is this normal

[bigtruuck]

I was out sooting my S&W m&P 15 this morning. One of my friends called to go fishing so i pulled the mag. and ejected the round in the chamber to put back in the mag. i noticed the primer had a indent from the firing pin when the bolt went home. I have never noticed this before, but i remember seeing a spring that goes on the firing pin to prevent this from happening and causing a slamfire.

[Reservoir Dog]

Yes, that is normal.  AR style rifles have a free-floating firing pin, so it is normal for the pin to lightly strike the primer when the round is chambered.  It does not hit it hard enough to cause the round to discharge.

 

ETA:  There is no spring that goes on the firing pin.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Reservoir Dog

[TMF]

Yes, that is normal. AR style rifles have a free-floating firing pin, so it is normal for the pin to lightly strike the primer when the round is chambered. It does not hit it hard enough to cause the round to discharge.

ETA: There is no spring that goes on the firing pin.

What he said.

[bigtruuck]

thanks. i had a feeling it was normal but just never noticed before.

[gregintenn]

That's what mine does.

Edited October 13, 2013 by gregintenn

[bigtruuck]

This is why i love this place. I guess the reason i have never noticed before, i dont think i've ever finished shooting and had a partial mag left. :woohoo:  The spring i was refering to was an aftermarket kit that added it, but now i cant find any links or info for so maybe i am getting my part kits mixed up. Thanks guys i feel better about it now.

[Danger Rane]

Yes it's normal for rifles utilizing a free float firing pin.

 

This seems as good a thread as any to ask what everyone thinks about "primer desensitization" and what they do with rounds looking like the OP's.  Meaning, do you just reload in magazine and possibly reuse as a primary, or do you put them to the side and only use them for plinking at the range in case they don't fire. I have successfully re-chambered military ammo (5.56 and 7.62) repeatedly and never had it fail to fire, but have yet to try this with commercial ammo or older surplus stuff.  I have noticed that the 7.62 rifles with the free float fire pins did not indent their primers as much as the 5.56.....not sure if the primers themselves are harder or what.

[TMF]

Yes it's normal for rifles utilizing a free float firing pin.

This seems as good a thread as any to ask what everyone thinks about "primer desensitization" and what they do with rounds looking like the OP's. Meaning, do you just reload in magazine and possibly reuse as a primary, or do you put them to the side and only use them for plinking at the range in case they don't fire. I have successfully re-chambered military ammo (5.56 and 7.62) repeatedly and never had it fail to fire, but have yet to try this with commercial ammo or older surplus stuff. I have noticed that the 7.62 rifles with the free float fire pins did not indent their primers as much as the 5.56.....not sure if the primers themselves are harder or what.

I think it may have to do with the AR firing pin weighing more than an AK firing pin.

[Danger Rane]

I think it may have to do with the AR firing pin weighing more than an AK firing pin.

 

It very well might, I am admittedly not as knowledgeable on the AKs as I am on ARs. I should have clarified which 7.62. I was meaning the SR25, MK11, M110 family.

[TMF]

It very well might, I am admittedly not as knowledgeable on the AKs as I am on ARs. I should have clarified which 7.62. I was meaning the SR25, MK11, M110 family.

Okay, gotcha. Thought you were talkin AKs.