What would make an AR15 extractor pin break?

[musashi]

I would also like to note that this is a solid pin and not a roll pin. Idk what guy started saying roll pin...

Now back on topic, it could have just been a crappy pin. They happen, they aren't scrutinized like a bolt. I'd sent them a note letting them know about the early failure and get a replacement. I'd probably order and extractor, extractor spring and booster if you are into those. Check for burrs on the surfaces the pin rides as well as the pin itself. Then enjoy your gun.

Edit replied on my phone and didn't proof it for errors, there are a lot of them.

[BPS]

Show me a name on a roll pin.

Dif material/hardness..

Piece of S_it Armory will use china pins

DD BCM Nov Colt Larue etc won't use Chinese crap on guns people will trust their life with

PSA or their cheapass buyers could care less.

[Quads]

Show me a name on a roll pin.

Gladly.

RIF:
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?55930-BCM-Stuff

[j-squared]

My wife and I made an agreement 18 or so years ago before getting married, and it's worked quite well.
Never ask a question, you're not willing to hear the answer to.

I know I used inexpensive parts, this gun was intentionally a budget build. Mostly I'm wondering if there is anything else to check into other than a cheap part. Like something I may not think about vs what I already know about.

[Quads]

I know I used inexpensive parts, this gun was intentionally a budget build. Mostly I'm wondering if there is anything else to check into other than a cheap part. Like something I may not think about vs what I already know about.

IMO, not really. Could you go through and measure the carrier, bolt, extractor, pin, clearance, sheer strength, cam, o-right, etc.? Sure. Will it learn you anything? Nothing more than you already know. It was cheap, and it broke. Buy a good quality BCG, drop it in and run it. YMMV.

[mikeb32]

Shhhhh people might notice that I pop in here sometimes

Great to cya!

[10x25mm]

The weapon has about 750 rounds through it total.

Today after about 160 rounds, it stopped feeding rounds, there was an empty case that did not get extracted and ejected. We cleared the empty round, but after that it won't feed new rounds. It starts to strip them from the magazine, but they hang up at the feed ramp.

We stopped there, got home, and after taking it apart, the extractor pin was sheared on both sides in the bolt and fell out.

I suspect this is why it's not feeding, now.

Any ideas on why this pin would fail so early? Other than I used cheap parts?

AR rifles have two Achilles' heels: their bolt assemblies and their magazines.

Well made extractor pins in a fully MIL-SPEC AR usually start to bend or break around 3,000 rounds fired, and extractor pin problems become commonplace around 5,000 rounds. They are a very small part which is really difficult to heat treat consistently. Premature extractor pin problems are usually associated with an overgassed AR, a rough chamber, and/or steel cased ammunition.

Doubt that a broken extractor pin would cause cartridges to hang up at the feed ramp. Might stop the bolt from fully closing, but I have never seen hang ups with the bullet at the feed ramp. Any hang up due to a broken extractor pin should happen further forward, when the extractor enters the barrel locking collar. You may have a cracked/damaged bolt, barrel locking collar, and or extractor. I would inspect everything in the upper very carefully, and the magazine as well.

[ICABOB]

Dif material/hardness..

Piece of S_it Armory will use china pins

DD BCM Nov Colt Larue etc won't use Chinese crap on guns people will trust their life with

PSA or their cheapass buyers could care less.

Nothing but Bull. Like I said a CORRECT pin is a pin is a pin. No difference.

[Quads]

Nothing but Bull. Like I said a CORRECT pin is a pin is a pin. No difference.

Then why doesn't the military buy PSA's garbage and put it in a theater setting?

[RifleGuy]

Then why doesn't the military buy PSA's garbage and put it in a theater setting?

Military doesn't buy from a lot of vendors, many of whom produce excellent parts. Just because it's 'military approved' doesn't mean it's the best, just that it fell within parameters of acceptability and could be produced fast enough, in sufficient quantities, for an acceptable price.