A couple of days ago I was shooting drills when I had a failure to fire. I tap, racked, banged, and continued on. A few more rounds later, the same thing happened, and again, a few more rounds later, the same thing. Now, I admit, I should have broken my rifle down before this point and diagnosed the problem, because I had and estimated three thousand rounds through it without a single problem. However, I had done a lot of shooting lately without cleaning, only lubing, so I figured it was just built up carbon and gunk that was sticking things up. However, when I broke the rifle down I found that the gas tube opening had been peeled back on one side, and the gas key had been peeled back on the corresponding side. The failures to go into battery was obviously caused by the damage preventing the tube and key meeting up properly.
I ordered a new tube and key from BCM yesterday, and ADCO has said they will fix it no problem. I know, I should be able to fix it myself, but this is my go to rifle, so I want to make sure it’s done right. I’ve never had this happen before, so I wondered if someone could diagnose the cause and if there was a preventive action to keep it from happening again once repaired.
The rifle is a BCM 11.5 inch that I sent the upper to ADCO for removal of the original front sight base, and installation and pinning of a BCM low profile gas block. Again, this was all when the upper was new, and since I have about three thousand rounds through it without a single malfunction, it is obviously no fault of BCM or ADCO. I only name drop to show this wasn’t a bubba built or a bubba wrenched upper. Ammo was Winchester 5.56 55 gr. I was also shooting suppressed when the trouble started. Buffer spring was an almost fresh Springco white with H3 buffer.
If this is something that just happens, then so be it. I just wanted to check to see if there was something that I could do going forward to prevent it from happening again.
Will do. I’ll take a pic with my phone when I get home from work. I’ll post it if I can figure out how. I should have from the get-go, but I haven’t posted a pic before and I didn’t know if this was something that happened on occasion.
It sounds like something was out of alignment and the tube was damaged by impinging against the carrier key. Pics would be good. If it’s simply the gas tube, replacing it is pretty simple and straightforward.
I think the same thing. What I am wondering, though, is what caused it since I have more than enough rounds through it to gauge it as a reliable weapon. Is there a component or combination of components or action that caused it that can be changed to prevent a future occurrence after I get it fixed?
Anything mechanical can fail, but is this something that can be prevented?
I wish I had kept a hard round count like I say I will after every new purchase, but thus far I’ve only done with with precision weapons. At any rate, I have enough rounds through it to say it’s reliable, but not enough that wear can be blamed.
Ah, I’ve already ordered a tube and key for replacement. It’s a small price to pay for reliability, especially since this is my go to rifle. I did police my brass, so I’ll check them tonight. Thank you
There were no signs such as eff’d up brass to show early unlocking. Is there anything else I should look for?
This question does remind me of an important piece of information. I know it’s late in the game, but it just came to mind. A live round did chamber, at least the last two or three times, but the bolt didn’t lock or go into battery. I can’t say what happened the first few times as remedial action worked. Then, I imagine since the bolt wasn’t locked, there were failure to extracts and tap rack bang resulted in double feeds. If I didn’t rack, the forward assist would allow firing.
I couldn’t find any spent brass missing a primer. Of course, the brass is all crimped. That doesn’t mean there weren’t propped primers. I was shooting with the sheriff’s department and brass was all over the place. I just tried to pick up mine. There were no spent primers in my lower.
