New M&P 15-22 does not cycle properly

[iwanofsky]

Hi all, just got a brand new S&W M&P 15-22. Took it to the range with one original magazine. Loaded with CCI Minimag and the first two 25 rounds worked perfect. Loading the third mag, after the fifth shot stopped firing. I pulled the charging handle back and shot again. It shot, extracted the old spent case and reload the chamber with new ammo. Pulled the trigger, fired, the bolt came back, extracted the old spent case, fed the chamber with new ammo. Pulled the trigger and NOTHING HAPPENS!! It is working like a bolt action rifle instead of semi-auto. Checked the magazine and it looks okay. Opened it, inspected it, cleaned it and lubed. Next day to the range and the same problem. Apparently the hammer is not being cocked or there is an issue with trigger (which i don't think so). Any idea? Thanks.
P,S: Send this rifle back to S&W is going to take a long time and will be a pain in the rear for me, that's why I am asking if some has any idea. Could be a stupid problem and a matter of knowing how to fix it. Thanks again.

 

[mud king]

I'd strip the upper down and give it a good cleaning and lubricant, especially those rails on the bolt. Make sure when you re-install the bolt assembly, that the charging handle lever is seated properly on top of the bolt carrier group. There shouldn't be any roughness to it.

I know there was another member on this forum that said he was having some firing issues and I think he found a metal barb on the end of the firing pin that was causing him the same sort of trouble. Something to look at and some where to start.

 

[Majorlk]

Lack of a proper cleaning and lubrication BEFORE firing any ammo will often cause the problem you describe.

 

[Boxerglocker]

Clean and lube per manufacturers instructions... check you mags for proper staggering when loaded... test fire and report back.

 

[crracer_712]

Send it to me?

 

[c7aea]

Hi all, just got a brand new S&W M&P 15-22. Took it to the range with one original magazine. Loaded with CCI Minimag and the first two 25 rounds worked perfect. Loading the third mag, after the fifth shot stopped firing. I pulled the charging handle back and shot again. It shot, extracted the old spent case and reload the chamber with new ammo. Pulled the trigger, fired, the bolt came back, extracted the old spent case, fed the chamber with new ammo. Pulled the trigger and NOTHING HAPPENS!! It is working like a bolt action rifle instead of semi-auto. Checked the magazine and it looks okay. Opened it, inspected it, cleaned it and lubed. Next day to the range and the same problem. Apparently the hammer is not being cocked or there is an issue with trigger (which i don't think so). Any idea? Thanks.
P,S: Send this rifle back to S&W is going to take a long time and will be a pain in the rear for me, that's why I am asking if some has any idea. Could be a stupid problem and a matter of knowing how to fix it. Thanks again.

If I understand this correctly it sounds like the gun is cycling fine, just some of the ammo isn't firing.
When you pull the trigger and the round doesn't fire do you at least hear the hammer strike the firing pin? If you do take out that round and inspect the case and see where the firing pin hit the case. Put that round back into the gun and try to fire it again. Maybe some have bad primers.
If the gun hammer isnt being held in the cocked position thats another problem.

 

[Bowlseye]

Greetings! So when you pull the trigger does the hammer engage to strike the firing pin? If these shells have a ding on the primer I would say its more ammo related. If it isn't then don't be afraid to send it to S&W. Mine blew its own brains out firing out of battery and I had mine back in exactly 2 weeks better then before. They even arranged to have it picked up and they send you postage so you literally need to do almost nothing! Those Smith and Wesson gunsmiths musta done something differently with my 15-22 because now I can fire ANY type of .22 ammo, and I havn't had a failure of ANY kind since. That was a couple thousand rounds ago! Good luck!

 

[AL1950]

Noob here.......

Hi all, 1st post. New 15-22, lubed, when out for the first time, after shooting the 4th or 5th mag through (CCI mini-mags & Tactical) my daughter experienced a similar problem. Tracked it down to not letting the trigger travel all the way forward. Once we figured it no more FTF.

 

[JM4151]

Model 15 firing problems

If its brand new take it back to the store where you purchased it, and let them return it to Smith for servive or repair!

 

[belcher3838]

Hi all, 1st post. New 15-22, lubed, when out for the first time, after shooting the 4th or 5th mag through (CCI mini-mags & Tactical) my daughter experienced a similar problem. Tracked it down to not letting the trigger travel all the way forward. Once we figured it no more FTF.

mines doing the same thing what did you end up finding out what was causing it cause mine does it every 5 rounds and mines brand new

 

[Tictoc]

I had similar problem when I first shot my 15-22. I took it apart, cleaned and oiled the gun and it worked perfectly. Do pay attention to the type of ammo since this gun is very picky. I tried CCI subsonic and it would not cycle. Remington ammo jammed in my gun. When you read the owners manual both of those types of ammo are not recommended. I have the CCI AR 22 ammo to work the best.

 

[Jeremy126]

mines doing the same thing what did you end up finding out what was causing it cause mine does it every 5 rounds and mines brand new

Mine did the same thing for a while like 500-800 rounds now mine has started firing great the last bit of my federal bulk pack went great Shoot rem golden bullets now I'd say I've had 10 plus clips with no misfires of any kind and my bolt has started to lock back every time at the end of a clip not just some times. I hate to say it but I haven't even cleaned the bolt area much just the barrel. Don't know if it's just got broke in or if the gun fires better with a dirty bolt.

 

[Sleddog30]

Mine did the same thing for a while like 500-800 rounds now mine has started firing great the last bit of my federal bulk pack went great Shoot rem golden bullets now I'd say I've had 10 plus clips with no misfires of any kind and my bolt has started to lock back every time at the end of a clip not just some times. I hate to say it but I haven't even cleaned the bolt area much just the barrel. Don't know if it's just got broke in or if the gun fires better with a dirty bolt.

What kinda clips? Paper, "C" clips, or the type that you strip ammo from when it goes into a magazine? I'm thinking you mean magazines.

To the OP, I think it was/is a cleaning/lube problem, as others have stated.

 

[Jeremy126]

What kinda clips? Paper, "C" clips, or the type that you strip ammo from when it goes into a magazine? I'm thinking you mean magazines.

To the OP, I think it was/is a cleaning/lube problem, as others have stated.

Yes by clips I mean magazines.