New 15-22; extractor issue or recoil spring?

huafist

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So, I picked up a new 15-22 last weekend for use in steel challenge. Brought it home, broke it down and cleaned it. Put a weaver red dot on it, and my son and I took it to the range this week to sight it in.
Sighting in was perfect, zero issues whatsoever. After that, we started having fun with it (pinking steel flags). We burned about 200 rounds total, but had a few failures - when the casing is ejected, it's as if either the bolt returns to battery too quickly, or the casing isn't ejecting fast enough, and it's getting caught by the bolt.

I'm new to AR style rifles, but if this were a handgun, I'd suspect the recoil spring just isn't broken in yet and the bolt is slamming shut too quickly. However, I've read a multitude of threads regarding extractor issues.

Advice?
 
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I had exactly the same thing with mine. I put the volsquarten extractor in. And have no failures of any sort for about 8-900 rounds since
 
About 100 similar threads describing the same problem and the same solution: Volquartsen extractor. Cured my problem that was the same as you described.

Sent telepathically
 
That's disappointing that you have to swap parts in a brand new firearm to make it function properly.
 
That's disappointing that you have to swap parts in a brand new firearm to make it function properly.

My family has three 15-22s with over 10k on two of them and 20k on the third. All original parts and no problems. I seriously doubt there's any defect in the factory extractor.
 
That's disappointing that you have to swap parts in a brand new firearm to make it function properly.
The manual is pretty clear about some ammo working better than others. Every semi auto .22 I own has a favorite ammo. Have you tried different ammo?

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Since this is such a small expense I figure when I purchase a 15-22 this should be upgraded anyways?
 
I have an old 15-22 bought when they first came out. It always shot perfectly with Federal bulk pack 36 gr JHP ammo. I have run out of the Fed. ammo so I tried CCI 40 gr Mini Mags. I now have failure to extract problems and am in process of putting a Volquartsen extractor in.

Why bitch and complain when the fix is so easy? Life is too short to waste on rant and rave time.

Good luck.
 
The manual is pretty clear about some ammo working better than others. Every semi auto .22 I own has a favorite ammo. Have you tried different ammo?

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

The manual was written almost eight years ago and has never been updated. The list is a joke, and has been for years.
 
Where is the best place to buy a Volquartsen extractor?
 
I have an old 15-22 bought when they first came out. It always shot perfectly with Federal bulk pack 36 gr JHP ammo. I have run out of the Fed. ammo so I tried CCI 40 gr Mini Mags. I now have failure to extract problems and am in process of putting a Volquartsen extractor in.

Why bitch and complain when the fix is so easy? Life is too short to waste on rant and rave time.

Good luck.

No bitching and complaining - I just expect a firearm to be fully functional when I buy it.
I'm gonna go ahead and order the extractor, as I'll have it torn down next week anyway for some other upgrades.
 
Had this issue. Switched the ammo and no issues now. Try this before swapping extractors. People who are buying the volsquarten extractor are skipping over the actual issue IMO.
 
I need to rescind my previous statement about expecting the firearm to be fully functional - I found the issue, and it was my fault.
First time I cleaned the weapon, I didn't cover the ejector with a tube/straw/etc before I ran my bore snake through it, and it got hung. I didn't think it hung hard enough to hurt it, but it did indeed bend it inward too far. Upon inspection, I could see brass witness marks on the ejector. I bent it back to where it should be:

Plinking my M&P 15-22 - YouTube
 
I need to rescind my previous statement about expecting the firearm to be fully functional - I found the issue, and it was my fault.
First time I cleaned the weapon, I didn't cover the ejector with a tube/straw/etc before I ran my bore snake through it, and it got hung. I didn't think it hung hard enough to hurt it, but it did indeed bend it inward too far. Upon inspection, I could see brass witness marks on the ejector. I bent it back to where it should be:

Plinking my M&P 15-22 - YouTube

I appreciate anyone who can admit to a mistake and tell what went wrong. Good info to know where the problem started and how it was corrected. :cool:
 
The manual was written almost eight years ago and has never been updated. The list is a joke, and has been for years.
Well I have followed the recommendations and never had a hiccup with either of my 1522 rifles over 40k rounds between the 2. The joke is people spending money on volquarzen **** when they really just need to use ammo that works in the rifle.
 
No bitching and complaining - I just expect a firearm to be fully functional when I buy it.
I'm gonna go ahead and order the extractor, as I'll have it torn down next week anyway for some other upgrades.

It's entirely possible that you slightly bent the ejector when you cleaned your new rifle. There are pictures here in the forum that show how it should look in the recessed area of the bolt.

I suggest that you fine those pictures and check to make sure that your ejector is not bent.


Oops,

I didn't read all the way thru the posts to see that you did indeed bend the ejector..

Sorry, (on the other hand it's good to know that my troubleshooting skill work.)


.
 
Last edited:
The manual has been updated. It no longer contains the list of recommended ammo. The current manual is available for download at S&W web site.

Sent telepathically

Does anyone have the direct link to the 15-22 manual online, my Google-fu must be pretty weak :rolleyes:
 

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