If my AR doesn't like wolf ammo...

[rhineoshott]

Im my AR doesn't like wolf ammo, which part(s) is most likely the trouble maker?

[GreenScoutII]

I tried some Wolf in mine and it didn't seem to like it. What appeared to be happening was that the varnish on the steel cases would melt in a hot chamber, cool off, and then stick in the chamber.

I had to pour a tablespoon of acetone down the barrel (after it cooled of course) and let it sit overnight. A couple of gentle taps with a brass cleaning rod inserted through the muzzle and it came right out.

As an alternative to Wolf ammo, I like the HSM remanufactured stuff. I have had great luck with it and it is fairly cheap. Where I live it runs about $20 per 50 round box of 55gr. FMJ. Lake city brass too!

Just my thoughts, someone else might have a better suggestion if you want to shoot the Wolf ammo.

[BPTactical]

I work on quite a few AR's and see stuck steel Wolf cases frequently.

Greenscout is right on the money as far as cases sticking. If you are happy blasting away and are using Wolf it is a matter of time until you stick a case. The older varnished cases were awful. The polymer coated ones dont seem to stick quite as bad but they still will once in a while.
Cleaning with Acetone or Laquer thinner will usually get all of the residue along with a good scrubbing with a chamber brush.
The second culprit is the case material itself. Brass is a very elastic metal and when you are shooting brass cased ammo the case will fire-form to the chamber and then relax a bit. Steel on the other hand is not nearly as elastic and when it fire forms it will not relax so the odds of it sticking are higher. It gets worse the dirtier the chamber gets.
AK's will run Wolf all day long and never wimper about it. AK's are machined to looser tolerances plus the chamber is tapered on an AK so case sticking is minimized.
AR's are machined to tighter tolerances plus the chamber is straight walled so case sticking is almost inevetable.
Wolf will make your AR much dirtier also. It is a dirtier powder blend and with the gas impingment system really carboning up the rear of the bolt and carrier is common.

[BPTactical]

I have one of his 5.56 reamers if you'd like, I'd be happy to check your barrel and run the reamer thru it to see if that helps.

Might want to check the bore and chamber before you do that. If it is chromed all you will do is ruin the reamer.



Why not shoot decent ammo?

[GreenScoutII]

Ned Christensen at MichiGuns says that a lot of problems with wolf can be traced back to a tight .223 throat. I have one of his 5.56 reamers if you'd like, I'd be happy to check your barrel and run the reamer thru it to see if that helps. Let me know.

Hmmm, mine is chambered in 5.56 and I still had trouble. Makes sense though.

[Great-Kazoo]

a quick run of a cotton mop with some fine polish should cure the chamber, sticking case issue if you are hesitant to ream it out. I use white rubbing compound, flitz, or the old standby Colgate white (only)toothpaste, without any of the fancy shit in it. i have not had any issues with wolff laquer or polymer case ammo in any AT that i have polished the chamber in.
the same polishing method i also use in .22lr chambers due to the different ammo selection i have. YMMV

[Hoser]

Sticking a reamer in there would be the *last* thing I would do and I would have a gunsmith do it.

If you do stick a reamer in there, make sure it is Neds or a version like it that wont move the shoulder (headspace) forward.

Cutting metal is a one way street. And there is a real fine line between GO/NO-GO and NO-GO.

[SA Friday]

I just don't shoot Wolf ammo in anything but my AK and that seemed to cure the problem without acetone, reamers, gunsmiths, or heartburn of any kind.

[GunTroll]

Sticking a reamer in there would be the *last* thing I would do and I would have a gunsmith do it.

If you do stick a reamer in there, make sure it is Neds or a version like it that wont move the shoulder (headspace) forward.

Cutting metal is a one way street. And there is a real fine line between GO/NO-GO and NO-GO.

Yep!

Change ammo and save the headache.

[BPTactical]

I just don't shoot Wolf ammo in anything but my AK and that seemed to cure the problem without acetone, reamers, gunsmiths, or heartburn of any kind.

Huge +1

Take the simple fix