Hello folks!

So I just bought a surplus Star BM 9mm from J&G Sales a few weeks ago and I have been having some issues that I can't seem to take care of. Mostly upon extraction, spent cases are left in front of the bolt and jam the slide open. I was also experiencing some stovepipes. See the attached pictures.

 

(Note: This is a torn up casing and a snap cap used to re-create the look of the jam, I wasn't shooting in my house)

When I first got the pistol, I had an average of 7 to 8 malfunctions out of every 100 rounds that I put through it, with 3 different brands (Winchester white box, Fiochi, and SIG Elite Performance) of 115 grain FMJ target ammo. Of these malfunctions 3 to 4 were the jam described above, 1 to 2 were stovepipes, and the others were failures to extract where the casing was still partially in the chamber.

After discovering these issues I have replaced the recoil spring assembly, barrel bushing, and extractor and spring. Replacing these parts has cut the number of malfunctions down to 3 to 4 per 100 rounds, 2 to 3 being the failures pictured above, and 1 being a stovepipe. The failure to extract malfunction seems to have been taken care of though. I'm at my wits end at this point. I want this pistol to run reliably but I don't know what else I can do to fix it. Does anyone have any ideas?

Have you tried 124gr ammo?

Are you limp wristing it?

Have you tried mag spring as well?

I've never found limp wristing to be an issue with metal frame handguns.

Have you looked at the ejector?  I've seen many guns that would run most of the time with a broken ejector.  Pull up a photo of your ejector and compare it with yours.

17 hours ago, USRifle30Cal said:

Have you tried 124gr ammo?

Are you limp wristing it?

Have you tried mag spring as well?

I'm definitely not limp wristing. I agree on the 124 grain ammo bit, gonna get a couple boxes and run them. The mag spring shouldn't be an issue as it hasn't had a single feeding problem.

15 hours ago, GRIZ said:

I've never found limp wristing to be an issue with metal frame handguns.

Have you looked at the ejector?  I've seen many guns that would run most of the time with a broken ejector.  Pull up a photo of your ejector and compare it with yours.

I haven't checked the ejector closely, that's a good idea!

6 hours ago, hartsfw said:

I'm definitely not limp wristing. I agree on the 124 grain ammo bit, gonna get a couple boxes and run them. The mag spring shouldn't be an issue as it hasn't had a single feeding problem.

I haven't checked the ejector closely, that's a good idea!

You said you replaced the extractor and spring....did the extractor require fitment?  Or did you just drop it in place....you might want to check your getting proper engagement on the case rim....

I had to replace the internal extractor in my HP...it required fitting....

8 hours ago, hartsfw said:

I'm definitely not limp wristing. I agree on the 124 grain ammo bit, gonna get a couple boxes and run them. The mag spring shouldn't be an issue as it hasn't had a single feeding problem.

I haven't checked the ejector closely, that's a good idea!

I've even seen guns that worked fine with a broken ejector (S&W gen 3). 

On 5/21/2019 at 6:27 AM, USRifle30Cal said:

You said you replaced the extractor and spring....did the extractor require fitment?  Or did you just drop it in place....you might want to check your getting proper engagement on the case rim....

I had to replace the internal extractor in my HP...it required fitting....

No, the extractor dropped in just fine. The extractor on the BM is external, and drops into the slot with a single pin (position in red) and a spring in the back (position circled in green) . My only thought with it to make sure it's getting proper engagement would be to shim the hole the spring sits in so that it is compressed further and is putting more pressure on the extractor itself. Thoughts?

On 5/21/2019 at 8:57 AM, GRIZ said:

I've even seen guns that worked fine with a broken ejector (S&W gen 3). 

Its a possibility that it may be contributing to the issues I have been having. Ill need to look closely at mine compared to others just to be sure it isn't in need of replacement as well.

29 minutes ago, hartsfw said:

No, the extractor dropped in just fine. The extractor on the BM is external, and drops into the slot with a single pin (position in red) and a spring in the back (position circled in green) . My only thought with it to make sure it's getting proper engagement would be to shim the hole the spring sits in so that it is compressed further and is putting more pressure on the extractor itself. Thoughts?

Its a possibility that it may be contributing to the issues I have been having. Ill need to look closely at mine compared to others just to be sure it isn't in need of replacement as well.

The claw needs to be fitted as the round enters into the chamber area to ensure positive contact with the case rim

7 minutes ago, USRifle30Cal said:

The claw needs to be fitted as the round enters into the chamber area to ensure positive contact with the case rim

When you say fitted what exactly do you mean? Reshaping of the claw itself? or...

13 hours ago, hartsfw said:

When you say fitted what exactly do you mean? Reshaping of the claw itself? or...

Exactly.....  if the claw is too thick the case rim does not properly fit under and there is not proper tension on extraction...as the gun recoils the extractor has to hold the case to the slide face as it slides back until it hits the ejector.

If the proper fitment and tension are not there, you can have extraction and ejection issues....this *could* be a cause.  Just another thing to look at...

Some firearms are rarely just drop in parts...and work you do, do it slowly and methodically..you probably do not have to remove a lot of material to fit it, if it needs to be fit.  These are tight tolerances

http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/0609.htm

SARCO might have some spare parts.  

4 hours ago, USRifle30Cal said:

Exactly.....  if the claw is too thick the case rim does not properly fit under and there is not proper tension on extraction...as the gun recoils the extractor has to hold the case to the slide face as it slides back until it hits the ejector.

If the proper fitment and tension are not there, you can have extraction and ejection issues....this *could* be a cause.  Just another thing to look at...

Some firearms are rarely just drop in parts...and work you do, do it slowly and methodically..you probably do not have to remove a lot of material to fit it, if it needs to be fit.  These are tight tolerances

Using stones to remove material not files is usually more appropriate.  Much slower yes but more appropriate.

1 hour ago, GRIZ said:

Using stones to remove material not files is usually more appropriate.  Much slower yes but more appropriate.

 

Agree 110% - small needles files worked for me with gentle strokes and constantly checking fitment.

 

I just recently fitted a new barrel to a S&W 4516, that I was talked out of trying 45 Super on... (LOL) - and all it took was some stone work on the hood area to get the proper lockup...did however needed some file work to get the ramp fit...but like anything else not a dremel was in sight.......