Failure to Extract

[ETX-Deerslayer]

My son’s AR-15. He is running a vehicle tactics course (yesterday and today). About midway through the session this morning (he had already run about 2 mags through the gun with zero issue) he began to have issues with it failing to extract spent casings every 5-6th shot. This weapon has run fine to this point (he has had it 2-3 years) and we have probably run 2-3,000 rounds through it. Gun was thoroughly cleaned yesterday after day #1 of the course. Today he cleaned/oiled on site (as best he could) tried different ammo and different magazines. Same story. Finally he gave up as to not hold up the course and ran a different weapon.

Mil-spec bolt carrier group
Armalite barrel

The extractor was grabbing the casing and could not pull the case out.... (I’ll take a picture of one of the cases) they would have to clear by running a rod down the muzzle. It was not ‘overly’ difficult to get the case out. Once they did this.... same story.... run 6-7 rounds fine and then happen again.

I’m about to break it down and clean and look in the bore/barrel as best I can.

Any general thoughts? I will say that the course was in a lot of sand, dirt etc...... so I’m hoping a simple fix?

Thoughts???


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[ETX-Deerslayer]

Just pulled bolt carrier out. Extremely dirty, but I can’t see anything broken?


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[ETX-Deerslayer]

One of the spent cases. You can see where the extractor ‘tore off’ part of the lip of the case trying to extract.


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[ETX-Deerslayer]

Looking at the sand and grime..... I’m thinking something in the chamber area maybe??


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[ETX-Deerslayer]

The amount of sand in this gun is crazy from the drills they were doing. We are going to give a thorough cleaning and see how it runs. I can see particles of sand in the chamber area.... so? Maybe.


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[Mike D]

My guess is sand in the chamber.

I was going to ask if it had the correct o-ring under the extractor spring but looks like you have plenty of extractor tension.


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[lbbf]

Factory or reloads? I would say sand as well, but I had my Glock do this once at a match and it turns out my new sizing die wasn't sizing so well. The cases would sometimes chamber but took a rod and mallet to clear out the fired brass.

[treestand]

I had one do this and after trying multiple things, it turned out I needed new bolt gas rings. When they wear out it messes with the timing as well as the force.

[ETX-Deerslayer]

We gave it a deep clean last night and could see sand in the chamber and dirt etc. With the drills they were doing and the sand etc., getting in magazines it was really rough on equipment. Going to run it tonight and see if we fixed the issue. Will update. Thanks!


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[cbd10pt]

Too much chamber pressure.
Need a lighter load, dirty gas port/tube, head spacing on bullets, bad batch of bullets etc

[RifleBowPistol]

You might change you ammo, that looks like powder to me, not sand, but it may be sand, but sure looks like gun powder. Find some ammo or powder that burns cleaner.

Also it is not that uncommon for ARs to have extractor issues. I would probably keep a extractor, springs and pins. I have heard of people having problems with the springs, replacing them, then all is normal again. I have not had that issue yet, just heard of it numerous times.