OT--Gun Failures

[getitdone1]

This post relates to my other one about gun reliability. This ones the negative side.

Marlin model 39 Mountie. The gun I've shot far more than any other. Have had 3 versions of this gun. From what I've heard and experienced--as great as this gun is--the firing pin is it's weak link. I've broken 1 and maybe two. Been awhile. Probably most people never have this problem with this gun. One of the best 22's ever.

Ruger 44 mag. This one's not the Super Blackhawk but the one that preceded it. I shot it one time and the ejector rod housing flew off. Not really a fault since the screw worked loose. Screwed it back on, end of problem. This gun probably did more harm to my hearing than any I've had. My fault for not using hearing protection.

Marlin model 60. Stove piping on me but may now be fixed. Found that some 22 LR ammo is just not reliable. Believe I read that earlier versions of this gun are best. It's very popular so gotta be pretty good. Lot of gun for the money with adult sized stock.

Ruger 10/22 magnum. Had 2 gunsmiths -- and Ruger! -- try to keep this gun from stovepiping without success. There's a fix, I'm told, and it's via Volquartsen. Extractor and spring, maybe other parts too. I sold mine before I learned of Volquartsen parts. Ruger took this gun off the market and I can understand why. A shame, it had so much potential.

Ruger Mini-14. Haven't had it long but it's jammed with 5.56 military type ammo. Have not shot it yet with .223 ammo but hoping this will solve the problem. Wonderfully made gun. Heavy for it's short size.

Winchester model 63 22 auto. I tried to do a "trigger job" on this one, years ago, and so happened I made it shoot fully auto with trigger all the way back and semi-auto otherwise. Made it illegal, of course, so traded it in soon after. Even the little 22 LR will make the barrel climb on full auto. ( I just added this one knowing some of you would find it interesting. Not the gun's fault at all and this is one of the all-time great 22's.)

Don

[FWiedner]

Interesting notes.

My Mini-14 has been 100% reliable and has always seemed very accurate for the task to which it was applied. Always made me wonder why folks complained, but I suppose mine might be an exception.

There are some experiences I would not share in public conversation in this day and age.

[pdawg.shooter]

I have had 4 Mini14s. None patterned any better than an open choked shotgun. Dumped them all.

[piller]

I made the mistake of purchasing a Llama .45 auto in a compact model. It will shoot maybe 3 shots without a jam, then every shot is a jam. It is only good as a paperweight.

[stew71]

I had a Ruger 10/22 that would jam if you looked at it cross-eyed. It was a given to me by a friend who never used it (wonder why). It was sold and the funds used for something else.

My M1 Garand has never failed on me in competition nor has my Mossberg 500 in any hunting situation.

The Remington 700 that belonged to my dad, jammed once on a hunt, but that was my fault. Another time, the bolt handle actually came off after touching off a heavy recoiling round. The 'smith had to braze the handle back on.

My Marlin 30-30...has NEVER missed a beat. Reliable as a hammer. Same goes for my Ruger Single-Six and Springfield 1911.

Of course, my Walther single-shot .22 target rifle has never had a failure to feed.

[AJMD429]

Funny how different folks have had such different experiences with the same guns...!

I guess that's why if you get a 'lemon' you should not write-off that model without trying several more, if you otherwise like the features, etc.

It also illustrates that sometimes a bit of home-gunsmithing can fix an otherwise major flaw.

Even with that, though, having several Mini-14's in succession fail kind of stinks!

[Mescalero]

pillar,
I have a Llama 9mm compact, solid as a rock, never missed a beat.

[2ndovc]

My Dad has Grandpa's Winchester 63.
It too was going full auto. I think just from wear. Had it fixed but that was fun!!
Prob is one .22 stuck in the barrel and the one behind it created a bulge.

Accy is still there. Gonna leave it that way.


jb

[C. Cash]

H & R Topper Single Shot 12 Gauge ca. 1982. Had someone on my front porch out when my Mom and I lived out the country, in the middle of the night....went to cock it when they crept close to the door and the spring snapped. Subject heard it and flew off the front porch in a hurry. Always wanted a coil mainspring in a defensive gun after that night.

H & R 999 sportsman.....two have broken in one way or the other.

Ruger 10/22: after many thousands of rounds, it began to jamb a couple of years ago. I think it is the guide rod, worn out.

Winchester 94 (70's gun): under the carrier jambs.

Marlin 15Y 22 bolt action single shot, mainspring broken.

Stevens 311 ca. 1984, shot lose with mags in about 100 rounds.

[piller]

Mescalero, I think it is just the .45 version. I have tried adjusting the feed lips, changed to a Kimber spring, which actually fit with a minimum of filing on the very outside of the round steel pieces which keep the springs captive. The only thing it has ever shot well were some +P rounds. I don't know what is wrong with this particular Llama. Maybe it is an alpaca in disguise. It is the only gun I have ever given up on.

[Mescalero]

There is always a possibility it is a lemon.

[gvthnks]

my mini-14 digested literally thousands of rounds of M855 ball ammo. Never an issue.

[octagon]

Years ago I watched my brother shoot the head clean off a turkey with his Mini 14 stainless/scope and then shoot another in the head. This was at about 50-60 yards. That gun jams BAD. I have the pic of big bro holding those turkeys one in each hand (one with no head) over my workbench in the shop.

[TedH]

Absolute worst was a Keltec 40 cal. pistol. Very prone to jams with several kinds of factory ammo. Two trips back to the factory didn't solve anything, so it got dumped. I've got a Mossberg 9200 autoloading 12 ga. It is prone to jamming certain loads, but I can hit with that shotgun like no other I have ever used, so I just put up with it.

[pdawg.shooter]

my mini-14 digested literally thousands of rounds of M855 ball ammo. Never an issue.

Big difference between going bang when you pull the trigger and hitting what you aim at. I was a dealer for over 25 years and it got to where I hated to sell a Ruger, knew I was going to have a p***** off customer. Cant guess how many I sent back for repair. What really made me mad is when I would get one back with a note saying it was "within specs". I had a SRH I sent back twice and it came back worse each time. Finally fixed it myself, at no charge to my customer, just to keep him as a customer.

[FWiedner]

my mini-14 digested literally thousands of rounds of M855 ball ammo. Never an issue.

Big difference between going bang when you pull the trigger and hitting what you aim at. I was a dealer for over 25 years and it got to where I hated to sell a Ruger, knew I was going to have a p***** off customer. Cant guess how many I sent back for repair. What really made me mad is when I would get one back with a note saying it was "within specs". I had a SRH I sent back twice and it came back worse each time. Finally fixed it myself, at no charge to my customer, just to keep him as a customer.

Now see, I've not yet had a single Ruger of any flavor that was a lemon.

It's gotta be karma. I think they know you don't like 'em.

[madman4570]

Other than the rear sight always used to come loose on my H&R 999 way back when (Loctite fixed that)
Ruger 10-22 (somtimes would jam,tried everything from various ammo/clips/cleaning etc.)
Just when you thought it was solved-------a jam
Still kinda like the gun though!

[pdawg.shooter]

my mini-14 digested literally thousands of rounds of M855 ball ammo. Never an issue.

Big difference between going bang when you pull the trigger and hitting what you aim at. I was a dealer for over 25 years and it got to where I hated to sell a Ruger, knew I was going to have a p***** off customer. Cant guess how many I sent back for repair. What really made me mad is when I would get one back with a note saying it was "within specs". I had a SRH I sent back twice and it came back worse each time. Finally fixed it myself, at no charge to my customer, just to keep him as a customer.

Now see, I've not yet had a single Ruger of any flavor that was a lemon.

It's gotta be karma. I think they know you don't like 'em.

In the 60s and EARLY 70s I did like them. No more. QC non existent. Way to many problems. And the "within specs" story really turned me off. A 77 Mk2 in .223 with a firing pin hole so large factory ammo cratered primers so bad it finally jammed the firing pin in the bolt. Sent it in and it came back "within spec". Had to silver solder a bushing in the bolt face to make it useable. Again at my expense. Just couldn't afford to sell them any more. Never sold any of their shotguns, maybe they were ok.

[olyinaz]

I've never had a bad Ruger, but I've sure heard a lot of angry stories about 'em. My old Mini-14 Ranch Rifle will shoot 1.5" groups with Hornady factory ammo and its never jammed once in over 25 years! I'll accept luck if I can't ensure goodness.

Oly

[kimwcook]

I've never had a bad Ruger, but I've sure heard a lot of angry stories about 'em. My old Mini-14 Ranch Rifle will shoot 1.5" groups with Hornady factory ammo and its never jammed once in over 25 years! I'll accept luck if I can't ensure goodness.

Oly

Had two Mini-14's and both of them were terrible in the accuracy department. Especially if they got warmed up. They didn't jam, but I couldn't stand not having them even close to accurate. Dont have one now.

Can't say I've had any other real bad shooters.

[Mescalero]

I also will never trust this launch platform again.

[Sixgun]

Funny thing, the guns you mentioned are ones I've had plenty of experience with and I can't say nothin' bad 'bout 'em. 99% of the time its a 'cleaning issue", especially with .22's. I've shot Ruget Mini-14's 'till the cows came home and the only thing about them is that they spray when they get hot.

Screws come loose--even on Purdys, W.W. Greeners, and engraved Civil War Henry's. Parts wear out on guns, even on John Brownings masterpiece, the Ma Deuce:D

Ruger makes the best "meat and potatos" guns. I've owned a hundred or two over the years and they all worked---great.


The only guns I can honestly badmouth are Marlins made in the last 20 years.---------Sixgun