AC44 Range Report - Feeding issues - ideas?

[rollin59]

Originally Posted by MGMike

Do you mean the extractor?

M

DOH!!! Yes EXTRACTOR.

By the way I did pretty much all of the above cleaning and inspection before ever firing the pistol the first time (as always). But focused just on mags and EXTRACTOR cleanliness this time.

[MGMike]

Are you SURE the magazine springs are in right side UP? And also not backward?

Or do they just "seem" to be OK?

M

[rollin59]

Originally Posted by MGMike

Are you SURE the magazine springs are in right side UP? And also not backward?

Or do they just "seem" to be OK?

M

100% sure the springs are installed A-OK, no question about it. They were the first time also. Next range time won't be till this weekend.

[rollin59]

Here are pics of the areas I'm talking about. Looks OK to me. Any glaring problems that I'm not seeing?

[BROBS]

I don't see anything....

[MGMike]

Originally Posted by rollin59

100% sure the springs are installed A-OK, no question about it. They were the first time also. Next range time won't be till this weekend.

When you return to the range, start out by loading just 5 cartridges in each magazine, and see what happens.

M

[rollin59]

After thoroughly cleaning and lubricating all 9 mags inside & out, both ac44 P38s, (one reblued slide, one "minty" original), and verifying mag spring positions, headed back to the range yesterday.

The problem ac44 (the minty one) still had the same 2 problems...When fully loaded 8 rounds, the first round "noses over" and won't strip from the mag into the chamber. It does not do this with 7 or fewer rounds. No big deal, these pistols are used only at the range. So just load 7.

The more annoying problem is failure to eject the empty, anywhere between rounds 4 and round 6, regardless of starting round count. The empty stays in the chamber halfway (Pics) and blocks the next round coming up. Fix: Lock slide back, drop mag, let slide snap forward, eject empty, reinsert mag...last round or two, no problems.

The same magazines work flawlessly in my reblued P38 with no jams ever. I think the problem has to be in the ejector of "minty P38", or perhaps the recoil springs. Possibility, mag spring, but why does the same mag work OK in "blued slide" ac44? "Blued slide" P38 I replaced bad recoil springs. "Minty" p38 has had no operating parts changed by me (repro 'range grips' on "minty", p1 grips on "reblued").

I have 2 sets of springs on the way but where can I buy mag springs (in case that might be it)? Any other suggestions from the experts?

[MGMike]

Originally Posted by rollin59

...

The problem ac44 (the minty one) still had the same 2 problems...When fully loaded 8 rounds, the first round "noses over" and won't strip from the mag into the chamber. It does not do this with 7 or fewer rounds. ...

The more annoying problem is failure to eject the empty, anywhere between rounds 4 and round 6, regardless of starting round count. The empty stays in the chamber halfway (Pics) and blocks the next round coming up. ...

The same magazines work flawlessly in my reblued P38 with no jams ever. I think the problem has to be in the ejector of "minty P38", or perhaps the recoil springs. ..

Any other suggestions...?

More suggestions will not help if you are still using the same ammo as before.

Troubleshooting Failure to Feed See in particular posts #1 and #10.

Are you talking about the extractor or the ejector? Why do you imagine that stronger recoil springs would correct a failure to pull the fired case out of the chamber?

M

[rollin59]

I mean extractor. In technical terms, the little spring loaded claw thingie that grabs the shell rim and pulls it out of the chamber.

Chamber clean. Check and recheck.
Mags cleaned and polished inside with 0000 steel wool. Check.
Extractor clean and moving freely. Check and recheck.
Shooting new, standard USA made 115 g ball ammo in brass cases. Check. (Winchester W.B.)
Oiled, but not over oiled. Check.
Entire gun completely cleaned inside and out. Check.

I am going to try a little trick I learned on a Mosin Nagant rifle, use a standard brass bristle brush chucked into a cordless drill, spin a few revs at slow speed in the chamber.
(Of course Mosin Nagants use corrosive ammo and some of the new mfr steel case ammo has lacquer coating which gunks up the chamber, neither of which apply to my P38.)

Maybe springs would help timing? I dunno.

Exact same ammo from the same box shoots A-OK in another ac44 and P1
using the same mags. To me that says it's probably something with the gun, not the ammo.
But to be sure, I bought some Blazer Brass today because it has worked for me before in the other P38 and P1.

Blazer Brass casings and bullets look "shinier" than Winchester or UMC.
Watch for Range Report, round 3! The pile of empty 9mm cases keeps on growing!
I don't know if anything is helping but I'm getting in lots of outdoor range time for February in Northeast Wisconsin!

[Milspec]

Check for machining burrs that keep the extractor from closing fully over the case rim. It may not be moving in far enough.