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4/1/2005 10:10:42 AM EDT
I took my 261 to the range today and had some problems. First, on every 2nd or 3rd round, the bolt would only cycle enough to pick up a new round, but not cock the hammer.  Seccond, on the 3rd round in the mag, the round would not eject, the rear of the round would stay in the chamber and the bolt woud close on it. Any suggestions?

P.S. the ammo was federal value pack.
4/1/2005 12:20:28 PM EDT
[#1]
How well lubed is your unit? M261s like to run fairly "wet," especially the recoil spring and its guide rod. Lube it up with CLP or Rem Oil or something of the kind.
4/1/2005 12:22:22 PM EDT
[#2]
Oh, one more thing, I've found that that Fed value pack junk NORMALLY gives excellent functioning in most if not all semiautomatics, but occasionally a bad box slips through--I've had two or three now. Might try going back to Wally World and buying another box of it, and make sure it is NOT the same lot number as the box you're shooting now.
4/1/2005 12:30:32 PM EDT
[#3]
Quick check would be to make sure the mags and the m261 are both cleaned and well lubed with CLP.

Then try some diff ammo... mine eats CCI mini-mag with zero probs.

You may also want to try the mag insert in a different mag body.
4/1/2005 4:41:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Mine does the same thing with the lower powered ammo like PMC moderators.   I ran some CCI standard velocity and mini mags, both were fine as well as the Remington bulk pack.  Rem subsonics wont cycle it at all.  

In short, use higher powered ammo or buy a suppressor.   My son got to shoot mine at the C2 dealers and it cycled with ammo that it would not run without the suppressor.  
4/1/2005 4:49:29 PM EDT
[#5]
My problem is that I do not have one!
4/1/2005 5:08:36 PM EDT
[#6]
the unit was well lubed as I had heard about it being needed to run wet, I also took some CLP and lubed it more when  had problems, no real help. This ammo works flawlessly in my 10/22.

I'll try some different ammo.
4/2/2005 3:16:37 AM EDT
[#7]
Hmmmmm.....Okay, let's try some more.

1. Are you having problems with just one magazine, or the same problem with all magazines? That will tell you something right there.

2. How smoothly does the bolt move in the upper receiver? Lube points are the rail that the bolt rides on, and the sides of the bolt where it meets the upper. Your 261 bolt might need to "wear in" the upper a little if it's a tight fit.

3. Make sure the hammer is lubed on its pin, and that the bolt/hammer interface is lubed or greased. (Polished smooth would be even better.)

4. I'm assuming you've brushed the 261 chamber out very clean, right?

5. Could still be the ammo. Just cause it runs in your 10/22 don't mean it will run in the 261. I had a box of the Fed Bulks that wouldn't even begin to chamber in a Norinco JW-14 but they worked just fine in my 10/22s, which have notoriously generous chambers. The Fed Bulk is a good ammo for .22 AR conversions because its copper plating causes less fouling problems than lead bullet lube.

6. Try some CCI Minimags just to see how they work. I don't like to use them in my 261 because I think they're too powerful (the unit should run on standard vel) and because I don't want their waxy lube in my AR barrel, but if they work in a test it might tell you some things. If you can, I'd recommend feeding your 261 a steady diet of some kind of plated bullet as opposed to waxy lubed lead bullets--less junk to foul up the gas system. If you have to run a lead lubed bullet, be sure to blow the gun out with .223 ammo more frequently--every 300-500 rounds as opposed to every 500-800+ that you can get away with with plated bullets. My 261 runs fine on Winchester Dynapoints, which are standard velocity, but now that I think about it, it DID require a break-in of a few hundred rounds before it started running perfectly on those.

Good luck and keep us posted, including symptoms in as much detail as possible.
4/3/2005 11:59:08 AM EDT
[#8]
I use an AR15 with an M261 as my primary weapon…

It needs lots of lube… CLP is your friend

It like hi-powered ammo… I only use CCI minimags

It runs like a sewing machine…

ANdy
4/3/2005 4:57:42 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:


It like hi-powered ammo… I only use CCI minimags


Why are some is using hi velocity ammo and some people  use standard velocity ammo?
I read if you use high velocity ammo it could mess up the m261 is this true or a bunch of hot air?
4/3/2005 7:20:31 PM EDT
[#10]
The GI manual says use standard velocity ammo.

There have been reports of the flat retaining "spring" at the butt-end of the unit breaking, and I can't help but believe that hi-speed ammo would do this part no good at all.

After breakin, and with proper lubing, my M261 runs perfectly on Winchester Dynapoints, which are subsonic (standard velocity). They're also accurate, cheap, clean-burning, and copper-plated. I just don't see any need to use anything else in mine, as long as I can get them.
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