Frequently Asked Questions

 Q:  My JR Carbine is having feeding problems. What should I do?    Feeding problems are almost always traceable to either magazine or ammunition.

Magazine Issues: 
The JR Carbine is designed to use either genuine Glock or 1911 milspec-dimension magazines.  Aftermarket Glock-compatible magazines or 1911 magazines not manufactured to original 1911 milspec dimensions may not perform properly or consistently.  Even genuine Glock magazines have gone through several generations, and they may not all perform the same. See our comparison of two Glock magazine springs. 

• Glock-45ACP Magazine Adjustment:  We have experienced a feeding problem in some 10-round .45ACP Glock magazines.  Specifically, the last 1-3 rounds consistently stand straight up on the follower and do not feed into the chamber.  We have traced the problem to the follower spring, where the top of the spring is formed in such a way that it applies most of its pressure on the front end of the follower and little, if any, on the back.  In turn, the follower pushes upward unevenly on the cartridge – mostly on the forward half.  When the bolt contacts the top round of ammunition and begins driving it forward, the unbalanced pressure on the front of the cartridge permits the cartridge to rotate upward as the cartridge case clears the magazine feed lips. We have developed a simple modification for your Glock magazine that will significantly improve the magazine's performance in both your JR Carbine and your Glock pistol.  See our modification instructions here.  

• Overinserting the Magazine:  Feeding problems are occasionally caused by shooters inserting the magazine too far up into the magazine well.  This can interfere with the operation of the bolt and prevent proper ammunition feeding.    Many shooters learned in the military to slap their M-16/M-4/AR-15  or pistol magazine up and into the magazine well to endure it is properly seated. In the AR-15 type rifle there is a magazine stop that prevents overinsertion.  In most pistols there is a lip on the bottom of the magazine and/or an internal stop that serves the same purpose.  The JR Carbine relies on the magazine catch to properly locate the magazine within the magazine well. There is no other internal or external stop.  As per the Just Right Carbines Safety and Instruction Manual, the proper way to insert a magazine is to "insert a loaded magazine up into the magazine well until it clicks. Check to see that is is securely held in place by pulling down on the magazine; it should stay tightly in place."    Avoid slapping the magazine into place - especially if you are loading with the bolt locked open to the rear - to prevent overinserting it. 

Ammunition Issues: 
Not all ammunition is created equal.  Although all JR Carbines are manufactured and assembled to the same specifications and tolerances, any individual firearm is likely to tend to prefer one brand or type of ammunition over other, and the JR Carbine is no exception.  In most cases the reason is variations in ammunition manufacture - even between lots of ammunition from the same manufacturer.  If you are experiencing feeding difficulties unrelated to the magazine, consider trying different types and brands of ammunition to determine which performs best in your JR Carbine.just as with virtually all other firearms.  Differences in bullet profile, case diameter, and bullet composition (cast lead bullets are not recommended) can significantly impact ammunition feeding. 


Q:  When will you offer the JR Carbine in 10mm?    The JR Carbine is a direct-blowback design. The bolt is entirely inertial and does not lock when in battery, and the barrel breech does not depress upon firing, so there is no mechanical action to absorb some of the recoil energy as there is in the 1911 or Glock, for example.When the gun is fired the bolt's mass is not enough by itself to sufficiently slow the bolt's recoil, even when using the standard AR-15 aluminum buffer with its own internal sliding weights. In order to adequately slow the JR Carbine's bolt down the bolt in the JR Carbine it has a solid steel buffer to augment the mass of the bolt. Our buffer is significantly heavier than the standard AR-15 aluminum buffer, and is sufficient for the energies developed by the 9mm, 40S&W. and 45ACP. Unfortunately, the full power 10mm generates too much energy (37,500 psi) to accommodate through increased buffer mass within the limited confines of the buffer tube and still permit sufficient fore-and-aft bolt travel for the gun to function. Using a significantly denser material for the buffer - like tungsten, for example - might accommodate the higher power of the 10mm, but it would be cost prohibitive. Using reduced power 10mm cartridges might work, but then the performance would be much like the 40S&W and the advantage of the 10mm would be lost. For these reasons we do not plan to offer the JR Carbine in 10mm (or other high power cartridges such as .357 Sig, .40 Super, or .460 Rowland, for example).


Q:  Do you have any plans to make the 9mm compatible with other (Sig P226, Beretta M9, etc.) magazines?    We base our JR Carbine model offerings on magazines that have proven most popular among the general shooting public.  Currently that means Glock magazines (in 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP) and standard 1911 magazines in .45ACP.   We have also prototyped an S&W M&P magwell for the .40S&W but will only enter production when we receive an order large enough (about 800 pieces) to justify the tooling and setup costs involved. While there are many fine popular pistols in the market, up to now we haven't had enough call for any one type of magazine other than the Glock and 1911.  We are currently evaluating our product mix relative to market demand, and we will continue to consider adapting the JR Carbine to other magazines.  


Q:  Can I shoot Plus-P (+P) ammunition in my JR Carbine?    It should not be a problem for you to use Plus-P ammo in your JR Carbine.  We initially prohibited Plus-P ammunition because the JR Carbine is a direct blowback weapon with a non-locking bolt.  The added power of Plus-P ammunition caused a significant increase in gas discharge through the ejection port without giving any ballistic advantage over conventionally charged cartridges.  We were concerned that the higher power ammunition could cause the bolt to move rearward too soon in the firing sequence, before the chamber pressure had dropped sufficiently,  thereby prematurely exposing the case wall and causing potentially dangerous case failures.    We  have subsequently modified our bolt design and significantly increased the weight of our proprietary buttstock buffer.  As a result the bolt stays in battery for a longer period, directing more of the combustion gases into the barrel and out of the muzzle.  Plus-P ammunition may or may not provide a significant increase in performance at this point, but it should not cause any problems.  We will be modifying our manual to remove the Plus-P ammo prohibition in future printings.


Miscellaneous Issues:

Q: Which aftermarket buttstocks will fit my JR Carbine?   There are too many aftermarket stocks on the market for us to maintain a list of all that are compatible with the JR Carbine.  However, with the following information you can pretty well determine whether any particular stock you might be interested in will fit your JR Carbine.  

• The JR Carbine receiver buffer tube threading accommodates both commercial and milspec buffer tubes.  Either will install with the threads provided .  The major dimensional difference between commercial and milspec tubes is that the commercial tubes have a greater outer diameter.  This is due to the milspec tubes being manufactured from a 7000-series aluminum alloy, which allows for thinner tube walls, while commercial tubes are usually made from 6000-series alloy, requiring somewhat greater wall thickness.  

• JR Carbine buttstocks use commercial grade buffer tubes.  These will accommodate milspec tubes, but the stock bodies will fit somewhat loosely on the milspec tubes.  One usually cannot match up a milspec stock body with a commercial buffer tube, however, because the greater diameter tube will not fit within the molded stock body.   If you are using an entirely new stock assembly, though, it will not matter whether the assembly is commercial or milspec. Having said that, you MUST ensure that the internal buffer tube depth of the replacement stock does not vary more than 1/8th of an inch from the depth of the buffer tube your JR Carbine was supplied with.  You MUST ALSO ensure that you use ONLY the internal parts (buffer/spring/nylon disc/rubber bumper) that came with your original JR Carbine buttstock.  Set aside any internal buffer tube parts that came with your aftermarket stock and do not install them on your JR Carbine.   If you try to use them instead of the proprietary parts provided with your JR Carbine and the installation method prescribed, your carbine will break and require repairs - which will not be covered by warranty.   

• Buttstock installation instructions are included as page 24 of our current instruction manual, available online.