Bolt won't lock on Elanders

[Trock03]

Put a Superlative Arms bleed off gas block on my 12.5" Faxon and got it tuned in this weekend. Ran some AA, Hornady and Wolf steel through it using my CProducts mags with no issues. Switched over to Elanders and the bolt won't lock after last round on any of the ammo.
I dialed back the gas to where it wouldn't cycle and then added too much but none of it worked. I can't see any difference in the followers the would cause then to not trip the bolt catch.
The first person to offer up a successful fix gets to feel good about themselves.

TC

[A5BLASTER]

Did you check the bolt catch?

Meaning is the bolt catch hanging up on the mag somehow.

Also check how high the two different mags sit in the lower, maybe you might have got a defective mag and the part that locks the mag into the lower isn't lining up right and not allowing the elander mag to sit properly in the lower and causing the malfunction.

Just spit balling ideas to check out.

[Trock03]

Thanks for the ideas A5. I was irritated at the time so didn't feel like like messing around with them much. I did quickly flip the upper to see where the mags we lining up and didn't see anything obviously out of whack.
Wasn't dead in the water since the CP mags were working so just continued running rounds through them.
Was really just curious if this is a common thing for Elanders. I googled around and didn't find much so it's probably just my mags. Will trouble shoot this weekend and report back.

TC

[Double Naught Spy]

The Elanders should work fine. I would not say that issue is common with them.

[A5BLASTER]

Also if the elanders are new mags, try loading them to max and leave them alone for a week or two in the safe.

Then take them and cycle rounds by hand a few times each day for bout a week working the spring and give the inside of the mag body a good cleaning and check for areas where the follower maybe hanging up.

Just some things to check.

Other then the first two I got that were trash I have been playing with the co defense high cap mags the last week or so and I'm starting to be impressed with them.

[Bearcatrp]

If your using a carbine buffer, switch to a H2. Fixed my issues. Zero issues with E Lander magazines. Switched over from C products.

[VASCAR2]

If the bolt is cycling to fast it could be moving so fast it is out running the mag spring. Not giving the spring enough time to raise the mag follower to catch the bolt. The H-2 buffer would slow the bolt speed and let the follower rise enough to catch the bolt.

With an adjustable gas block I would attempt to set the gas block to lock open after firing one round with an empty E-Lander mag in the well. If you can’t get the bolt to lock open with the bolt catch with an E-Lander mag regardless of gas setting I’d suspect a faulty E-Lander mag. As previously mentioned E-Lander mag springs are very stiff when new.


With an empty mag in the well does an E-Lander mag catch the bolt when pulling the charging handle completely to the rear and releasing. If the mag engages the bolt catch you might have inadequate gas with the stiffer E-Lander mag spring. A barrel port to small or a gas block not centered over the port might provide enough gas for the CPD mag but not enough gas to lock back with a new E-Lander mag. Very fine line but many times it is difficult to tell if an AR-15 is over gassed or under gassed.

If an empty E-Lander mag will not lock the bolt back when pulling the charging handle to the rear and releasing you probably have an out of spec E-Lander mag. The CPD mag functions in the lower so the lower is probably gtg.