Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles AR reliability issues

Anybody really have problems keeping their AR15/M16/M4's running? Having owned many and seldom ever having functioning issues due to the rifle design I wonder if this is real or imagined? I have gotten some of mine pretty dirty via mud, dust and long strings of fire yet stoppages not ammo related are far and few between.

Only owned a couple, but both are about as reliable as a good revolver

Mostly bunk imo. Tons of spec ops choose the platform over their nations issue rifles and several countries having recently adopted ARs as main rifles.

Build it right and they will run.

Nope! I hear folks arguing about "adjustable gas blocks", opening up the gas port, using blue "Loctite" to seal the gas block, etc, etc....
I use a bit of lubricant on the barrel nut, but I refuse to use Loctite of ANY color on any of my "builds" and certainly not on the gas block.
I don't "baby" my rifles.
They work just fine.

Never had an issue with my AR15, but my Armalite AR10 does not like to be ran dry. When I first got it, it had some issues with factory Federal gold medal match ammo, but it was more a lack of lube issue on the BCG. The 15's don't complain either way.

^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I have problems with weird powders like 8208 and a lot of ball powders sometimes. Your gun may not have this problem because it's not a 20" NM rifle. It may be worse. These different barrels (length, weight, port) all have their own operating preferences.

A lot of BCG manufacturers don't use any sealant on the gas key and that eventually leaks.

Gas tubes get fouled and the nipple on the gas key end gets worn down. Gas tubes should be replaced at least every other barrel. I like to replace mine every time I change barrels. I like my rifle-length heavy barrels to have an .096" port to be less powder & wear sensitive.

Press fit gas blocks eventually get to where they aren't a press fit anymore after being on so many barrels.

Magazines last a long, long time. I've only trashed a couple of 20 rounders after I used them for 20 years. They were probably 30 years old when I got them. I've only replaced springs on a couple. Newer magazine are even more durable and will probably last a couple lifetimes.

Match grade triggers eventually lose their crispness and either have to be dressed off or replaced.

Make sure your buffer tube doesn't get loose in the buffer tower or it will wear and cause malfs.

Keep it oiled. CLP is fine.

The one issue I had on my latest Colt carrier, they didn't clean up the excess sealant from under the gas key.

20" rifle gas goes from perfect to less than perfect so gas issues are more noticeable than say a 16" carbine gassed gun.
The biggest problems I've seen on other peoples guns are loose gas keys, weak extractor springs, the gas tube off center causing one side to wear and bubba trigger jobs.

Like I said, build it right and they will run.

I also have issue with people saying an AK is easier to clean than an AR. Doesn't seem to me that breaking down an AR is any trouble at all. While not hard there are more steps to tearing down an AK for a good cleaning than doing the same for an AR. I also can't see the basis for people saying it is easier to train someone to shoot an AK than an AR.

Had a Bushmaster that was under gassed and finicky. Fixed it myself, it's 100% now.

My main rifle for years sported a Black Hole barrel on a custom upper. It was probably the most accurate rifle I'd ever owned. Then it started widening out and failing to eject. Couldn't really pinpoint a definite cause until I scoped the barrel. Bad chamber. I didn't know a bad chamber would cause that, but it evidently does. Re-barreled, and it's still seeing daily use.

I had a RRA upper that was an absolute tackdriver, foolishly sold it to a guy who couldn't shoot into 6 inches, but he had a lot of money.

I burn a lot of 8208 in both 556 and in my 6.5 Grendel stuff never had any issues.
Maybe I maybe I should say I've never had any issues yet I guess time will tell. That's in a factory Colt 5.56 and an Areo Precision Grendel

I use a mix of Mobil 1 grease and Mobil 1 0-20W mixed till it’s lighter than warm honey.

If I’m worried about super cold they just get the 0-20. Cleans easily and runs better than any oil or mix I’ve ever bought or used.

Nice part is they wipe down nicely and run well. Been using the same on MG’s and ARs since around 2005’ish.

Mags were one of the main problems from the AR during the ban years. All that was out there were used up GI mags. Once the ban was over new mags came out and the unreliability issue went almost all away except for the Hesse and Blackthorne made rifles.

I've never understood any of the "reliability" issues associated with an AR.

Just for S&G I once left my M&P15 in the bed of my pickup truck for the better part of a year. Rain, snow, dirt, etc.

It was left uncased and shot a minimum of once a week. It never lost zero (Aimpoint Micro) and it only failed to function once. That was due to covering 100+ miles on summer dirt with the ejection port cover flipped open. So much Hi-Line filth accumulated on the side of the BCG that it wouldn't go. We did not clean it, just wiped it off and threw it back in. She banged away once more. Added some CLP and back in the bed of the truck.

If you spend time around M4s they become even more impressive when you watch them repeatedly handle full auto and all the abuse that can come with it.

A fun video below.

Is that the one you bounced off the ice while throwing it in the river?

lol

Keep it lubed and wipe out the mud when you feel guilty.

The vast majority of AR malfunctions/stoppages are ammo or mag related.

That said, if you identify a mag that is causing issues, do not mark it and put it in your range bag, truck, pocket etc. SMASH IT immediately. Hell, shoot it if you are so inclined. Short of utter destruction, it will find it's way back into rotation.

Last bad mag I had was setting upright when it took a 40gr NBT through the body. The force blew off the floor plate and it launched about 20 feet straight up. Not sure how much of that was due to the spring vs. the mechanics of the impact, but it was fun to watch.

That's how its done!