While shooting my AR last weekend it jambed up. I cant pull the charge handle back. Im not sure if there is a round in it or not. I separated the upper/lower but cant do anything with it. Any suggestions? I don't know much about working on this style of gun, so please suggest fix it ways like you are talking to a 1st grader!

If you are not sure if there is a live round in there, then I would take it to a good gun smith and make sure you tell him there may be a live round in the gun.

Im trying to save a dollar if I can take it apart.

Ill be as safe as possible

Well if you really want to try, then you could spray some lube down the barrel and let it sit over night and try again tomorrow. If all else fails, and I don't like to suggest this but you could try to put a cleaning rod down the barrel and knock it out. I would not try this though. You will have to still pull back on the handle to make it unlock. Did it move back at all, or is it all the way in the locked forward position?

You can verify if a round is in the chamber by sliding a cleaning rod down the barrel and measuring where it stops. If it seems to go to the end of the chamber then probably you have a fired case or empty chamber. If not then there could be a loaded round in the chamber. In which case it may need a trip to the smith. The way some other AR shooters handle this problem, provided it is not a loaded round, is to point the gun straight up and with pressure on the charging handle bounce the butt of the rifle off of a hard surface, I would think a padded surface. While I have never had to do this I don't assume any responiblity for what happens. The folks at AR15.com may be helpful.

It is locked forward pretty much. I might be able to pull it back 1/8 to 1/4.
I dont have a cleaning rod just a cleaning rope thing.
No I will not be banging it on the ground, there are way to many people around here.
Ill figure it out some how.

Banging the stock on the ground is the safest way to do it, I actually forgot about that method. I can't fire that way, unless you are pulling the trigger. I would lube everything up real good, and then while pulling on the charge handle bump the stock against the ground, or take it to a gun smith.

I will be in McKinney tommorrow and if You would like I will come by and try to get it pulled apart for you.

I got a sledge hammer too, might have to use a little heat as way.

i have a buddy that had those probs with his DPMS Lo Pro. Apparently they have pretty tight chambers-anyway, reloads would sometimes stick after discharge. I'm talking STUCK. He used a multi tool to pry the bolt back, he didn't have to go far with it, just enough to get the stuck case loose. Once you get past this problem, clean the chamber on the rifle-heck, clean everything while you're at it!

I'm curious though, is your AR a DPMS?

These weren't cheap imported rounds were they? I can't think of the brands right now, but they look like they have a coating on the outside of the shell casing. I've heard they are terrible about sticking, but lots of people buy them because of the price.

Probably talking about the wolf brand, they are steel casings, and have a greenish coating on them. I haven't heard of any problems with these, but I also don't know anyone that is shooting them.

We never had any trouble with Wolf. Monarch has had issues with the coating on them.

It is a bushmaster varminter. Yes I was shooting the rest of about 25 wolf shells with the coating. I normally dont shoot that crap but was letting a kid shoot it for fun. Hunter Ted I will bring it to you! Im in Mckinney.

when u have the upper in your hand the charging handle wont pull back?? ok heres an idea...have the upper then use cleaning rod to push the bolt out of the rear...ive had to do it w/ our m16A4's once

i had to do it today.... marksmanship instructor....we fired out about 10,000 rounds between 50 shooters in under 10 min...tax payers money going to waste..lol...only $250 per can of 840...i had to wait for the barrel to cool so it wouldnt cook off in my face or the rod...then used his cleaning rod to push it out

What did you do exactly? I have not been trained in these things like yall military personnel.

put the cleaning rod together, use open end to cover bullet tip...all of this being done pointed in a safe direction, this is all done w/ the upper receiver removed from the lower. and SLOWLY push against an object while pulling the charging handle lever as if your were loading, if there is a chance of a live round in it, you should keep the receivers together and attempt to fire the weapon just to make sure the firing pin isnt still locked

yikes!
Check this out first.
I just got through reading that last night. It may have been posted here already, but I didn't see it if it was. It's an eye opening recount of how something like this can really mess up your day.

if it dont move dont force it...truthfully man, if youre not sure what youre doing find someone who knows, id hate to hear you had something crazy happen to you. if it were mine id do it but i can break these weapons down in the dark and put it back together

I lubed it up with some breakfree and pushed and pulled with the cleaning rod and got it out. There was a live round in it with a dent in the primer. Scary sheet for me! Thanks for Yall's advice. Im going to clean it up real good and not use that crap in my gun anymore!

This is why there are people called "gunsmith".

or just trained in specific weapon systems....they dont have gunsmiths in combat situations

Either way, it's a very effective way of avoiding people called things like "neurosurgeon", "orthopedist", and "undertaker"