Is the "receiver rug" just a gimmick

[Mark21]

I normally don't add after-market accessories to my rifles (outside of optics, light, etc), but paging through the MidwayUSA catalog the other day I noticed something for around $8 called the receiver rug. Basically a thin rubber pad that goes into the trigger area and only has a slim cut-out for the hammer to travel through; it covers up the rest of the trigger area to "keep anything from the upper receiver from falling into the assembly and causing a stoppage".

Having twice over the past three years had a primer pop and fall into the trigger area--causing immediate full stoppage--I actually thought at first blush this seems like a reasonable addition to a rifle, like an unbrella insurance policy.

Anyone with experience (bad or good) with this accessory? Thoughts?

[PlatoCATM]

I know you asked for informed opinions about this, and I don't have any with this "rug" thing, but I'm going to offer you what I think will be the general consensus here. Do Not put little extra rubber "enhancements" in your fighting rifle. They seem to cause more trouble than they claim to cure. If you want to guard against popped primers in the fire control group you should use ammo with crimped primers.

[stipilot]

I don't know if the rug works or not but I can tell you the first time my wife shot in a 3 gun match she had a couple Federal rounds blow the primers out and locked up the trigger several times throughout the match. She was not a happy girl.

So the problem is real, I'd be interested to know if the rug is really a solution. (while agreeing on the crimped primer ammo)

[CHoffman]

If the primer pops it has to go somewhere. If not into the trigger assembly then it may get lodged somewhere else in the upper locking it up. Or you could get lucky and have it come out the ejection port but then again maybe not.

[AMMOTECH]

Save your $$$ and buy some more ammo!~!

.

[Bimmer]

... she had a couple Federal rounds blow the primers out and locked up the trigger several times throughout the match.

So the problem is real, I'd be interested to know if the rug is really a solution. (while agreeing on the crimped primer ammo)

Whoa! Something is seriously wrong with this picture, IMHO.

Blown primers are a sign of over-pressure, right?. Your problem isn't the primers falling into the FCG, it's too much pressure blowing primers.

[ra2bach]

Whoa! Something is seriously wrong with this picture, IMHO.

Blown primers are a sign of over-pressure, right?. Your problem isn't the primers falling into the FCG, it's too much pressure blowing primers.

not necessarily. could just be cases that were loaded too many times...

[Bimmer]

not necessarily. could just be cases that were loaded too many times...

OK, but the real problem is the primers falling out of the cases, not that they then wind up in the FCG.

To answer the OP: Yes, it's a gimmick.

If you're blowing primers, then the solution is not to buy something to keep them from falling into the FCG. The solution is to figure out why you're blowing primers and then make it stop.

Bimmer