Rifle failure

[Blalock]

Preface: I did a search and couldn't find adequate info

Today I took my DPMS Panter 7.62 Sportical to Elk Neck. I was using Magtec ammo with 3 DPMS mags and 1 Magpul mag. Several times the gun did not pick up the next round. All I would get is a click. The gun was in battery after the first shot and did not pick up the next round. I pulled the bolt and oiled it and it continued to do it with all 4 of the mags. Can anyone out there tell me where I should start to fix this problem.

 

[Idempotent]

So no FTEs, and the FTFs you're experiencing are a case of the bolt completely missing the next round in the magazine to strip it? I.e. you're not experiencing FTFs where the next round is getting mashed.

What happens if you rack the action back and slam it forward? Does it pick up the next round then?

 

[Russ D]

Sounds like an ammo issue. How heavy a bullet are you shooting?

 

[Idempotent]

Russ D, what's the thinking here, that the ammo he's using isn't providing enough force to move the action all the way to the rear to strip the next round?

 

[Inigoes]

Try using a different ammo.

Has this occurred before with the same ammo?

Are the mag internals clean, and free moving?

 

[Boondock Saint]

Either short stroking or bad mags in my amateur opinion.

 

[clandestine]

Heres the Problems it could be:

Upper Shelf is milled improperly not allowing the mags to seat

Gas Key is loose

Gas Tube or Gas Key is Out od Spec.

Gas Port in the Barrel is too small

Chamber is to tight or rough

Gas Manifold/Gas Block/FSB is not sealed correctly


Where did you get it, you should take it back and see if they will fix it.

If its steel cased amo then the gun needs some fine tuning to likely make it run on steel cased ammo.

 

[Blalock]

The ammo was 150 gr I believe. Brass cased. I never had any FTE or a FTF when a round was in the chamber. This is only the 2nd time that I shot the gun. I had a few FTE's the first time that I shot it which I attributed to break in. All of the mags were clean, 3 were brand new including the P-mag.

Edit :Thanks Clandestine!

 

[Russ D]

Russ D, what's the thinking here, that the ammo he's using isn't providing enough force to move the action all the way to the rear to strip the next round?

Yep.

 

[Russ D]

Heres the Problems it could be:

Upper Shelf is milled improperly not allowing the mags to seat

Gas Key is loose

Gas Tube or Gas Key is Out od Spec.

Gas Port in the Barrel is too small

Chamber is to tight or rough

Gas Manifold/Gas Block/FSB is not sealed correctly


Where did you get it, you should take it back and see if they will fix it.

If its steel cased amo then the gun needs some fine tuning to likely make it run on steel cased ammo.

The .308's aren't ammo sensitive? I was thinking that .308 comes in so many variations that light or undercharged ammo could cause a rifle to short stroke. Still though with 150's any .308 should function. Have you seen many bad Sporticals Chad?

 

[clandestine]

The .308's aren't ammo sensitive? I was thinking that .308 comes in so many variations that light or undercharged ammo could cause a rifle to short stroke. Still though with 150's any .308 should function. Have you seen many bad Sporticals Chad?

150's often cause issues in FAL's and AR .308 with shorter barrels. You are correct about the ammo likely being the cause, but a good .308 AR should run on 150, steel and brass cased. Problem is no one really makes a great .308 AR rifle out of the box, even Knights SR25 rifles come to me alot for issues. I would be seriuously pissed if I had to pay a Smith $150, to rework a $4,000.00 rifle before it ran somewhat reliably.

I have seen a fair share of problematic .308 AR rifles/carbines from all manufacturers. With a good workover, good lube, and Magpul mags they run quite well.

Im just starting to consider owning one now that I know exactly what they need to have done to them to run reliably.

 

[E.Shell]

Fire a round over an empty mag. If it doesn't lock back, it's either a bad mag or short stroking. Try another mag with the same drill. If it's a bad mag, trouble shoot this. If it's short stroking troubleshoot that.

 

[Lou45]

150's often cause issues in FAL's and AR .308 with shorter barrels. You are correct about the ammo likely being the cause, but a good .308 AR should run on 150, steel and brass cased. Problem is no one really makes a great .308 AR rifle out of the box, even Knights SR25 rifles come to me alot for issues. I would be seriuously pissed if I had to pay a Smith $150, to rework a $4,000.00 rifle before it ran somewhat reliably.

I have seen a fair share of problematic .308 AR rifles/carbines from all manufacturers. With a good workover, good lube, and Magpul mags they run quite well.

Im just starting to consider owning one now that I know exactly what they need to have done to them to run reliably.

Chad, what brand/type AR.308 would you recommend? I'm thinking about doing the same thing. I've been leaning towards Armalite since they've been doing the .308 on the AR platform since the invention of the wheel and haven't heard hardly any negative feedback on them (unlike the Bushy .308 garbage can back in 2003, so bad it was pulled off the market in a few months).