I'm new... and I have a ejection question...

kappy · Post by **kappy** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:32 am

I just started shooting a bit less than a year ago. I purchased a 10/22 which I love shooting, but decided it was time to pick up a pistol. I eventually narrowed my search down to the stainless MKIII 6 7/8 slab.

I took it out last weekend and it fires fine for the most part... with one problem. I was putting clip after clip through it to break it in and it started to have problems with rounds failing to eject. They either stovepipe or get jammed on the other side of the round, often forcing me to eject the clip, fiddle the round out that has been only partially loaded, and then wiggle the spent round out.

1. Is this something to do with the LCI?
2. Would an edge extractor help?
3. Is this just something to do with the fact that it isn't really broken in yet? I think I've put through... about 350 rounds... is that enough?

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:15 am

Welcome to Guntalk-Online Kappy. I see that you found your way in after my posting over at Rimfire Central.

My first question back to you is did you do a thorough detailed cleaning before you started shooting your new Mark III? Ruger coats these new pistols with a preservative oil that thickens over time and also tends to collect powder residue. The powder and preservative could be slowing down the bolt and causing fouling of the chamber area resulting in your FTEs.

A VQ Exact Edge extractor could help with the FTEs. But only if you've done the detailed cleaning.

Also, what kind of ammo are you shooting in your pistol? Have you tried some other brands to see if they'll cycle better? I noticed that you mentioned CCI-SV and Federal Pistol Match in your post over at RFC. Is this the ammo you were using? Did one brand tend to jam over the other? Was the Federal AM-22 by any chance? I know that Federal had some quality control issues with lots of the AM-22 production line a while back and was issuing refunds to folks who were experiencing problems just like yours.

R,
Bullseye

kappy · Post by **kappy** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:31 am

I broke it in using the bulk pack of federal from Walmart. It doesn't seem to have any other designation... just says "Federal 550." It's 1260fps. I've fired thousands of rounds of it from my 10/22, but maybe my pistol isn't as forgiving?

I did clean it pretty thoroughly. I've heard from some people that Ruger doesn't coat their guns and I've heard from other folks that they do, so I went through and cleaned it thoroughly anyway. After all, I got it on a Monday and had no where to shoot it until Saturday... so it was taken apart like 25 times and cleaned at least 5.

Song Dawg · Post by **Song Dawg** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:08 pm

Welcome kappy!
I have the same guns (MKIII 6 7/8 slabby & 1022's) and use the same bulk Fed ammo without any problems. If it's clean as per Bullseye's rec then you might try some other bulk ammo or some CCI rounds. I avoid Remington!

SD

hogdogs · Post by **hogdogs** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:16 pm

I too, use the Fed bulk box. I also ran over 500 rounds of rem bulk thru my 22/45. I have not had a single failure to eject (FTE)... I have about 1,500-2,000 rounds of ammo total.
My gun was in a green plastic bag and it had a hardened lube residue inside and some gunk on the exterior of the pistol that was a PIA to get off.
I doubt the LCI would cause it. I did away with both the PC crap. The Mag safety and the LCI serve me absolutely no purpose... *POOF* GONE!

Brent

melchloboo · Post by **melchloboo** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:26 pm

For $10 the edge extractor is a good way to get the process of elimination started as to what the problem might be.

kappy · Post by **kappy** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:41 am

One of my co-workers mentioned that it could be me pulling my hands up or the recoil bouncing the gun off of the bench the few times I fired it from there. I'll find out tomorrow when I go to our indoor range.

melchloboo · Post by **melchloboo** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:35 am

that is possible with larger caliber pistols; possible but unlikely with .22.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:15 am

it is recoil operated and if you are limp wristing it may cause a problem.

melchloboo · Post by **melchloboo** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:24 am

agree to disagree. i think the muzzle flip is so minimal that it should be the last thing to consider. then again, its the cheapest test to perform.

greener · Post by **greener** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:52 pm

How many rounds did you fire before it started acting up? Almost sounds like you put too much oil on it when you cleaned and lubed it.

I'm not sure a .22, especially a KMKIII678 can be limp wristed enough to cause the problem. Think I'll give that a whirl tomorrow. Will go to the range with my limpest wrists.

Song Dawg · Post by **Song Dawg** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:17 am

greener wrote: Will go to the range with my limpest wrists.

SD

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:16 am

Tried, but couldn't get it to happen. I've had it happen with centurion/aguila ammo because of the heavy lube.

genetics_jo · Post by **genetics_jo** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:17 pm

See the following thread:

http://www.guntalk-online.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=857

It might just be that you need to contact Ruger and have it fixed before going off and doing anything to the gun.

kappy · Post by **kappy** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 3:54 am

K... I kind of fell off the planet for a bit. Here's what has happened since:
1. The problem is still occuring.
2. Tried with various kinds of ammo, from subsonic, standard, and high velocity.
3. Tried it limp and firm wristed and in between, no change.
4. Oiled the extractor and bolt.
5. Took it to my smith who looked and found no problems.
6. At the range, I found that the rounds which were successfully ejecting were not all behaving in the same way. Some flipped quickly, some slowly, some had a LOT of spin, all odd angles, etc.

We've basically verified that it is not the bolt spring...

So the next bet is to call Ruger. I'll be calling bright and early. I've heard nothing but great stuff about their service, so... let's see how it goes.

For my money, I think it's the LCI. Many of the spent rounds wind up jammed facing backwards above the LCI, making it so that the next round cannot chamber. Instead, the new round hits the ramp and it takes a gouge out of the head where it meets the brass.