I just purchased a 24" saber defense upper and I'm having a problem getting it to feed rounds. I bought a Alexander arms mag. If i put one shell in the mag and charge the gun sometimes it will just click and not fire the round. If I load the gun by hand one shot at a time it shoots perfect. Is the mag not allowing to bolt to fully seat. I tried the forward assist and dosn't help. If I put more then on round in the mag and charge it it and pull the trigger it clicks every time. There's some scratches on the brass. Do I just need a different mag?
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Just curious if these are factory rounds or reloads. I had a problem loading where I seated the bullets to long and cartridges were failing to chamber (hitting rifling). It is also possible not to set your sizing die low enough and the shoulder doesn't get pushed back far enough. If you don't have a cartridge gauge see if your cartridge will easily fall out of the chamber when the muzzle is raised. Before I got my gauges I'd pull my bolt and check my reloads in my chamber for fit. The cases where I seated the bullets to long I had to push out with a cleaning rod.
If your using factory ammo and the rounds come out of the chamber easily I'd check the extractor for a burr. There have reports of out of spec ejectors or a need to trim a coil or to off the ejector spring.
Your situation doesn't sound like a mag problem but I'd sure try a different magazine.
Thanks for the help yes they are reloads so I will have to try thank and see if it works thanks again!
This is usually a case of shoulders not being bumped back enough when full-length re-sizing your brass.
Okay I got it to feed about three in a row and that's when it will chamber the shell and then it will just click. I bought some hornady factory loads when I place them in the chamber and tilt it back they fall out. When I put my reloads in the chamber and tilt it back the wont I have to push them out with a rod. Does that mean I did not Size my cases correctly? I have reloaded for my 5.56 for a long time with no problems this is my first Grendel. I'm using hornady full length dies?
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You need to screw your die down more. You need to take the sized case and chamber it, see if you can close the bolt and if the case comes out easy. If not screw the die down some more and repeat the process. If the bullets are seated out too far you will also experience cartridges sticking in the chamber. Do a search on "Jump and Crimp" and you will see the method I use to measure OAL.
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LRRPF52 Wrote:This is usually a case of shoulders not being bumped back enough when full-length re-sizing your brass.
+1. Die probably needs to be screwed down a little further. But don't get excessive; go ~1/16 turn at a time.
Drifter
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It seems everyone goes by the rule of thumb--screw the die in until it hits the shell holder then stop. --as we've seen with this rnd.- is give it a bit more= a few more thous. on the bump back. It won't kill the brass for the 15-20 loads you should get--with the AA-Lap brass. I find the spot where it chambers a hand loaded-(no mag!))) sized brass, then turn the die in a tiny bit more, to ensure reliability, your life may rely upon that extra amount of set back.
I think I got it. I Think it was a combination of the neck and bullets not seated far enough. I didn't shoot it yet but the bullets fall out of the chamber easily while the others would stick thanks guys!
I had this same problem when I first built mine. It fed factory just fine be choked on my reloads. Turns out I was using a .... die with an rcbs shell holder. The RCBS shell holder was a little taller than the ...... shell holder. It wasn't allowing me to resize that last little bit of the case. When I went to load, they would stick and not let the bolt lock. I shaved down the shell holder and it fixed it. Now I am just using that same shell holder as the die.
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Mutt Wrote:I had this same problem when I first built mine. It fed factory just fine be choked on my reloads. Turns out I was using a .... die with an rcbs shell holder. The RCBS shell holder was a little taller than the ...... shell holder. It wasn't allowing me to resize that last little bit of the case. When I went to load, they would stick and not let the bolt lock. I shaved down the shell holder and it fixed it. Now I am just using that same shell holder as the die.
Had that problem bite me in the butt too. I interchange my .223 hardware all the time with no ill effects so I thought nothing of it with 6.5 G. I didn't discover the problem until I was airborne and chasing hogs.
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06-22-2012, 11:51 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-22-2012, 11:55 PM by sneaky one.)
We keep seeing the same issues-could someone do up a tutorial, on prepping the brass- (like Bill A's version on the old forum of mags 101.) Only this will be brass only= length-trimming-sizing- -neck tension-polishing-annealing -lubing , cleaning the pocket, inspecting for damage, loose pockets-etc. It would help a many new owners. I think the gang could make something happen. Get to a think tank area-deposit all the best advice.
Seems like a lot of us have had the shell holder problem. I went through it a couple of years ago and lapping a little off the fop of the shellholder completely corrected a rather frustrating problem.
I just got back from the range today because my 6.5 wasn't feeding correctly. From what I've read here I will have to try.
Basically it seems that the trouble is more with my reloads. When I fire the first round the case doesn't eject, but gets hit or shoved back in by the next round coming up from the magazine. I've been using Hornady 123 Amax new ammo. Tried the Wolf 120's as well. I've been reloading with Horandy Amax and IMR8208 powder. 28.0-28.8 grains. Friend said maybe I need more powder. To check my scale. Even cut down the recoil spring in the carbines stock. I've tried everything to get it to work correctly. Sounds like I'll see about the shell holder. Oh yea I use Hornady dies.
Thanks for the info if anyone can give me other tips I'd appreciate it.