Virginia – If you have a semi-automatic rifle that has a free-floating firing pin, such as an AR-15 or an AKM-47, do NOT drop a round in the breach and let the bolt slam forward!
The only safe way to load the round is to load it from a magazine.
The reason is the rifle’s design counts on the bolt slowing down as it strips the round out of the magazine.
Without a magazine, the bolt won’t slow down and hits full force, possibly allowing the free-floating firing pin to strike the round’s primer hard enough to set it off unexpectedly.
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Most .223/5.56 and .308/7.62×51 AKs (Saiga/Vepr) have spring loaded firing pins because commercial ammo (soft primers) is often used in these rifles. AKs chambered for the Russian ammo 5.45×39/7.62×39 (having military “tough” primers) have free float firing pins, and don’t experience a slam fire.
Solution: use Military grade ammo in your semi-auto.
I have experienced slam fires at the range. I got some funny looks from the folks next to me.
Sig just recalled their MCX due to a possible slam fire condition, was only noticed in .300Blk they claim they found it but betting SOCCOM pointed it out. They said it was very difficult to duplicate but the fact they redesigned their BCG and adding a spring on the firing pin, tells me someone with lots of $$$$ noticed it and wanted it fixed vice a consumer. It’s not like a .300BLK MCX is easy to find.
HK 416/MR 556A1 also has a firing pin lock setup to prevent slam fires.
In my 34 years of AR shooting, including my time in the US Army, I have never seen or heard of this happening. Not buying this story…
It is mostly an issue with softer primers. If you use 5.56 mil spec ammo you are fine. .223 sometimes has softer primers. If you reload CCI no 41 is one of the are harder types. Personally I just load one in the mag but holding the charging handle all the way and then using the forward assist works too.
Has anyone ever seen this really happen?
If you’re really worried about it just put a ton of FrogLube in the pin chamber…. I’ll junk up and slow EVERYTHING down.
Thanks for the Warning. Quite new to ARs (though I understand the design quite well), but I have not thought of this as a potential issue. I have a “sticky” free float pin on an old .22 LR bolt action that I need to work on. It has a tendency to get stuck after firing one round; then when you go to load another round you must physically push the pin back so that when you go to slam it home it doesn’t fire the round by slamming the bolt closed. Question to anyone out there: Would using a Lighter… Read more »
ARs are a pain to load one round at a time. M1 Garand and M1-A are easy; just “cram” the round into the clip/magazine area and release the bolt. Slam firing is a very real deal, the round may detonate due to the floating firing pin hitting the primer (especially softer commercial primers) before the bolt can rotate and lock the round into place and the round will detonate like a small grenade which can hurt the rifle and may well harm or even blind the shooter.
We loaded a single round at a time when on the range shooting a slow fire string for USMC qualification in the 1980’s. I have never heard of a round going off unexpectedly.
I didn’t no that…:) thx’s
After inserting a round into the chamber, pull the charging handle to the rear and, while continuing to hold it, release the magazine catch and ease the bolt forward. Then tap the forward assist to ensure that the bolt is fully seated. This will reduce the risk of an AD. In the Army, we were required to insert a magazine, whether firing 1 round or 30. Good article!