What is the Proper Technical Definition of short stroking? If there is such one…
Short-stroking = Bolt not moving far enough rearward (when fired) to either not pick up the next round in the magazine and/or not going rearward enough to lock back on an empty magazine.
So how that light primer strike on Full Auto cycling failure, what do you call that?
Huh? 
Sorry for being unclear. Have you ever seen or experienced Full Auto “Mis-cycling”?
Basically what happens is, you fire it in auto mode and it stops cycling or doesnt cycle at all.
What you then get after extracting the unfired round in a light strike on the primer.
Ive seen it happen and have read threads on it. Trying to analyze, point by point, exactly how this occurs inside the gun. Plus the misconception that this is also called short stroking, hence the main question of the thread.
Are you talking about a live/unfired round in the chamber with the hammer down?
If so… this would be caused by the auto sear not holding the hammer back until the bolt was all the way into battery. Thus the hammer rides the carrier forward and doesn’t give the firing pin a good strike.
This would be more common in RDIAS guns. It shouldn’t occur in a real M16.
(or it could be the disconnector if it happens when the trigger is let off)
Sounds kinda like bolt bounce. You may need a heavier buffer like an H2.
Ya bolt bounce is what Ive read before but by that you mean bouncing when it hits the barrel extension? So the weight of heavier buffer holds it down to keep it from bouncing back?
What about for Milspec barrels which I hear have slightly smaller gas ports than for example, a Bushmaster barrel. Would you still need and H2 or an H if your firing low powder load ammo?
I think the heavier buffer just slows down the bolt speed to eliminate bounce rather than hold it close. What’s the whole set up? Barrel length/make, etc.
If it’s truly bolt bounce, a heavier buffer should make a big difference. (I run an H3 on my 11.5" Sabre using mild .223 loads, and it runs great.)
I have a 14.5BM. Not experiencing problems with it thankfully, even runs on a CAR buffer with no stoppages.
The thread is actually just me being overly analytical about this particular problem and wanting to gain a real understanding as to how it occurs and exactly how the fix resolves it for future builds and also friends who might need help.
Thanks again!