[2Barrels]

Last evening, somewhere between the 725th and 775th round fired through my 99AS, I had a FTF, if I recall the first with this pistol. I've had this happen to me with a PPK/S, which I hear isn't uncommon with that model, but again a first with the 99.

Specifically, the slide didn't return to battery; it got hung up on the next cartridge in the mag. An easy push with my left hand chambered the round. Are there any typical causes of this? Do you have any recommended maintenance procedures to prevent this?

FWIW the gun was freshly cleaned and lubed, in fact I used a new technique on the slide rails, a slippery combination of Shooter's Choice grease and FP-10 CLP (a mixture I learned about on a 1911 maintenance site). Hmm, could that be the cause Perhaps a bit to liberal with the grease.

Thanks.

 

[Jake Starr]

I don't see the lube as being a problem unless it did congeal in some way...with autos the saying is "little is better" when it comes to lube.

What about your ammo? I am assuming it was factory loads...not reloads.

Give the pistol a good wipe down and try again...make sure the feed ramp is clean and cean you mags too...

Go out and shoot another couple hundred rds at one time and report back.

 

[2Barrels]

I don't see the lube as being a problem unless it did congeal in some way...with autos the saying is "little is better" when it comes to lube.

What about your ammo? I am assuming it was factory loads...not reloads.

Give the pistol a good wipe down and try again...make sure the feed ramp is clean and cean you mags too...

Go out and shoot another couple hundred rds at one time and report back.

Factory ammo, either WWB or Rem UMC, can't remember which was in at the time.

Hope this isn't the cause but I gently "Flitzed" the feed ramp when I last cleaned it.

Now, I will admit that while I clean the pistol itself very thoroughly, I neglect the mags. I wipe off the follower and the outside, but that's it. What should be done to mags and on what frequency? Thanks.

 

[Jake Starr]

Hope this isn't the cause but I gently "Flitzed" the feed ramp when I last cleaned it

Ok I've been around a while but I am not familiar with "flitzed?" Is it something you do with a dremmel tool? Do you mean polishing the feed ramp?

As too mag, I have fired way more than what you say you have and I have yet to really clean mine. Wipe them down yes. Take them apart with the little yellow tool that came with the gun, no. But If I were you I would try all avenues...

I have only ever had 1 FTFeed with any of my P99s and it happened last week. I was using CCI and for some reason the case caught on the chamber mouth and crunched the soft casing. I will still shoot it but not use it for SD rds...never had a problem with steel or brass cases.

 

[Riktoven]

It sounds like a slightly bent mag lip...just enough to make the top round from popping off the stack.

Label that mag, and if it happens again, see if it's the same mag.

The other most likely cause is a worn out recoil spring, but at under 1k rounds, I don't see that as the culprit. I've just recently passed the 26,000 round count with mine and haven't changed out anything yet.

I don't disassemble the mags for cleaning either, just wipe down.

 

[uncut]

The first thing I do when I get new mags is take them appart and whipe all the oil off with a cloth.... the oil will attract all the foulings.....
then I take my mags appart at least every 1000 rounds. I take a dishrag and pull it through the magbody from bottom to top, whipe down the magspring with Hopp's and clean the follower......
FWIW even if it's factory ammo there could have been something wrong with it. Most times we buy the boxes and just load the rounds which is not a problem on the range... but for selfdefense this is not acceptable. One should inspect every round that goes in the mag.
I have seen about half a dozen casings come out of the factory box that were somewhat damaged. No, not mine but I seen them.
It also could be as already metnioned be a mag problem.

 

[2Barrels]

Ok I've been around a while but I am not familiar with "flitzed?" Is it something you do with a dremmel tool? Do you mean polishing the feed ramp?

Sorry, Flitz the non-abrasive metal polish.
http://www.flitz-polish.com/default.asp
Wiped a very light coat on the feed ramp then "polished" it with my fingertip and a soft cloth.

 

[2Barrels]

FWIW even if it's factory ammo there could have been something wrong with it. Most times we buy the boxes and just load the rounds which is not a problem on the range... but for selfdefense this is not acceptable. One should inspect every round that goes in the mag.
I have seen about half a dozen casings come out of the factory box that were somewhat damaged. No, not mine but I seen them.

Unless someone says I screwed up by using Flitz on the feed ramp, I'm leaning towards a bad cartridge. Tell you why...

The WWB came from a pawn shop and was sitting around awhile. It was one of those bulk boxes of 100, and quite honestly was opened and even missing a few rounds. I've seen other "new" boxes of Winchester ammo at this shop with a PMC cartridges mixed in; someone mixed and matched! Perhaps I overlooked a less-than-quality cartridge mixed into this box.

So you're saying OK Joe, why are you buying that crap? Well actually I traded two .38 revolvers to them recently for a new 9mm SIG and they graciously allowed me to swap several boxes of .38 Special for 9mm. I normally buy fresh stock from WalMart, Dick's, Bass Pro, actually wherever it's on-sale. Hey but here's another thought...

In Ken Lunde's P99 FAQs, he mentions that Earl's Repair Service recommends breaking in a P99 with 124 grain bullets for the first 300 rounds. If I recall this is suggested to eliminate cycling problems (exactly what problems I can't remember; and Ken's site appears to be down). Now I did break the gun in exactly as recommended but I was shooting 115 grain (and normally do) when the FTFeed occurred. Perhaps a combination of light bullet, light load. FWIW.

I'm going to:
1) Clean off the excess lube on the rails.
2) Clean the mags.
3) Shoot a whole bunch more
4) Look for a reoccurrence.

Have I mentioned lately that you folks are great!!

 

[Jake Starr]

In Ken Lunde's P99 FAQs, he mentions that Earl's Repair Service recommends breaking in a P99 with 124 grain bullets for the first 300 rounds.

I think that has more to do with the early models of P99 which had a heavier recoil spring geared toward the Euro market...later models were marketed with the US in mind were we tend to favor the 115 gr bullet.

Get yourself a few hundred rds more...mark your mags and have at it and tell us what you find out...

 

[blueiron]

I am not crazy about mixed grease/oil lubricants for general lubrication on firearms. Most areas [barrel exterior, lock up interface, slide rails, barrel camming points, etc] are best served by light oils.

Greases are best used in heavy duty applications, like the internals inside of the frame where end users are not likely to detail strip and lubricate. Grease can be used in very high temperature applications, but even in 115 degree heat, I tell my officers not to use greases since they aren't shooting medium machineguns in a sustained fire role. In cooler temperatures, greases act as an impediment to reliable functioning.

Think of it this way. A truck engine develops a lot of heat in the summertime, but no manufacturer recommends mixing engine oil with grease to "help" lubrication.

Almost thirty years ago, the USMC was mixing oil and grease and using it for service rifle competition on M14 internals. They found out that in most circumstances, it wasn't a better or even satisfactory idea.

 

[2Barrels]

Update:
159 rounds on Saturday ("fresh" Winchester White Box, 115 gr. FMJ). Hadn't cleaned since last range session when FTFeed occured; thus grease still on rails. Happy to report no problems.

As an aside, my 21 year old son who doesn't get to shoot with me much since he's away at the University (Go Wolfpack!) shot with me and my 25 year old son (my regular shooting companion) and we had a small assortment of handguns to play with (M9, couple 1911s, Glock 19) including the P99AS. Afterwards when I asked the younger which weapon he liked best, as you would expect he preferred the P99!! Smart kid huh?? Seriously, he shot it more accurately than any of the others at the 25 yards plates.