM	#14
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	wow thanks guys, glad to get some good advice from some vets. i have rifle-style feed ramps. I was never planning on taking a rat tail file or a dremmel to them, just a jeweler's file to try and smooth them out a bit. it could be the mags, they're brand new in the plastic tho...could also be the wolf ammo. will buy a few boxes of brass case and see if that makes a difference, if not then i'll take the mags back. __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-22-2009, 03:06 AM	#15
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	oh, also i have a flat top upper with a detachable carry-handle rear sight. when fully clamped down it is offset to the right (ejection port) side of the rifle and as a result i have to max out my rear sight to get the rounds close. any suggestions other than to take back the carry handle? __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-22-2009, 06:03 AM	#16
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 2,395 Images: 3	Your rifle feed ramps are fine, the M4 style is a full auto improvement. Unless you have a major miss-alignment don't mess with them. The fact that you are having problems inserting the mags with the bolt closed makes me think it's mag related, or a combination of magazines and steel case ammo. __________________ Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

10-22-2009, 01:38 PM	#17
tenringdriller Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 92	Just got off the phone with the guy that sold me everything but the lower....he says that the wolf ammo is all he shoots and never has a problem with it, that he shoots the same c-pro mags without incident and that (imagine this) the problem is probably that the lower that i bought (elsewhere) has a bad angle on the mag well....hmmph. told me to bring it by his shop and he'd tinker with it, see if he can isolate the issue. __________________ - If you love someone, let them go. Just don't get mad if they come back with herpes.

10-22-2009, 02:58 PM	#18
ACfixer Global warming enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Turning base to final -KAPV- Posts: 707	What brand lower? I agree it may be an alignment issue with the mag to the feed ramp which points at the lower. It's not the ammo, I put Wolf, Silver Bear, PMC, Prvi, good, bad... whatever and it all fires fine in mine. The Russian stuff will get your rifle dirty quicker, that's all. __________________ Last edited by ACfixer; 10-22-2009 at 03:00 PM.

10-22-2009, 03:03 PM	#19
ackspac Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 215	Wolf ammo. Try the good stuff first. Wolf will not feed in my AR. All that coating thats put on the ammo gets gummed up quickly.

10-22-2009, 03:20 PM	#20
at4rxj Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,109 Images: 10	As far as your sights... Are you sure it's the rear sight that's off? Typically it's your front sight base being very slightly canted to one side. __________________ modulARweapons.com