DUU-XXXX going back to S&W

[CrazyFingers]

My 15-22 is going to have to go back to S&W for some warranty work. When I first bought it about a month ago, it ran flawlessly, with 600 round of Federal 550 bulk (36gr HP copper coated) and 200 rounds CCI Minimags. Then the trouble began, with failure to eject/stovepipes every 2-3 rounds with the Federals. Although many others here have reported no problems with these rounds, they weren't on the Official Ammo list, so I went back to CCI Minimags exclusively. With ~1500 rounds through it, I get about 1 FTE/stovepipe per magazine with CCI. At the range yesterday, I bought a box of Federal American Eagle (on the approved ammo list) thinking that surely these would run well. Nope, FTE/stovepipe every 2-3 rounds. Additionally, for the first time since I bought the rifle, the bolt failed to lock back after the last round three times.
Obviously this is unacceptable for a new rifle with less than 2000 rounds through it.
One thing I noticed is the ejector wiggles slightly. I don't know if this is part of the 15-22 design or a sign of something wrong. It doesn't wiggle much, maybe 1/32 of an inch, but it definitely is not solid like the ejector on my Ruger 22/45 (similar bolt/extractor/ejector design). I don't know if that means anything, just something I noticed.
Anyway, I'll be calling S&W tomorrow for a return tag. I'm assuming that with warranty service on a firearm I own, there is no need for an FFL as a middleman, just ship to them and they ship back to me?
I'll let you guys know how long it takes to get it back and how it runs.

 

[grimreaper21]

not good news but, it may just be an exception as the DUU is supposed to have everything fixed properly. my DUR has had problems with the bolt hold open too, hopefully that doesn't translate into any worse of problems.

 

[Brett248Vista]

When you clean your bore, what do you use? Do you use a Bore Snake or do you use a traditional aluminum tube type bore cleaner?

Ship it to them in it's original box, but make sure that box is fully enclosed inside a plain outer box. You won't have any issues.

 

[UpstateNY]

It's tough to find a good size box to ship the original box back in, so as others had informed me for my return, separate the upper from the lower and send them both back in a smaller more readily available box. On return, you'll have a new rifle box plus a cover box that you can use to send it back in down the road (but hopefully you won't need to).

 

[CrazyFingers]

When you clean your bore, what do you use? Do you use a Bore Snake or do you use a traditional aluminum tube type bore cleaner?

I use this:
Tipton Deluxe 1-Piece Cleaning Rod 22 to 26 Caliber 26" Carbon Fiber 8 x 32 Thread - MidwayUSA

and this:
Tipton Rifle Cleaning Jag 22 Caliber 8 x 32 Thread Brass - MidwayUSA

with a patch and Hoppes #9.

I'm always very careful to slowly run the rod down, never touching the ejector or scraping the side of the chamber.

I use the 12" version of the Tipton carbon fiber rod for my pistols.

I'm still concerned that my ejector wiggles. Can anyone confirm that this is normal or a sign of trouble?

 

[Brett248Vista]

So you knew where I was going with that line of questioning! It doesn't take more than a few thousandths of an inch of bending the ejector to cause issues.

I just checked my ejector and it's solid as can be, no wiggling.

 

[adn]

My ejector is solid as a rock as well.

 

[CrazyFingers]

Interesting.
It seems likely that my FTEs are related to the loose ejector. Does this indicate a broken part, or can it be tightened?
Or should I just not worry about it and let S&W handle it?

 

[gmiller0737]

My ejector does not wiggle,Mine was great the 1st time to the Range but started Stovepiping like every round or every other could never get more than 4 or 4 rounds down range with out a jam,I did the ejector tweak per the YouTube video and it's been flawless since Using Federal 510B's from Wal-Mart,I think I must have slightly bent the ejector when I 1st cleaned it.

 

[Brett248Vista]

The ejector is sandwiched between the chamber block and the barrel, the chamber block is secured to the barrel with roll pins. I'd say it's probably best to send it to S&W and let them repair it.

 

[nicks75]

That's disappointing to hear as I have the duu model myself thinking it would be free of any issues. I did check mine and no wiggling on the extractor so I hope it's an isolated case. Sorry about your troubles with it.

 

[maverick88]

My ejector moves in and out about a eight of a inch. I called S&W and they told me this was nomal. ( think not )
Broke it in on cci minni mag then some Federal 550 all working great. Then all of a sudden it won`t shoot the 550`s. Tried the ejector ajustment on the web site things remained pretty much the same. Trip to my trusted gun smith he alter the feed lips on two magazines. Dissembled all 3 and cleaned and lubed. Work great for about 200 rounds then went back to what it was.( FTE,FTF stove pipes ) My opinion is it`s the loose ejector. I think it will blow out of there eventuality and then well see what S&W have to say. Gun serial DUM so the updates should be done.

 

[Rustpot]

Just to be clear -

Extractor is the hook on the bolt. It is hinged and spring loaded. It normally moves to allow it to snap over a case rim, and for normal operation.

Ejector is the hook fixed to the chamber/barrel. It slips under the bolt and has a cutout to allow a round to feed next to it.

As the bolt recoils the extractor pulls the case back with the bolt and the rim of the case hits the ejector, rotates about the extractor (another need for movement) and pops out.

A loose ejector will sag below the rim of the case and not funtion properly. Either the case will miss the ejector or will hit too high causing the empty case to pop up instead of out and stove pipe.

A loose extractor won't hold onto the case well enough and can leave it behind in the chamber causing a failure to eject. An extractor that's too tight may cause feed issues from not allowing the case rim to slip behind it, or failures to eject from not allowing the case to be pushed away from the bolt face by the ejector.

People are talking about both of them and I think there may be some confusion.

 

[Brett248Vista]

Rustspot,

Correct I just re-read my posts and I said ejector. I meant extractor! Sorry about that!

 

[CrazyFingers]

Thanks for the post Rustpot. It is my ejector coming off the barrel that wiggles, the extractor on the bolt appears to be fine.
I'm going to try to get a return tag today.

 

[Brett248Vista]

Ok I was not having a good night last night.. I DID use the correct terminology the FIRST time! I meant the ejector not the extractor! Geesh You'd think I was a newbie to this stuff

The Ejector should not move, should not wiggle an iota. The extractor pivots in the bolt and that's how it should work.

 

[CrazyFingers]

Brett - yep, my extractor looks fine, in fact the entire bolt/extractor design is very similar to my Ruger 22/45 (almost 6000 rounds through that). On that pistol, the ejector is in a similar location to the 15-22, but it's mounted to the frame, not the barrel, and it's solid with no wiggle at all. The ejector on my 15-22 wobbles side to side and in-out about 1/16 of an inch.

Called S&W today, they're going to email me a FedEx return tag within 48 hours. The service operator didn't ask any questions other than serial# and shipping address. Apparently he's had a few calls like this.

 

[Brett248Vista]

LOL yeah I'm sure they have had a lot of calls. There has been a lot of teething pains with this rifle, but honestly, when was the last time someone basically designed a dedicated AR15 in 22LR caliber. GSG has had their share of issues too and I know Ruger has!

Once S&W is done with it, I'm sure you will have many thousands of rounds of happy shooting!

 

[CrazyFingers]

One of the guys running the indoor range saw the trouble I was having with my rifle, and said "well, you should have bought a 10/22, they run perfect".
I asked him how old the 10/22 was and how long Ruger has been perfecting it. He thought about it for a second and said "30 years or so?"
I told him to talk to me about the 15-22 in 30 years.

 

[Brett248Vista]

Yeah should have said "And how do those work out with aftermarket magazines? Yeah I thought so!"