Question about M&P

[Clovishound]

I went to the range a few days ago with my neighbor's son. He rented an M&P and got a box of the only .22lr they had in stock. None of them would chamber. They would get about halfway into the chamber and stop. One of the employees slid one manually into the chamber. He said the problem was that they were not copper plated. He told us that the solid lead bullets just won't run through the M&P.

I have never owned, or even shot an M&P, but I had a hard time buying that unplated ammo won't run through this weapon reliably.

Thought I would weigh in here and see what those of you that have a lot of experience with this platform have to say.

 

[TheMaineEvent]

I run lead nose bullets just fine so that's not the issue. I wonder if there was an issue with copper buildup that was causing a problem.

 

[Lorelei]

Something was wrong. Mine eats anything I have to feed it.

 

[Dirt Dart]

Dirty gun, bad magazine, worn springs, etc. If the round would not seat in the chamber manually, then probably just dirty.

I run lead bullet ammo almost exclusively and have never had a problem with it.

 

[Clovishound]

Re-read my post and saw it was probably unclear. The employee was able to fully insert a round into the chamber manually.

I know that a lot of the rental guns are often dirty, and troublesome as a result. I would have expected the employee to clean the weapon if this were the problem. Have been through this before at the same range with rentals. I was rather surprised he blamed the lead ammo.

 

[Majorlk]

I went to the range a few days ago with my neighbor's son. He rented an M&P and got a box of the only .22lr they had in stock. None of them would chamber. They would get about halfway into the chamber and stop. One of the employees slid one manually into the chamber. He said the problem was that they were not copper plated. He told us that the solid lead bullets just won't run through the M&P.

I have never owned, or even shot an M&P, but I had a hard time buying that unplated ammo won't run through this weapon reliably.

Thought I would weigh in here and see what those of you that have a lot of experience with this platform have to say.

Hogwash! Most likely the range hadn't cleaned the rifle in the last 10,000 rounds and the chamber was filthy.

 

[Majorlk]

Dirty gun, bad magazine, worn springs, etc. If the round would not seat in the chamber manually, then probably just dirty.

I run lead bullet ammo almost exclusively and have never had a problem with it.

I agree with you.

 

[Majorlk]

Re-read my post and saw it was probably unclear. The employee was able to fully insert a round into the chamber manually.

I know that a lot of the rental guns are often dirty, and troublesome as a result. I would have expected the employee to clean the weapon if this were the problem. Have been through this before at the same range with rentals. I was rather surprised he blamed the lead ammo.

Then the magazine could be damaged, although a filthy rifle will have feed problems. I'm not impressed with the range or the employee, from what you have posted.

 

[Majorlk]

I run lead nose bullets just fine so that's not the issue. I wonder if there was an issue with copper buildup that was causing a problem.

Never seen that before. The copper plating doesn't come off.

 

[Shooterjgs]

Yea... sounds like that LGS employees main job is sweeping and taking the garbage out... rifle was probably just dirty... that "employee" needs to get busy cleaning guns and if he already did already he has no business working there...

 

[Ibmikey]

I have cleaned the ammo bunker and as a result lately much of the .22 I have shot in my m&p pistol and 15-22 is 30-40 year old plated, non plated, lubed, HP, solid point etc. Both firearms have not cared that it is not new issue CCI and digest it without complaint. When the firearms become dirty I clean them thus echoing the comments of others, plated bullets are not required.

 

[NYHawk]

Maybe the barrel had a squib that kept it from chambering a new round

 

[Majorlk]

Maybe the barrel had a squib that kept it from chambering a new round

Read post number 5; rounds could be chambered manually.

 

[OldEagleEars]

I'm sorry, but it's time to bid adieu to that range and go somewhere else where they care enough about their customers to take care of their equipment. Sending a novice out with a dirty, stoppage-prone firearm is like a car rental place sending a car out with bald tires and leaky brakes! If they don't care about the guns they rent, how much attention do they pay to the upkeep of their lanes and bunkers? Please find another place to shoot!

 

[yzf128r]

I guarantee it was not an ammo issue. I have put 50k rounds through my 15-22 of various types and brands and never had a ammo related feeding problem. My initial guess would be the magazine. It is possible that since you are not familiar with the weapon that you may have unknowingly loaded the magazine wrong. A poorly loaded magazine can cause a bunch of strange problems with the 15-22. If the rounds were laying flat and not nose up, they may not have been able to feed up the ramp. If the magazine is worn out (which is also very likely with a rental gun) the feed lips may not have been retaining the rounds properly and letting the round sit to far up above the feed lips and not able to chamber. Either way it is the range workers responsibility to make sure that anyone renting/using one of their rentals is properly trained on the operation of the weapon and the loading of the magazine, and to insure that the firearm and magazine are functioning properly before they go out. At the very least he should have tried to shoot the rifle himself and determine if it is operator error or a malfunctioning firearm. He should have done whatever it takes so that his customer has a reliable and safe weapon. If that is not obtainable, the rifle should have been taken out of service until the problem is corrected and you should have been offered your money back, or the option to exchange it for a different rental. I am very lucky that my range is a top notch facility that puts the customers safety and satisfaction first. I hope there is another range in you area that you can take your business to.

 

[Clovishound]

I appreciate all the comments.

As to dumping this range, well it is a 5 minute drive from my house, the next nearest range is a half an hour away. The other thing is that I rarely rent a weapon there. I normally take my own and go with my buddy, who has a yearly membership there and so all I have to cough up is money for the targets.

I will advise my neighbor's son to be careful with the rental weapons there.