K22 difficult ejection

[mikesss]

The gun is a new K22 Masterpiece K 19xxx, stamped Made in U.S.A., it appeared to be unfired and came with the box. I will shoot this K22 but not abuse it. I'm thinking this is a 1948 revolver.

This K22 shoots very well but the fired cases bind the ejector. I don't want to slap the ejector to eject the cases. The cases push out with a rod with some difficulty. If the ejector is used the cases move about 1/16" out, if I trap one with a finger nail under the rim and push the ejector back in (the other cases follow the ejector) then the case trapped out is easily removed. Unfired cartridges load and eject with no problems.

Ammunition is Remington Golden Bullet Bulk, the chambers were brushed out with a bronze brush every 12 rounds and CLP was used. I didn't try Federal bulk or other brands of ammo to see what they would eject like but I will. Federal bulk is lower pressure than Rem GB so maybe that will solve the problem. RGB bulk functions well in the other 22's I shoot, they are not accurate like SK Standard Plus but the are fine for most of the shooting I do.

On a side note, the trigger pulls are not light but both double and single action pulls are a joy to use.

OK, any ideas about what the problem might be and how to fix it?

 

[canoeguy]

I have two K .22's, a 6" K .22 Masterpiece and a 4" Combat Masterpiece. Both revolvers took a little trial and error to find a brand of ammo that would extract easily. Both like Remington Target, CCI Mini Mags, bulk pack Winchester Dyna-Point, and the cheap Remington "Peters". They give sticky extraction with just about any Federal ammuntion.

Remington Target gives the best accuracy in my revolvers, I haven't tried any expensive target ammunition as I have such good results with the Remington Target, which I can occasionally find for $2.00-2.50 per box at Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain.

Get a varied selection of ammo and try them in your revolver, I'm sure you'll find a load that works well....

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Try CCI - even Stinger. I had TWO Kit guns that did that, and I think that I finally learned that it was case mouth expansion, and it wasn't happening with CCI.

 

[fyimo]

I have one and it binds with Winchester Ammo but not CCI or Remington Gold HP's. It will also start to get tight after about 150 rounds so I make sure I really clean the chambers well. This has been posted several times up here and I think it because S&W made the chambers to really tight tolorances because it was a target gun.

The K22 and Model 17 are both great shooting guns though and are some of my favorites.

 

[Barn Boy]

Did you take out the side screw and pull the crane and cylinder off of the gun? My model 18 gets a little tight after about 100 rounds and a good cleaning and lube of the ejector rod and the sleeve it goes through fixes it. When clean it will move 1 1/16 inches when pushed to eject the casings.
I recently bought a Model 28 safe queen that hadn't been cleaned in about 15 years. After I cleaned it as described above, it was good to go.
Hope this helps.

 

[JudgeColt]

You will not hurt or break anything by tapping the ejector rod with something like a wood block to budge stuck cases, if the palm of your hand does not do it. However, even without stuck cases, eventually the ejector rod will show signs of wear if that is an issue with you.

Try lubing the chambers to see if that helps.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Give the cylinder charge holes a good scrub with a brush and as posted play with different brands of ammo. Good luck.

 

[DCWilson]

If that gun has been in the box unfired for 61 years, I would want to clean and relube all sliding surfaces, even if they seem to operate smoothly. I'd take the cylinder completely apart and clean the star shaft and sleeve thoroughly, as well as the recess on the back of the cylinder that the star fits into. Remember than in 1948 S&W had not yet introduced the reverse thread on the ejector rod, so it's a left hand movement to loosen and a right-hand movement to tighten.

It is suspicious to me that the star will move about 1/16" to eject empties, then bind, but if you trap one of the cases and push the star and other cases back in, the trapped case will extract easily. It almost sounds as though the binding is caused by simultaneous wedging of the fired cases near the rims. Or maybe the bind is in only one or two chambers, and the easily removed single case was in a chamber with no problem.

I am envious that you have a new or ANIB postwar K-22. 1948 sounds right for that serial number. Later today I am picking up K14784, which shipped in January of that year. Mine's not new and doesn't have a box, but it is in pretty good shape. After giving it a thorough teardown, cleaning and reassembly, I will be heading for the range.

 

[DHENRY]

My 1958 M-17 is so picky about ammo that its ejector gets balky on anything except CCI and Fiocchi.
The worst?
Federal and Remington...almost like using wrong-caliber brass (!)
Great idea about the cleaning, though.
Make sure that you clean out the underside of the ejector star.
Don

 

[mikesss]

Thanks guys,

seems I'm not alone with this "problem".

On the other hand this K22 is extremely easy get good hits with. This seems to be another SW characteristic, easy to hit with, especially in DA shooting. My 1917 Brazillian 37 is currently the champ in that department. I tried the K22 on a steel target that is about torso sized from 52 yards, very informal shooting, semi-fast and not trying very hard. SA one handed got 6 out of 6 hits and DA two handed got the same, 6 our of 6, the sights might be a blurred blob to my eyes but the gun gets the hits. It also took a yellow jacket that came over to investigate a grasshopper who had just been "distributed". Ahhhh, hunting, bee season is almost here. (just kidding about honey bees)

 

[Engine49guy]

sticky chambers

Had my Model 18 Combat masterpiece on the range yesterday.
.22 Remington Thunderbolts has to be pressed into the chambers with the thumb to fully seat them.
.22 CCIs dropped right in and were easily extracted.

 

[tops]

I have a 43-?, 17, and a 17-4 and neither gun ejects correctly with any Rem. shells. The only Win. that works correctly is Super X and Wildcat. Larry

 

[mikesss]

Tried a very tricked out K22 today, it's DA and SA trigger pulls were heavenly. The cases punched out with very minimal ejector pressure.

Back to the 1948 K22, shot from a different box of Remington Golden Bullet ammo today and palmed the ejector smartly but without a lot of force, the cases ejected pretty well. There are some sharp edges on the back of the chambers and on the star. Three of the chambers eject well, the other three don't. I'll get it figured out eventually, that's half the fun anyway.

Also I'll probably take the gun apart for a stoning and polishing session on the internals.

 

[Munsterf18]

Try different ammo.

Remington Golden bulk sticks in almost every revolver I have.
I'm using Winchester Dynapoint now ( a better bulk ammo) and don't have any problems.

I almost can't force the Remington out of a J-frame I have, but the Winchester comes out easily.

Munster

 

[TSQUARED]

I believe your problem is ammo related. I shoot standard velocity ammo in my K-22's without any problems. Remington Thunderbolt caused leading and the Remington Golden Bullets were difficult to extract. Federal HV bulk pack ammo, the copper plated HP's, function well and extracted readilly.

 

[H Richard]

On my 17-4 I had a similar problem, and polished the inside of the chambers, using a small split dowel and 400 grit emery paper on my cordless drill. Just a minute at medium speed, then clean well. I think the biggest culprit was the sharp edge on the extractor star.

Update Apr 2017. Since this time I have still had problems with ejection in several K22 types, I obtained a Manson standard SAAMI chamber reamer and have totally solved the problem. None of my K22 types617-6, 17-4, Pre 18, and a first year Outdoorsman have all been "fixed" also several for some friends all of which report no further problems.

 

[Jimmymac46]

I believe that ammo is a major factor in difficult extraction/ejection in virturally all 22 cal Smith's. However, frequent cleaning of chambers and under the star ejector is equally important. I have learned over the years that running a brass brush just a few times, then a 22 cal mop in the chambers and under the star after 30/50 rounds will make a dramatic difference in extraction AND accuracy. Make a couple of passes down the bore at the same time. I keep a rod and brush with a small drop bottle of CLP or similar product with me at every outing....... makes for a trouble free day at the range. All 22 cal ammo is dirty by design.

 

[mikesss]

Update: ejection seems to be getting easier with use. Careful examination of the star showed that two of the star's case cutouts had elevated places and one has a punch mark, all of this was on the three sticky chambers. The elevated places look like the star is a casting and that finish machining went well on some of the cutouts and not on others. I removed these elevated places but did not dull the sharp edges of the star and the back of the chambers. This will be done in the future, very carefully.

Today I tried Remington Golden Bullet bulk, Winchester 333 bulk and Federal copper plated bulk, ejection was easier, with the Golden Bullets ejecting easiest but not what you would call easy. I didn't try brushing the chambers today but did use some CLP late in the session, it didn't seem to help.

The ability of this K22 to get good hits double action with one hand continues to amaze.

Life it good!

 

[mikesss]

More experimentation, now three chambers eject easily and three are stubborn. After this I emeryed with worn emery and Simichrome polished all the chambers. The emery cloth was very worn and does little more than polish. Will test it again next week. Easy does it for things like this.

 

[Troystat]

I was having the same problem with my 17-4 and polishing the cylinders and not over lubricating them. I just clean with hoppe's #9 and run a dry patch trough them.

Troy