Hey Guys.

I am posting this because I think SW did me a real solid in responding to a problem I recently had with my 22 Compact. I went to clean it about 3 weeks ago and noticed that the barrel was so choked with lead toward the muzzle that I couldn't get the jag thu it. After a lot of work, I knocked several chunks of lead out of the barrel, but it still had a lot of lead in it. I figured this could not be normal as I have never experienced this with any other 22 I own and have shot tons more! This pistol had no more than 250 rounds through it. And I only shot it every once in a while.

I looked up the problem here and found that other people had experienced the same issue with the full sized model. Some had limited success with Customer Service. So I took a shot and called SWCS and told them about the problem. The guy told me that maybe I should use better quality ammo. After I called BS he agreed to send me a shipping label to send it in for service. During the approximately 2 weeks that they had the gun, I was never contacted and told what the problem was or what was being done. I figured no news was good news. Then last week I received an email from FedEx advising me that I had a package on the way from SW. I figured I was gonna get the gun back with a note telling me to use better ammo.

Instead, I received what looks like a brand new gun! I figured that they might replace the barrel and nothing else. I think I was wrong. I have attached a copy of the Work Order. Am I correct in assuming that they replaced everything on the Work Order?



Needless to say I am very impressed with the customer service I received. Has anyone else sent a 22 Compact in with this problem recently?

The spreadsheet is a checkoff for all the things they could have done in the shop. But the comments are what they really did (replace the barrel). The rest is just noise unless a box is initialed. This being the explanation given to me by a CS rep.

I have a 22 compact. I've had this happen using Remington Thunderbolt. To get more than 100 rounds of Thunderbolt through the barrel without a serious cleaning really surprises me. I suspect you had some serious keyholing.

Copy that. That's kinda what I suspected. Did they say if there was defect in your original barrel? Or will this happen again even with your new barrel? I don't remember exactly what ammo I used in mine besides copper jacketed CCI and Target Grade Federal. Should I only use copper jacketed ammo? Thanks for the help.

I've had the same problem with Thunderbolt ammo in my 22 Victory.


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Thunderbolt ammo has a bad reputation for barrel leading,I would not use it.

I haven't had a problem with it in my rifle but it sure messed up my SW22.


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Well, now what am I gonna do with the thousand rounds of Thunderbolt that I have sitting on my ammo shelf? It sure doesn't sound like I should run it thru my 22 Compact.

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Don't worry, I'm sure someone will offer to "dispose" of it for you. I have a beretta u22 neos that doesn't have a problem with it & I'm certain there are others. You may well know someone that could use it.

I don't have a problem with leading so much. My problem is with accuracy or the lack of it. My compact will not group worth a darn. I have been trying to find a load that will group respectably. I don't expect it to group like my Buckmark or my High Standard but my compact is really bad. Sometime the groups go out to 6 inches @ 25 meters. I shot some Win. white box groups that was even bigger than that yesterday. Thinking about calling customer service about it.

****. Its possible that I may have run a box of that stuff through mine. I seem to remember buying a box because it was cheap at Field and Stream. That might be what did mine in?

I purchased A Smith and Wesson M&P 22 compact. After approximately 500 round of various ammo I noticed " keyhole".
Thinking I may have really screwed something up while cleaning it I wrote it off and shoved it in the safe.
So I buy another one due to the fact it was a fun pistol to shoot.
After only 300 rounds. low and behold it happened again!!!!!
I talked to 2 local gunsmiths and both said the same thing. Bad barrels.
After contacting S&W we shall see if they stand by their product.
Fouling from any ammunition should NOT cause something like this. The first barrel looks like someone took a Dremel tool to the inside of it.

I guess I would have thought 6 inch groupings from 25 meters would be pretty good for that little pistol. What would you expect to be able to do with it ?

I don't know if you noticed but this thread is 3 yrs. old and my pistol has been back to the factory 2 times since my post. S&W agreed with me that the pistol should shoot better than that and they promised to make it right. Both times it went back they put a new barrel in the gun. The last time they sent back a test target that showed a 1 1/2 group but no distance. I tested when I got it back and it was better but still not acceptable. At least this barrel was shiny inside not dull like the others. It also leads pretty fast at the muzzle with copper coated ammo. You ask what I was expecting? I would think it would group at least no more than twice the group size of my Buckmarks and my one and only High Standard revolver.

Compact I had leaded up firing Browning ammo , wire brushed and soaked the barrel three days with bore solvent. Thinking the crown had been damaged sent it to S&W and returned looking about the same . Was told better quality ammo , fired couple boxes CCI seemed ok and sold it.

Sorry did not notice the date.

But, could you tell me what twice the size of your Buckmarks and your High Standard revolver is at 25 yards ?

I have a High Standard Double Nine .22 revolver and I'm curious how accurately it can shoot at 25 yards. Mine was made in about 1960 and I found it in my son-in-laws closet and I've been shooting it some.

My Buckmarks group consistently about 1 to 1 1/2 " at 25 meters. It has been probably 20 years since I last grouped my Double Nine and I have had it since 1962 and it was new then but with good ammo it would shoot under 2" all the time. Between me, my dad and my 2 grandsons I would not even try to guess how many thousands of rounds that gun has fired.

I can not imagine being able to group to 1.5 inches from 25 meters with a pistol. Is that firing with a support or just free standing ? That just blows my mind !

My double nine is pretty accurate (no where near as accurate as you) but fires consistently a couple of inches above my POA. It is fun to shoot and it's in almost perfect shape except for a chip out of one side of the grip. I've looked for replacement grips but they are impossible to find.

All groups were fired from a sandbag rest. "always"

OK, now I don't feel quite so inadequate. But since I can't even see a target 1.5 inches in diameter at 25 yards, I'm pretty sure I can't hit one !

Thanks for the information.

I once had a Ruger Government Model with the long barrel, and never had a problem with leading until I tried some Winchester Target ammo. It was keyholing after a single box of that ammo.

Gunsmiths can claim the problem is bad barrels, but sometimes -- maybe most of the time -- it is BAD AMMO. And the cheaper it is, the more likely it is that you'll have problems. (But the Winchester Target stuff I was shooting was NOT cheap.)

I have a Beretta 70s that will group 1" 1/2" or 2" everyday with very little effort on my part

Well, we haven't heard back from the OP in three years, maybe he got it fixed or moved on.

My PMPC does not lead but it gets predominantly plated bullets.
Other guns leaded to the point of key holing with Thunderbolts.
Maybe I overreacted, but for a long time my plinkers have gotten plated and my target guns have gotten good lead.

I know one guy who cheerfully accepts a 2% failure rate with cheap bulk ammo rather than pay for reliable name brand.

Well, guess I better check my barrel pretty close. I’ve been bragging about how well this gun shoots. Only a couple hundred rounds thru it so far.
I hope this isn’t the norm instead, the exception.
Another point, I was wanting to get a suppressor for it.
Not if it’s going to foul the barrel and maybe even the suppressor.
Any experiences with that?

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