100gr A-Max FTE: FIXED

[roentgenranger]

Hi all. New here. 16" carbine length gas, stock buffer/spring, Maxim bolt, Odin adjustable block(7 clicks from closed. 100gr A-Max over 30gr 8208, CCI primers, Starline Brass. The rifle is leaving the brass on top of the mag. Locks back on empty. Ejects 123 A-Max loads at 1500. Extractor appears to be beating the rim up a bit. Suggestions?

[LRRPF52]

Welcome aboard.

Can you post pics of your extractor?

Sounds like the extractor needs to be tuned. It’s common to see extractors with sharp corners on the edges, which bite into the case rim and don’t let go after extraction.

That would explain why the spent cases are being left on top of the magazine.

[roentgenranger]

Bingo! I think. Based on your suggestion, I found Johnny's Reloading Bench video and discovered that mine was REALLY sharp. Knocked the edges down with a dremel and smoothed them out with a diamond file. Garage gunsmithing at it's best. Put three single loaded rounds through and they each ejected at about 1500. Would have done more, but we have a winter storm warning here...

[LRRPF52]

Glad to help. This was a common issue we would see with after-market extractors in the 2000s, and that was the fix.

Part of the M16/M4 TDP involves a machining pass on the extractor to eliminate those corners, and it is also seen on the extractor shaft underside.