How to Fix Common AR-Style Rifle Malfunctions

You pull the trigger of your Block 2 M4 at the range. There’s a click, but there’s no boom. Your AR-style rifle has failed to fire. There are plenty of reasons this might happen, so it’s crucial you know how to fix these common failures. Here are a few common malfunctions that happen to AR-style rifles and some tips to clear them up.

The First Rule of Failures

The first and most important rule to follow when your AR doesn’t act as expected is to stop what you’re doing. Don’t load another round. Don’t pull the trigger again. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Remove your trigger finger and diagnose the problem. Remember, there might still be a live round in the chamber that just hasn’t fired yet, so you should treat the rifle with the utmost care and respect.

Failure to Feed

One of the most common malfunctions is the failure to feed (FTF). As the name suggests, an FTF occurs when a round from the magazine doesn’t load into the chamber. It could be the first round or one halfway through the mag. When it happens, tap the bottom of the mag to ensure it’s seated correctly. Rack the charging handle or press the bolt release, and try to fire again.

If it doesn’t fire, it’s likely a problem with the mag and, most likely, the feed lips. The mag springs might be worn out or fractured and it’s unable to hold 30 rounds anymore. The rounds may crooked, or there could be a dent or damage to the mag. Whatever the cause, it’s time for a new mag if you run into this issue repeatedly.

Failure to Extract

Next, everything goes almost right. The bullet fires, but the cartridge remains in the chamber of your 308 AR. The next round fails to feed because of this. Often, the answer is tilting or jiggling the rifle, freeing the round. If the bolt didn’t lock back after the failure to extract (FTE), do it manually. Then, drop the mag. Pull the charging handle and slightly shake your AR.

If the round doesn’t fall out, keep holding the charging handle back, applying tension to keep the bolt open, and tap the butt of the rifle on the shooting bench or ground. This should hopefully dislodge the round. A dirty chamber, worn-out extractor, or short stroke of the bolt can cause an FTE. If this issue repeats, consider cleaning or upgrading your rifle.

Failure to Fire

When there’s a click but no bang, you have a failure to fire. This can be caused by a few factors. It could be faulty ammo, such as a defective primer. It could be that the bolt didn’t travel all the way forward when you loaded the gun. If it’s the bolt, follow the same steps as the FTF. If it’s the ammo, eject the round first. If there’s no indent in the primer, the firing pin had a light strike. Try again with a different round.

The Stovepipe

Although stovepipes are more common in pistols, they still happen to ARs. If you fire, but there’s a piece of spent brass sticking out of the AR15 upper receiver, it means the brass got caught in the ejection port during extraction. Thankfully, the fix is easy.

Like the FTF, tap the mag, rack the bolt, and assess the situation. Drop the mag if needed, pull the charging handle all the way back, and jiggle the round out. If it keeps happening, use a different mag or different ammo. Your rifle might be under- or over-gassing, as well. The extractor or extractor spring might also need to be replaced, or even the whole bolt carrier group, if parts are broken. However, you might just need to clean your gun, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve broken it down and given every component a deep clean.

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