Quality control is the major factor contributing frustration over magazine reliability. All brands of 6.5 Grendel mags have suffered from poor quality control. I think some functioning issues are blamed on 6.5 Grendel mags when in actuality there is a combination of issue which can contribute to malfunctions.
If an AR-15 is not properly gassed the cycle speed of the bolt can very. If the bolt cycles to fast the spring in the mag cant raise the next cartridge fast enough. Not enough gas might inhibit the bolt from moving rearward enough to cycle the top cartridge or not have enough momentum to completely chamber the cartridge. The larger diameter 6.5 Grendel cartridges need larger feed ramps than a typical 5.56/223. Most experienced 6.5 Grendel users have seen the marks on brass from cartridges being scratched from the barrel extension lugs. As the rifle are used these sharp edges seem to wear down. If the feed ramps in the barrel extension are not done right this can contribute to added drag which only adds to the possibility of a malfunction.
The 5.56/223 AR-15 has a larger knowledge base with known specifications mainly from military usage. When you step away from 5.56/223 to other cartridges there can be significant variations in use by manufacturers. Throw in poor quality control or wrong size gas ports reliability can suffer. There are manufacturers who dont use SAAMI spec chambers so these companies are free to use whatever design specifications they choose.
Using a suppressor can contribute to the need to tweak a AR-15 for reliable functioning. Some times it is easy to blame magazines for a failure when ammunition might be a contributing factor (especially reloads). Add in that many AR-15s are assembled by people with a wide variety of components with different levels of experience.
Add in all completely new untried components and if there is a failure to feed the first thing to blame is the junk new magazine. With use magazine feed lips seem to smooth out. With use many magazine seem to become more reliable unless they become filthy.
Another thing that I dont completely understand is why people want to run a brand new semi auto bone dry with no lube. I had a farmer friend who was having functioning issues with a new pistol. I had the exact same pistol and had been around several others and all were reliable. I asked him if I could see his pistol. It was bone dry and dirty. I cleaned the pistol and lubed it up. He was fairly inexperienced at shooting handguns so I helped him a little. After I cleaned and lubed the pistol and ensured he was using a proper grip his pistol functioned 100%.
The person asked me if the gun shouldnt be able to work dirty. I said most new mechanical devices work better with a little lubrication. I told the farmer his expertise were in tractors and he wouldnt run his tractors without oil or lube. After being in LE and relying on and using firearms I kept my semi auto pistols cleaned and lubed.
If an AR-15 is not properly gassed the cycle speed of the bolt can very. If the bolt cycles to fast the spring in the mag cant raise the next cartridge fast enough. Not enough gas might inhibit the bolt from moving rearward enough to cycle the top cartridge or not have enough momentum to completely chamber the cartridge. The larger diameter 6.5 Grendel cartridges need larger feed ramps than a typical 5.56/223. Most experienced 6.5 Grendel users have seen the marks on brass from cartridges being scratched from the barrel extension lugs. As the rifle are used these sharp edges seem to wear down. If the feed ramps in the barrel extension are not done right this can contribute to added drag which only adds to the possibility of a malfunction.
The 5.56/223 AR-15 has a larger knowledge base with known specifications mainly from military usage. When you step away from 5.56/223 to other cartridges there can be significant variations in use by manufacturers. Throw in poor quality control or wrong size gas ports reliability can suffer. There are manufacturers who dont use SAAMI spec chambers so these companies are free to use whatever design specifications they choose.
Using a suppressor can contribute to the need to tweak a AR-15 for reliable functioning. Some times it is easy to blame magazines for a failure when ammunition might be a contributing factor (especially reloads). Add in that many AR-15s are assembled by people with a wide variety of components with different levels of experience.
Add in all completely new untried components and if there is a failure to feed the first thing to blame is the junk new magazine. With use magazine feed lips seem to smooth out. With use many magazine seem to become more reliable unless they become filthy.
Another thing that I dont completely understand is why people want to run a brand new semi auto bone dry with no lube. I had a farmer friend who was having functioning issues with a new pistol. I had the exact same pistol and had been around several others and all were reliable. I asked him if I could see his pistol. It was bone dry and dirty. I cleaned the pistol and lubed it up. He was fairly inexperienced at shooting handguns so I helped him a little. After I cleaned and lubed the pistol and ensured he was using a proper grip his pistol functioned 100%.
The person asked me if the gun shouldnt be able to work dirty. I said most new mechanical devices work better with a little lubrication. I told the farmer his expertise were in tractors and he wouldnt run his tractors without oil or lube. After being in LE and relying on and using firearms I kept my semi auto pistols cleaned and lubed.