Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires New Ruger RAR in .17 HMR ejection fails

I just purchased this rifle new. Am shooting 17 gr. Horn ammo.

3 of the first 15 shots failed to extract from chamber. They came out rather easily by prying rim with narrow blade.

I cleaned chamber with solvent in case of sticky new rifle lube. Then ran the fired casings through again individually, finding several that failed to extract again.

The extractor hook appears to be 90 degrees or parallel to face of bolt and with sharp point - not a rounded surface.

The brass casings seem to have variability in rim thickness and shape. The "fail to extract" cases have thicker rims and surface on which the extractor is grip have more of a radius than a sharp forward side of the rim, appearing that the extractor hook may not be dropping down over the rim.

Anyone with similar experience that might comment?

Thanks in advance,

Marv

Have/had exact same issue with fathers rifle (same as yours). removed extractor, couldn't put finger on problem. as experiment put small piece of wood tooth pick behind rear of extractor, forcing front of extractor tight to the bolt head. haven't fired a lot of rounds but no more failures to extract to this point.

Were the necks split?

Were me, I'd send it back, after a phone talk with Ruger, with some of the cases that it could not eject. Even if I could quick fix it with a toothpick (neat, that).

Thanks for the replies and ideas.
The case necks were not split. The only deformation is slight mounding/ballooning of the base of fired case. Best visible with good light and reflection. Then of course, the thicker case rims. The look like they didn't get 100 percent formed when they went into the die. Like the last 1% wasn't pushed into the die or the die wasn't changed out in mfg as if worn out of tolerance.

So the question may be framed again into:
a) rifle out of tolerance?
b) brass rim out of tolerance?
c) sum of each out of tolerance sufficiently to compound and cause failure?

Cases that don't eject aren't stuck as in over pressured on firing.

Different brand or lot of ammo is certainly another possibility to try but that is a trip to town on another day.

Marv

I have no idea what the fault is, but assuming Horn is Hornady I would insist the rifle function with it. Ruger has worked with them on several cartridges, no?

Not familiar with that model, but extractors in various rimfires are often similar.

Check free travel of the extractors in their slots in the bolt; may need oil or cleaning. Check for good spring tension. Also check for crud in the breech face where the hooks go in. Lastly, check the ends of the hooks for extra material, little "nubs", that can spread the extractors as they try to seat in the breech face.

I'd try running some unfired rounds through the action. If any fail to extract, measure them and compare to the good ones. Check against the SAAMI specs or call Hornady.

Thanks for suggestions. Extractor and springs working freely and no burrs. But chamber edge is sharp and cuts thin slivers of brass and chamber was contaminated with spotty brown packing gunk when examined in bright light. That cleaned up and out with brush and solvent.

One step solved. The small amount of fine brass may still be a problem or may not.

Use will tell.

Thanks again to all who offered ideas.

Marv

I had the same problem on new Ruger American .17 HMR. I removed bolt. Snapped band off that holds extractor lift out extractor broke 3/8 inch of flat (small end) toothpick, placed under back end extractor, replaced band. never has failed since. It causes hook end extractor to fit more force over rim, Hope this helps. Jerr

My RAR .17 has the same problem but only with CCI brass so I've just been shooting Hornady and Winchester ammo in it. No problem with either of them. Never have really set down and tried to figure out the problem. I should since CCI generally seems to be more accurate in it.

What is Rugers warranty? I may just send it back to them.


Dave.

I've heard of similar issues with O/U shotguns. It may be a head space problem. Since the 22 chambers on the rim, if it is cut slightly too deep, it may be what is causing the rims to get rounder and then the extractor can't bite as good on it. The slightly deeper rim cut in the barrel would allow the pressure during firing to expand or fatten the case rim. On shotguns it has the opposite effect in getting fail to fires. I know it is unlikely but I thought I'd throw it out as a possibility.

I just purchased one of these and my first range session resulted in 3 out of 15 shots skipping over the case.....not impressed with this.