Watch out for those empty chamber indicators (ECIs)

jjbduke2004 · Apr 19, 2011

Enclosed is an email I (team 2 captain) sent to my club high power chair (team 1 captain) after observing an incident on the line during a match sunday:

<Shooter>'s ECI broke when the bolt closed on
it. He neglected to check for barrel obstruction or tell anyone. He
then attempted to fire: "click." Kept it pointed down range. I told
him to eject. The round was unmarked, even the dimple usually seen on
chambered brass wasn't visible. We tried again a few times. I field
stripped the rifle and detail stripped the bolt carrier group. I
didn't see anything wrong. He then took out his cleaning rod and
cleared the obstruction (I didn't know it was there). Apparently the
ECI fragment prevented full lockup, and the hammer deflected off the
shroud of the bolt carrier. The rifle performed as designed: the
carrier shroud prevented out of battery ignition.

The ECI resembled a cable tie attached to a plastic tab. It wasn't designed to withstand the AR bolt closing on it. Some of the older CMP ECIs also had this problem. In general I recommend this kind when dealing with ARs:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/sid=62832/pid=32534/Product/AR_15_CHAMBER_SAFETY_FLAG (14-475)

Inigoes · Apr 19, 2011

Spent shell casings work well in a pinch

methlab · Apr 19, 2011

good to know, thanks

Russ D · Apr 19, 2011

I've twice seen the yellow ones get pinched off after repeated BCG drops on them. It can be a serious pain requiring mortaring if it gets lodged in the chamber.

BFMIN · Apr 19, 2011

I hate the dammed things. A crutch for the incompetent.

rrrrrrkevin · Apr 19, 2011

Inigoes said:
Spent shell casings work well in a pinch

I dont like that because in some guns you can pull it out and when the bolt flies forward it will go off if a loaded mag is inserted. Im a dumbass and Ive done that before looking directly at the chamber and my ear was ringing for an hour or 2.

hole punch · Apr 19, 2011

Can you show me a picture of the kind to avoid using in ARs?

Hyper-W · Apr 19, 2011

Russ D said:
I've twice seen the yellow ones get pinched off after repeated BCG drops on them. It can be a serious pain requiring mortaring if it gets lodged in the chamber.

I've done this.
I accidentally released the bolt on my AR and snapped the flag in half.

BFMIN said:
I hate the dammed things. A crutch for the incompetent.

Required by most ranges. My personal opinions on them have nothing to do with the fact that they are mandatory.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Russ D · Apr 19, 2011

hole punch said:
Can you show me a picture of the kind to avoid using in ARs?

JOBU · Apr 20, 2011

Inigoes said:
Spent shell casings work well in a pinch

Yep! And much cheaper and always available at a range.

mikec · Apr 20, 2011

BFMIN said:
I hate the dammed things. A crutch for the incompetent.

I agree.

jjbduke2004 · Apr 20, 2011

Hyper-W said:
I've done this.
I accidentally released the bolt on my AR and snapped the flag in half.

Required by most ranges. My personal opinions on them have nothing to do with the fact that they are mandatory.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

They came from the High Power community when lots of rifles would be on the line and shooters would be moving back and forth between the pits. It gave the block officers and tower talkers a way to check if the line had been cleared. They used to be called open bolt indicators (OBI) and there were kinds that acted as a mag well block with a flag that stuck out of the ejection port.

Then one day at Camp Perry someone inserted his OBI into a loaded rifle and took it out into the parking lot. When putting the rifle away, he removed the OBI and pulled the trigger to decock the rifle: BANG

From that point on, the NRA decided that an empty chamber indicator was needed: one that would show that the bolt was open and the chamber was clear.

Watch out for those empty chamber indicators (ECIs)

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