Polish feed ramp?

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tws3b2

tws3b2

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Straight up. I'm "Not" a gunsmith. But, I'm good with working with my hands. I've refinished / repaired several firearms. Now I find myself a need to polish a feed ramp. Any expert feed ramp polishers out there that could give me any how to go about advice? Remember , I know Nothing. Soo, How to.
 
You will need a Dremel tool & use the fine sand roll. And a good light to see what your doing.
 
A problem with using a dremel for this application is that the tool rotates. Ideally the polishing action should be in the same direction that the cartridge will travel from the mag to the chamber. Thus, the polishing strokes should be "longitudinal", in line with the barrel/chamber. If a "sandpaper" drum rotary tool is used it could even make the situation worse. Plus, sandpaper isn't a fine-enough grit. I remember (from about 40 years ago) seeing advice in using a handheld abrasive-covered rod in a fore-and-aft action to polish a feed ramp.
 
beag_nut said:
A problem with using a dremel for this application is that the tool rotates. Ideally the polishing action should be in the same direction that the cartridge will travel from the mag to the chamber. Thus, the polishing strokes should be "longitudinal", in line with the barrel/chamber. If a "sandpaper" drum rotary tool is used it could even make the situation worse. Plus, sandpaper isn't a fine-enough grit. I remember (from about 40 years ago) seeing advice in using a handheld abrasive-covered rod in a fore-and-aft action to polish a feed ramp.
Click to expand...
Abrasive- covered rod? Steel wool? Or Emery cloth? The fore - and - aft makes sense to me. But. Like I say. I know nothing.
 
The one feed ramp I ever polished was done by hand with 800 and 1000 grit then grey Scothbrite. All elbow grease. Usually never need to polish feed ramps though.
 
Steve in Allentown said:
What firearm are you working on?
Click to expand...
Sub compact 9mm Auto. The problem is a few times the slide failed to return to full battery. Liking about 1/4 inch or so. Someone suggested polishing the feed ramp. Sound simple to me so decided to try before returning to maker.
 
You need a dowel that follows the contour very closely, and rouge. If its bad, some 800 grit on the dowel.
That said, do you really need to? I have seen many, many feedramps, and never seen one that needed polished. I have seen a decent number of chambers though.
I have seem many wannabe gunsmiths, even 1 professional wannabe gunsmith talk it up like its needed, but never actually seen it. (with one exception, see below).
You very well may, and sorry to ramble is so, but I know the hype around it is 1,000,000X what the actual occurrence is, and the likelihood of damage is high. .

Feedramps have to be terrible to cause real problems. I actually kept a very big machine burr on my Reminton R1S feedramp (about .18"X.01") just to show people how uncritical feedramp smoothness is. That burr never had a problem.

If you still need to though, and don't have a dowel of the right size, a good deepwell socket set will probably get you where you need to be. I used this method when I had to file a bad feedramp, and needed to finish polish after recut. I used a couple of rough files to do the work, so polish was necessary. Find a socket that fits, wrap it in tape, paint it with jewelry rouge/lapping compound and keep it straight. Prepare for a few hours. use a dremmel if your brave, but I, and people I know won't buy/work on, or even shoot a firearm with evidence of powertool work.
 
tws3b2 said:
Sub compact 9mm Auto.
Click to expand...
Is it a 1911?

The problem is a few times the slide failed to return to full battery. Liking about 1/4 inch or so.
Click to expand...
This is an important clue. The extractor may have too much tension, too much deflection, or a sharp edge that is digging into the brass as it feeds.

The chamber may be rough or undersized. Have you tried the plunk test?
  1. Remove the barrel
  2. Hold the barrel vertically with the chamber up and the muzzle down
  3. Drop a loaded cartridge into the barrel. It should make a distinctive sound when the brass case mouth impacts the steel chamber ledge
  4. While pushing forward hard on the base of the cartridge rotate the cartridge in the chamber. It should rotate easily. If it doesn't the barrel needs to be finish reamed.
 
Not sure what caused it. It was like that when i bought the gun. It's been fine since i cleaned it up. I think it had a stuck steel case in it. And the former owner took a screwdriver to it. The bore was bad too. You could hardly see the rifling. It was fouled bad. At least they didn't gouge it up.
 
tws3b2 said:
Now I find myself a need to polish a feed ramp. Any expert feed ramp polishers out there that could give me any how to go about advice? Remember , I know Nothing.
Click to expand...

What firearm and what is the “need” or goal? Trying to change shape, make the surface smoother, …

Most important thing is to remember metal is easier to remove than it is to put back.
 
tws3b2 said:
Sub compact 9mm Auto. The problem is a few times the slide failed to return to full battery. Liking about 1/4 inch or so. Someone suggested polishing the feed ramp. Sound simple to me so decided to try before returning to maker.
Click to expand...
= STOP right there =

Before you remove any material from feed ramp that could alter the feed angle, educate yourself and investigate why your pistol is not feeding.

Reliable feeding depends on several variables and chances are pistol manufacturer tried different things and ended up with the BEST variables before going to production. Change any of these variables and likely your problem will get worse not better. (If rounds not feeding is due to manufacturing pistol/magazine defects or wear, you should be looking at parts replacement and/or talking to customer service instead of fixing it yourself)

So let's investigate:
  • Are you having issues with factory 115/124 gr FMJ/RN? (Pistols are usually designed to feed these reliably and if your pistol feeds factory FMJ/RN reliably, I would not touch the ramp)
  • Has the pistol been field stripped and cleaned/lubed? (If not, do so and check feeding with factory FMJ/RN)
  • Is there any manufacturing/machining flaws? (Most feeding issues with pistol revolve around the magazine. Are you having problem with all the magazines or just one? Any issues with feed lips, follower, etc.?)
  • If the pistol is new, it may need "break-in" period before it is fully reliable. Recoil spring maybe stiff and lighter "target load" or white box ammunition may not be pushing the slide back far enough. You can lock the slide back until your next range session to help with recoil spring break in (More pertinent with compact/subcompact pistols with stiffer recoil spring/assembly)
  • If the pistol is old, recoil spring may be worn and require replacement. How to check? Clear the pistol and pull the slide back and point the muzzle at the ceiling. Slowly return the slide until about 1/2" before going to full battery. When you release the slide, it should go into full battery without hesitation with full lock up of barrel. Any hesitation and I would suspect worn recoil spring and/or something dragging/friction inside the pistol that needs attention.
  • If old gun/magazine, may need mag spring replacement and/or extractor/breech wall face cleaning. Once top round's nose bumps the feed ramp and case rim clears the lips, it's the magazine spring tension that pushes the case up to align with the chamber so the slide/recoil spring can push the round into the chamber. If the extractor has carbon fouling build up, case rim won't freely slide up the breech wall face and slide won't go into full battery.
I would do the things listed above first before suspecting feed ramp. (I have never polished the feed ramp of any of my pistols as clearly expressed by my bullseye match shooting mentor who taught me to do all gunsmith work on my match pistols with tighter chamber barrels).
 
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beag_nut said:
A problem with using a dremel for this application is that the tool rotates. Ideally the polishing action should be in the same direction that the cartridge will travel from the mag to the chamber. Thus, the polishing strokes should be "longitudinal", in line with the barrel/chamber. If a "sandpaper" drum rotary tool is used it could even make the situation worse. Plus, sandpaper isn't a fine-enough grit. I remember (from about 40 years ago) seeing advice in using a handheld abrasive-covered rod in a fore-and-aft action to polish a feed ramp.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have polished the feed ramp of every gun I have owned. I use a Emory paper. It is made to use on metal. It comes in different coarseness grades. I use medium and then a fine grade. I use a wooden dowel ans wrap the paper around it. Then using linear strokes I work at it slowly and look at it with a magnifying glass periodically to see if there are any matching jerks left. Then I swath to the very fine paper and polish it to a bright shine.
 
AK Hunter said:
You will need a Dremel tool & use the fine sand roll. And a good light to see what your doing.
Click to expand...
Belay that.
Start with 600 grit polish compound, and a dowel the same size as the ramp, go to higher number grits.
The same thing 1942bull does. I just use valve lapping compound, and/ or finishing sandpaper 2000 and 3000 grit.
 
mjsdwash said:
= STOP right there =

Before you remove any material from feed ramp that could alter the feed angle, educate yourself and investigate why your pistol is not feeding.

Reliable feeding depends on several variables and chances are pistol manufacturer tried different things and ended up with the BEST variables before going to production. Change any of these variables and likely your problem will get worse not better. (If rounds not feeding is due to manufacturing pistol/magazine defects or wear, you should be looking at parts replacement and/or talking to customer service instead of fixing it yourself)

So let's investigate:
  • Are you having issues with factory 115/124 gr FMJ/RN? (Pistols are usually designed to feed these reliably and if your pistol feeds factory FMJ/RN reliably, I would not touch the ramp)
  • Has the pistol been field stripped and cleaned/lubed? (If not, do so and check feeding with factory FMJ/RN)
  • Is there any manufacturing/machining flaws? (Most feeding issues with pistol revolve around the magazine. Are you having problem with all the magazines or just one? Any issues with feed lips, follower, etc.?)
  • If the pistol is new, it may need "break-in" period before it is fully reliable. Recoil spring maybe stiff and lighter "target load" or white box ammunition may not be pushing the slide back far enough. You can lock the slide back until your next range session to help with recoil spring break in (More pertinent with compact/subcompact pistols with stiffer recoil spring/assembly)
  • If the pistol is old, recoil spring may be worn and require replacement. How to check? Clear the pistol and pull the slide back and point the muzzle at the ceiling. Slowly return the slide until about 1/2" before going to full battery. When you release the slide, it should go into full battery without hesitation with full lock up of barrel. Any hesitation and I would suspect worn recoil spring and/or something dragging/friction inside the pistol that needs attention.
  • If old gun/magazine, may need mag spring replacement and/or extractor/breech wall face cleaning. Once top round's nose bumps the feed ramp and case rim clears the lips, it's the magazine spring tension that pushes the case up to align with the chamber so the slide/recoil spring can push the round into the chamber. If the extractor has carbon fouling build up, case rim won't freely slide up the breech wall face and slide won't go into full battery.
I would do the things listed above first before suspecting feed ramp. (I have never polished the feed ramp of any of my pistols as clearly expressed by my bullseye match shooting mentor who taught me to do all gunsmith work on my match pistols with tighter chamber barrels).
Click to expand...
Actually my problem is when fired the slide sometimes fails to return to full battery. It likes about 1/4 inch or less. It will not fire untill it fully returns. A light tap on the butt of the slide will cause it to fully return. It's a new gun. Less than 200 rounds. Taurus g3c. After thinking about it I doubt polishing the ramp will do any good . The next round does make it into the chamber. No other problems. It has been cleaned and oiled several times. Oddly the first time it was shot "50 rounds" no problems. The second 50 round a couple fail to return. The third several fails. Now near 1 per clip. I was just hoping I could find a fix before returning to maker.
 
tws3b2 said:
A light tap on the butt of the slide will cause it to fully return. It's a new gun. Less than 200 rounds. Taurus g3c

... near 1 per clip. I was just hoping I could find a fix before returning to maker.
Click to expand...
Since a new pistol has been cleaned and oiled and 200 rounds shot, it should be well on its way to "breaking in".

Before you contact customer service, do the slide test by pointing a cleared pistol muzzle up with slide slowly returned to 1/2" before full battery and see if it will consistently return to full battery. If it does not, something is preventing it from doing so.

I would disassemble the pistol again to clean and oil then reassemble making sure all the parts are put back together correctly. If you see any obvious wear spots, especially parts that would engage during slide returning to full battery, I would make mental notes.

If after another cleaning/oiling and reassembly doesn't allow the slide pointed up to go readily into full battery and you continue to experience feeding issues with factory FMJ/RN ammunition, I would contact customer service. (Members report Taurus' renewed commitment to customer service and turnaround time has been short)

BTW, a friend bought his wife a G3 compact and it has been reliable with my general purpose range blasting reloads using pulled plated RN bullets. No feeding issues of any kind during several hundred rounds of break-in. I was pleasantly surprised by accuracy. Only thing I noticed was trigger/striker release occurred further back than what I am used to with Glocks but I quickly got adjusted to it.
 
entropy said:
Ammo?

Have a gunsmith polish the chamber.
Click to expand...
If OP is shooting factory ammo, I don't think it's the chamber as several Taurus pistols I had ran generous chamber dimensions and OP reports subsequent rounds fully chamber without issues.
tws3b2 said:
The next round does make it into the chamber. No other problems.
Click to expand...
OP could check by taking out the barrel and see if factory rounds fall in the chamber freely and fall out. (I bet you it almost rattles like my friend's wife's G3C)
 
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tws3b2 said:
Sub compact 9mm Auto. The problem is a few times the slide failed to return to full battery. Liking about 1/4 inch or so. Someone suggested polishing the feed ramp. Sound simple to me so decided to try before returning to maker.
Click to expand...

Feed ramps rarely require polishing.

In 1911 style firearms, do bullets "slide" up the feed ramp of "carom" off the ramp more like a bounce as the barrel cams up and the round feeds under and into the extractor and enters the chamber? This is a rhetorical question!

How tight is the barrel bushing? Is it relieved to allow a smooth transition as the barrel cams upward going into battery? Is the barrel hood properly relieved to allow smooth transition going into battery? The same goes for the upper and lower barrel lugs.

This a fairly new firearm, your description may just be a symptom of a "hard fit barrel". In other words may go away as the firearm is "broken in".

Dremel tools are the gunsmiths best friend! Improper use by guys like me produce lots of work for "qualified gunsmiths"!

Listen to Steve in Allentown!

Smiles,
 
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JJFitch said:
Is this a fairly new firearm?
Click to expand...
New Taurus G3C

JJFitch said:
How tight is the barrel bushing? Is it relieved to allow a smooth transition as the barrel cams upward going into battery? Is the barrel hood properly relieved to allow smooth transition going into battery? The same goes for the upper and lower barrel lugs.
Click to expand...
No barrel bushing with slight play at muzzle my friend's wife's G3C I shot. Barrel lock up was good at breech end.

I think OP's pistol may just need further break-in.

Since Taurus offers lifetime warranty, pistol could be returned for repair anytime in the future if further break-in doesn't make the pistol reliable.
 
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LiveLife said:
Since a new pistol has been cleaned and oiled and 200 rounds shot, it should be well on its way to "breaking in".

Before you contact customer service, do the slide test by pointing a cleared pistol muzzle up with slide slowly returned to 1/2" before full battery and see if it will consistently return to full battery. If it does not, something is preventing it from doing so.

I would disassemble the pistol again to clean and oil then reassemble making sure all the parts are put back together correctly. If you see any obvious wear spots, especially parts that would engage during slide returning to full battery, I would make mental notes.

If after another cleaning/oiling and reassembly doesn't allow the slide pointed up to go readily into full battery and you continue to experience feeding issues with factory FMJ/RN ammunition, I would contact customer service. (Members report Taurus' renewed commitment to customer service and turnaround time has been short)

BTW, a friend bought his wife a G3 compact and it has been reliable with my general purpose range blasting reloads using pulled plated RN bullets. No feeding issues of any kind during several hundred rounds of break-in. I was pleasantly surprised by accuracy. Only thing I noticed was trigger/striker release occurred further back than what I am used to with Glocks but I quickly got adjusted to it.
Click to expand...
It returns to full battery when pointed up. When a round is dropped into the chamber it fully enters. After dropping in I push on it to make sure it's fully seated and it is. But when I turn the barrel up it will not fall out on its on. But again it's fully seated and I see/feel no resistance to it entering the chamber. When I bought the gun I also bought a box of ammo made in Indonesia or somewhere "foreign country" from the local lgs, fmj. It worked perfect, no problems. The problems started with the next box of Armscor fmj. and Continued with Winchester fmj and hollow point.
Guess I will run a couple boxes Federal ammo through it and see how it goes. If no go I will return to maker. I really hate doing that.
 
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