Extraction Issues

[mrab88]

Hi all,

I recently bought a used 6.5g on this forum. Rifle uses a Satern Spartan 14.5" double fluted barrel with integral flash hider to bring it to 16 inches. I believe this was a barrel that Satern made back when they were under contract with AA, but I'm not sure. Rifle came with (i believe) the original matched and headspaced BCG. Gun shot amazing the first few hundred rounds, but then it stopped extracting rounds. A visual inspection of the extractor assembly looks like the lip is worn down (maybe from shooting too much steel cased ammo).

To the question: Can I get any 6.5g extractor assembly and install it on the BCG or will they not all fit? I was thinking this one: https://www.shopalexanderarms.com/Bo..._Assembly.html

Second question, if I decide to replace the entire BCG, would any 6.5g BCG be headspaced to that barrel? I know that Maxim advertises as being properly headspaced to Satern barrels, but I'm not sure this goes all the way back to the barrel in my rifle. I was also looking at a PF match grade BCG as a replacement but I don't really have the skill or know-how to properly check and/or correct headspace.

Thanks for any help.

[A5BLASTER]

First off the bcg has nothing to do with anything going on with the chamber.

Second if you need an extractor get it from AA or JP they are the two best you will find period.

Probably wouldn't hurt to get a JP ejector as well and some JP gas rings and do a whole bolt rebuild.

If you are shooting alot of steel case or the rifle has had alot of steel case run throw it before you got it.

I would give the bcg and bolt and chamber and barrel extention a very good scrubbing, could anouther reason it's have issue extracting rounds built up laquer from the steel case ammo.

Hope this helps sir.

Forgot to add, only the bolt is headspaced. The bcg has nothing to do with headapace as long as you have the correct bolt for your barrel you can run it in any company's ar15 bcg doesn't matter if it's m16 profile or lomass.

You can buy the most expensive aftermarket bcg and the cheapest and run the bolt that came with the barrel with no issues.

[mrab88]

Thanks for the quick response. I meant bolt not BCG in my original question.

So are you saying my failure to extract might not be my bolt? Here are my symptoms: I can only fire one round because the casing does not extract. If i load several rounds in my magazine and cycle the bolt, I can charge the first round, but when I go to charge the second round, the round in the chamber is not extracted and the second round jams into the first.

As to the rebuild, I'm not sure what you mean by gas rings, but if you think it wouldn't hurt to do a whole bolt rebuild, I'd probably just buy a new bolt. But then again, I'm concerned about proper headspace on a new bolt with my old Satern barrel. Also, i tend to believe the seller that the rifle had fewer than a few hundred rounds through it, so I don't see why the entire bolt would need to be replaced. Total round count is certainly less than a thousand.

[A5BLASTER]

It sounds like your extractor is not gripping the case.

When I say rebuild it's just that a new extractor new ejector and new gas rings.

It's not hard to do really and much cheaper then buying a new bolt.

Get your extractor from Alexander arms.
Get you a ejector from JP rifles it's the best there is, also get you a gas ring while at jprifles.

Ask on this board and Google YouTube for vids on how to change those things.

It's a part of life with the ar alot of the parts are considered wear parts and meant to be changed out after so long.

I would change those three things and then see if it fixes the issue.

[mrab88]

Got it. Thanks. I think I'll try exactly what you recommended.

[bj139]

You can just replace the extractor.
If you want to buy a new bolt and you have a dial caliper, measure your bolt face depth. It will be apparent if it is .136" or .125".
Make sure you get one with the same depth.
From what you describe it sounds like you only need an extractor or maybe yours just needs cleaning with solvent and a toothbrush (or boltbrush if you wish).

[Sticks]

I would agree with the cleaning and inspection. Might need a new extractor spring or the O-ring.

[LRRPF52]

Did you shoot a lot of steel case, then switch to brass case ammo?

[mrab88]

Pretty much just steel. Fired about 300 rounds, cleaned, and then after the cleaning failure to extract on steel and brass ammo.

[sneaky one]

Scrub the chamber, try a different cleaner, get a stronger extractor spring, or a Defender setup. Or a new bolt.

My first upper in 08' did the same thing. Defender upgrade fixed it. Had to remove some thickness on O ring to get it installed.

Recent AA bolts are fine as is. Bill re designed the extractor assy. years back. Group buy bolt is fine also. It's made by same company that made AA bolts. Just a better coating.


Ask BFT for another G.Buy on bolts- I'm getting a lot of requests here. Should always have a backup bolt on hand. One - ooooops, on a hot handload can shear a lug or 2 off,,,.it's rare-