Malfunction Names and Causes?

[lamarbrog]

Recently I've been getting serious about practicing how to clear malfunctions. I've found this whole topic to be very stressful, because of inconsistencies in the naming of the various malfunctions, and my inability to comprehend any way how half of these malfunctions could ever feasibly occur.

Since this forum has the highest concentration of knowledgeable people I've encountered, I figure y'all can probably set me straight and get me back on my merry way. So, what I'm going to do is list what I currently think I know... then anyone who cares to can correct it.

Double Feed
Two live rounds attempting to enter the chamber at the same time.
Caused by operator error, riding the charging handle most of the way forward, then retracting it and releasing it again. Or, caused by a magazine with worn feed lips, or a weak spring.
Cleared by forcibly removing the magazine, retracting the charging handle, and shaking the rounds free. If one is in the chamber, and the other is behind it, the extractor should be used to remove this round if it did not shake loose freely.

Failure to Unlock
A spent casing is stuck in the chamber, and the bolt is still latched onto it.
Caused by a tight, hot, or dirty chamber. Or, out of spec ammunition. Or, a failure of the gas system.
Cleared by pulling back on the charging handle while firmly striking the butt of the rifle against the ground or a wall. (Contrary to popular belief, I've done this dozens of times when working at a range that rented full autos, and never once broke the stock of a rifle.)

Failure to Extract
A spent casing is stuck in the chamber, and the bolt has forced another round up behind it during cycling.
Caused by a tight, hot, or dirty chamber. Or, out of spec ammunition. Or, a failure of the gas system. Or, damage to the extractor. Or, a flaw in the casing.
Cleared by dropping the magazine, and dropping the bolt onto the casing. Attempt to extract the casing by hand. If the charging handle moves the bolt, but the casing stays put, knock it free with a cleaning rod. If the bolt latches on, but you're unable to extract by hand, follow the procedure for the Failure to Unlock.

Failure to Eject
A spent casing is stuck partially out of the ejection port.
Caused by ejection port obstruction, or just by freak chance.
Drop the magazine. Retract the charging handle. Release the charging handle. Retract the charging handle, extracting and ejecting the live round. Release charging handle. Insert magazine, charge the rifle.

Failure to Feed
A round is attempting to enter the chamber but has failed to do so.
Caused most commonly by riding the charging handle forward. Or, a weak action spring. Or, using grease in cold weather.
Hit the forward assist.

Bolt Override
The bolt has cycled enough to eject the spent casing, but did not pick up a new round from the magazine resulting in an empty chamber.
Caused by short-cycling. Or, a weak magazine spring/damaged magazine body.
Charge the rifle.

Brass Over Bolt
A spent casing has failed to eject, and has become lodged between the bolt carrier/gas key and the charging handle. The bolt is in the process of attempting to feed a new round.
Caused by an issue with the ejector or by an ejection port obstruction.
Forcibly remove the magazine. Use the middle finger of the right hand to put force on the bolt through the magazine well while pulling back on the charging handle. After moving the bolt back a half inch or so, force the charging handle forward, allowing the casing to drop free.

The main issue I have is with "Bolt Override". It seems people use that as a description of what I call a "Brass Over Bolt". I can't figure out how "Bolt Override" describes that event at all.... the bolt did not "override" anything... the brass just got caught above the bolt during a failure to eject.

I've also heard of this thing called a "Triple Feed", which appears to be a combination of what I refer to as a "Brass Over Bolt" and a Double Feed. I can't see any way this would happen aside from the rifle double-feeding from a defective magazine at the same time it had a failure to eject. ... Realistically, what are the chances of that ever happening? I guess it is definitely mechanically possible... but if it does happen I'm going to start playing the lottery. Has anyone ever actually experienced this? Care to chime in with the cause?

This so-called "Triple Feed" also appears to be referred to as a "Charging Handle Impingement". Now, that name I could see as being a good term for what I call a "Brass Over Bolt", except I'd use the term "Charging Handle Impediment".

Maybe I'm the only person bothered by this... but it seems to me training people to solve these problems would be much easier if there was actually consistent naming that described accurately what the problem is.

[rob_s]

They'll teach you all of this in a class... oh, wait...

[lamarbrog]

Can't imagine what you'd be talking about, since there is no discussion of instructors in this thread.

Thanks for your valuable input on the topic at hand, though.

[TehLlama]

Naming conventions are hopeless, since anything other than an FTF, FTE, or double feed is going to be viewed as just a soup sandwich by most users.
Time scale and stress level for clearing these is going to actually determine what solution you pursue - flat square range under zero pressure, start with SPORTS and the above COAs are a solid start, but with minor modifications:
In this case, for a double feed, after identification, I'm locking the bolt to the rear, visually verifying that I've locked it to the rear, then removing magazine, visual and tactile clearing of the feedway, and only if necessary manually cycling the bolt to remove a case that hasn't ejected (a failure to extract vice true double feed).
A failure to eject can be as simple as rocking the rifle clockwise 45 degrees, and performing a press-check like maneuvre and verifying that the spent case has cleared and making sure the bolt is now in battery.
For a failure to feed with a round on the bolt face, I'd seriously consider not chambering that round. Tap the magazine to ensure that its seating is correct and not the actual source of the problem, eject that (live) round, and chamber a new one. This is a simpler fix than any involving an obstinate round after having fired it.

Anything under pressure, I'm using much simpler clearance techniques. Immediate action (but adding a quick observation of the chamber area to make sure I haven't created or exacerbated a feedway stoppage) is preferred, and then directly to remedial action if anything is off; simplified to locking the bolt back, manually clearing feedway, cycling bolt a few times, inserting fresh magazine, and chambering a new round. I can give up some efficiency of motion, because I know this works at night, under pressure, but needs to be rehearsed and ingrained as muscle memory.

As far as your 'triple feed' possibility, first make sure there are no passing thunderstorms, because somebody has it in for you. Second, pursue the brass that's over the bolt, since the goal with that one is to end up being able to lock the bolt to the rear, and at that point extra brass in the feedway doesn't do much to worsen the condition of the rifle, it's already fubarred and out of a firefight for a bit anyway.

[Wondering Beard]

Naming conventions are hopeless.

That's my take as well.

Knowing how to reduce them with as non diagnostic a system as possible matters much more in my opinion.

Kyle Lamb's "three little kittens" drill is a good example.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TqLnBd1udM

[lamarbrog]

That video is actually what prompted this.

He says one malfunction is a "charging handle impingement" and another is a "bolt override". ... What's the difference, based on the commonly used (and as I assert, inaccurate) terms? Are they not the same malfunction?

In addition to this... it appears immediate action did nothing to improve the situation in any of the instances shown here, and actually may have contributed to making the problem worse.

Unless it is a DUD round, you forgot to chamber a round, or you're a wimp at inserting magazines... it seems immediate action just adds a double feed to whatever the problem already was, further complicating the situation.

ARs are just too reliable to get very much practice with real malfunctions. ... Maybe I need to buy a Blackthorne kit to get experience with real malfunctions.[BD]

[Wondering Beard]

Did you read Kyle Lamb's book?

He makes things pretty clear in there.

I'd answer you directly but 1) he has good photos in there and 2) my copy is in another room on another floor and I'm feeling lazy [BD]

You wrote:"In addition to this... it appears immediate action did nothing to improve the situation in any of the instances shown here, and actually may have contributed to making the problem worse."

One could argue that, it's true. The point of immediate action is to ingrain certain reflexes for certain minor and common problems and progress to another set of slightly less reflexive actions for a bigger problem. In other words, there is no need to lock the bolt to the rear and work the charging handle if all you have is an improperly seated magazine (which happens a hell of a lot more often than a double feed in a quality rifle). I imagine that's why the Magpul Dynamics folks want to students to look at the ejection port before attempting anything. Nonetheless, we could all argue which techniques and procedures are best for a long time and would be forced to just agree to disagree.

Do get some dummy rounds, they're helpful for all sorts of drills anyway.

[Eric]

I imagine that's why the Magpul Dynamics folks want to students to look at the ejection port before attempting anything. Nonetheless, we could all argue which techniques and procedures are best for a long time and would be forced to just agree to disagree.

I understand their technique. It's not consistent with what most instructors teach, but it does indeed come down to what works for you.

[Wondering Beard]

I've never taken a class from Magpul nor have I seen their DVDs, how is it inconsistent with what what others teach?

Isn't it just an extra step in the procedure?

[lamarbrog]

The MagPul guys teach that upon the rifle not firing, you are supposed to turn the rifle to observe the ejection port. This allows you to see what is going on. Maybe the bolt locked back, but you just didn't feel it. Maybe it is a stove pipe. Could be a dirty and dry rifle is just failing to go completely into battery.

It sort of does add a brief extra step... but it prevents your immediate action drill from creating even worse problems.

And no, I haven't read Kyle Lamb's book but I intend to... Got quite a few hing ahead of that on the list, though.

[Eric]

The MagPul guys teach that upon the rifle not firing, you are supposed to turn the rifle to observe the ejection port. This allows you to see what is going on.
This technique usually works, but not so much in darkness or poor lighting.

[Wondering Beard]

The MagPul guys teach that upon the rifle not firing, you are supposed to turn the rifle to observe the ejection port. This allows you to see what is going on.

It makes sense though it is limited in the way Eric describes.

It also suffers from the same problem most "quick peek" techniques tend to suffer from: it's one thing to ingrain the reflex to look, it's another to make get the person to actually see what's going on. Most of the time, "quick peeks" around corners get rewarded with "I'm not sure that I saw anything" and the reason for that is that it must be a deliberate action and thus it takes time to actually see what's happening around the corner; time one may or may not have. We have all been taught to look "360" once the shooting is over but how often have we seen shooters simply look around without having actually seen anything; it takes time to see.

As I understand the Magpul approach (and If I am wrong, please point it out to me), based on what you see in/on the ejection port, you make a decision about what to do. This seems to essentially be a diagnostic system; a system that makes the shooter take the time to identify the potential problem and then choose the appropriate response. As such it is inherently vulnerable to Hick's law and not in a good way. Non-diagnostic systems try to, and generally succeed, at greatly reducing the amount of time taken in resolving a problem as well as the possible confusion that comes from having a few too many potential solutions.

I'm not knowledgeable enough on how to run an AR under stress to say one approach is superior to another but I have enough time on the pistol to greatly prefer a non-diagnostic approach.

[TehLlama]

The other minor detail lacking from the quick peek methodology is that it is only feasible in certain lighting conditions : i.e. when there is enough ambient light to learn ANYTHING about the condition of the firearm. I prefer to learn one technique that is indifferent to the lighting conditions (since as a civilian down the road I expect my chances are better than half I'll be using my weaponry in low light - I've already needed to know how to for .mil use in low light).
I would argue that the MD technique is superiour in daylight on a square range every time, but I think there is more to gain by having just ONE rehearsed, ingrained in muscle memory technique for malfunction clearance that can be used under stress regardless of time of day.

[Eric]

I would argue that the MD technique is superiour in daylight on a square range every time, but I think there is more to gain by having just ONE rehearsed, ingrained in muscle memory technique for malfunction clearance that can be used under stress regardless of time of day.
Agreed, for what I do and for what most LE will encounter (arguably, for most defensive applications as well).

Regardless of shift/assignment, there is a time when LE personnel will either be working during the hours of darkness or be inside where lighting is non-existent or minimal.

[Paulo_Santos]

In most LE applications, it is just faster to transition to a handgun than go try to mess around with trying to clear a malfunction, other than the slap, rack, and go (or whatever cool, fancy wording is used nowadays).

If you only have an AR, the slap, rack, and go is the fastest, and will clear most of the basic malfunctions that you will have. But the problem is when it doesn't clear the malfunction and you now have to go to the MD technique, which now takes more time. So it is a judgement call. Do you clear the malfunction the fastest way possible and take the chance that it won't clear it, or do you use the MD technique, which takes longer? It is your choice.

[lamarbrog]

The problem I still see is immediate action is going to make the problem worse in about 90% of malfunctions. Aside from just not inserting the magazine all the way (operator error) or a DUD what malfunction is going to remedied by "tap, rack, X"? If you know how to put your magazine in the rifle, and you're using good ammunition... both instances aren't really probable.

Seems much more feasible to transition to your pistol, then actually take the time to do some remedial as soon as the opportunity arises. Remedial really seems to scare people... it doesn't take much longer than just reloading, unless your problem is exceptionally severe.

Is it really that common for people even reasonably well-versed in the AR15 platform to not lock in the magazine? I've done some pretty intense shooting "games" with others... involving speed reloads, tactical reloads, etc. and I've never failed to lock in a magazine, or seen anyone skilled do it. (I have seen it happen... but usually with very new shooters.

[TehLlama]

Yes, it's extremely common to not lock the magazine in place, or to bump the magazine in far enough but in a gritty lower for the mag catch to not capture the magazine well enough. Even with high end ammunition, primers will sometimes not ignite (especially common if re-using the same chambered round: lots of folks don't realize why that's a no-no). If for whatever reason the rifle is short stroking, immediate action fixes it (though probably temporarily). The user error of not cycling the bolt to go condition 3 to 1 isn't exclusive to newer shooters either - again, IA is the right course of action.

My contention is that while cycling the bolt makes a double feed slightly more difficult, the actual amount of added time the weapon is out of the fight is pretty minimal, especially since clearing anything other than a simple stoppage dictates using whatever cover or secondary weapon is available anyway. I usually draw the line at drawing secondary where TRB or a speed reload isn't going to be the immediate solution, and on closer quarters we're taught to just immediately transition since the secondary should be an instant resumption of volume of fire.

Remedial action shouldn't scare people, just something that needs to be drilled to execute correctly. While I know I can clear most double feeds in under three seconds, I still have no illusions about the practicality of doing so in a two-way range.

[JGifford]

The MagPul guys teach that upon the rifle not firing, you are supposed to turn the rifle to observe the ejection port. This allows you to see what is going on. Maybe the bolt locked back, but you just didn't feel it. Maybe it is a stove pipe. Could be a dirty and dry rifle is just failing to go completely into battery.

It sort of does add a brief extra step... but it prevents your immediate action drill from creating even worse problems.

And no, I haven't read Kyle Lamb's book but I intend to... Got quite a few hing ahead of that on the list, though.Kyle Lamb teaches the inspection, as well. Even for reloads. If the rifle does not fire, inspect ejection port ever so briefly.

[rob_s]

Kyle Lamb teaches the inspection, as well. Even for reloads. If the rifle does not fire, inspect ejection port ever so briefly.

As of when? I trained with him two years ago and don't recall this.