jambau,
Releasing the bolt with a live round already in the chamber in an AR is the most momentum you can have against the primer - but it is still unlikely to go off. Pointing it in a safe direction whenever it goes into battery with a live round is common sense but on top of that we have the luxury of deciding what our 'Rules' are as civilian shooters. If you are using thick-cupped primers like CCI450 then that is added protection against something that is almost an urban myth. My point is there is no imperative in borrowing dogma from a large institution like the military without making your own informed decision.
I have no issues releasing the bolt on a hand-loaded round when it is pointing in a safe direction and no one in the vicinity is going to get upset. If a shot going off at your home is going to bring the Police running then save it for the Range. In your case of needing to figure out what is wrong with the gun versus the likelihood of a slam fire in a safe direction, where no one else is going to get upset, is an easy decision to make.
My understanding is when you release the bolt on a live hand-load that is already in the chamber it goes into battery, but when you then try and manually pull it back out it is sticky. And this has not always been the case. So, the hand-loads or chamber have changed dimensions, or both. The most likely is your hand-loads.
What gear do you use to measure your loads?
Releasing the bolt with a live round already in the chamber in an AR is the most momentum you can have against the primer - but it is still unlikely to go off. Pointing it in a safe direction whenever it goes into battery with a live round is common sense but on top of that we have the luxury of deciding what our 'Rules' are as civilian shooters. If you are using thick-cupped primers like CCI450 then that is added protection against something that is almost an urban myth. My point is there is no imperative in borrowing dogma from a large institution like the military without making your own informed decision.
I have no issues releasing the bolt on a hand-loaded round when it is pointing in a safe direction and no one in the vicinity is going to get upset. If a shot going off at your home is going to bring the Police running then save it for the Range. In your case of needing to figure out what is wrong with the gun versus the likelihood of a slam fire in a safe direction, where no one else is going to get upset, is an easy decision to make.
My understanding is when you release the bolt on a live hand-load that is already in the chamber it goes into battery, but when you then try and manually pull it back out it is sticky. And this has not always been the case. So, the hand-loads or chamber have changed dimensions, or both. The most likely is your hand-loads.
What gear do you use to measure your loads?