308 semi reload

ACK

Sergeant
Minuteman
Nov 20, 2004
416
263
So. Ca
help
dpms 308 platform. works well w factory, mil surplus.
with reloads bolt rides over, does not pick round.
chrono shows reloads are within 30 fps from mil.
ideas?
 
When rounds aren't being stripped from an AR mag the problem is usually an over gased rifle with excessive BCG speed. But this sounds to me like you're short stroking. If you put one round in the mag and fire, will it lock back on the empty mag?

Are you saying it works well with factory AND surplus? What factory ammo works? What OAL are the reloads and what mag?
 
A few questions.

1. are you using virgin brass?
2. Are you resizing with a small base die?
3. is the rifle new? could be a little tight and will feed fine after break in.
4. What weight bullet are your reloads? I assume the Mil spec stuff is 147 or 149 gr. is the reloads heavier or lighter.
5, are you using plenty of oil on the Bolt carrier group?
 
Mike/Maagitas, thank you for the feedback.

I tried some 5 Remington rounds loads from my partner (generic 308) and ~15 rounds of Radgreen British surplus, all of these fed well, bolt carrier picked up the rounds from the magazine.
I may have found the issue, the Radgreen OAL is 2.785; projectile weight is 147. Chrono at 2715 Average SD 21
My loads are 2.815 OAL; SMK 155 Gr, 44 Gr Varget. chrono at 2675, SD 25, LC brass. Tried to reduce the "jump". 308 Gas guns are "interesting"

Weapon started as a Remington R25, modified to: M110 Krieger barrel, Armalite gas tube (required with M110), Superlative adjustable gas tube. Magazines PMAG & DPMS Gas block is adjusted to lock open with an empty chamber + 2 more "clicks"

Not using a small base die, my challenge is picking up round from magazine. Loaded rounds were inspected using a Lyman Case Gage. Dies are Forster Benchrest.
Bolt and carrier are lubricated, not "soaked"

My theory is that my reloads are dragging in the magazine, bolt returning into battery without picking up the round. Adjusting the gas did not (would not) address this failure mode.


 
Last edited:
That's why I asked about OAL. Just wondering if the reload is being pushed nose into the front of the mag before making it out. You could pull your buffer and spring and try to manually push the bcg forward and see exactly what is happening. Or is this a gen 3 Magpul? Isn't there an issue with the height they sit at in the receiver?
 
Mags are Gen2, however I experienced the same issue with the original (DPMS) magazines. What I find baffling was that other than my reloads, the rifle did not malfunction. Releasing the bolt from the lock position loads a round without issues.
 
Load looks good. Length may be causing the round to hang up in the mag. Every so often I run across a 77 SMK that hangs up in a mag. If you can drop a round in the chamber or the bolt closes on your resized brass when you close the bolt, not let the bolt fly from the stop, your brass is sized okay. Small base dies are more of a solution for brass from loose chamber going into bolt or match chambers. My .308 load is with Reloaders 15, but look to be close to mine.