New to .22LR shooting

[PittsburghOzzy]

Just got back from the range, I have a Bolt-Action .22LR w/10 round Factory Mag(Armscor).

While doing Scope adjustments, I thought that i had a FTF, when i ejected the round the casing was empty like all the others, I was about to ram home another round in the chamber when I thought i better check twice.....

I had to take the entire stock off, remove the trigger housing, and remove the bolt to get a good look up the barrel, when i did it looked like some one had chewed up a round and spit it all through my barrel.

This had to be ammo correct? I was using Blazer .22 LR HV, the ones with the all lead tip not plated

Does this happen often with .22lr Ammo, is getting it in copper plated just the safest and best options with these .22's. I got this just to plink, zero a scope at 100yds and maybe once or twice a year do some varmint shooting with, so i do not need this to be a high-speed combat ready weapon or even a 2nd or 3rd backup w/ the most devastating ammo on the market, mainly just for fun.

Like i said this is my first experience with a .22LR.

[dteed4094]

First, I' ve never heard of FMJ 22 lr, They may have a bronze or copper colored wash coating on the projectile but they are all led. If you had a chewed up round in the barrel you have a major malfunction it would seem with the action. I can't of a possible reason why you could eject an intact casing with a chewed up round in the barrel unless you had an obstructoion in the barrel. Was it your first shot that malfunctioned? Sounds like the barrel was either very dirty to start with or something was it the barrel to start with, in which case you are lucky you didn't have an explosive failure. Clean it well, fire it once and inspect the bore.

[PittsburghOzzy]

Yes, I cleaned it pretty well, not USMC inspection well, but happy with all the moving parts and the bore looked sparkling, I say looked because i punched it 3-4 times did not look like there were any spots i missed.

And no it was not the first shot, which is what is kinda stumping me. It was the 5th round of a 2nd series of a 10rd mag, the first 14 shots were flawless, I do not get my .22 bore punch back until saturday morning, what i am thinking is what you said about it being Extremly dirty......

This rifle had not had rounds put through it in nearly 10 years, and then there were only 20-30 rounds ever put through it, put away never cleaned until i got my hands on it, could have been a solid build up that did not loosen with my cleaning of it. Looking back at the range, what looked like a chewed up bullet very well could have been a very old thick piece of dirt breaking off, do not know how i missed it or if that is right, will see in the morning.

Still the round sounded muffled and there was little to no recoil, i guess that is why I thought it was a FTF.

[Don T.]

It sounds to me like a round that was primed, but never filled with powder. A "Squib" load. It's rare, but not unheard of. It's a good thing you checked the barrel!

I've had a lot of failures lately caused by missing primer compound in name brand bulk (*cough* Remington *cough*) ammo.

[300plus]

The quality of the cheap bulk .22LR ammo sold at Wally world and other places these days is atrocious. If it costs under $25 for 500 rounds be wary of the performance.

Clean the rifle well and try CCI Mini Mag, Winchester Super-X, or Fiocchi 40 grain ammo. Should eliminate the ammo as the cause.

[PittsburghOzzy]

Thanks for all the help everyone, .22LR is affordable, even the high quality stuff. So no more W mart "Value Packs".

It is good that i did not chamber another round, I went through my old m-4, SAW Immediate Action, Shell ejected, no double feel, chamber looked clear. lets rock n' roll....

Goes as good lesson, if you dont know squat about a particular firearm or load, think twice.

[GilT]

FYI-

Often one round through a freshly cleaned barrel will leave it so fouled with powder that you can barely see through it. Some loadings are worse than others but .22's are universally dirty, doubt that you had a disintegrated bullet. Price has little or no effect on how dirty the round will be.

I use better ammo for bullseye shooting, grouping, but shoot whatever is on sale otherwise...............except Remington which has a high number of FTF's.

Tom-

[DaveHaberman]

I use federal gameshok 40 grain roundnose.