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Are slam fires common in an AR? - DeanD - 04-26-2020
I guess the word "common" is relative, especially with the millions of AR rifles out there and the millions of rounds fired. Maybe I should rephrase it to "are slam fires uncommon" in an AR?
Are slam fires common in an AR? - lazyengineer - 04-26-2020
Very rare, but can happen. Garands, and M1A's have a much higher rate.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - VASCAR2 - 04-26-2020
Murphy seems to show at most inopportune times. To help preclude slam fires I use CCI 450 or CCI 41 thick cup primers and am very muzzle conscious when chambering a round in an AR-15.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - HuntTXhogs - 04-26-2020
The heavier the BCG and shallower the primer and softer - these three things contribute to helping a slam fire occur
You can just buy a Binary Trigger if you want to shoot fast ...
Are slam fires common in an AR? - terrywick4 - 04-26-2020
+1
VASCAR2 Wrote:Murphy seems to show at most inopportune times. To help preclude slam fires I use CCI 450 or CCI 41 thick cup primers and am very muzzle conscious when chambering a round in an AR-15.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - grayfox - 04-26-2020
+1, while I have not personally had a slamfire from any, I have transitioned even my AR15's to cci41 or 450's, with the thicker primer cups.
It's not worth the risk.
In a couple bolts, 223 and Grrr, I can use the regular Federal 205's but that's it.
You just factor in for hotter fire (brisance) as part of your load workup so you stay safe.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - LR1955 - 04-26-2020
DeanD Wrote:I guess the word "common" is relative, especially with the millions of AR rifles out there and the millions of rounds fired. Maybe I should rephrase it to "are slam fires uncommon" in an AR?
DD:
Kind of unnerving to say the least. Guys who are schooled in muzzle awareness realize the importance of the same when it happens.
Not common but my bet is that everyone who has owned a military gas operated rifle has had a slam fire, doubles, and maybe going auto for the mag or clip.
I have had a couple slam fires with 5.56 Civilian AR's. Luckily I practice muzzle awareness.
I have had an out of battery firing with a Grendel and given the definition of slam fire, I guess that was a slam fire that happened before the bolt went into battery. That one was pretty destructive. Muzzle Awareness saved the day again.
I have also doubled and tripled with M-1A's shooting rapid and sustained fire at High Power matches. I think those were due to me letting off the trigger after the shot barely enough to set it again and the recoil caused my finger to move ever so slightly. Was pretty fast shooting. Scored OK too. Solid position with a Garand or M-1A is always good and even better if you let off shots faster than you wanted.
So, yes, they happen. With the AR a guy avoids them by sizing the brass down to good specs, using a primer that has a thicker cup like the CCI 450 for the Grendel, seating the primer so it is just below the rim, and making sure the firing pin is within specs and the firing pin hole in the bolt is also within specs. Worn out bolts, firing pins, and bolt carriers are not good things with an AR-15.
Also, with the AR, let the bolt take the round into the chamber. Or if you want to hand feed, slip the round part way and let the bolt take it the rest of the way. I do not think there is a soul out there who drops the round in the barrel with it pointing straight down and drops the bolt with it still pointing straight down. That is a slam fire waiting to happen.
So yes, they happen and no, not often. When they do happen a guy who is practicing muzzle awareness appreciates their discipline.
LR55
Are slam fires common in an AR? - FLshooter - 04-27-2020
Never had a slam fire in AR15. Just in my Arsenal AK.Im thinking it was a bad batch of ammo ,primers sticking out too far.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Wafavre2 - 04-27-2020
Free floating firing pins make it not "if" but when. Always follow the Load data to the letter and only chamber a round with the muzzle pointed down range. There is no sound louder than a click when it should go bang and a bang when you are not expecting it!
Are slam fires common in an AR? - nawagner - 04-27-2020
I've not had one. Like others I use CCI 450 for anyhting that goes in an AR platform.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - montana - 04-27-2020
I have had double taps from an out of spec disconnect, and a mag dump, when an ejected primer fell into the disconnect channel. Wafavre2 is correct about the free floating firing pin with soft commercial primers.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Klem - 04-27-2020
I have never had a slam fire and don't know anyone who has. It is a rare but possible event.
I use CCI450 - They are reliable and have hard cups. They resist pressure in both directions.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - OneHitWonder - 04-27-2020
Keep the firing pin and its channel cleaned and lightly oiled. I have picked up old rifles and long stored rifles where the dried oil and gunk prevent the pin from floating.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - HONDO - 07-16-2020
Ive had my Grendel doing unexpected three and four round bursts but I dont think it was a slam fire. Like LR55 it was more of a match trigger/Recoil/lack of shoulder contact type of issue. (Poor form/free recoil) I was surprised but no one else at the range batted an eye lol. Never had a slam fire in any of my M1As or my Garand either but old Ithaca 37s sure are fun to slam fire
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Mesa1978 - 07-16-2020
Never had one in an AR for 10's of thousands of firings, even with Hornady brass colored factory primers. 450 primers for all handloads.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - 1Shot - 07-16-2020
Where some have a slam fire is when they load a single round into the chamber and then let the bolt go home. Always feed from a magazine or clip with M1 which slows the bolt down as it strips the round out of the mag. I have never had a slam fire with an AR but have had double and triple with the M1 Garand when I used Federal 210M primers which I found from the old timers that you should never do. I have used CCI 200, 250, 400 & 450s, Rem. 9 1/2 & 7 1/2, Winchester LR and SR, Wolf SRM primers in M1, M1A, AR and SKS free floating firing pin rifles with no issues.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Wethepeople - 07-16-2020
Have never had an AR slam fire in my 30+ years of shooting the platform. Ten years of single feeding rounds manually and letting the bolt slam home in ftr matches without a slam fire. I am OCD about keeping bcg's clean and well loved. As others have stressed, practice good muzzle discipline anyway.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Wethepeople - 07-16-2020
Haven't had a slam fire in 30+ years shooting the AR platform. That includes 10 years of manually single feeding rounds and letting the bolt slam home in ftr. I'm OCD keeping bcg's clean and well lubed. As others have stressed, practice proper muzzle discipline at all times, regardless.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - Old Bob - 07-17-2020
Just lucky I guess but I've never had a slam fire with any of my ARs, M1A & Garand. However, I have seen other shooters have slam fires in service rifle matches & in 3 gun competitions.
I did have an interesting experience with a SKS. I'd just bought the rifle & went straight to the range. I loaded 2 rounds into it & pulled the trigger. BANG, BANG! It fired both rounds! I repeated the process... same results! That was enough for me. I didn't know anything about how the firing mechanism of a SKS worked so I took the rifle back to the gun shop where I bought it & explained what happened. The shop gunsmith took it back to his bullet trap & loaded 2 rounds into the rifle. It fired both rounds just like it did for me. What he figured out: There is a lever in the trigger mechanism that allows the sear to disconnect from the trigger after a round is fired. This lever on my rifle was about 1/8" longer than the one on a different SKS. This too-long lever didn't allow the sear to disconnect & caused the hammer to follow the bolt after each cycle. So, in a sense, the second round, or any subsequent rounds, would be slam fires. While a full-auto SKS might sound like fun, it was impractical. Fortunately, the gunsmith had a spare trigger group on hand & let me have it.
Are slam fires common in an AR? - DeanD - 07-18-2020
When I was much younger and uninformed about firearms I put a round in the chamber and dropped the bolt and bang it fired. Wasn't ever really sure if it was a slam fire or some other malfunction in the fire control group. I have had people say an AR will not slam fire but it seems others have experienced it.