Pistol works better dirty?

[Mad_Max]

I have a GSG Firefly (aka Sig Mosquito) and it seems odd to me that it operates better after some rounds have been run thru it as compared to when its freshly cleaned. The most common issue after cleaning is Fail to Feed and it looks like the part that the cartridges ride on (mag floor?) may be sticking/hanging up. I've polished the ramp to the chamber so I doubt that's it. Ideas? (yes, I'm sure somebody will say "get a different gun")

 

[kozak6]

Take the magazine apart, and clean and oil it. It can get surprisingly grimy in there. The part you are referring to is the follower. I've had crusty magazines do the same thing.

Do you have any other magazines? If it does the same thing with other magazines, the problem might be in the pistol instead.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

+1 to kozak6's post. Tearing the magazine apart and cleaning it is your first step.

After that, if the problem persists, you could replace the magazine springs and see if that helps.

As to why the gun would run smoother after it's been shot a bit, the only thing I can think of is are you leaving the gun sit for a long time with gobs of oil in the magazine and gun? If so, some oils can dry out and get a little gummy. If the gun gets shot infrequently that gumminess may get worn away in the first few magazines when you do shoot it, and then allows for smoother operation. But if you are shooting this gun frequently this seems unlikely.

 

[edwardware]

. . . it seems odd to me that it operates better after some rounds have been run thru it as compared to when its freshly cleaned.

. . . with gobs of oil in the magazine and gun? If so, some oils can dry out and get a little gummy.

Too much or too little lube can do this, or too much in the wrong places. Interiors of magazines should be clean and barely oiled (so they don't fill with sticky dust and wooleyboogers).

Next time you clean, think about all the bearing surfaces you're cleaning, and be sure to leave a little oil on them before you close up.

 

[Mad_Max]

I appreciate all the information. I try to keep the oil/lube to a minimum. I clean the barrel with Hoppes 9 and follow that with a bit of Hoppes Gun Oil. I got some Hornaday One Shot because I read it was good for mags so I'll have to give that a try. I shoot quite a bit so the gun rarely sits unused for more than a week. I clean after every outing and might go thru 100 to 300 rounds at a time.

 

[Stumper]

It seems that what you are describing is a failure to feed because the slide is riding over the cartridge rim. Thus it seems that the mag follower is "sticky" as you describe it...but this happens most when the gun is clean. I suspect that the problem diminishes with a dirty condition because the slide cycle time decreases slightly allowing the follower to get the cartridge up where the slide can feed it into the chamber. A stronger magazine spring may alleviate the issue.

 

[robhof]

I appreciate all the information. I try to keep the oil/lube to a minimum. I clean the barrel with Hoppes 9 and follow that with a bit of Hoppes Gun Oil. I got some Hornaday One Shot because I read it was good for mags so I'll have to give that a try. I shoot quite a bit so the gun rarely sits unused for more than a week. I clean after every outing and might go thru 100 to 300 rounds at a time.

You might also check for sharp or rough areas on your follower, as when sooted with burned powder, the soot acts as a dry lube and allows the rough edges to slide over drag areas. A little work with fine emery board or paper should solve any rough spots and not harm performance, should actually improve it. I've seen race guns that had well polished magazines and followers.