New M&P 15-22 Sport owner - Ammo and maintenance

Mattbodom

Mattbodom

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2018
Messages
10
Reaction score
2
Location
Cheshire, UK
Hi, i have owned my 15-22 sport for just over 2 weeks now. It is my first Semi-auto rifle and i was having what i thought was issues with the rifle. I had several failure to ejects and failure to fires within the first few days of owning the gun. I came to learn that semi-auto blowback operated 22lr's can be picky with ammo types. It must be noted that all of the malfunctions were with sub-sonic ammunition, and 0 issues with high velocity CCI rounds (Blazer, mini-mag and a few stingers) So i got the chance to grab a few different types off ammo last week and it seems that i have narrowed down the options to what my particular gun likes to Shoot. I will list all types of ammo i have tried, prior to installing a volquartsen extractor, followed by the results.

CCI Standard (1070fps) 0 Malfunctions
CCI Subsonic HP 40g (1050) 0 Malfunctions
CCI Blazer 40g (1250 ish) 0 Malfunctions
CCI Mini-Mag 40g (1250ish) 0 Malfunctions
CCI Stinger 32g (1640) 0 Malfunctions

Fiocchi Subsonic HP 40g 0 Malfunctions
Fiocchi TT Sport 40g Failure to blowback enough to reset hammer, had to manually charge with charging handle.
Fiocchi Silver Stardust Similar to above but worse (old ammo to be fair)

Winchester 42g Subsonic (1065 fps) several fte - 6 out of 100ish
Winchester 40g Subsonic - fail to reset hammer

Eley club 40g Fail to reset hammer but only every now and again.

So thats it really, i am a bit OCD when it comes to firearms and especially when i paid £700 lol.

After installing the Volquartsen Extractor i managed to get through 50 winchester 42g subs without fte, however i had a magazine malfunction (bullets got stuck and had to pull them all out) i found this strange as it never happened with other ammo types.

Can someone please give me advice on whether my gun seems okay or not? Im 99% sure that it is, and shall i blame the malfunctions on certain ammo? My thinking is that if the gun was faulty then it would fte or ftf with all ammo types surely?

So far over the last week i have shot over 200 cci subs, 200 cci standards, 300 fiocchi subs with 0 issues. Other subsonic ammo seems to cause issues.

Also any additional advice on maintenance would be great! I currently strip down the gun and clean BCG, barrel and chamber thoroughly with tetra gun care and browning legia spray.

Thanks
Matt
 
Register to hide this ad
I'd give the rifle some more time to "break -in" before I came to any conclusions. Mine was fussy the first couple hundred rounds I put through it when it was new. I also put the VQ extractor in which made a big difference when using cheaper bulk ammo. Since it's a blow back design, you will obviously get better results with hotter ammo, like with the CCI Mini Mags, Velocitors, etc.

Also, make sure you are being careful on loading the rounds in your Mags properly. Sometimes people don't have them seated properly, which causes issues.

You will find certain ammo works better than others. Mine likes CCI Mini Mags. I don't think I ever had a failure with that ammo. I also use a lot of cheaper bulk ammo and those are not as reliable in general. It still fires them pretty consistently, but I don't get too worried when getting a couple FTE's or FTF's with them.

I wouldn't worry about it until you have a few more outings.
Make sure you clean the gun well after your outings. I also take the extractor mechanism out and clean it each time. There is a lot of crud that gets in there on each outing.

I think the parts will loosen up a bit with more use and you will get less FTE's and FTF's with the cheaper ammo over time. At least that's what happened with my rifle.

Enjoy your new rifle.
 
Last edited:
digitaleagle12 said:
I'd give the rifle some more time to "break -in" before I came to any conclusions. Mine was fussy the first couple hundred rounds I put through it when it was new. I also put the VQ extractor in which made a big difference when using cheaper bulk ammo.

You will find certain ammo works better than others. Mine likes CCI ammo in general. I also use a lot of bulk ammo and those are somewhat hit and miss. (Certainly not as reliable as the CCI's) Mine loves CCI Mini Mags.

I wouldn't worry about it until you have a few more outings. Make sure you clean the gun well after your outings.
I think the parts will loosen up a bit with more use and you will get less FTE's and FTF's.

Enjoy your new rifle.
Click to expand...

Thankyou for your reply :D I do love this rifle lol. As you mentioned yourself, i do think that the Volquartsen extractor improved things slightly, certainly better for extracting as it was throwing empty brass about 8 feet to the right haha. As im writing this i realised that 90% of the rounds i have put through the rifle have been subsonic, do you think that maybe sticking with high velocity rounds for the next 2-300 rounds will help to cycle subsonics better? I have no problem using high velocity, its just that certain places where i shoot (in the UK) i prefer to use subsonic due to noise levels etc.

Thanks again, i appreciate your input
 
I think running higher velocity ammo during the break-in period is a good practice. As I said before, mine really loosened up after a couple of outings and the gun eventually became less picky with the ammo. I think the VQ extractor made the biggest difference for me, but there is no doubt there is some break in time needed.

You will most likely always get better results and consistency when using higher velocity ammo, but I wouldn't shy away from sub sonic ammo, if that is what you want to use. You certainly won't hurt the gun by using sub sonic ammo, it just won't be as reliable and consistent than using the hotter ammo. The rifle requires blow back to operate, so it is just plain physics with higher velocity ammo.

I think once you get a few hundred more rounds through the rifle, it will become less picky with the ammo you are using.

Mine eats just about anything now, but it's not unusual for me to get some FTE's and FTF's with the cheaper bulk ammo. The ammo just doesn't have the quality factor the more expensive ammo has.

I doubt anything is wrong with your rifle. Just give it some time to break in some more.

Have fun and be safe. :)
 
digitaleagle12 said:
I think running higher velocity ammo during the break-in period is a good practice. As I said before, mine really loosened up after a couple of outings and the gun eventually became less picky with the ammo. I think the VQ extractor made the biggest difference for me, but there is no doubt there is some break in time needed.

You will most likely always get better results and consistency when using higher velocity ammo, but I wouldn't shy away from sub sonic ammo, if that is what you want to use. You certainly won't hurt the gun by using sub sonic ammo, it just won't be as reliable and consistent than using the hotter ammo. The rifle requires blow back to operate, so it is just plain physics with higher velocity ammo.

I think once you get a few hundred more rounds through the rifle, it will become less picky with the ammo you are using.

Mine eats just about anything now, but it's not unusual for me to get some FTE's and FTF's with the cheaper bulk ammo. The ammo just doesn't have the quality factor the more expensive ammo has.

I doubt anything is wrong with your rifle. Just give it some time to break in some more.

Have fun and be safe. :)
Click to expand...

Thankyou again!
Yeah that makes sense, higher velocity ammo will simply have more energy to throw the bolt back as you said. I have a chance to get out tomorrow (allbeit in -2°C and snowing lol) I have about 175 minimags, 100 stingers and half a box of blazers lying around in my safe, so ill run them through it and see how it goes :) Thanks for putting my concerns to rest, take care and i'll post my updated results here.
 
Mine is about 7 years old and has about 5000 rounds through it. Most of that has been Federal "Semiauto Match". Malfunctions are VERY rare with it, and usually just the usual rimfire "failures to fire". Extractor is the original. I keep the bolt and bolt guide rails well lubricated, and when the crud buildup on the face of the bolt gets excessive I clean it up. Other than a red dot optic, the only modification I've made has been a trigger upgrade.

As .22 semi autos of any type go, it's as trouble free as they get.
 
Bat Guano said:
Mine is about 7 years old and has about 5000 rounds through it. Most of that has been Federal "Semiauto Match". Malfunctions are VERY rare with it, and usually just the usual rimfire "failures to fire". Extractor is the original. I keep the bolt and bolt guide rails well lubricated, and when the crud buildup on the face of the bolt gets excessive I clean it up. Other than a red dot optic, the only modification I've made has been a trigger upgrade.

As .22 semi autos of any type go, it's as trouble free as they get.
Click to expand...

I may try applying a touch more lubrication on the bolt guide rails, as i have previously just used a tiny amount of Tetra Gun lube. Is there any specific cleaners or lubrication products you suggest i use? The tetra stuff has a thick constistency which you 'massage' into the part of the gun youre cleaning, and i feel that using more of that may actually gunk stuff up a bit. On hand i also have Browning legia spray and Napier's silicone free Gun oil, i use the napier stuff mainly on my bolt action CZ rifles and the legia spray for the actual cleaning part of the maintenance process for example scrubbing away carbon build up around the chamber. Followed by a barrel and other metal parts wipe down with napier gun oil.

Any tips on maintenance would be appreciated :D P.s Any tips on cleaning the barrel while the HG is still attached? I dont have a barrel nut key and have no way to remove the handguard, and i wouldnt anyway as i dont want to void my warranty :confused:
 
I like CLP and Ballistol for general cleaning and lubrication.

They are both cleaners and lubricate at the same time.

I use EWL, which is a synthetic oil, on the barrel after I have cleaned it. I use patches first with some barrel solvent and then put a few drops of EWL on a snake to lubricate the barrel.

I also put a drop or two of EWL on the parts that require lubrication, springs, etc.

This has worked very well for me.
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the forum. If you have access to CCI AR Tactical, it too is good ammunition and runs cleaner than most. CCI Ammunition - Product Detail

No need to be concerned with the exterior of the barrel unless something crazy happens. If your OCD insists on addressing the barrel, you could use a CLP spray through the handguards and let it drip dry.

I run everything wet to include my 15-22. Not dripping, stupid wet but wet. Firearms aren't all that picky about lubes. I personally grab whatever's in reach which is normally a synthetic motor oil. Just clean it now and then, lube it, and fire away.

Try to keep the lube away from your ammunition, magazine interior. If running several magazines over the course of a single session, I'll put a few drops of oil on the bolt to keep it a little wet.
 
Bat Guano said:
Mine is about 7 years old and has about 5000 rounds through it... Extractor is the original. I keep the bolt and bolt guide rails well lubricated, and when the crud buildup on the face of the bolt gets excessive I clean it up...

As .22 semi autos of any type go, it's as trouble free as they get.
Click to expand...

I've only had mine 5+ yrs now but have a bunch more rds thru them shooting Rimfire Challenge and Steel Challenge. The extractors, springs and plungers are original, I break one or two firing pins per year. I only clean them before "real" matches. They don't get fussed over. I used my back-up rifle for practice and our club matches, didn't clean it and waited to see how long it would run. Not sure how many rds but it was 6+ mothes before it jammed. The chamber finally got crudded up enough to create problems.

Bolts are run dry. There's NO reason to run the bolt wet. It doesn't touch anything but the guide rails and the hammer as it cocks it. I brush accumulated crud off the bolt face making sure I get the rim recess clean. When they were new I ran a stone across the guide rails to take off any burrs and make sure they were straight. I also initially adjusted the ejector. They haven't needed further adjustment.

I brush off the barrel face and then clean the chamber with a .243 bore brush on a piece of cleaning rod chucked in a variable speed drill motor going in thru the upper. The spinning brush gets the chamber clean much better/faster than just pushing a brush thru. ONLY clean the chamber this way. I occaisionally clean the crud that accumulates in the upper around the bolt face. Then I do the usual brush and patches to clean the barrel. The last wet patch I run thru the barrel is the only lube the top end gets.

I run Geissele trigger groups that have extra power hammer springs. Extra power hammer springs definitely help rimfire reliability. I also use Geisseles 901 Colt hammer and trigger pins. They're longer and the right length so they sit flush with the rcvr outer surfaces.

Make sure you stagger the rds when loading mags. Use thin super glue on the top rear magazine seam. The seam above the slot you look at the rim stagger thru. That seam cracks and opens up with loaded mags letting the feed lips spread. Causes problems when that happens.

My primary 15-22 (I have a duplicate back-up) just got one of Volquartsens' CF barrels. Big accuracy improvement and being 3/4 Lb lighter it really changes how the rifle feels/swings.

Misfires/jams have become so rare the first thing I do If I get one is check to see if the firing pin broke. Just FWIW.
 
Last edited:
I only ever very lightly oil (with regular abbey gun & rifle oil) the Bolt Guide rails....nothing else gets oiled.

I use the same stuff to break up the build up around the chamber face and feed ramp, applying with a rag. I then use a porcupine quill to scrape out the gunk which builds up in that area. Then always wipe it clean and dry. Only the bolt rails are lightly oiled and mine has run error free for 3+years...since swapping the FCG I have not had one FTF, there is a knack to loading the mags which becomes second nature after a while, or a speedloader will also work. The trick is to pull down the load assist button while applying pressure on the follower with the round and putting them in with pressure left, then right so it staggers.

A really helpful trick for when you clean the barrel is to put a drinking straw over the ejector so that the snake doesn't snag it.
Keep an eye on your trigger and hammer pins, they can (in very rare instance from my years here on the forum) walk. A cheap set of anti-walk pins will put your mind at ease.

I'm sure you are just experiencing teething problems that your rifle will grow out of :)

Welcome to your new addiction......remember that when you think you need this add-on or that fancy doodad....you don't. It's just your 15-22 wanting attention. Learn to say NO to her! Take this advice from those of us on here who didn't ;)

Mine is sitting in the corner staring at me...showing me the one spot on the rail that is not filled :eek:
 
GhostMutt said:
I only ever very lightly oil (with regular abbey gun & rifle oil) the Bolt Guide rails....nothing else gets oiled.

I use the same stuff to break up the build up around the chamber face and feed ramp, applying with a rag. I then use a porcupine quill to scrape out the gunk which builds up in that area. Then always wipe it clean and dry. Only the bolt rails are lightly oiled and mine has run error free for 3+years...since swapping the FCG I have not had one FTF, there is a knack to loading the mags which becomes second nature after a while, or a speedloader will also work. The trick is to pull down the load assist button while applying pressure on the follower with the round and putting them in with pressure left, then right so it staggers.

A really helpful trick for when you clean the barrel is to put a drinking straw over the ejector so that the snake doesn't snag it.
Keep an eye on your trigger and hammer pins, they can (in very rare instance from my years here on the forum) walk. A cheap set of anti-walk pins will put your mind at ease.

I'm sure you are just experiencing teething problems that your rifle will grow out of :)

Welcome to your new addiction......remember that when you think you need this add-on or that fancy doodad....you don't. It's just your 15-22 wanting attention. Learn to say NO to her! Take this advice from those of us on here who didn't ;)

Mine is sitting in the corner staring at me...showing me the one spot on the rail that is not filled :eek:
Click to expand...

Wow! Thankyou all so much for your replys!
I have just got back from a shooting session so i thought i'd post my results. Absolutely 0 malfunctions :D Last night i decided to dissemble the 2 magazines i have and give them a good cleaning...along with the rifle itself. The rim recess on the bolt face actually had a build up of what looked like grease which had set hard, along with carbon build up so i took a toothpick and scraped it all out, along with build up on the bolt guide rails. I then stripped all previous lubrication efforts and applied a very tiny amount of lube on the bolt guide rails, leaving the rest of the assembly dry. It ran flawlessy today with both high velocity and subsonic ammo, CCI and fiocchi brands.

GhostMutt - I have only treated her to a Hawke red-dot sight, AFG and a magpul ms4 'style' sling so far along with the moderator lol. I think i need to go and empty some of my shopping carts online and save some pound coins lol.

Wish i could thank you all individually for the help! Im new to the forum and very happy with my new rifle and all your help is appreciated
 
Just been out shooting today and i had no FTE but i did have a couple of minor issues. The first was that the bolt didnt hold open after emptying one of the mags, this occured once but just before i had to come home so i didnt have chance to check it again. The 2nd issue was after previously emptying a mag, bolt stayed open, then i loaded a new mag and hit the bolt release catch but the bolt didnt close all the way and the nose of the bullet was in the chamber but it wouldnt seat all the way. This happened twice :( Any suggestions? I wouldnt know where to start troubleshooting with that
 
Regarding the bolt not holding open or closing properly...the problem may be with the bolt latch itself....it may either have crud in the channel where it moves or if memory serves me well the issue may be resolved by clipping a coil or two from your bolt catch spring. (type bolt catch spring into the search tool on this forum and it will bring up some threads related to this issue)

That being said (and by typing the following I am in no way trying to diminish your abilities or competence)...but this issue did not happen before you did your cleaning of the mags....maybe try turning the mag spring upside down and checking that your follower is placed in the correct orientation...always look for the simplest cure before performing unnecessary surgery. :)
Apparently some of the followers were released upside down from the factory.......lol This guy in the video is really safety conscious....How you make a 10 second vid into a 5 min one is evident here.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm5zk2fZ78w[/ame]
 
Last edited:
GhostMutt said:
Regarding the bolt not holding open or closing properly...the problem may be with the bolt latch itself....it may either have crud in the channel where it moves or if memory serves me well the issue may be resolved by clipping a coil or two from your bolt catch spring. (type bolt catch spring into the search tool on this forum and it will bring up some threads related to this issue)

That being said (and by typing the following I am in no way trying to diminish your abilities or competence)...but this issue did not happen before you did your cleaning of the mags....maybe try turning the mag spring upside down and checking that your follower is placed in the correct orientation...always look for the simplest cure before performing unnecessary surgery. :)
Apparently some of the followers were released upside down from the factory.......lol This guy in the video is really safety conscious....How you make a 10 second vid into a 5 min one is evident here.

M&P 15-22 10rnd MAGAZINE FOLLOWER FIX - YouTube
Click to expand...

I will take apart the magazines later and double check everything is correct, my bolt release feels a little gritty to be honest but i dont know how to remove it to give it a proper cleaning. Thanks for your reply and i will let you know what happens after i have done everything you mentioned :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Pubtym
15-22 Bolt Cleaning and Maintenance
Replies
10
Views
2K
cjt50
cjt50
S
What's this piece that fell out of my M&P 15-22?
Replies
8
Views
1K
tenntucker
tenntucker
G
Looking for Plinker Tactical, ProMag, and other 15-22 accessories.
Replies
15
Views
2K
strobro32
strobro32
J
M&p 15-22 will not group
Replies
12
Views
2K
Jeppo
Jeppo
strobro32
SS trip for the 15-22?
Replies
3
Views
617
strobro32
strobro32

Latest posts

Back
Top