Help! Dumb mistake = AR Trouble

i just did the same thing with my ar and had no problems disassembleing it to re install the firing pin.

try this. cock the weapon and if the bolt doesnt go all the way in take the weapon and hold it by the sock and firmly thump the flash hider against the floor. that should make the bolt fly forward enought to open the take down pin.

is your buffer spring due for a change. did you try the forward assist.

leeindy said:

is your buffer spring due for a change. did you try the forward assist.

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Yes, have tried the forward assist and it seems to be stuck. The buffer spring is brand new.

The take down pins i can open, but the problem is the upper won't slide off the lower. there's SOMETHING holding onto it

remove both front and back take down pins, make sure that you compress the upper from the lower. Once both pins are removed, you can now slide the upper from the lower.

Snake_Eyes said:

make sure that you compress the upper from the lower.

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What do you mean by this?

is the bolt all the way forward?

leeindy said:

is the bolt all the way forward?

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Yes. Forgive my lack of technical terms but the bolt is pressed into the forward position inside it's housing(?).

The piece through which the firing pin protrudes has two positions, it is in the one that is farthest forward, thus the rest of the bolt is unable to fall completely forward.

lock the bolt back and see if you can straighten it out with a small screwdriver until its straitght. or put a small tooth pick threw the firing pin hole and try to line it up that way

No dice so far.

Damned thing won't turn

I tried to recreate your failure and believe I have. What I'm seeing is that the bolt locking lugs are not lined up with the breech locking lugs and causing the bolt to jam on the breech side lugs. Take a small screw driver and rotate the bolt buy pushing on the locking lugs if you can and getting them to rotate. In doing so the bolt will slide in to battery and allow you to remove the upper.

beaterar said:

I tried to recreate your failure and believe I have. What I'm seeing is that the bolt locking lugs are not lined up with the breech locking lugs and causing the bolt to jam on the breech side lugs. Take a small screw driver and rotate the bolt buy pushing on the locking lugs if you can and getting them to rotate. In doing so the bolt will slide in to battery and allow you to remove the upper.

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Which direction should I rotate?

robinsre said:

No dice so far.

Damned thing won't turn

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It will only urn one direction due to the bolt retainer so make sure you are trying to rotate the bolt in the direction it can travle.

looking at the bolt go counter clock wize

counter clockwise if your looking from the rear

TADA!!

You sir are a genius. And Leeindy too!

If either of you ever make it to the Reno area I owe you a beer!

ill hold you to it

Send beer to................LOL

i know in the military.. if the bolt gets stuck.. or a round gets jammed in there.. we just slam the buttstock on the ground with the barrel pointed to the sky.. that would push the bolt back in to the stock and eject any type of jam.. including double feed.. trust me..i did it in AIT

There is a common 2 step test of your bolt carrier group to see if you assembled everything correctly before inserting it into your rifle.

1. With a quick strike of you palm, push the bolt back into the bolt carrier all the way.

2. Without letting go of the bolt carrier, snap your wrist so the bolt extends out of the bolt carrier.

If everything is assembled correctly you will not have any parts flying out of the bolt carrier group and the bolt will be fully extended after step 2. Repeat it as many times as you like.

The only thing this will not check is if you have your firing pin retaining pin inserted from the wrong side. If you did and you managed to get your bolt into your rifle, you are going to have a bear of time getting it back out.

I hope this helps.