Do AR's jam that much?
- Thread starter bjones870
- Start date
There was just a thread about this the other day, and a couple of years ago there was a similar thread. The poster said there were tens of thousands of rounds fired, no malfuntions.
I can honestly say that in over 30 years of playing with ARs I have never had a malfunction due to cleaning issues, but I may be forgetting about some malfunctions at some point in time, so I will say that in my experience it is very rare as long as the weapon is properly maintained at some point in time prior to the prolonged shooting event.
I can honestly say that in over 30 years of playing with ARs I have never had a malfunction due to cleaning issues, but I may be forgetting about some malfunctions at some point in time, so I will say that in my experience it is very rare as long as the weapon is properly maintained at some point in time prior to the prolonged shooting event.
Microgunner
New member
The ARs I've owned have been uber reliable.
The AR15 had been developed into a mechanically reliable system. If you are using quality, brand name, brass cased ammunition, using Colt magazines (I have experienced issues with Military 30 round magazines), kept your AR well lubricated, you should be able to fire thousands of rounds without a jam.
A bud of mine worked on the rebuild lines at Annistion Army Depot. They would pull a rifle from a lot of rebuilt rifles and shoot the thing 6000 rounds. They would shoot 6000 rounds as fast as they could, blowing compressed air in the chamber and up the barrel between magazine changes.
He could not think of a single time that a rebuilt M16 malfunctioned.
This is not to say that M16's/AR15 are not dust sensitive, they are, and they have to be kept clean and lubricated for best performance.
Any semi - fully automatic mechanism will gum up given enough ammunition. Breech friction will always defeat a self loader.
There are less dust sensitive designs and there are designs that have more rugged magazines.
From what I have seen and read, AR's are sensitive to case material. You read all the time about jams with steel cased ammunition. I believe this is due to the fact the .223 round was created by a "couple of guys" at Bob Hutton's ranch in the 50's, it is a wild cat round, and they did not spend time or money looking at different materials, tapers, case to chamber tolerances, case hardeness, etc. They just got a round that went a certain velocity with a small bullet. The round was not developed as were the 7.62 X 39 or the current Chinese rounds.
A bud of mine worked on the rebuild lines at Annistion Army Depot. They would pull a rifle from a lot of rebuilt rifles and shoot the thing 6000 rounds. They would shoot 6000 rounds as fast as they could, blowing compressed air in the chamber and up the barrel between magazine changes.
He could not think of a single time that a rebuilt M16 malfunctioned.
This is not to say that M16's/AR15 are not dust sensitive, they are, and they have to be kept clean and lubricated for best performance.
Any semi - fully automatic mechanism will gum up given enough ammunition. Breech friction will always defeat a self loader.
There are less dust sensitive designs and there are designs that have more rugged magazines.
From what I have seen and read, AR's are sensitive to case material. You read all the time about jams with steel cased ammunition. I believe this is due to the fact the .223 round was created by a "couple of guys" at Bob Hutton's ranch in the 50's, it is a wild cat round, and they did not spend time or money looking at different materials, tapers, case to chamber tolerances, case hardeness, etc. They just got a round that went a certain velocity with a small bullet. The round was not developed as were the 7.62 X 39 or the current Chinese rounds.
oneounceload
Moderator
Son took his out fore the first time in a long time - shooting the Wolf crap - after 150 rounds, he had to shoot single shot - the gun quit functioning otherwise
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not trying to say that the AR15 is equal to the AK47, or it's variants. I've never had an AR15 jam on me. Ever. Granted I've only shot a few thousand rounds out of a handful of AR's, but still. So if I personally shoot shelf ammo, not wolf or bear, but federal, hirnady, etc... I'll be ok?
Mine has been far more reliable than any of my kalashnikovs (they have been very good, but nowhere near the insane level of my AR)
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462100
But some would argue with you as to whether bushmaster is a high end AR.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462100
But some would argue with you as to whether bushmaster is a high end AR.
I ran one of my carbines (I built it myself) Two range sessions, one last week and one this week. Put 400 rounds through it last week and about 300 this week. Never cleaned it, just a little lube on the bolt at the end of each day. 30 round mag dumps, some three mags in a row. No jams no misfires. Zero.
In fact I have never had any of my 5.56/223 AR-15s jam. I do not baby them.
One of the guys that was with me at the range one day did a tour in Iraq. I asked him how he liked his issue M-4. He loved it. He never had a single problem with it and he did see action with it.
In fact I have never had any of my 5.56/223 AR-15s jam. I do not baby them.
One of the guys that was with me at the range one day did a tour in Iraq. I asked him how he liked his issue M-4. He loved it. He never had a single problem with it and he did see action with it.
meatgrinder42
New member
I'll repeat what others have said because it's all true.
It's a good weapon but keep it clean, keep it lubed, use BRASS cases and good ammunition, and good magazines. Double feeds were the biggest issue I had in my A4.
It's a good weapon but keep it clean, keep it lubed, use BRASS cases and good ammunition, and good magazines. Double feeds were the biggest issue I had in my A4.
Pat Roger's BCM rifle went > 40K rounds without cleaning.
Google "Filthy 14"
Also look here:
http://www.defensereview.com/the-bi...pingement-gas-system-makes-the-m4-unreliable/
Google "Filthy 14"
Also look here:
http://www.defensereview.com/the-bi...pingement-gas-system-makes-the-m4-unreliable/
Willie Lowman
New member
For a few years I shot nothing but Wolf in my Colt. I don't think it was the steel cases It didn't like, it was the terrible Russian gun powder. Reliability got iffy after 4 mags and rarely would the rifle function after 200 rounds of that garbage.
I expect to fire over 500 rounds of PMC on Saturday and I doubt I will have any problems.
I expect to fire over 500 rounds of PMC on Saturday and I doubt I will have any problems.
I have several AR's and can't say I've had any of them "jam" except those caused by magazine issues. Jam is a heck of a big description covering a multitude of functional problems. Some are caused by misapplication of the firearm and some are caused by incorrect parts and some by ammo. Like any piece of equipment, AR failures are more likely to occur when abuse,misuse,or failure to maintain are added to the normal possiblity of a problem.
I had a guy ask to buy an AR and some ammo. When asked what type of ammo he was needing, he answered by raising his hands in a simulation of firing and said"just something for hosing". I almost feel pity for the rifle he gets.
I had a guy ask to buy an AR and some ammo. When asked what type of ammo he was needing, he answered by raising his hands in a simulation of firing and said"just something for hosing". I almost feel pity for the rifle he gets.