Do M&P 15 Sport 2 come with "tight" chambers?

[opngrnd]

Immediately prior to the election, I helped a guy pick what seemed to be the best rifle in his budget of $700 and he purchased an M&P Sport 2.
Fast forward to yesterday: I have him and a couple other guys out to work on shooting, and I ask to give his rifle a try after telling him that instead of pouring money into upgrading the Sport, he might want to put a case of ammo or two through it and build a rifle that was configured exactly how he wants. I was the only one with ammo left, asked to shoot it, and loaded a mag in with my 55gr reloads that are spot checked through a Dillon chamber Gage and EGW chamber checker. They are also run through several other ARs and a bolt gun with no issue. My second round malfunctions and I find the case round stuck in what seems to be a tight chamber. I clear the round, examine it, and try again. Bolt won't close all the way. Once I get past that round, I shoot two more and get the same thing. At this point I've looked at the barrel markings of "5.56" and can't figure it out, so I give him my opinion that it would probably be fine to step up to a heavier buffer and wrapped things up for the night. I also asked if he had been having any issues with factory ammo(he hadn't). The "Real Feel" was 0 degrees and we were looking to get warmed up somewhere, so I didn't take the rifle apart.
Thinking about it through the day, I can't help shake the feeling that it could have a tight chamber or short headspace. I don't own go/no go gauges and am going to recommend he have it checked out at the local gunsmith. Has anyone discovered tight chambers in these rifles?

[Mrgunsngear]

Immediately prior to the election, I helped a guy pick what seemed to be the best rifle in his budget of $700 and he purchased an M&P Sport 2.
Fast forward to yesterday: I have him and a couple other guys out to work on shooting, and I ask to give his rifle a try after telling him that instead of pouring money into upgrading the Sport, he might want to put a case of ammo or two through it and build a rifle that was configured exactly how he wants. I was the only one with ammo left, asked to shoot it, and loaded a mag in with my 55gr reloads that are spot checked through a Dillon chamber Gage and EGW chamber checker. They are also run through several other ARs and a bolt gun with no issue. My second round malfunctions and I find the case round stuck in what seems to be a tight chamber. I clear the round, examine it, and try again. Bolt won't close all the way. Once I get past that round, I shoot two more and get the same thing. At this point I've looked at the barrel markings of "5.56" and can't figure it out, so I give him my opinion that it would probably be fine to step up to a heavier buffer and wrapped things up for the night. I also asked if he had been having any issues with factory ammo(he hadn't). The "Real Feel" was 0 degrees and we were looking to get warmed up somewhere, so I didn't take the rifle apart.
Thinking about it through the day, I can't help shake the feeling that it could have a tight chamber or short headspace. I don't own go/no go gauges and am going to recommend he have it checked out at the local gunsmith. Has anyone discovered tight chambers in these rifles?

Never heard of it and I get questions/comments/field reports on the M&P15 Sport II every day since my review from my viewers. If it's not happening with factory loads than I'm not sure there's an issue however.

[GH41]

Immediately prior to the election, I helped a guy pick what seemed to be the best rifle in his budget of $700 and he purchased an M&P Sport 2.
Fast forward to yesterday: I have him and a couple other guys out to work on shooting, and I ask to give his rifle a try after telling him that instead of pouring money into upgrading the Sport, he might want to put a case of ammo or two through it and build a rifle that was configured exactly how he wants. I was the only one with ammo left, asked to shoot it, and loaded a mag in with my 55gr reloads that are spot checked through a Dillon chamber Gage and EGW chamber checker. They are also run through several other ARs and a bolt gun with no issue. My second round malfunctions and I find the case round stuck in what seems to be a tight chamber. I clear the round, examine it, and try again. Bolt won't close all the way. Once I get past that round, I shoot two more and get the same thing. At this point I've looked at the barrel markings of "5.56" and can't figure it out, so I give him my opinion that it would probably be fine to step up to a heavier buffer and wrapped things up for the night. I also asked if he had been having any issues with factory ammo(he hadn't). The "Real Feel" was 0 degrees and we were looking to get warmed up somewhere, so I didn't take the rifle apart.
Thinking about it through the day, I can't help shake the feeling that it could have a tight chamber or short headspace. I don't own go/no go gauges and am going to recommend he have it checked out at the local gunsmith. Has anyone discovered tight chambers in these rifles?

It only happens with your reloads at 0 degrees in a low round count rifle... What's to figure out?

[Butch]

It only happens with your reloads at 0 degrees in a low round count rifle... What's to figure out?

...And he had no problems with his ammo?

...And you have a local gunsmith you would trust to do more than wipe the outside of the barrel down? Lucky guy.

You already have your answer.

As a rule, I never sell my reloads or fire my reloads in other people's weapons.

[opngrnd]

I would hope the gunsmith would own Go/No-Go gauges. It could very well be my ammo. But it's not in enough other rifles (9 of them) that I thought I'd ask. There is a lot of experience on the forum, and to immediately assume it's the ammo, even if it likely is, would be failing to make good use of the forum's collective knowledge.

I appreciate the help.

[Norman]

In a situation like this, anytime reloads are part of the equation, that’s the first thing I want to eliminate. No offense to you or your reloads.

[Rifleman_04]

I would hope the gunsmith would own Go/No-Go gauges.

I doubt a "gunsmith" would have a go/no go gauge or even a field gauge for an AR unless they have had any type of armorers training. That's certainly the case in my area. They are inexpensive enough to have them around just in case especially if you own more than a few ARs and maybe help your friends out on occasion.

[Thump_rrr]

Was he using brass cased ammo?
Is it possible that he was using lacquered ammo that left the chamber coated in that stuff?
If he hadn't had any issues beforehand I'll have to go with the consensus that it may be the reloaded ammo.
Do you use a small base resizing die?

ETA: I have a 10.5" Gen 2 Noveske CQB. It has been 100% reliable.
I've had a couple of malfunctions over the last 3 years but for the most part it was user error like trying to reload in the modified prone position against the clock with the right side of the rifle almost buried in the dirt.
The other day I was at an indoor range and I was chatting with someone. I offered to let him shoot my Noveske. I had already put 50 rounds through it with no issue.
The rifle was cleaned and properly lubricated.
I hand him a loaded mag he inserted it, racked the charging handle and click. No round was chambered. He racked it and fired the first round then it had a double feed.
He cleared the rifle, inserted the mag, racked it and click again. He racked it again and fired off the rest of the mag with no issues.
Once he was done I went through another 5 mags using the same magazine with no issues.

Was it shooter related? I don't know but it didn't do it with me shooting.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/Thump_rrr/504E8CF3-4D6A-4D74-958A-355C0411A1A9_zpspucr94qc.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/Thump_rrr/media/504E8CF3-4D6A-4D74-958A-355C0411A1A9_zpspucr94qc.jpg.html)

[Kdubya]

I'm by no means a reloading expert, but couldn't this issue possibly be attributed to the method of resizing? If opting for neck sizing, instead of full length, doesn't that result in the previously used cases being somewhat "formed" to the dimensions of the chamber from which they were fired? Which can then create potential issues with chambering and/or extracting the cases.

[Rifleman_04]

I'm by no means a reloading expert, but couldn't this issue possibly be attributed to the method of resizing? If opting for neck sizing, instead of full length, doesn't that result in the previously used cases being somewhat "formed" to the dimensions of the chamber from which they were fired? Which can then create potential issues with chambering and/or extracting the cases.

It's common to neck size brass fired from a bolt gun to be used in that same bolt gun. Semi needs full length resizing or neck sizing and body sizing.

[opngrnd]

I should probably just look into picking up the gauges myself at some point. I do a lot of the helping buddies out/introducing people to shooting.

He was shooting Hornady brass cased V-Max ammo. I haven't had time to sit and talk with him about quality plinking ammo, that'll be the next range trip.

I resize with a SB die, so the entire case gets resized.

The only way I can offer to even remotely "measure headspace" is to measure case growth. I measure before and after cases from a Colt 6920 and whatever rifle is in question. I have not seen any real measure able deviation from the Colt's fired cases and BCM, Sionics, or Centurion Arms.

[Kdubya]

It's common to neck size brass fired from a bolt gun to be used in that same bolt gun. Semi needs full length resizing or neck sizing and body sizing.

Thanks. When this had been mentioned to me, it was actually in a conversation regarding one of my bolt guns. My grandparents neighbor and I got to talking guns, and I mentioned wanting to reload for .308. He ran over to his house and came back with a massive bag of .308 brass. He also told me there was plenty more that I could have, and in a variety of calibers. He went on to say that the brass I'd been saving on my own is what he'd load first, as it's already formed to my bolt gun. At the time I didn't think to probe much further on the resizing details. So I definitely appreciate the clarification.