*Gun Failures*
From The Rubicon Weapons Board

Well, here is what you had to say. I deleted all names, tried to roughly put them in ABC order, cleaned up the spelling and such as best I could. Thought it might help some one someday.

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Lost sight inserts on various handguns, broken firing pins and extractors on 1911's, 1 blown bbl on a 1911, front sights sheared off on 1911.

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Had an AK-47 Maadi that was close to a machine gun. I took it to my armoror and he said the sear and trigger had been filed down to go full auto. This was RIGHT out of the box from SOG. Had the trigger and sear replaced and it shoots fine (one shot, one pull) now.

I had a similar problem with my AKS Hunter version, had to have some work done on the trigger and sear.

Last failure was a Norinco AK. When firing East German blanks, the crimp at the mouth of the round scarred the chamber. This caused a small burr to protrude into the chamber. No rounds could be chambered until we ran a chamber reamer into the chamber, removing the burr.

Norinco AK-- bolt carrier cracked. Bought a complete parts kit and now I've got all kinds of spares.

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Original barrel on my AMT Hardballer started cracking one of the lugs that holds the link. I made the mistake of buying "Fed Ord" barrel, pin, link and bushing. Some years later, the collet type bushing broke a finger and tied up the gun. Next season, with a solid bushing in the gun, I learned the Fed Ord barrel was two piece; most of it landed 37 yards from the pistol and chamber (which fortunately stayed with me).

I have an AMT Backup in 380 that's had the ejector break on me, I'm still looking for a replacement, but that should fix it.

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AR-7 = fail to feed all the time. Tried other mags, and ammo nothing works. Is accurate and is an OK single shot gun or paper weight (depends on my mood).

ASG had an article on the AR-7 a year or two ago... the author claimed that one fix for the feeding problems was to chamfer the chamber mouth with a 30cal FMJ bullet and some type of mild abrasive. I think it was the J-B bore paste that was mentioned. Valve grinding compound would probably be TOO coarse. you could also try polishing with a felt bob in a Dremel. just make sure to CLEAN the bore thoroughly when you are done.

HP ammo is notoriously bad for feeding reliability in guns like this. Have you tried copper plated, round nose ammo?

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AR-15- on my first AR the detent for the ejection port dustcover was held by an E-clip. It disappeared and I had to replace the door. That was the only version of that part I have ever seen that was made like that. firing pin retaining pins get beat up on occasion. I have replaced some springs and pins in "parts guns" that were damaged when I got ‘em

AR-15 parts gun- doubling due to worn notch on cheap stamped disconnector, replaced.

AR-15 parts gun- bolt failed to go completely forward every third or fourth shot, buffer spring too short, replaced.

Ar15: using reloads that were not sized properly caused several misfires, and an occasional dislodged primer to fall into the trigger area

Cracked bolt - AR......

Had a blown primer on some GI.223 lock up the action on the M-16 while firing FA. Keep weapon down range till magazine clears. Then open action and remove primer.(This was using the Malaysion ball Century arms peddled).

AR-Had an oversized cartridge get JAMMED in between the bolt and the upper, effectively locking the charging handle in place. At first I ran an immediate action drill only to find the charging handle wouldn't move, and for some reason instinctively started doing the drill again. DUH, its JAMMED, not malfunctioned. So, I dropped to the ground and started using ALL my might on that dang charging handle and finally extracted the round. I didn't use this second technique, but I heard it later, that you could point the bbl up, and step down hard and fast with your boot on the charging handle, careful to keep your body away from that muzzle. It should work after the boot stomp, provided you aren't full of 7.62mm holes from the enemys AK which didn't JAM. :)

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Beretta 92SBC- would not function in double action mode, worn notch on trigger bar, replaced.

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Browning lever action .22. Foolishly loaned the rifle to my brother. He and a friend "dry fired" it repeatedly, swaging a portion of the metal of the chamber into the bore. I carefully drove a "line up tool" (a tapered metal pin) into the chamber, forcing the metal back to where it belonged.

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Have a Colt Officers model - fail to feed, stove pipe and throws the empties into my fore head(I get no respect man). Had it to 3 gun smiths and still does not work good. Still don't know how to fix it.

Broken extractor on a colt .45 colt 45 clone - had feeding problems. Replaced the recoil spring. The previous owner cut down the old one. Shooting light loads?????

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Chinese Dragunov .308--The piston on the bolt carrier cracked apart. Couldn't find one so I paid a machinist to make one.

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. Grendel P10- trigger assembly self-destructed, sent to factory for repair, functioned for one pull upon return, scrapped.

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Handguns, sights popped off a couple of Glocks

Glock 17 striker return spring, I've had 2 snap in the 15 or so years and 150,000+ rnds I've been shooting Glocks. It's cheap ($1.50) and easy to replace but the gun is useless without it

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HK91-extraction/ejection problems, replaced extractor spring and then extractor. that didn’t solve the problem. replaced ejector, problem solved.

HK91 - Plastic end of cocking handle broke. Gun was still usable but it was uncomfortable to cock. Replacing the handle is very hard. I bought one of the AGI videotapes to learn to do this and they said in the tape "removing the cocking handle is not recommended." $29.95 down the drain! I finally found a gunsmith that knew how to replace it.

Broken extractor spring on an HK-91. This took almost a year to get from HK. I now have several extra's.

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Helwan 9mm extraction and feeding problem wouldn't feed HP worked great with 9mm Russian FMJ. Tried smoothing the ramp. Still didn't work too well. Right now I just feed it what it likes.

Helwan 92--trigger springs went bad. I bought one of the Beretta 92F parts kits and it's back in business.

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High Standard pump shotgun- failed to cycle unless worked relatively slow, never found problem

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I had an Iver Johnson TP-22 once. The metal of the frame around the trigger pin was so thin that eventually, while loading it, the frame broke in two. I sent it back to get a new frame and it happened again. By this time, Iver Johnson went belly up (gee, I wonder why) so I sold it off for parts at a gun show.

I had one of these too, striker ( firing pin?) broke, had one made. Caused AD, don't want to talk about where the bullet went.

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M1 Garand- Was ejecting clips while they were partially full. Replaced operating spring, bullet guide, and bullet follower catch (I think that's what it's called)

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Marlin Glenfield .22 semi-auto, return spring. Not sure of model number on the rifle itself.

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I've had the shell stop(s) on pump shotguns act up. Had a gunsmith work on an old Marlin in the last few years.

Many years ago, I had a well-worn Marlin model 60 22 rifle where the firing pin support was worn so much that the firing pin was hitting below the 22 rim. The ability to build-up the worn area via welding (or maybe strong epoxy) would keep it working. A replacement part cost more than the rifle was worth. Now, won't buy a 22 semi-auto where the firing pin doesn't ride in a channel on top of the bolt.

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Mauser 98- worn extractor, replaced

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Somehow got a snap cap stuck in the magazine tube of a Maverick 88 (M500 clone). Took the barrel off and stuck a rod (.22 cleaning rod) down the little hole to push on the spring cap while working from the other end at same time... result, gun back to full capacity

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I was practicing quick firing with my Nagant, and the front screw broke holding the action to the plastic stock. Now I've got to find one at a gun show, or have one made I guess.

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Raven MP25- broken firing pin.

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Rem 870- broken ejector, gunsmith repair.

New 870 express 12 gauge failed to feed, hard extractions- trip to gunsmith resulted in two new shell guides, metal filing on receiver, and polishing of working parts. Works fine now.

Shotguns, have split stocks, had beads pop off, broken extractor on an 870, had the lips that hold rounds in the tube wear off on about 3 different shotguns if memory serves me right one was an 870 and the other 2 were Mossbergs.

Remington 1100, "O" rings in the action. Easy enough to repair IF you've got em on hand.

Failures: --broke stock (and therefore receiver) on Nylon 66. Still worked fine, got new one free from Remington, no hassles.

Nylon 66 needs to be dry in winter.

I have a Rem 870 that either fails to feed or tries to feed 2 at once. Also sometimes will not extract empty.

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Rossi 357 blew up in Operators hand. Big discussion among factory and ammo people about who's fault it was. Conclusion was that the shell had a superlight load and burned from the front of the cartridge back, blowing up the cartridge and the cylinder and the top strap.

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Front sight pin fell out of a Ruger .22 auto pistol. I chucked a small nail in a drill locked into a bench vise and used emery paper to turn the nail down to the correct size. A little cold blue and good to go.

Ruger 10/22- beat cheap scope to death in 18 mos, replaced with better scope.

I actually broke a Ruger! New Model Super Single Six, about 1974 vintage. Little pin with spring that is down by base of hammer; I'd better go home and find out the proper name.

2 older Ruger New Model Single-Six's- hammer binding during cocking about half the time, never found problem.

The magazines on my Ruger 10/22 get gummed up after awhile. Need to be cleaned periodically. that's about it for problems I've had.-

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I had the sear break on a brand new Savage model 110. The factory immediately sent a replacement so it wasn't down long but I ordered an extra anyway.

Savage 24C, plastic trigger guard. Need to replace with metal as they are prone to breakage.

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I had a spring in an old Stevens pump shotgun break making it useless and dangerous. I found a similar spring from an old shotgun at a gunshow and made it work. The ability to make and heat treat basic springs (not necessarily coiled) would be valuable.

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S&W model 915 Stovepiping on 3 or 4 rounds out of every mag. Ammo = 3D remanufactured LRN bullets. Solution: Emery cloth to feed ramp to remove majority of the milling scratches. Trouble hasn't repeated since. Also understand this probably wouldn't have happened with any other type of ammo.

Probably wasting typing, as I'm sure nobody wants a S&W product anymore, but my 22A has a pretty significant rate(about 2%) of jams due to insufficient cycling of the action. Not that this is a self-defense gun, but I've found it handy for precision shooting...a 22 could come in handy in certain circumstances requiring precision shots or in hunting small game. Just say no to S&W..

Rear sight on a S&W revolver break the windage screw

Cracked grips, broke a hammer on a S&W revolver cracked right behind the old style firing pin and released the stud that holds the firing pin in place

One broken hammer stud in a S&W revolver, broke a couple of the little retaining lips on the barrel bushing/plunger tube on colt officers models

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SK(S) .....Casings wouldn't eject completely sometimes. Replaced ejector spring and it was fine.

Everyone knows about my experience with having an SKS converted to take AK mags. Don't do that! It doesn't work!

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A cast firing pin stop in a stainless Springfield 1911A1 45 showed a crack at 1100 rounds fired. I had a forged spare; it was easy to replace. It was still functional, but I didn't want the firing pin flying out at a bad moment.

A couple of slide stops on Springfield armory P-9's (cz-75 clones)

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Taurus 92 Cracked frame Taurus replaced frame within 1 week.

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T/C Contender - Broke the part that holds the hammer back when you cock it.

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I'm not sure where to start. I had a virtually new Walther TPH .22 lose its extractor. Interarms had just made the sign of the cross and backed away, saying S&W was now servicing them. I sold it at a loss.

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Win. 94- attempting to overload the mag tube causes the follower to bind, fix by removing mag tube cap, spring and follower fly out. reinstall in proper order and don’t overload again!

Winchester M94- broken shell lifter while reassembling, replaced.

I had A problem with a Winchester model 1300 12 ga. It got to where it would always double feed after a shot. the shell stop in the tube had gotten bent some how. The gunsmith that fixed it said that was a fairly common problem on that gun.

Win Mod 70 in 308,ejector plunger wasn't correctly deburred at the factory resulting in swarf being shaved off the base of cases, jammed the ejector. It still hasn't been repaired and the gun isn't out of commission but it's a chore reaching in and taking out the empties.

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Witness 45 Cracked slide EAA replaced immediately with different design

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I've had a couple of striker spring problems with OLD guns. A German 8mm Gewehr 88 commission rifle comes to mind. Dad picked up four of these pre-1898 rifles back when they were cheap. One would not fire with some ammo. Big heavy striker, old spring borderline on strength. Stretching the spring will sometimes get you by for a while, but spare springs would seem to be indicated.

Am seeing something similar with the 1893 Turkish Mauser I picked up for $50 (then bought $100 worth of ammo). I need more time fiddling with this one. I'd imagine War has some input here, what with his compact surplus "pickup truck gun." That's what I hope to do: Super cheap home "sporterization," to make an affordable "pickup truck gun." Looks like good springs are a consideration when guns have been stored for much of their near-century of existence.

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I once had a Universal M1 carbine and ejector busted on it. I replaced the whole bolt with a surplus WWII M-1 carbine bolt and never had trouble again.

Cheap Japanese magazines caused failure to feed in M-1 carbines

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.410 shotgun- I don't remember what brand it was, but I broke the firing pin by dry-firing it. I was young and didn't know the consequences then. Other than that, I've always caught up and coming problems through regular cleaning and maintenance.

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Off the top of my head that is it in a nut shell although it seems like I am missing some here. For info. I don't believe in abusing firearms but I do believe in giving them a work out. Every failure I have had has been as a result of use or bad part manufacture or design, you shoot several hundred thousand rounds through a run of the mill handgun and they tend to give out over time. One thing I think you should mention that I have found out over the years. Always carry a couple of 6x48 and 8x40 screws with you, this covers almost all standard US sizes in scope set ups. Also a tap in each of those sizes is nice in you have an odd ball either on the scope set up or on a weapon, tap it out and put one of the spare screws in. Carry a Acra-Glas bedding compound kit with you as well as JB Weld. Between these 2 things there should few failures or breaks that you can't fix and make the weapon serviceable. Good luck on the article, look forward to seeing it

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I've been VERY lucky with my weapons, have had very few malfunctions/ breakages. Want to help, so for what it's worth here's a few things to watch out for with Military weapons: C-7 (M-16 variant) when the carbine/telescoping stock version came out, the firing pin springs were the wrong size. They should have been changed by now, but...The only consistent problems we've had since the springs were mag lips. The tops were a little weak, and any deformity could cause feed problems. Never had that with the C-1 (FN)as the mags were metal and just didn't break. Come to think about it, I never had a problem, ever, with the FN. The c-6 (FN 7.62 MG) was a dream, never had any problems other than the odd feed failure, usually due to ammunition. I was once ordered to put an entire platoon sized Gunnery course through a shoot with only one barrel. 50 belts and gunners later, the weapon had NO malfunctions, and the barrel was still good. As we normally changed barrels after each belt, this was pretty impressive. The (really old) c-5 MG

(WWII) era had a few failures, but were mostly due to poor headspacing and timing, therefore directly attributed to the gunner. The .50 MG was the same, if you knew how to time and headspace it, it just kept on going. I intentionally finished off a barrel one night that was just about shot out, and it was pretty cool to see a red hot barrel "spitting" out the rounds! Over all, I've shot a variety of Military weapons, and have been very lucky having few problems. Most of the weapons are very well made, and if treated halfway decently will just keep firing.

Almost all of the firearms failures I have seen were due to lack of cleaning. Almost solid crud packed into pin holes or under extractors and that sort of thing. Completely disassemble, clean in a good solvent, go over everything with a dental pick and clean out holes with a piece of thin wire, lightly lubricate, and reassemble. This will solve most problems.

Case separation. Remove by putting chamber brush in chamber, then turning it one direction and once the bristles are oriented for that rotation turn it the other way. Bristles will lock into case body. Tap out with cleaning rod. A .45cal bore brush will work on 308/7.26x39 and 9MM will work on .223.

For the DUH! file. I messed around with an SKS that kept failing to fire every 10 rounds or so. Thought the pin wasn't striking the primer hard enough -- swapped out parts willy-nilly, until discovering that the cheap, 'white box' Russian surplus AMMO was full of Squibs in that batch. This stuff didn't have the red sealant around the bullet. So...shake those cheap surplus rounds to make sure they have powder in 'em!

Okie