Odd Misfeed

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Johnm1

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The rifle is a Kodiak 260. Right side charging handle. This is one of if not the first 22 magnum autuloaders. I replaced the original broken charging handle (nylon) with an aluminum handle and began my quest to make it feed and fire reliably. These were not known to be terribly reliable even new. FYI-Colt sold this same model in 22 LR as the Colteer. The recoil spring was different for the LR version but otherwise they were the same. Cleaning helped as well as lightly polishing the chamber. I'm left with an odd circumstance in that after charging the rifle and discharging that round, the first auto loaded cartridge fails to 'rise up' enough and jambs the rifle. The charging handle needs to be pulled back and the jammed cartridge is the chambered. All remaining rounds cycle perfectly. This always happens on the first auto loaded round no matter the number loaded in the magazine. I've loaded 10 down to 5 rounds in the tube magazine and it always happens the same way.

The rifle is clean and well lubricated. I cannot think of a condition that would cause these symptoms. So I'm hoping others might have some prior experience. This is a fairly obscure rifle, so I'm not really expecting direct experience with it. Maybe experience from another autoloader will guide me in the right direction to solve this mystery.

Although it doesn't appear to be related to the recoil spring, I am committed to replacing it.

I didn't take pictures of the actual misfeed in the field and could not replicate it by hand cycling the action. Maybe that's a clue. So the best I could do for a picture to show where it misfeed is by holding the action back midway through the cycle. This round fed into the chamber. It seems to me that the round is not 'pointed up' as much when it misfeeds.

20200329_065318.jpg
 
We can rule out gunk encrustation. I have been working on this rifle these last few weeks for several issues. It is clean and well lubricated each time I take it out.

I am interested in more on your thoughts about a follower worn on the camming surfaces though. This is a tube fed magazine.

Simply put, the only difference I can see between the first shot and the second shot is how the bolt is cycled. First shot is by hand and the second by the action of the rifle.

Keep in mind that it always fails on the second shot and the remaining always cycle normally.
 
Try vigorously working the action back manually, (simulating firing it), then letting the recoil spring drive it forward. I have ran into the exact same problem with varying models of .22(LR) tube-fed autos, mostly Marlins and Remingtons. (Model 60's are famous for it, as are 552's; 552's are easier [for me] to repair. ) Another thing that sometimes worked was changing ammo, but that's harder to do with .22 Mag.
If they were not very reliable, as indeed the Colteers were not, you might end up reconciling yourself to the occasional hiccup at the range. I had a Marlin 60 I did that with; Tore it apart, cleaned it so you could eat off it, tried different ammo, still would not work reliably. I'd plink with it at the range, and just deaql with picking up a live round occasionaly. My son wanted it for a spare raccoon gun (He already had the 10/22 I set up for him), so off it went with him. He eventually ended up gifting it to one of his buddies after I refused to work on it anymore. Hope you get it working.
 
I have considered that I might be better than most and it is possible this rifle may never be any better than it is today. I want it to replace my bolt action 22 mag rifle that I have never really taken a liking to. I really like the styling, weight, and how it shoulders. And it is quite accurate or at least as accurate as I am. I have tried four different flavors of ammunition including the Winchester Super X 40 grain the rifle supposedly was designed for. For a rifle that was known to be persnickety about ammo, it is just as unreliable no matter the ammo I've tried. I have tried to cycle the action as fast/hard as I can without success. I need to soften the new aluminum charging handle a bit more.

I think I'm going to see if a new recoil spring will help. It doesn't make sense that it would but in semi's a recoil spring is a standard replacement. Cant hurt. I may have to specify a spring for Wolff Springs as they dont list the firearm. Numrich has them but I think they are used.

I'll be taking it apart today so I can measure the recoil spring and I'll look at how the action works and the part.....again.

Thanks for the reply.
 
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