ar15 won't close

[shootemup]

Club member put a Mean Arms MA mag button on his ar to make a fixed mag. Problem is, when he top loads it, he can't get the upper to close back down enough to latch it in place. The bottom of the bolt is hitting the bullets in the mag and if the bolt is locked back, you can't open it. It's a Stag carbine upper and a Magpul Pmag. Any thoughts?

 

[GOYABEAN]

Try removing 9 rounds instead of 10

 

[shootemup]

Try removing 9 rounds instead of 10

I wonder if the Magpul spring is the issue. Even with 5 rounds in the mag he can't get it latched. With the upper closed and locked and the bolt closed, you still can't force the loaded mag up enough for the mag catch to lock it in. Could the bolt somehow be the issue?

 

[GOYABEAN]

Is there a set screw on lower keeping from closing properly.

 

[shootemup]

Is there a set screw on lower keeping from closing properly.

No, this gun has worked great for a couple of years as a featureless. As long as the bolt is locked back, insert mag hit bolt release shoot till empty drop mag repeat. Just for some reason you can't insert a loaded mag w/ bolt closed and get mag to lock in. I don't get it. Me. I'd keep it as a featureless but not my monkey, not my circus.

 

[shootemup]

No, this gun has worked great for a couple of years as a featureless. As long as the bolt is locked back, insert mag hit bolt release shoot till empty drop mag repeat. Just for some reason you can't insert a loaded mag w/ bolt closed and get mag to lock in. I don't get it. Me. I'd keep it as a featureless but not my monkey, not my circus.

Google has shown this problem crops up a lot. Usual blame is either overloaded mag(not in this case) or bad mag catch.....maybe he's gonna try another one. General consensus is it's normal, use more muscle. In the case of toploader, this is gonna be a bitch trying to squeeze upper and lower together hard enough to get takedown pin in place. Removable mag w/featureless > fixed mag IMO

 

[redtail]

What Goya said about mag capacity has solved the issue for some.

 

[shootemup]

What Goya said about mag capacity has solved the issue for some.

Yes I agree back when we had 30 rd mags I know many who down loaded. Very odd about the Magpuls, I love 'em.

 

[GOYABEAN]

 

[BDinPutnam]

Lancer.

 

[RoyP]

try a different mag? mine closes fine on a pmag with 10 rounds loaded. if you are trying to insert the mag with the bolt closed, try pushing in on the bottom of the bolt catch. it could be hitting the back of the mag because it's in the down position instead of the up position like when it's holding the bolt open

 

[Twogunwilly]

I bet it's the mag, I had the same problem with an empty mag, switched the bolt stop twice thinking that was the problem. Switched mags, problem solved.

 

[shootemup]

I bet it's the mag, I had the same problem with an empty mag, switched the bolt stop twice thinking that was the problem. Switched mags, problem solved.

He's gonna try a Lancer I gave him and get back to me. I go w/ 2Gun willy

 

[Loworange88]

my fixed mag AR with a Mean Arms lock does this. The magazine is a Pmag. I noticed this when I added the Magpul 5 round limiter. Loading the magazine with the upper open, wont allow it to close, remove one round and it closes.

Using a BF-10 loader through the ejection port while the rifle is closed and the bolt locked back, no problem, can load all 5 into the fixed mag, and then obviously close the bolt.

Annoying yes, but the BF-10 or Mean Arms loader is a work around, a bit faster than opening the receiver.