Have You Had A Failure In Semi-Auto/Revolver That Made It Inoperable?

[Joe_Pike]

I have often read (with some amusement) that revolvers are simpler guns than semi-autos and that makes them more reliable. The truth is that there is a litlle more to a revolver than people think and that they can, and do, fail at times.

How many of you have had a failure with either that rendered the gun inoperable at the time? Nothing catastrophic like, "I loaded a cartridge too hot and it blew the top strap off of my Blackhawk" sort of stuff. Just something like a broken spring, extractor, etc. that made it inoperable for the moment but was fixable.

I wonder about this and how it affects people's choices for carry guns. I'm not looking for a revolvers vs. semi-autos arguement as I own and shoot both.

 

[moxie]

First time at the Air Force range in San Antonio, 1970, I got off 2 or 3 rounds and the S&W Model 15 locked up. Tight. Instructor had to play with the ejector rod, then it was fine. I've seen it happen on several other occasions. No mechanical device is perfect. I think what happened was the last guy that shot it didn't ensure the ejector rod was screwed in tight after he cleaned it. No one checked it, certainly not me. Since then I always check it before loading it.

 

[Ed4032]

I voted revolver. It was long ago. The primer backed out and locked the cylinder. Dad sent it in to S&W to fix.

 

[BlueTrain]

So far, I'm the only one who reported failures in both kinds of handguns.

The auto was a Sig P225. This has been a while and it only happened one. It literally had a "jam", presumably some sort of failure to feed. I was unable to get it working again at the range. I believe that's the only instance of a "jam" like that I ever had but it was inoperable at the time.

The revolver problems I had were both S&W N-frames. One, a Model 29, would become too difficult to rotate the cylinder after about one cylinder full of shooting. Obviously, it was fitted too tightly but it was not a new gun and had been worked on at some point. The other was a Model 28 that also tended to exhibit the same problem, but not so quickly as to be a serious problem.

I've had parts break or come loose on both revolvers and autos but in neither case did the gun become inoperable. Actually, I believe a revolver is more complicated than an automatic but the operation is a little simpler, generally speaking. Some automatics, though, especially Rugers, have a surprisingly large number of parts.

 

[jglsprings]

In the spirit of the original post...

I had the "firing pin retainer plate" crack and release the firing pin (back at me) once. That stopped everything. See #30 on the diagram here... http://media.photobucket.com/image/browning/TheRealHobie/Firearms/Browning/Browning_1935_HI-Power_Auto.png?o=8&sortby=sevendaysview

And I've also owned a... wait for it... a Ruger that failed as well. the ejector rod washer was split (#17) http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=8353

So both guns locked up tight and were unusable until I replaced the $2.00 and $5.00 parts. Both still work fine - years later - and are "trust worthy".

I get a kick out these guys who will not "tolerate" any kind of failure at any time. I buy guns from these guys all the time for next to nothing and repair them for pennies and the keep them or flip them. I count on the "never tolerate failure" crowd to keep me in guns for cheap.

If you are planning on never having a failure and never having to deal with one; you have a bad plan.

Mechanical things break, count on it.

DOUGH! - I voted incorrectly for "semi auto" and should have voted for both.

 

[sigcurious]

I voted neither, but to be fair, I don't own a revolver yet.

 

[Lucky 7]

The only 2 I've had were an issued M9 at BSG that cracked a locking lug during pre-qual in '05 and with my GP100 when a cracked and expanded .357 casing (American Eagle 158gr) locked my cylinder up. 2 TAPS with a rubber mallet and it was cured.

Regards,
Lucky

 

[Chuckusaret]

Yes, a kaboom with a G22.

 

[dahermit]

S&W M57, had a burr on the firing pin bushing, locked the gun up on the first shot...stoned it off, no further problems.

Circa '70's Colt Combat Commander, came with a burr on the barrel shroud, the Sheriff Deputy could not rank the slide open when inspecting it for a Michigan "Safety Inspection Certificate"...stoned it off, never a problem with that gun again.

Circa '70's Colt Series 70 1911, extractor tension incorrect, would jam empties into magazine lips locking up the gun. Applied correct tension to extractor, no more problem.

Circa '70's Colt Combat Commander .38 Super, incorrect positioning of slide recoil lugs, peened the barrel lugs severly...would still fire, never locked up...had to get a new slide and barrel.

Current production, about two years ago, Colt XSE Combat Commander, underpowered recoil spring, would lock the slide in open position (stoppage). Fixed that, then weak firing pin spring, would allow the firing pin stop to drop down during firing, locking up the gun. After swapping out both springs, no more problems. Both grips were poorly checkered, but that was a cosmetic Q.C. problem, not functional issue.

I do not consider the problems I had with the Colts (four out of four) to be any indication of a propensity for 1911's for failure. I consider the problems I had to be a manifestation of a lack of quality control, incompetent Q.C. management, or lack of requisite skills of Q.C. management. Now that Ruger has come out with a 1911, I cannot envision ever buying a Colt 1911 again...I do not need the aggravation, and I am certainly not going to pay more to get it.

 

[Aikibiker]

I have an H&K USP45c that broke it's trigger linkage while a first time shooter was using it at the range. Result was a dead trigger that would move forward and backwards, but not drop the hammer. Poor kid thought she broke my gun. I explained to her that it had tens of thousands of rounds through and that any weapon no matter how good will break from use eventually.

H&K fixed it for free with no hassle. Thumbd up to their customer service and repair divisions.

 

[sgms]

Yes to both. Broken firing pin on a model 1910 FN .32 acp, and a S&W 442 with a cracked frame.

 

[Ozzieman]

Kimber Royal carry. Magazine was dropped and I didn’t notice it till the next time at the range. Luckily I didn’t carry the gun with that magazine.

Taurus 445. Poorly built gun from the factory, End of the barrel was not flush with the cylinder and clearance was way too tight. A good gun smith fixed.

Taurus 605, shot well until +50 rounds. Started blowing lead out the side of the cylinder. Out of time in less than 100 rounds. Gave it to my gunsmith friend.

Colt Gold Cup, pin that holds the adjustable rear sight came out of the gun as I was firing. Half the magazine hit center mass the remainder of the mag hit 12 inches low. Not bad for a gun with over 5000 rounds.

 

[Baylorattorney]

Yes. Colt m1903 .32 acp model. A shooter. Slide locked back and WON'T come unlocked. It is inoperable.

 

[zxcvbob]

All my revolver failures have been ammo related. All my autoloader failures have been magazine related. (there haven't been all that many of either)

 

[youngunz4life]

yes

 

[oldgranpa]

the S&W 21-A .22LR pistol I had locked up and the slide would move only about 1/2". Sent it back and was returned with report they replaced something. Fired one mag and it locked up again, same way. Sent it back a second time and after a month finally got it back with report they adjusted the slide lock area. Very mysterious. Concluded it was a lemon so I traded for a Ruger LCR22 which has been excellent.
The action seemed loose from the start so I'm sure it was a factory lemon that got by QC.
og

 

[rantingredneck]

Both, but both were ammo failures and not necessarily gun failures.

Had a Wolf 9mm round squib in a Ruger P89. Blocked the bore and had to be tapped out with a brass rod.

Had a poorly crimped reload (my fault) jump crimp and tie up my LCR.

Both easy fixes. Neither the fault of the gun. Both bad juju in a gun fight.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[stu925]

Had a few revolver failures over the years. Had a squib load in a model 25 and the bullet didn't clear the barrel. That put a halt to my shooting for the day. Ejector rod backing out of the model 10s at work has been an issue over the years. In autos most of my failures have been either poor reloads that wouldn't feed in my P-90 when I first started reloading or failure to go all the way into battery when my Kimber was filthy earlier this year. None of my failures in the autos made me quit for the day though.

Stu

 

[Joe_Pike]

These posts are making me want to reconsider a BUG.

 

[Caboclo]

Taurus 686 with very tight cylinder gap. Shoot 2-3 loads of ammo, and there is enough carbon on the front of the cylinder to jam against the barrel, and it won't rotate. Still like the gun though, just needs tweaked. Or maybe shot a little more and broken in.