Gun Novice - Need HELP clearing a jam (Ruger SR-9)

[smcnamee1212]

I purchased my first handgun (Ruger SR9) a few months back and have not even had a chance to fire a round. At the advice of a co-worker/gun owner, I have cleaned and lubricated the gun on two seperate occasions and have run through the contents of the clip (an attempt to "break-in" the spring). I have also emptied all the rounds from the clips, wiped clean, and reloaded to avoid moisture from humidity causing issues later.

However, on both occassions, while chambering and ejecting the rounds, a round has become lodged just short of being "chambered". The first time, I was fortunate enough to be able to wiggle the slide action back and the round ejected. This time, not so much. The slide is jammed partially rearward and the round is not quite in the chamber. I have found sources of information on clearing multiple types of jams, but none like this.

If anyone has any suggestions, or would like more info before offering advice please let me know.

 

[DaBull]

Are you "riding the slide" when you cycle it? If you are holding on to slide as it goes forward, you are slowing it down so it doesn't have sufficient momentum to chamber the round properly.

 

[Smaug]

Can you pull the slide back?

1) Drop the magazine
2) Finger off the trigger
3) If it has a safety, flip it on safe.
3) Point it in a safe direction
4) Forcefully pull the slide back. If the extractor is hooked onto the case, it will pull the round out.
5) If you can pull the slide back, lock it open by pressing up on the slide lock on the left side of the gun.
6) If you can't pull the slide back, then your friend's ignorance just cost you. You'll need to send it in probably.

Did it ever occur to you to read the manual and just follow what it says in there?

I can't IMAGINE a person buying a gun for hundreds of dollars and not shooting it for months.

If you really feel like you need to break something in without actually going to the range and firing it, you can rack the slide back without the magazine in the gun and let it slam forward a few times. But firing it is the best way to break it in.

 

[BossHogg]

should just drop the mag and pull back on the slide, bullet may just fall down through the mag well.

 

[papa_bear]

Hey guy, I would suggest you take the weapon to a gun store or find a gun smith. Then take a weapons safety course. You obviously should not be handling guns if on two separate occasions you were playing with a loaded weapon in your house. You SHOULD NOT be cycling live ammo for "break in"???????????? Please take a course before you hurt yourself or a family member. Actions like these are why the gun grabbers try to take our guns.

 

[paperpuncher49]

Quote: - If you can't pull the slide back, then your friend's ignorance just cost you. You'll need to send it in probably.

DON'T DO IT! Highly illegal to ship a firearm which is loaded, even if it isn't fully chambered. Bring it to a local gunsmith if you cannot clear it and BE SURE TO EXPLAIN THAT THERE IS A LIVE ROUND JAMMED IN THE FIREARM.

Were you using reloads? The cases might not be sized properly, causing them to bind up before fully chambering to the point that the slide cannot be pulled back. Clearing this type of jam involves applying a great deal of force (pounding the slide backward) in a safe and proper manner and even seasoned gunsmiths can get very nervous when remediating such a condition, so I wouldn't recommend a novice try it.

Remember, the gun is for all practical purposes loaded, and IS therefore hazardous. Your problem could also be caused by a slightly undersized chamber, but I doubt it if it is a Ruger. Some replacement barrels manufactured by a company that I will not name for obvious reasons have a reputation for being undersized.

 

[NG VI]

I doubt a guy with his first gun that hasn't been fired in months yet is using reloads.

I'm guessing you were riding the slide, won't help break it in, the only good way to do that is to shoot it, which you should have already done, now just take the magazine out and do what e'erbuddy said. Don't be afraid to give the slide the grease while you try to retract it next time, really haul off on that sumthing, just make sure you are being safe with it when you do. Stay away from the trigger while you are doing all this.

 

[Shadow 7D]

WAIT

UM, so you have a small Concealed Carry designed gun...
A gun that has Minimum Clearance, SO, if the round only, barely, can make it out the ejection port with the bullet attached. You are going to have issues, so take this as a learning experience.

 

[DukeNukem]

Another reason you don't want to be cycling live ammo through your semi-auto is that doing it repeatedly can push the bullets deeper into the cases. Buy some snap caps and don't use live ammo.

 

[DaBull]

Since you are new, I'll elaborate on DukeNukem's wise warning:

If you continually chamber and rechamber a round, the constant battering of the bullet against the feed ramp or chamber can push it into the brass shell. Even a little "set back" (a few millimeters) can lead to higher chamber pressures when you eventually shoot the round. If the pressure is excessive, it can lead to a "kaboom"--permanent damage to your gun and hand/face. Hence, the recommendation to use snap caps...fake bullets.

 

[paperpuncher49]

Quote: I doubt a guy with his first gun that hasn't been fired in months yet is using reloads.

In reality, I would too. However, you never know. Anything is possible. He might have obtained the gun and been given a box of remanufactured ammo or been given a box of reloads by a buddy. It is a wise thing to never assume things.

 

[Rocketmedic]

OP, you need to take a weapons safety class before you hurt yourself. Firearms are not like a car- we can't leave them halfway-fixed. Go find a local gun store and ask them to help you. Familiarize yourself with the equipment at hand.

 

[Gouranga]

You SHOULD NOT be cycling live ammo for "break in"????????????

x2 man. You do NOT cycle live ammo through your weapon in this manner. I have seen experts who accidentally hit their trigger while racking the slide and discharged a round into the floor of the range. It happens with experts so a newbie with little experience or muscle memory on finger position is really at risk. As one other poster said, get some snap caps and use those. Do NOT cycle live rounds through your gun at home.

You said you were new to this world, that you are a little nervous. The only way to overcome that is information and range time. Read the manual the gun came with. Read some articles on guns for newbies. Get on Youtube and find some good video instruction (there are some great ones there). If you have the time and money definitely invest in a handgun basics course at the local range or gun store. You will not regret it. Then get that weapon on there and shoot it. Keep the basic gun safety rules in your head at all times.

My first handgun I was very nervous with. The steps I listed got me set. I also ran near 1,000 round through it during the first 2 months I had it. Trust me, at the 1,000th round you are pretty comfortable with the weapon, how to break it down and clean it, and about everything else you would want to know about it

 

[mgmorden]

I'll throw my warnings in with the rest:

1. Hand cycling ammo through the action does NOTHING to "break-in" the "spring" (live fire may break in the frame, but no springs are going to get broken in).

2. If you're "riding the slide" (holding it as it comes down) 99% of handguns will jam up. You have to pull the slide back and just release it completely like a slingshot.

3. Repeatedly chambering a round like you're talking about will push the bullet back into the case. This will eventually cause feeding issues, but more importantly, it will cause those rounds to go over-pressure due to the volume in the case being reduced.

As suggested, take the gun to a gunsmith to clear the jam. Throw away any rounds which you've already been cycling through the gun. Take a pistol course, or if you know someone (not the guy who recommended you do this) with pistol experience, go to the range with them.

In the future, if you want to practice cycling your gun and/or dry firing at home, get a few "snap-caps". They look like little fake plastic bullets and are meant for this sort of thing.

Also, the SR9 doesn't use "clips", it uses magazines. If you're around gun people long enough you'll learn that almost all of use share a pet peeve on the misuse of the word "clip".

 

[tprice]

All the gun safety posts aside...
A few months ago I purchase a Ruger SR9c. The gun had several problems out of the box. The slide would not cycle all the way back, leading to FTE and jams similar to the one the OP describes. Thought it was a recoil spring assy issue but swapped it out with a new one and no joy. Sent back to Ruger and they replaced ejector...still no joy. gun shop owner was real nice (I've probably put his kid through college ) and just swapped it out. The second one had worked flawlessly over 500 rounds so far ... when it hits 1000 will be my new IWB ccw.

If the gun has a live round jammed in it, remove the magazine and move the safety lever up to show the white dot. Put it in its plastic case and take it to a local gunshop or range, ask range officer or staff to inspect the weapon (advise them of the issue and that a live round is in breech) and they should be able to clear it. Then send it back to Ruger.

 

[mgmorden]

Then send it back to Ruger.

I think thats an INCREDIBLY premature action due to jamming a round in the gun while repeatedly *hand cycling* the action. That would be like saying you should take your vehicle back to Ford because you were driving in the ditch and it got stuck.

 

[tprice]

So you wouln't have Ford look at it to make sure you didn't throw off the alignment etc? Sheesh. The guy got a live round stuck in his breech. Lord knows what happened to the barrel throat etc. Not saying it was a factory defect but would not consider the gun safe until inspected properly for feed and function.

 

[BossHogg]

Maybe we will get lucky and he will come back and let us know what he did to fix the problem.

 

[smcnamee1212]

I took the gun to a local Gunsmith and had it cleared and inspected. Turns out that the
9mm ammunition that was purchased at the same time as the gun was not the correct size for the pistol. The gunsmith was kind enough to advise me of the difference and how to avoid this in the future. THANK YOU to those that offered actual advice and counseling. It is very much appreciated. So we're clear, I have read the manual in its entirety, taken a gun safety course, and the CCW course. Unfortunately, I also took some bad advice, which I realize and can certainly understand why it was “bad” advice after reading the comments that tried to explain. I am anxious to get to the range, but I only know of one relatively close and with a job, two small children, and a recent move, it has just not been possible to get there.

Those that made poor attempts at making fun of my being inexperienced, I already said I was inexperienced, that's what "novice" means. So, I don't get the joke... Also, I am not some "dumb kid" running around my house waiving a loaded weapon over my head howling like a cowboy, as some assumed. I have been instructed how to safely handle a loaded weapon and to assume all weapons to be dangerous until verified to be secure.

I researched the issue online and found several posts, here and elsewhere, stating similar situations, so I came hear for advice from experienced gun owners and I got it with a little something extra. Remember this, if you are really concerned about gun safety, keep in mind the fact that newbies may not ask questions in places like this if it means putting a bulls eye on our heads. Don’t fool yourself into thinking there won’t be newbies, they may just stay newbies longer now… Think of all that you know about firearms and ask yourself how much of that you learned from the manual and the first 3 months of ownership…

Given my first experience with this board, I’m expecting some of you to have another go at me so I’ll be ducking now…

 

[tprice]

Sorry to hear that someone else's advice led to the issue. But glad you were able to get it resolved. Don'y let it discourage you from gaining experience and interest in the hobby!

 

[Shadow 7D]

Consider this
the average stereotype of a gun owner
as portrayed by the media
and often found to be not that far from the truth

So, in assuming that, from your description that you fell into the "I've got a gun" running and waving
Well, you made a number of BIG mistakes, and thank goodness you didn't shoot the gun, 9 Mak (which is what I'm assuming it is, as rarely do you find Browning short marketed here) Has now taught you a VITAL lesson,
there is a huge difference between caliber and cartridge.
9mm (.357/.380 (and yes the bullet is the same size) is one of the largest families in handguns, with .30-.32 being the huge one in rifles.

So, in the end, you got your problem solved, but cycling LIVE ammo, etc. are not the best SAFETY practices, and with guns, which are serious business, everybody is taught SAFETY FIRST, and SAFETY is EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS.

Consider this, at a Controlled range, only the RO's (range officer) can call it hot, but ANYBODY can call ceasefire. If you do something stupid, don't expect it not to be called, take it as a lesson, and with a grain of salt, go read the Accidental (most will point negligent) discharge thread, the OH, Shoot, I almost shot.... threads and learn,

Sadly, in the end, you have to want to participate, there is a HUGE amount of knowledge (even have well know gun writers, but they don't come out much... and now you know why) here.

Stay around, you learn alot, and it really is fun, and I'm sure someone here would love to take you to the range and teach you the golden four rules and let you try out some different guns if you post your area..... If not, some basic handgun courses are worth it.

 

[NG VI]

9 Mak (which is what I'm assuming it is, as rarely do you find Browning short marketed here)

That's what I was thinking too, must have been the 9 Mak. .364" cause that much havoc on a gun?


By the way, did you see how the gun feller got this stick unstuck?

 

[smcnamee1212]

You are correct, the Mak, it was. Good news is that the Gunsmith was very informative and a good guy. He knew of another range that's over in AL, but just as close the other one here in town and said the staff are understanding of new owners. Going to try and get over there in the next few weeks. First, I need to figure out how to stretch these rounds a little so they'll work in my gun. Anyone have any suggestions?


That was a joke. Thanks again for the advice and the encouragement.

 

[BossHogg]

9x19mm , 9mm parabellum and 9mm luger and you're good to go. A lot of weird eastern block ammo out there can get confusing.

Glad you got it worked out, That's a very nice gun and you should have lots of fun shooting when you get the time. Weclome aboard.

 

[Shadow 7D]

NO
that is a GOOD WAY TO DIE...
In English units the 9mmx19 (parabellum, luger, NATO) is .355, the 9Mak is .365
and that will do VERY bad things to your gun.

Just go to walmart and buy the cheapest 9mm (x19) they have,