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Preventing jams from loose magazines.

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TomCorbett42 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TomCorbett42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Preventing jams from loose magazines.
    Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 3:46pm
I have a mixed bag of 30 rd Korean mags, AO 20 & 30 rd magazines, and Promag 20 & 30 rd magazines.  the Promags ar not satisfactory, and the AO and Korean ones work most of the time, but when I get a jam I push the base of the magazine toward the front of the carbine, and the jam clears.  Is there any easy way to fix this?  I have a AO carbine bought new about 1-2 years ago from the USAF Base Exchange, and Have had trouble with the poorly manufactured Trigger assembly (had to file off some of the mid assembly support so I could get the trigger assembly pin to fit the holes.  And I am not knowledgeable enough to figure out what magazine release is on the weapon (I've heard that is one of the major causes of jams).  Any Help??
Old guy, new collector.
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jackp1028 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jackp1028 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 4:26pm
The problem you described occurs on GI carbines if they have the earlier mag release (Type 1 or 2) with the shorter Type 1 mag/safety spring/plunger assembly. The later mag release (Type 3 or 4) is thinner and is loose enough in the trigger housing to allow the longer spring/plunger to push the magazine forward in the mag well, tilting the front up just like you do when you push the bottom of the mag forward.

You can see a description of all these parts here:

http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/triggergroup4.html

See if your AO has this condition. Maybe you can fix this by just changing to a later mag catch or a longer spring/plunger.
JackP
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TomCorbett42 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TomCorbett42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 6:21pm
Thanks, I will give that a look see, though I am not certain I can tell the difference.  Some of the magazines don't jam (mostly the Korean ones), but the rest do on occasions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 6:39pm
Is the bolt sliding over the base of the top round and jamming or is the nose of the bullet being jammed against the feed ramp, yet solidly being picked-up by the bolt?

Commercial carbines can offer serious headaches in feeding. Often, the trigger housing is set too low. One remedy might be to open the feed lips a bit to raise the hight of the top round being stripped. I have never had much success in correcting feed issues by swapping catches and springs, but that’s just my personal experience. 

It aggravates me to have magazines that work in any USGI carbine I have, yet not in a commercial and I have had this experience when I use to own some. A round bolt has a larger feeding lug than a flat bolt and helps, but usually feed-lip adjustment and even spring orientation reversal can help. Then you have magazines that might not work in any other carbine. 
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TomCorbett42 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TomCorbett42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 7:03pm
The few I remember from the range, using live ammo, the round jammed while trying to feed.  Using dummy rounds here at home, the problem is still the same, jammed rounds.  Most of them either remidy themselves if I tilt the magazine base forward, or if I pull back on the bolt lever.
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floydthecat View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 17 2021 at 7:28pm
A little more detail on the jam might help. If the base of the round is being picked up, opening the feed lips at the front might raise the nose enough. Make sure the spring is orientated long end to the front of the follower. 

If the bolt is jumping over the base and engaging the round above the base, orientating the spring backwards will lift the base of the round presented for feeding.

Contrary to common thinking, reversal of the spring can correct certain feed issues.
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Charles View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Charles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 18 2021 at 8:41am
All my jams occurred with the same magazines of which I have many . After a long and hard study of the problem, I determined the "ears" of the ones that jammed did not look the same as the ones that didn't jam. With a file and needle nose pliers, I got those suckers working fine.
It took more than several trips to the range to discover the problem.
You can save time and ammo by using ( snap caps)
Hope your problem is as easy a fix as was mine was.
Charles
Co B 1st Batl.115 Inf. Reg.
29th. Divi.
4.2 Heavy Mortar Co Retired
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