Problems with CCI Polymer-Coated .22 Rounds?

[Swifty Morgan]

This week, I have been shooting with a friend. He has a Savage Model 64 (.22 semiauto). I like the gun a lot, and it's very accurate, but he had a problem with some ammunition.

He bought CCI polymer-coated rounds. These things come in various festive colors, and they're supposed to reduce the need for cleaning. I suggested Mini-mags, because Savage told him to use CCI, and plastic seemed a little weird, but he went for the polymer rounds.

Here's the problem he has: the last round in the magazine tends to get stuck in the chamber. Also, there are issues with the tips of these bullets getting chewed up. He replaced his first magazine, which turned out to have problems. The second magazine works, but he has this issue with the plastic-coated bullets.

I am wondering if this problem is common with these bullets OR the gun.

 

[HB]

Probably a bit of both. My dad has a heavy barreled 64 and it isnt the most reliable gun unless run wet with powerful ammo. It chews up all loads pretty badly, and honestly i think thats the limiting factor for accuracy.

 

[cougar1717]

It seems like there are a lot of variables here to try to pinpoint the issue - the ammo, the magazine, extractor, if the gun needs cleaning, etc. I would suggest trying to reduce amount of things that could be the issue. First, clean the rifle (or at least check the chamber for debris), then verify with a mag that is known to work and ammo that generally should work (like CCI MM's). At least you can see if it's chewing up the copper washed bullets and try to deduce by separating the possible issues. It could be the extractor, mag spring/follower, ammo, debris in the chamber, etc.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Since posting, I have read that the Model 64 has a lot of feeding problems. Maybe it's just not a great gun.

 

[Gottcha]

Since posting, I have read that the Model 64 has a lot of feeding problems. Maybe it's just not a great gun.

You beat me to it! It's probably a feeding issue with the rifle. If it is the 64 that take the pot metal mags the I would almost bet on it.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

They look like pot metal.

I've seen complaints on the web going back to 2006. I wonder why the problem hasn't been addressed.

I've seen a lot of "fixes," but it seems like they don't really work.

 

[boom boom]

Since posting, I have read that the Model 64 has a lot of feeding problems. Maybe it's just not a great gun.

I have a couple. Several things: as noted above, it likes to be run wet, also the feed ramp on the magazine comes SHARP from the factory with a sharp edge at the feeding ramp tip. It may or may not also have burrs at the front feeding ramp. Breaking those gently with a file helps and polishing with crocus cloth. Under heavy use, magazine ramps may become pitted, jagged, grooved, etc. At that point get rid of them. MCarbo kit does improve the trigger significantly.

As far as the polymer type goes, chambers on .22LR's vary a bit and even more so on cheaper rifles (probably due to reamer replacement schedules in production). That can be why one cheap .22 is a dog but another new rifle of the same type and brand is extremely accurate.

Generally, some manuals on the cheaper ones tell you not to use minimags as they are a bit longer--but some semis won't function well without them or similar hv type rounds. The only way is to find the brand and bullet that .22LR that your rifle likes and feed it that. Savage manual for the 64 does not say one way or another on minimags fwiw.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Thanks for the info. I will pass the info on and see if he wants to work on his reject mag. He bought a new mag, and it made a difference, but it's not perfect. Maybe we can get the reject to work.

I didn't have any problems with the trigger, but maybe I'm the exception.

It's too bad the gun has this weakness. It looks nice, and it shoots well...when it shoots.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I looked at the gun today. The bullets seem to hit the sharp bottom edge of the chamber when they feed. I am wondering if it would be safe to grind the bottom edge of the chamber a little so the noses of bullets go up a smooth slope instead of hitting an edge.

If the magazine could ride higher in the gun, the bullets would feed straight into the chamber, but I think it wouldn't leave room for the bolt!

There is no ramp behind the chamber, to help funnel bullets in. I wonder if I could rig one up.

This would be a killer .22 if this simple design defect could be fixed.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I should correct myself. When I say there is no ramp behind the chamber, I'm exaggerating. There is a tiny, short ramp which seems to be too low to work. It's so far below the chamber, I didn't realize it was a ramp.

I opened the gun up. The ramp is part of the magazine housing, which is the part that performs the function of a magazine well.

The magazine housing is held in place by two screws behind it. They go through a long tab that projects backward from it. The closest screw is dedicated. The farthest screw is threaded inside as well as outside, and it receives one of the two screws that hold the magazine housing on. You screw this double-threaded screw in, and then you screw the stock screw into it.

The little dedicated screw up next to the magazine housing was loose. When it's loose, the magazine housing's ramp can drop down, if the other screw permits it. I reinstalled it good and tight, and I applied Loctite blue to keep it from backing out again. I put 10 polymer-coated rounds in it, and I cycled the gun. They didn't do too well. One got stuck on the rear edge of the chamber.

I am no gunsmith, but I am highly suspicious of the ramp. It really looks like it needs to be at least 1/16" higher in the gun. I don't know if the magazine housing is steel. If so, it would be simple to plop some weld on the ramp to raise it and then grind the excess down.