Ever Had A Slam Fire With Your AR-15?

[skydiver]

I've read that the firing pin on an AR-15 is "floating".
Therefore the firing pin has the potential to fly forward and possibly dent or ignite the primer when the bolt carrier group slams shut. Hence, the term "slam-fire".
Has this ever happened to you?
I'm wondering if a hardened primer, i.e. CCI #41 is the best way to go when reloading .223/5.56.
Blue Skies!

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[parallax]

been shooting AR-15's for over 20 years,, have never had a slam fire.....

 

[deadeye]

Hardened primers help but you should also have a tool to make sure you are reloading properly to avoid the issue.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456614/le-wilson-case-length-headspace-gage-223-remington

 

[The B]

Tis true the firing pin "floats." If you chamber a round, pop it out, and look at the primer, you'll find a dimple on the primer. For this reason, you should never re-chamber the same round twice for condition 1, as it's been attributed to numerous first-round-failures, especially in combat zones where soldiers constantly alternate between conditions 1 and 4. Once a round is chambered, throw it in a cycled-rounds pile or cycle it down to the bottom of a magazine.

Aside from vague, disconnected internet rumors, I've never heard of a slam-fire on an AR chambering cartridges with properly seated primers. I HAVE heard of slam-fires on cartridges with improperly seated primers, however... so make sure your primers get seated.

 

[Nwcid]

Unless something else is wrong there is not enough mass in an AR firing pin to set the round off......

 

[usagi]

never had an AR slam fire with any small rifle primer. never had a slam fire in any firearm, period.

 

[POPS]

The ar15 like the ak,s are a prohibited weapon in Canada but just about everyone who is a gun owner has a SKS at under $200 for a boxed Russian TULA refurb, Why not. SLAM FIRES don't know anyone who has had one with the SKS .same free floating firing pin. We (all us old farts over 65 anyways) strip down the rifles - remove pin from bolt and clean them well-re assemble NO OIL. I shoot AMERICAN EAGLE (for the brass) and usually modern BARNAUL Russian non corrosive rounds all work fine..........
I suspect some unfurbished rifles with high round count,worn bolt/firing pin head could cause a problem.

 

[Velzey]

I've had an old ruger mark I pistol slam fire from being very dirty and I think it was the stuck extractor that slammed into the rim hard enough to make it go off...

Never heard of an ar doing it. I have heard of a really dirty sks that did it!

 

[PBinWA]

The ar15 like the ak,s are a prohibited weapon in Canada

Sorry Pops, AR's are not prohibited in Canada - they are considered "restricted" which just means you need an RPAL license instead of a PAL license. Not that hard to get an RPAL.

Lots of AR's in Canuckistan.

 

[bellarum]

Several thousand factory rounds (steel and brass) and a couple thousand hand loads on the factory firing pin with zero slam fires.
I will change out the pin one of these days. Probably should've grabbed one while I was at Curt's today.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

No.

All normally chambered but not fired rounds from an AR rifle will have a little dent in the primer. It is a little spooky but has never been a problem with me.

 

[Arleyg]

I've had it happen a couple of times. Standard firing pin in a Bushy, and soft primers.

 

[BAMCIS]

Because I heard of this problem with Remington 6 1/2 small rifle primers and the general lack of reloading components lately, I've been using the 25,000 or so that I managed to get in 9mm and small primered 45 ACP with no issues.

I would not recommend this, because of the warning from Remington themselves but I even loaded some rounds for my AR using these primers with no issues.

 

[POPS]

Sorry Pops, AR's are not prohibited in Canada - they are considered "restricted" which just means you need an RPAL license instead of a PAL license. Not that hard to get an RPAL.

Lots of AR's in Canuckistan.

Of course you are correct!!!!!!!!!!! They were PROHIBITED BY BILL16 back in the 90s when Kim Campbell was our only female PRIME MINISTER(only lasted 5 months) even with a PROHIBITED endorsement on our RESTRICTED pal licence, it was up to each provinces CFO(chief firearms officer) TO APROVE THE PURCHASE which was RARE!!! same sob who has refused my ATC while prospecting.
because it became very popular in APPROVED competition shooting, like prohibited .32 cal handguns, it was re classified as restricted. So yes you are correct. Unless they ever become re classified as non restricted I would never spend that much money to punch paper and with a 5 round mag!
the R.C.M.P are now RECLASSIFING some non restricted long guns as prohibited/restricted I guess my ruger .44 carbine is next!!!
or mabe the SKS Have a nice day pops

 

[SinisterSouthpaw]

I hesitate to say that anyone who has actually had a slam fire in an AR platform needs to go to a handloading class to learn how to seat primers.........and clean pockets.......but.................these are words to live by from the real experts...........http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm

 

[Kryteon]

Short answer = No.
I've never had a slam fire in my AR with M855 ammo, or any of my reloads. I use CCI #400 Small Rifle Primers.

 

[Member 34319]

been shooting AR-15's for over 20 years,, have never had a slam fire.....

This. X1000

Unless you make a mistake of using pistol primers...!?!?

Not sure.

 

[YOURSUPREMECOMMANDER]

Yes, I did have a slam-fire. Remington R15 & CCI450's.
It has only happened to me once in 20,000 rounds, but once can kill you! Lucky, my rifle was pointed down when I hit the bolt release (BAD lever) - Damn near shot my foot! Had my life flash before my eyes & talked with a few dead relatives in that instant!
My humble input says that it probably will not happen, but unless you want to risk injury or death to yourself or others, always have the barrel pointed in a safe direction when the bolt closes!

 

[the4thshake]

I have never had or seen it with an AR15 style rifle. I did see it once on an AR10 of some flavor.

 

[nglayton]

Nope