[BulletTime]

I get stove pipes (front half in chamber and primer end sticking up) every 2 to 3 mags. Sometimes it's the 2nd(3rd, 4th...) shot and sometimes it's the 10th (11th,12th...)shot. All 6 of my mags have failed.

What I've done:

--F&B

--sand and polish chamber

--hood mod.

--replace extractor and spring 4 times (new sharp extractor). Extractor screw is tight.

--replace recoil spring 2 times.


I guess I need to send it to KT. I have probably voided my warranty because of the mods.

I just want to see if anyone has any ideas before I send it in.

Thanks
BulletTime

 

[rcmodel]

What brands of ammo have you tried?

rcmodel

 

[BulletTime]

What brands of ammo have you tried?

Lots of different brands have failed:
Speer GD
Rem
Fed
UMC
Aligllia?
Hornady

I have over 950 rds through this gun. This gun has aways had this problem.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, it sounds like you have covered all the usual suspects.
(I'm assuming we are talking about empty fired cases here, right?)

I noticed you said "replaced recoil spring two times. (I'm assuming you meant to say springs, as there should be a pair of recoil springs in there.) If there is only one spring, the gun could be opening too fast before the pressure drops off and failing to extract / eject.

How many rounds do you shoot between cleanings? (Some of these guns won't go much past 50 - 75 rounds between cleanings without problems.)

My only other suggestion would be to try some moly grease on the slide rails. (Sometimes oil isn't good enough on some guns.)

If none of this applies, it is probably time to send it home for some TLC.

rcmodel

 

[BulletTime]

Well, it sounds like you have covered all the usual suspects.
(I'm assuming we are talking about empty fired cases here, right?)

Right.

I noticed you said "replaced recoil spring two times. (I'm assuming you meant to say springs

I replaced both springs each time.

How many rounds do you shoot between cleanings?

I clean after each range trip (50-100rds). The problem can happen in the first mag sometimes.

My only other suggestion would be to try some moly grease on the slide rails.

I do use moly grease on the rails.


I'm just out of ideas.

 

[TxCajun]

Agreed. Assuming you have both recoil springs in there, you've done your share. Time to spend $9 and ship some machine parts to CNC, Inc.

You've done nothing that will void your warranty, unless you really butchered the barrell hood or something.

 

[zeke]

check your slide on the side opposite the extractor, see if you have a groove worn in there something like this picture.

you can see the groove above the small spot that still has blueing on it. This slide worked for about 250 rounds then started giving me FTE problems. If you have this groove send it back as there is nothing you can do yourself. I filled the groove in with some epoxy and it would shoot anything untill the epoxy fell out.

I wouldn't worry about having voided you warranty, I did the hood mod myself, KT had no problem replacing my slide under warranty.

 

[BulletTime]

I do have a groove in that exact spot. Never heard of that before. Thanks for the info.

The hood mod I did was mild. I'll send it in and hope KT takes care of it.

 

[zeke]

You could try to put some epoxy in there then sand it smooth with the face of the metal. Mine would not shoot WWB in that slide at all FTE every shot, fired 5 rounds with no problem till the epoxy fell out. Send it in to KT with a note about the Failure to eject problems and the slide groove. KT will replace the slide for you, I'd ask them not to replace the barrel unless they have to as you have already polished the chamber and modified the hood. Once you get a good slide you should have a darn good reliable weapon.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, that right there is your problem!
The groove allows the empty case to move over to the left and come unhooked from the extractor.

Next question is, What the heck is doing that?

Brass case rims simply can't wear a groove in a steel slide, so it has to be something else.

Made that way perhaps?

I just looked at my well used FG slide, and there are some tool marks there, but absolutely no wear at all.

rcmodel

 

[Guest]

bullettime. It is indeed time for the factory to ake over and they will make it right. My 380 has no groove in it like urs but it is back for ther 5th time for FTE. They haven't seem to be able to solve the problem yet, they have replaced the barrel but not the slide, frame is original. I ask them to consider doing both this time, as it is getting costly for kt to send it back to me and something is just out of kilter that I cannot see it, I have also replaced everything you can image, numerous times as kt has to. I did not modifications to the weapon other than polishing the ramp and champber etc, no grnding. shoots nice, just not reliable...kt will make it right for you...

 

[rjhauser]

definite slide problem, from experience....

they will make it right, send it back to mother KT, call on Monday, speak to Rick, he will take care of you.

rjhauser - who has KT's # in speed dial.

 

[zeke]

Next question is, What the heck is doing that?

Brass case rims simply can't wear a groove in a steel slide, so it has to be something else.

Made that way perhaps?

rcmodel

I think mine was partially manufactured that way the part that was still blued is recessed from the face of the remaining material. The gun worked good for 250 rds then started having FTE problems. With the groove partially there from the manufacturing process, only a small bit of wear was required for the case to be able to move away from the extractor causing FTE's. This may be another case of the heat treating not being up to par.

 

[cuda340dbb]

What is an f&b?

 

[BulletTime]

What is an f&b?

http://www.goldenloki.com/guns/keltec/prep.htm

 

[cathellsk]

I have one of those grooves on mine but its not nearly as deep and the finish is intact on it. Is there something for me to worry about or what? I had a few FTE in the 100rds I fired today.

 

[zeke]

I will update the pic later today to make sure everyone is looking at the same spot.

cathellsk the small groove from the machining of the slide alone may not cause any problems. My slide caused no problems when new. The groove has to be large/deep enough to allow the casing to move away from the extractor to cause any problems. I don't think this problem is very common. Take a pic of the area if possible to refer to later, shoot some more and compare to the pic, IF the area is wearing more and more then you could have problems eventually. IF it is not wearing, I would not worry about it to much, just keep it in mind as a possible cause if problems develop.

I would try the common solutions first.

1) check to ensure buttonhead screw on extractor is tight.
2) Polish the chamber and feed ramp.
3) Ensure proper lube and clean the gun.
4) Do a fluff and buff on the slide.

KT will recommed at least 200 rounds are fired before returning for service. You have to give the gun a chance to properly wear in, although the F&B will help this along.

 

[rcmodel]

Zeke
I still stand by my statement that a brass cartridge case cannot wear a groove in a steel slide, no matter how soft the slide is. Brass simply cannot scratch or wear steel because it is too soft to do so.

Have you ever fired any steel-case Russian ammo in this gun?

I could see steel-case ammo wearing a groove like that in a soft slide, eventually.

rcmodel

 

[zeke]

I had ordered 500 rds of UMC from midway, before I had even bought the gun. I went through 200 rounds of it with an FTE now and again. Then started having lots of FTE's with the UMC. I called KT for a new extractor and did Flyer's hood mod, in addition to polishing the heck out of the chamber. I tried different ammo, Independence was worse than UMC, Magtech shot 40 rounds without an FTE, but couldn't find any more of it. Federal American Eagle, was shooting good for about 100 rounds. I did lots of measuring of casings trying to figure out why magtech and American eagle would work and UMC, Independence, WWB wouldn't.

Then I started measuring the difference between my HC and the blue. That's when I found the groove. I don't remember the size of it off hand, but there is a thread on it somewhere here in the P3AT board.

Bottom line Nothing but brass cased ammo was fired in the gun. I can't explainify how it happened but it did.

 

[zeke]

The spot I'm calling a groove is between the red box, still factory blueing showning and the larger yellow box.