Had an Unusual Failure Today

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rickyrick

New member
I went out to reset some game cameras today so I took my stubby 6.8spc carbine out to try a bunch of different factory hunting ammunition out to see if it all fed and functioned well.

I was using two magazines from ASC.
One was purchased several years ago, and one was purchased recently. The old one wasn’t used very much because I used to have a 16” barrel that just would never cycle the action properly. The 6.8 project was subsequently shelved for a number of years.

I’ve since put this carbine together with a 10.5” ARP barrel and added the pinned and welded flash hide. It has performed flawlessly.

Anyway, back to today,
Halfway through my session and as normal, when the magazine runs out:
The bolt locks back as it should.
I press the mag release button.
I insert the new mag and slap it in.
Push the bolt release and nothing happens…
I look in the port and see that the magazine is too far into the receiver and is preventing bolt from moving.

I got the magazine out and reseated it with no problem and the issue never reoccurred.

What could cause this to happen?

The offending magazine is on the right and is the older of the two.
As you can see, it has a raised area that the newer one doesn’t have.


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M

MC 1911

New member
Having had this same issue before with my .308 I can tell you after some research that the cause is slamming the mag in with the bolt back. I'd never had an issue & I was letting someone else use my rifle.

I gave it to them with the bolt back & mag out.When he put the mag in he gave it an extra smack causing the problem.
 
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Double Naught Spy

New member
What happened? The mag release catch didn't catch the mag and you over inserted it. It may be dirty/grimy or maybe you just inserted too quickly or violently and overrode the mechanism.
 
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rickyrick

New member
Might be what happened, just never experienced that before. I was kinda wondering why the company “redesigned” the magazine to eliminate that extra raised section, may not even be related.
The magazine catch on the gun is adjusted correctly. I like to have them a little bit on the tight side.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
The magazine catch on the gun is adjusted correctly. I like to have them a little bit on the tight side.
Click to expand...

And how is the fit of your mag catch in the hole in the magazine body?

That is someplace you don't want "tight".

Check the "tab" on the catch for a square shoulder and a tiny bit of clearance in the mag body hole.

A square edge on the bottom reduces the tendency of your "be sure its seated" slap moving the latch out enough to allow the mag body to move higher.

A small bit of clearance helps ensure the catch engages smoothly and in a timely manner, not sticking in the hole.
 
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stagpanther

New member
For 6.8 spc I run exclusively the PRI mags that cavity back sells--especially the ones with front cut-away that allow COL beyond 2.26. A bit more expensive than others, but they are the best there is IMO. Most mags swell a bit when fully loaded with cartridges--that's why I prefer welded all-steel ones. I have some ASC magazines--very well made but have pretty stiff springs IMO. Once in a while I've experienced something similar when releasing the bolt but nothing happened--in reality the bolt had in fact released--but because of stiff upward pressure and a slight tilt in the follower the bolt was actually hanging on the rear of a tilted cartridge that could not clear the feed lips.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
That is someplace you don't want "tight".
Click to expand...

It's someplace you don't want loose, either, as the magazine can easily disengage/dislodge from the magwell if it is.
Click to expand...

Correct. Its someplace you need the "proper fit". Too tight and the catch can fail to engage the magazine properly, too loose and it can become disengaged (pop out) and neither one is a good thing.

Now, when dealing with a gun (and its parts) made by one (or more) companies, and magazines made by yet another company, there is always a chance for improper fit/function. Sometimes things fit fine and its "plug and play" no problems. Sometimes one of the components of the system is simply out of spec,

And, sometimes, its a matter of individual things being "in spec" but stacking tolerances pushing the system out of spec enough to cause problems.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
I was expecting a great failure here, based on ASC's bad rib dimensions. Instead, I just found over-insertion.

My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.


ASC mags were highly recommended when I was in need of something that could handle up to 2.285" COAL without dragging. I bought a bunch for "5.56".
They rimlocked any cartridge based on .223/5.56, because the ribs protruded too far internally. :rolleyes:
 
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rickyrick

New member
Ah, alas I too was informed that ASC were the go-to magazines for 6.8…
I don’t recall where I obtained such information.

I’ve never over inserted a magazine, before… I found that event to be as disappointing as you had in viewing the thread.

I guess it’s time to procure a different brand.
I only got ten rounders at first, as I didn’t want to get anything else until I was confident that the gun ran reliably.
It runs good and I’m pleased with the goofy little thing… except my over insertion issue lol.
 
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