Extraction Problems

	Extraction Problems
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EXTRACTION PROBLEMS

PROBLEM: You have your AR15, bought some ammo and went to the range. Your are excited about a chance to shoot your rifle and test some cheap new ammo. You shoot and find that a piece of brass is stuck in the chamber. You can not pull the bolt back with the charging handle. The round is STUCK. What can you do and why did it happen.

FIX: To get the casing out, you need a rubber or non-marring mallet, so that you can lightly rap the charging handle to remove the casing. Make sure you have the charging handle release button set to release the charging handle when you start tapping!

SOLUTION: Chances are the ammo is not made in the US. It is likely that it is steel case with a lacquer coating on it.

Do you lubricate your chamber with high quality oil? Remington's Rem Oil, Tetra's Gun Oil are but a few of the high quality special lubricants that you can use to reduce friction. Use of high quality oil throughout your gun will reduce wear and problems. Never use your gun when it is dry. Always oil new guns.

In the case of the lacquered ammo, as the chamber heated up, some of the lacquer melted and made the chamber into a sticky gooey mess. Eventually problems will occur. The empty brass or steel casing might start not fully ejecting or it might get stuck in the chamber. Clean the chamber VERY well and make sure all lacquer has been removed. Acetone, a liquid can be used sparingly in the chamber will melt most lacquers used for ammunition. You can get it at any good hardware store.

NOTE

Acetone has a low ignition temperature and will evaporate quickly. Use outside in a ventilated area. Acetone will also 'dissolve' many plastics. Use with care and only on the parts you are trying to clean up. Q-tips can be useful for this.

For the long term, do not use ammunition that is coated with lacquer.

If you are using ammunition that is not coated with lacquer and you are having problems with extraction, it is likely that it is slightly too large, the chamber is tight or a combination of both.

Chamber and ammunition are created according to SAAMI specifications. SAAMI was created by the government years ago to provide a standards organization for the firearms industry. They provide a standard tolerance "range" that companies are to use in their manufacturing.

The tolerance "range" can cause problems. If an ammunition manufacturer tends to make ammunition that is on the large side of the tolerance range and the chamber manufacturer creates chambers that are on the smaller of the tolerance range, ammunition can get stuck in the chamber. Most American manufacturers create ammunition that is in the average middle of the tolerance range, which makes it cause few if any problems.

Why make a tight chamber? It is a known fact that tighter chambers provide for better accuracy. Olympic is one of the few manufacturers that makes their rifles for better accuracy using tighter chambers.

Know your ammunition and know your chamber. If you pay attention to this small tip, you will have a great time on the range!