Colt Pocket Nine Jam

[Chan Bates]

I have a Colt Pocket Nine that was worked over by Scott/MacDougal a few years ago. It has always worked perfectly. I lent it out and just got it back last night. The person who gave it back said she could not rack the slide to empty the chamber. I pulled the slide back and ejected the round with no problem.

When I arrived back home I loaded the gun. The first round would not go all the way into battery. I hit the rear of the slide to push it the rest of the way into battery, and it went, with a click, feeling like the extractor had jumped over the rim of the cartridge. I didn't like that so I decided to unload it, break it down and check it out.

Now *I* can't get the slide to open. Either the barrel is jammed so it won't cam downward, or the guide rod is locking things in place, I think. The slide will move about 1/2", but no more. There is a live round in the chamber. I cannot move the slide far enough to lock it back to get the assembly pin out. The guide rod is sticking out of the front of the slide about 1/2" when the slide is slightly retarcted. I have tried moving it, to no avail.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will also write Doug MacDougal. CB3

 

[Old Fuff]

USE EXTREEM CAUTION! KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION AT ALL TIMES.

1. If you have not done so, remove the magazine. Then see if the slide will move.

2. If not (which is likely) insert a piece of wood dowel - as large in diameter as will fit in the bore - down the barrel from the muzzle until it touches the bullet. Cut the dowel to this length plus about 3 inches.

3. With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction LIGHTLY TAP on the end of the dowel with a plastic, leather or wood headed mallet. DO NOT USE A STEEL OR BRASS HEADED HAMMER! Keep the hand with the mallet well away from the gun’s muzzle.

The purpose here is not to move the slide all of the way back, but to move it slightly so that it unlocks enough so that you can pull the slide back.

4. If LIGHT TAPPING DOESN’T UNLOCK THINGS, STOP! BE AWARE AT ALL TIMES THAT AN UNEXPECTED DISCHARGE COULD HAPPEN. ALSO BE AWARE THAT THE DOWEL MAY MOVE BECAUSE IT IS PUSHING THE BULLET BACK INTO THE CASE. WATCH THROUGH THE EJECTION PORT TO SEE IF THE WHOLE CARTRIDGE IS MOVING.

Since I am not in a position to observe or supervise I take no responsibility for the consequences of your actions. However this has worked for me on other guns.

I seldom lend anyone a gun, but on those occasions I always field-strip and inspect it before reloading it. I know, 20-20 hindsight is wonderful, but anyway now you’ve learned something constructive.

I wish you good luck .....

Edit to add: Also be sure to wear face/eye protection and don't get close to the ejection port or magazine well while you're tapping on the dowel.

 

[Chan Bates]

Suggestion worked

Thanks for the advice. Tapping with only a medium stroke moved the slide enough to get the round out.

I disassembled, cleaned and inspected the gun. Everything looked fine. I reassembled w/lube and put some orange plastic dummy rounds through it. Worked fine.

I put the same type of round back in it, a 124 grn ProLoad HP, and it had the same jam. After removing that cartridge I visually checked the OAL and found it to be longer than other ammo I had. I tried some of the other shorter ammo and it worked fine.

First ammo sensitive gun I have owned, and customized at that. Guess it must be the barrel/chamber specs? CB3

 

[Old Fuff]

I’m glad the trick worked. One always holds their breath when a loaded round is involved. In such situations always use extreme care.

It may be that the bullet has an ogive that is engaging the rifling before the case is fully seated in the chamber. This would explain why it works in some guns but not others.

Remove the barrel from the pistol and drop a round into the chamber. Push LIGHTLY on the base with your thumb or finger and see if it seats like it should. If not you have a clue as to what’s going on. This is a good test to try with ANY ammunition - especially if it’s something you use when you carry the gun as a weapon.

 

[Chan Bates]

I agree it is probably the shape of the bullet.

I did drop one of these rounds by hand into the barrel. It met with just a little resistance before I seated it with a fairly gentle push. It does not seem logical (Spock?) that this amount of resistance would leave the gun out of battery and absolutley jam the cartridge in the chamber, but it does.

I guess it would not be a problem if the round chambered, as when it fired it would probably eject fine.

Then again, there might be some bullet setback that could increase pressures. It's not worth messing with.

BTW, I was fully aware of the dangers of tapping on a live round in the chamber. I took the necessary safety precautions. I also removed the nice wood grips from the gun and wrapped the grip frame in leather to protect the gun, and I was careful not to damage the grip frame by closing the vise too tightly. I was quite surprised at how easily the method worked--twice.

I have written Doug McDougal about it. Hope he replies. CB3

 

[SouthpawShootr]

I have an XD9 that had the same problem and I remedied it the same way. The ammo that this gun would choke on fed through Glocks, S&Ws, and Berettas just fine. Not a problem with OAL, but cases were just a tad out of spec close to the base (these were commercial reloads, a practice I have since stopped - I buy all new manufactured now).

 

[Old Fuff]

Regardless of the cause, you can eliminate some ammunition-related jams by using the disassembled barrel as a gage to check each round out. Probably too much trouble to do on practice rounds, but well worth it on those you carry or load for other "serious" purposes. Anyone having "won't go into battery" problems should clean the chamber and bore, and then gage the ammunition before going on to something else.

 

[Sunspot]

Thanks for the heads up Chan. I also carry a Colt Pocket Nine that SM&A has worked on. So far it has never burbled once and I have tried a wide range of ammo.