Chris
11-27-2008, 11:18 AM
What to do when your autopistol jams.
Buy enough guns and sooner or later you'll run into some problems. This has always been a fact of firearm ownership; anything man-made is subject to flaws. So when that new pistol stovepipes, fails to feed or commits any of the other sins these type of firearms are capable of, the first reaction is often, "I got a lemon."
Fact is, the majority of new-gun woes are not due to manufacturing defects. So if your new auto is not living up to expectations, it's wise to check out a few things before calling the customer service rep. It could save you some time and expense.
Even if there's a real problem, informed customers can speed up things if they have already eliminated possible user errors the guy on the other end of the phone is sure to suspect. A word of advice: Don't get bent out of shape if the rep questions your shooting technique, ammo or general firearm aptitude. Considering roughly 70 percent of customer complaints are due to user error rather than factory defects, who can blame them?
No matter the make or design, the purchaser of a new autoloading handgun can make the honeymoon a more pleasant and trouble-free experience by following a few simple procedures. First and foremost, understand the design parameters of your gun. Some autos are designed strictly for self-defense, with accuracy a secondary concern. They're purposely built with somewhat loose tolerances to enhance reliability. Others, like many of today's 1911s, are intended for self-defense as well, but a high premium has also been placed on accuracy.
Some might even contend too much emphasis is placed on accuracy. Browning's original design called for loose tolerances and roundnose FMJ bullets, and as a result, they worked exceptionally well. But the gun and its ammo have evolved over the years. Many of today's production guns are built to closer tolerances--thanks to CNC machining--than hand-built match guns of bygone days, and still we expect them to gobble up any and all hollowpoint ammo we can find. Surprisingly, most do, when properly maintained, tuned and fired.
OK, so you've bought that new pistol, unpacked it and spent some time getting acquainted in your favorite easy chair. Now what? The first order of business is to fieldstrip it. The manual that came with the gun should tell you how. In fact, maybe what you should do first is read that manual from front to back. I know, it's not a manly endeavor, but it's an important one. Then clean the gun thoroughly with a good degreaser, and apply a quality lubricant. Guns are factory-shipped coated with a rust preventative. While this ensures your gun arrives rust-free, it may not guarantee smooth operation.
During initial cleaning, check over the gun carefully for defects, rough spots or burrs that may cause problems. Check the extractor. Make sure the lip is well shaped and smooth, and slide an empty case in place to test tension. The extractor should hold the case snugly against the breechface but not so tight it's hard to remove. Check the ramp for smoothness. On 1911s, place the barrel on the frame with the slide removed to see how well it meshes with the feeding ramp.
Don't panic if you find minor rough spots or tool marks. They're common. Unless the situation is hazardous, go ahead and reassemble the gun and head for the range. Carry along a couple hundred rounds of quality ammo, not some 1942-vintage lacquer-coated military surplus you got at the last gun show. Give the gun a fighting chance by using commercial ammo of recent manufacture.
Some will tell you that you need to try different loads until you find one that functions well in your handgun. I don't buy it. If your self-defense handgun will not function flawlessly with any quality load, do not bet your life on it. Note that some manufacturers clearly list certain guns as designed for hardball only. If these fail to feed hollowpoints, don't go crying to the manufacturer. Ask before you buy.
If your new handgun experiences a few bobbles on its maiden voyage, don't panic. You need to give it a reasonable break-in period for parts to mesh with each other. Two hundred to 300 rounds should work the kinks out of most guns, but tight-fitting models may require more. If you experience malfunctions during break-in, make note of each one and try to determine exactly what caused them.
For example, is the roundnose diving into the feed ramp or kicking up and hanging against the upper part of the chamber? Nose-diving may be due to a weak magazine spring while too tight an extractor could make the round kick up. Also note where empties are tossed. Erratic ejection is usually a sign of improper extractor tension.
A note of caution: One common ailment encountered on returned guns is a broken or damaged extractor due to the shooter dropping a round in the chamber and slamming the slide shut on it. Feed all rounds into the chamber from the magazine so the rim of the case slides up under the extractor as it was designed to do.
Feeding failures are often due to a faulty magazine. If you received two magazines with the gun, check to see if the jams are occurring with one and not the other. If only one magazine was included, get another one and try it. If you can determine the problem is definitely with the magazine, you'll save the expense and hassle of returning the gun.
There is one other very common problem, particularly with 1911s. It's often called "limp-wristing," whereby the shooter does not lock his wrist and the gun malfunctions because the frame is keeping pace with the slide under recoil, thus not allowing cartridges to eject and chamber properly. This often results in stovepipe jams where the empty case is caught in the slide, preventing it from closing on the next round. Have another shooter try the gun. If it works for him, you may need to tune up your shooting technique. Experimenting with different-weight recoil springs might also help.
If you have tried all of the above and the gun is still jamming, it's time to call the manufacturer. This contact with customer service will go much more smoothly if you remain calm and polite. Tirades about how disappointed you are will serve no purpose. Present yourself as a knowledgeable shooter and explain the steps you went through to check out the gun. Since you have already eliminated any possible user errors, you'll likely be asked to return the gun to the factory.
It's now required that all handguns be shipped by overnight delivery. Pack the gun securely, and include a detailed but concise letter outlining how you have gone through the aforementioned checks to ensure the problem is indeed with the gun and not the user. Be specific about how the gun is malfunctioning. Also note the ammo you have tried in the gun. Include complete contact info, even an e-mail address if you have one, and ask that you be notified when the gun has been examined.
Hopefully, you will never encounter the problems discussed here. If you do, following the procedures outlined should make the situation less frustrating.
Buy enough guns and sooner or later you'll run into some problems. This has always been a fact of firearm ownership; anything man-made is subject to flaws. So when that new pistol stovepipes, fails to feed or commits any of the other sins these type of firearms are capable of, the first reaction is often, "I got a lemon."
Fact is, the majority of new-gun woes are not due to manufacturing defects. So if your new auto is not living up to expectations, it's wise to check out a few things before calling the customer service rep. It could save you some time and expense.
Even if there's a real problem, informed customers can speed up things if they have already eliminated possible user errors the guy on the other end of the phone is sure to suspect. A word of advice: Don't get bent out of shape if the rep questions your shooting technique, ammo or general firearm aptitude. Considering roughly 70 percent of customer complaints are due to user error rather than factory defects, who can blame them?
No matter the make or design, the purchaser of a new autoloading handgun can make the honeymoon a more pleasant and trouble-free experience by following a few simple procedures. First and foremost, understand the design parameters of your gun. Some autos are designed strictly for self-defense, with accuracy a secondary concern. They're purposely built with somewhat loose tolerances to enhance reliability. Others, like many of today's 1911s, are intended for self-defense as well, but a high premium has also been placed on accuracy.
Some might even contend too much emphasis is placed on accuracy. Browning's original design called for loose tolerances and roundnose FMJ bullets, and as a result, they worked exceptionally well. But the gun and its ammo have evolved over the years. Many of today's production guns are built to closer tolerances--thanks to CNC machining--than hand-built match guns of bygone days, and still we expect them to gobble up any and all hollowpoint ammo we can find. Surprisingly, most do, when properly maintained, tuned and fired.
OK, so you've bought that new pistol, unpacked it and spent some time getting acquainted in your favorite easy chair. Now what? The first order of business is to fieldstrip it. The manual that came with the gun should tell you how. In fact, maybe what you should do first is read that manual from front to back. I know, it's not a manly endeavor, but it's an important one. Then clean the gun thoroughly with a good degreaser, and apply a quality lubricant. Guns are factory-shipped coated with a rust preventative. While this ensures your gun arrives rust-free, it may not guarantee smooth operation.
During initial cleaning, check over the gun carefully for defects, rough spots or burrs that may cause problems. Check the extractor. Make sure the lip is well shaped and smooth, and slide an empty case in place to test tension. The extractor should hold the case snugly against the breechface but not so tight it's hard to remove. Check the ramp for smoothness. On 1911s, place the barrel on the frame with the slide removed to see how well it meshes with the feeding ramp.
Don't panic if you find minor rough spots or tool marks. They're common. Unless the situation is hazardous, go ahead and reassemble the gun and head for the range. Carry along a couple hundred rounds of quality ammo, not some 1942-vintage lacquer-coated military surplus you got at the last gun show. Give the gun a fighting chance by using commercial ammo of recent manufacture.
Some will tell you that you need to try different loads until you find one that functions well in your handgun. I don't buy it. If your self-defense handgun will not function flawlessly with any quality load, do not bet your life on it. Note that some manufacturers clearly list certain guns as designed for hardball only. If these fail to feed hollowpoints, don't go crying to the manufacturer. Ask before you buy.
If your new handgun experiences a few bobbles on its maiden voyage, don't panic. You need to give it a reasonable break-in period for parts to mesh with each other. Two hundred to 300 rounds should work the kinks out of most guns, but tight-fitting models may require more. If you experience malfunctions during break-in, make note of each one and try to determine exactly what caused them.
For example, is the roundnose diving into the feed ramp or kicking up and hanging against the upper part of the chamber? Nose-diving may be due to a weak magazine spring while too tight an extractor could make the round kick up. Also note where empties are tossed. Erratic ejection is usually a sign of improper extractor tension.
A note of caution: One common ailment encountered on returned guns is a broken or damaged extractor due to the shooter dropping a round in the chamber and slamming the slide shut on it. Feed all rounds into the chamber from the magazine so the rim of the case slides up under the extractor as it was designed to do.
Feeding failures are often due to a faulty magazine. If you received two magazines with the gun, check to see if the jams are occurring with one and not the other. If only one magazine was included, get another one and try it. If you can determine the problem is definitely with the magazine, you'll save the expense and hassle of returning the gun.
There is one other very common problem, particularly with 1911s. It's often called "limp-wristing," whereby the shooter does not lock his wrist and the gun malfunctions because the frame is keeping pace with the slide under recoil, thus not allowing cartridges to eject and chamber properly. This often results in stovepipe jams where the empty case is caught in the slide, preventing it from closing on the next round. Have another shooter try the gun. If it works for him, you may need to tune up your shooting technique. Experimenting with different-weight recoil springs might also help.
If you have tried all of the above and the gun is still jamming, it's time to call the manufacturer. This contact with customer service will go much more smoothly if you remain calm and polite. Tirades about how disappointed you are will serve no purpose. Present yourself as a knowledgeable shooter and explain the steps you went through to check out the gun. Since you have already eliminated any possible user errors, you'll likely be asked to return the gun to the factory.
It's now required that all handguns be shipped by overnight delivery. Pack the gun securely, and include a detailed but concise letter outlining how you have gone through the aforementioned checks to ensure the problem is indeed with the gun and not the user. Be specific about how the gun is malfunctioning. Also note the ammo you have tried in the gun. Include complete contact info, even an e-mail address if you have one, and ask that you be notified when the gun has been examined.
Hopefully, you will never encounter the problems discussed here. If you do, following the procedures outlined should make the situation less frustrating.