Hi. I purchased a BCM 14.5 carbine about a month ago and finally made it to the range today. So the major problem is that it won’t eject rounds. Period. I fired 30 rounds and no cycling at all. Oddly, it then started to cycle rounds, but then stopped after maybe 20 or 25 rounds. I fired a total of 250 rounds (federal 55 grain, winchester 55 grain and some american tactical 62 grain rounds that I borrowed from another shooter.) The rifle has an H buffer, BCM carrier and bolt and, well, is all BCM except for the stock and handguards. IOf those rounds, I’d say that maybe 25 cycled, the rest the action was simply closed. The bolt carrier didn’t move an inch. I also fired it without a magazine and same problem.
Does anyone have any ideas what it could be? Seems like a serious gas leak somewhere in the system right? Another shooter and I stripped the rifle and all looked normal. Could the H buffer or spring be too strong from the factory?
Do you understand that cycle of operation for the AR? What you are describing sounds like the weapon is not extracting the round. That comes before ejecting.
Once you post some additional info we can try and make a better suggestion.
I’m sorry if I got it wrong. You’re right it is failing to extract. The action just won’t cycle at all. Cycling the action by hand, the rounds will eject. Other than that nothing.
Could be a gas issue since the carrier is not moving at all? Look for excess residue near the gas block. A little residue is normal if there is a lot that could be your problem…
Will do on both. One thing that did seem odd is the bolt was really, really stiff. After firing a round, it is very difficult to pull the charging handle back.
Check the inside of the carrier key and see if there is an obstruction also look for carbon around the key and check to see if the screws are loose. Look around the FSB for signs of excessive fouling/ carbon. If you have an O-ring on the extractor spring take it off.
Based on his description, I am not certain if it is a failure to unlock, or extract. Either way one of the causes could be a gas issue. Clogged port, loose manifold/fsb, loose carrier key… Rough/bad chamber, if the cartridge is sticking and hard to extract by retracting the charging handle.
If the bolt and carrier are truly not moving then I doubt it is gas rings as the bolt and carrier would move.
There are more possibilities, but this should give you a starting point for the most common causes.
Thanks all for advice. But I’ve decided for someone who can’t even get ejection, extract and unlock straight, it’s just safer to leave it to the pro’s to fix rather than try to muddle it through.
So I’m just going to take advantage of the famous BCM customer service and ship it back to them rather than trying solve it myself.
The company has already responded on a Saturday and I am certain that they will correct the issue.
It’s always a bummer when you get a out of box problem, but for a newb, I can tell you that I’m glad I bought a BCM with its lifetime warranty and service. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I had built it the thing and then tried to diagnose it.
FYI, the gas key looks OK and so does everything else. No excess gas coming out from under the FSB that I can see.
There are eight cycles of function, feeding, chambering, locking, firing, unlocking, extracting, ejecting and cocking.
The possible causes of the problem are based on where in those cycles the firearm malfunctions. Some causes overlap between cycles of function, but the first step is always determining what function the firearm is failing to perform and then determine the possible causal factors. Next eliminate each possibility until you determine the problem. The last part can be very frustrating, especially when dealing with “aftermarket parts.”
I had the same problem with my son’s CMMG plus failure to feed. It went back to CMMG. I was told there isn’t anything wrong it. The rifle simply wouldn’t cycle properly before and after it was returned. I found that the carrier key was loose and improperly staked. I retorqued and staked the carrier key. It works everytime now. I would check the carrier key before you ship it back.
Please do us the favor of keeping us updated on the results. Too often people post questions and the topic dies before it is resolved and no one learns from it. Thanks in advance!
Will do. I am sure it’s an easy fix but the info should be shared so others running across this problem that don’t have a warrant nave something to look at.
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