AR 15 magazine insert problems

[sbaker5]

I have several AR's - JP's, Daniel defense, black rain, etc. and when I insert my magazines with bolt forward I have a difficult time getting the mag to seat and stay in the mag well. This happens even when I don't have the magazines topped off, i.e. I will only have 28 rounds in a 30 round magazine. This happens with any mag I use whether it is a p-mag, metal style ( Blackhawk), etc. Any advice to correct this would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[MickB]

If this is happening on all of your AR's, then either all your AR's are defective, or all your mags are defective, or more likely, you are just not inserting your mags with enough force to overcome the spring tension...

What happens when you slap the bottom of the mag to seat it?

Mick

[fishsticks]

Are they hard to seat when you try an empty mag?

[wgj3]

What MickB said. It takes a little force to overcome the spring tension of the mag spring and get the mag high enough for the catch to engage the notch in the mag.

[EkuJustice]

I will agree with above even with 28 rounds a 30 rounder can be a little difficult to seat at times if you just try and push the mag in. It does take a little force to get it to seat and usually inserting it then hitting the bottom to seat it works best. For a reload on the clock for say a classifier where your maybe standing there doing a reload, I like a GI 20 rounder right where you are use to your pistol mags being. The advantage is the length of the mag and it being a straight mag means you can grab and index the mag just like a pistol mag and seat it the same as you would a pistol mag with your palm on the bottom of the magazine pushing it into the gun.

[Solidgun]

I have all the brands listed and others. No issues with mag seating with 30 loaded on popular polymer mags. uSGi is loaded to 29 and no issues. I seat hard and I pull to check.

[Iowashooter]

One thing I did was took one half turn off of the magazine catch. Push the magazine release button in with the tip of a bullet or something that allows it to go beyond flush and loosen the catch one half turn.

[kurtm]

Uh, you can't loosen one 1/2 turn. If you did the mag catch would just stick out towards the trigger and would not hold a magazine at all as the catch wouldn't be lined up with the slot it rides in. It can only be adjusted in full turn increments!

[gdcguns]

What Kurt said, plus it's not really the mag catch spring that you have to overcome. It's the tension on the spring inside the actual mag. Iowa's suggestion will make it easier to release a mag though.

[kurtm]

I know to many this will seem like a non sequitur to many, but is this with reloaded ammo?

[sbaker5]

No, it happens with factor load ammo. All different kinds. I can get the mags in with brute force but I see other shooters insert mags with what appears to be relative ease. Just wanted to know if I can tweak some things to make it easier. I don't have junk rifles. All JP's and Daniel Defense.

[wgj3]

Could it be that you're trying to insert the magazines at the wrong angle and hitting the front or rear of the magwell before getting the mag seated? Have you tried using the straight 20rd mags where you simply seat the mag straight into the magwell without dealing with the curve of the 30rd mags?

I get the feeling that the problem may truly be you/your method. Hard to imagine a pile of defective mags and/or multiple out-of-spec higher-end rifles in one place. Have you let other folk try to see if it works for them?

[sbaker5]

Good point. I will play around with the inset angle tomorrow and see if that helps. Thanks a bunch.