This Week In Guns, September 5th, 2015
2015-09-05
Posted by: badanov
By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Weeks after the attempted small arms attack on the French train failed, we still do not know exactly what happened. The first thing I heard was that the rifle, an AK, jammed, which is an extremely rare incident for professionally built AK rifles, then I heard the jihadi had a misfire. You can have both, I guess, but man, that is some bad luck.
A misfire in an AK is easily cleared, and can be done in less then two seconds, but when it is a jam, depending on the rifle build, clearing it can take longer. At the time I said the jam sounded, without the benefit of hearing the explanation, as if it were a bolt over failure. There are two other types of jams that can occur in an AK, but the bolt over malfunction is the most problematic. And for rifles built from demilitarized kits, it is one of the most common malfunctions.
You have an AK. No magazine in the rifle, and the bolt is back and locked, the firing chamber is clear, and the safety lever is up. The rifle can do no harm in this condition.
You take a full magazine and insert it into the magazine well in the rifle, pulling back on the magazine hard so that it locks into place. You push the safety lever down and slam the bolt forward. The bolt catches the topmost round in the magazine, slides it into the firing chamber, then the rifle is cocked and ready to fire.
When you pull the trigger, the firing pin hits the primer in the cartridge and fires. In the case of a misfire, all you will hear is a click. Now in this instance, you can clear the rifle by pulling back the bolt and ejecting the defective round, then moving the bolt back into its firing position and sliding a new round, the next round in the magazine, into the firing chamber. If this malfunction is due to a single defective round, the next round should fire. If the next round fails to fire, you could have a defective firing pin or bolt, or perhaps the rifle is improperly head spaced. Only a armorer/gunsmith will be able to tell you for certain.
The story I heard was that the first round fired, then the rifle jammed. What happened after that is pure speculation on my part.
I know of two types of genuine jams that occur in an AK. One will permit the rifle to fire intermittently. This type of jam takes place after the first round has been fired. The ejected casing never makes it out of the receiver cover because part of the end of the casing catches the inner lip of the receiver cover. The immediate remedy is to remove the receiver cover, then continue firing. If no other malfunction is present, the rifle will continue to fire flawlessly. The problem for the rifleman is the amount of time to clear the rifle, check for the type of malfunction and start firing again. Your enemy is unlikely to give you enough time to do that, whether or not he is armed. In fact, you are probably going to get shot while clearing this type of jam. The long term fix is to remove the receiver cover then carve off the lip.
The bolt over failure is much more pernicious.
Repeating the above, the first round fires, but in a bolt over failure, as the gases from the barrel push the bolt back, the bolt lug, the part of the bolt that moves the next round into the firing chamber is rubbing against the next round in the magazine so hard, it ejects the round from the magazine into the receiver. That round in that instant will never make it into the firing chamber, as it is loose in the receiver.
As the bolt moves back forward it catches the next round, the third round in the magazine, which now also is destined to never be moved into the firing chamber. The bolt never locks into place. You can still pull the trigger, but nothing will happen.
Your only remedy at this point is to pull the bolt back and lock it into place, then remove the magazine and allow the loose rounds to fall out. That doesn't always remedy the problem because those rounds could be anywhere inside the rifle. However, once you clear the rifle, you insert the magazine into place, slam the bolt forward, and now you can fire. But since this is a bolt over malfunction, the round following the round that fired will never fire, nor will the next round.
I have zero idea of how common this type of malfunction is in professionally built AKs in the US versus those now in use in places such as Donetsk and Lugansk. I will put in a request to a number of Russian and Ukrainians Facebook friends who are now in the line of contact to get their views. I suspect, however, this malfunction hardly ever occurs in military built rifles. The bolt over malfunction is much more common in AKs built in the US as well as AKs built by individuals.
The reason the bolt over failure occurs is that the top of the magazine is not aligned with the bottom of the bottom bolt guide rails, as it is supposed be. This type of malfunction is built into mismatched receivers (Polish receiver and Bulgarian kit, for example) and demilitarized kits. One half degree difference between bottom of the receivers can bake this malfunction into the AK, so this is why I say it is so pernicious. The only long term fix is to file/machine down the space between the magazine catch ears enough so that the magazine can align with the top of the lip against the bottom of the receiver guide rails. There is no other way to do this.
As far as misfires are concerned, my experience is as follows: out of 500 rounds (Silver Bear brand 60 Gr. 5.45x39mm), I have had one, count 'em, one misfire. Russian ammunition gets a bad rap, but I can live with less then two tenths of one percent failure rate, and I won't argue it can be improved.
Apparently, SG Ammo, with whom I have done business, has brought in a number of bulk ammunition packages including 77 gr. 5.56x45mm rounds made by Israeli Military Industries. That is a heavy round, and as I learned yesterday, if you are going to fire such a heavy round you will need to consider the twist rate of the barrel before you buy.
Finally, Max Velocity has some tips on how US Army Rangers square away their area of operation.
Loads
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were mostly steady while rifle ammunition was steady.
Note: .22LR 40 Gr. are at $0.05 Each, the lowest in the recorded history of This Week in Guns. In a TWIG report some time back, I said that it would be unlikely prices would collapse, yet they did. How long this will continue is unknown.
Prices for used pistols and prices for used rifles were mixed.
Once again the AR-10 Pattern Rifle has tested a new low average price at $870, continuing a trend started earlier this summer.
New Lows:
California: .223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) $400
Texas: 9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) $200
Florida: 9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) $220
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2015)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ventura Munitions, Wolf Polyformance, FMJ, steel cased, .27 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Homeland Munitions, Store brand, FMJ, Reloads, .25 per round (From Last week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore, Tulammo, FMJ, New Brass, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Freedom Munitions, Store Brand, RNFP, Reloads, .21 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Bud's Gun Shop, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .17 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Homeland Munitions, Store Brand, FMJ, Reloads, .16 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2015)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .28 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: Surplus Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .27 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (9 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Tulammo, steel cased, FMJ, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Wolf Polyformance, steel cased, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (9 weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, steel cased, FMJ, .40 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, Steel Cased, FMJ, .37 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (6 Weeks))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammunition Depot, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, steel case, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (1Q 2015))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds (10 Box Limit): Natchez Shooters Supplies, Federal Automatch, RNL .05 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds (2 Box Limit): Target Sports USA, Aguila, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: +.01 After Unchanged (3 Weeks))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $503 Last Week Avg: $513(-) ($616 (22 Weeks), $486 (7 Weeks))
California (285, 285): American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid: $400 ($650 (32 Weeks), $400 (CA: $425 (33 Weeks)))
Texas (313, 317): Ruger: $445 ($700 (27 Weeks), $350 (22 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (182, 185): Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport: $550 ($700 (21 Weeks), $300 (9 Weeks))
Virginia (203, 211): Ruger: $570 ($750 (27 Weeks), $500 (31 Weeks))
Florida (408, 417): Mixed Build: $550 ($650 (12 Weeks), $450 (46 Weeks))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $870 Last Week Avg: $1,015 (-) ($1,359 (20 Weeks), $870 (CA: $890 (5 Weeks)))
California (60, 55): Palmetto State Armory (Stainless barrel): $899 ($1,700 (35 Weeks), $850 (5 Weeks))
Texas (65, 60): DPMS: $950 ($1,500 (41 Weeks), $800 (5 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (36, 41): DPMS LR-308T: $800 ($1,500 (27 Weeks), $800 (35 Weeks))
Virginia (60, 56): Armalite: $1,000 ($1,650 (11 Weeks), $900 (41 Weeks))
Florida (67, 76): Rock River LAR8 Operator: $700 ($1,500 (42 Weeks), $700 (4 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $507 Last Week Avg: $468(+) ($626 (23 Weeks), $450 (10 Weeks))
California (51, 50): Saiga: $600 ($700 (26 Weeks), $320 (37 Weeks))
Texas (69, 68): Zastava O-Pap: $450 ($750 (25 Weeks), $350 (43 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (52, 41): WASR: $400 ($750 (32 Weeks), $375 (17 Weeks))
Virginia (47, 52): I.O: $485 ($625 (28 Weeks), $350 (30 Weeks))
Florida (104, 106): Zastava Pap M92: $600 ($650 (21 Weeks), $300 (41 Weeks))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $420 Last Week Avg: $420(=) ($489 (31 Weeks), $296 (11 Weeks))
California (9, 8): Marlin 336W: $399 ($500 (4 Weeks), $180 (11 Weeks))
Texas (19, 16): Marlin 336: $500 ($550 (30 Weeks), $300 (35 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (16, 14): Marlin 30AS: $400 ($450 (31 Weeks), $250 (36 Weeks))
Virginia (9, 8): Marlin 336W: $375 ($450 (15 Weeks), $350 (33 Weeks))
Florida (20, 16): Marlin 336: $425 ($500 (28 Weeks), $250 (14 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $389 Last Week Avg: $355 (+) ($450 (29 Weeks), $350 (3 Weeks))
California (172, 191): Rock Island Armory: $395 ($600 (29 Weeks), $300 (7 Weeks))
Texas (249, 239): Llama: $325 ($600 (40 Weeks), $325 (3 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (148, 144): Auto Ordnance: $350 ($550 (19 Weeks), $300 (13 Weeks))
Virginia (143, 148): Auto Ordnance: $475 ($550 (21 Weeks), $250 (38 Weeks))
Florida (342, 337): Arcadia Machine: $400 ($475 (12 Weeks), $250 (27 Weeks))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $268 Last Week Avg: $292 (+) ($336 (24 Weeks), $268 (CA: $274 (4 Weeks)))
California (161, 159): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $350 ($450 (29 Weeks), $250 (34 Weeks))
Texas (278, 280): Beretta 92FS: $200 ($355 (28 Weeks), $200 (CA: $220 (19 Weeks)))
Pennsylvania (204, 206): Ruger P95DC: $270 ($350 (46 Weeks), $200 (8 Weeks))
Virginia (191, 198): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $300 ($400 (22 Weeks), $250 (8 Weeks))
Florida (436, 431): Sccy CPX: $220 ($375 (38 Weeks), $220 (CA: $230 (7 Weeks)))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $363 Last Week Avg: $368(-) ($368 (18 Weeks), $300 (44 Weeks))
California (94, 88): Sig Sauer 2022: $400 ($425 (3 Weeks)), $250 (35 Weeks))
Texas (119, 127): Smith & Wesson 40VE: $350 ($425 (39 Weeks), $275 (21 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (82, 84): Kahr CM: $300 ($350 (10 Weeks), $250 (30 Weeks))
Virginia (87, 90): Glock 22: $415 ($450 (18 Weeks), $275 (34 Weeks))
Florida (164, 154): Ruger SR40: $350 ($400 (28 Weeks), $200 (3 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (Texas)
Norinco AK-47 (Pre Ban) Chambered in 7.62x39mm
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter
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