Ruger PCC FTE

[Bartojc]

There is quite a bit if info out there regarding FTE and Ruger PCC. Most of it is getting old and the school of thought is that or is better with the newer ones. Well I have one bought about a month ago and I am getting FTE probably every other mag. I am using Ruger mags…. Three different ones. I have not found it is mag specific. My load is RMR 124 gr FMJ over 4gr Sport Pistol. I’m using this load in three pistols with no issue. Before I go out and buy an extractor and still have the issue what do the experts think about the load ? Is 4.0 Sport Pistol sufficient? I did chrono this load in the PCC at about 1070 FPS. Other than that I like the PCC this is just a little annoying. I do not have factory ammo to try….. I guess I could try that….

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Hugger-4641]

There is quite a bit if info out there regarding FTE and Ruger PCC. Most of it is getting old and the school of thought is that or is better with the newer ones. Well I have one bought about a month ago and I am getting FTE probably every other mag. I am using Ruger mags…. Three different ones. I have not found it is mag specific. My load is RMR 124 gr FMJ over 4gr Sport Pistol. I’m using this load in three pistols with no issue. Before I go out and buy an extractor and still have the issue what do the experts think about the load ? Is 4.0 Sport Pistol sufficient? I did chrono this load in the PCC at about 1070 FPS. Other than that I like the PCC this is just a little annoying. I do not have factory ammo to try….. I guess I could try that….

Thanks,

Jeff

I'm running glock mags in mine and have never had an issue, but even the cheapest factory ammo I tried was giving me 1100fps or more in my pcc. My plinking 124gr loads with Red Dot are about 1250, so I'm betting your load is a little weak for that PCC. If you run suppressed and subsonic, you might need to try a lighter recoil spring, otherwise I'd try bumping that velocity up to 1100 or more and see if that helps.

 

[LoonWulf]

Blowback carbine....extractors mostly just along for the ride. Id up the charge a bit, or go to a lighter recoil spring if those are the only loads your gonna run in the gun....i wouldnt drop spring weight if theres chance of running hot loads thru it tho.

 

[1-cavediver]

99.9 % of the time it’s the extractor. Order one from M*Carbo and never look back.

 

[LiveLife]

Ruger PCC ... bought about a month ago and I am getting FTE probably every other mag

RMR 124 gr FMJ over 4gr Sport Pistol

1) Is the spent case not being extracted from chamber?
2) Is the bolt with spent case not traveling back far enough to hit the ejector?

If 1), inspect and clean the inside of extractor claw as blowback action fouls things up fast, especially with lighter loads with slower burning than W231/HP-38 burn rate powders.

If 2), increase powder charge.

Is 4.0 Sport Pistol sufficient? I did chrono this load in the PCC at about 1070 FPS.

Not likely.

For me, 16"-17" PCC barrels add about 150-200 fps compared to pistol barrels depending on powder. So your load in pistol barrel could actually be around 900 fps. Keep in mind that slower burning than W231/HP-38 powders will lose a lot of gas when bolt/buffer moves back from recoil and soot up the case quite a bit. Faster burning powders tends to improve seal with chamber (From quicker expansion of case mouth/neck) before case moves back/starts leaking gas and favored by USPSA PCC shooters - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-11#post-12415502

And if you are using longer 1.135" OAL, you may end up using 4.2-4.3 gr charges to push bolt/buffer back far enough to eject the spent cases. (Much of my PCC loads are near max/max loads)

BTW, Speer load data for reference - https://reloadingdata.speer.com/downloads/speer/reloading-pdfs/handgun/9mm_Luger__124_rev1.pdf

• 9mm 124 gr TMJ RN Sport Pistol COL 1.135" Start 3.8 gr (984 fps) - Max 4.3 gr (1067 fps)

 

[1KPerDay]

Load sounds pretty light to me.

 

[Bartojc]

For me, 16"-17" PCC barrels add about 150-200 fps compared to pistol barrels depending on powder. So your load in pistol barrel could actually be around 900 fps

This same load chronos in my Shield at 950 fps and my 1911 at 1000 fps. I know it’s on the light side.

And if you are using longer 1.135" OAL, you may end up using 4.2-4.3 g

I’m right at 1.135.

It is pulling the case out of the chamber. Guessing I’ll try more powder.

Thanks all.

Jeff

 

[PO2Hammer]

I’ve had 1 fail to extract with mine. 4.0 W231 under a 124.
No problems with anything else.
I suspect more power would’ve helped.
The extractor is a stamped part, so they have to change dies often, so every batch is a bit different.

 

[Pat Riot]

I have never had an FTE with my PC Carbine. I don’t run 124 grain bullets. I shoot 115 and 147 grain loads at 1150 FPS or higher for the 115 gr bullets and >900 FPS for the 147 grain bullets.

 

[zaitcev]

I do not have factory ammo to try….. I guess I could try that….

I'd start with factory ammunition first.
But FTE on Ruger PC can come from many reasons, even as basic as a takedown screw not tight. You'll have to be patient and eliminate all of them one by one.

UPDATE: I'm not joking about many causes. I tried to enumerate them a couple of years ago in a Reddit comment:

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

 

[1-cavediver]

Low power loads in a pcc rarely cause extraction or ejection issues. I compete with a custom competition pcc in USPSA and with a Ruger PC Carbine in Steel Challenge. My 115 grain loads for Steel Challenge are at 825 FPS and run flawlessly. Those same loads run fine in my competition USPAS PCC. PCC’s are usually direct blowback and not locked breach like pistols which facilitates easier cycling. Those same light loads won’t even budge the slide on my Glock 19.

 

[hunt127588]

Low power loads in a pcc rarely cause extraction or ejection issues. I compete with a custom competition pcc in USPSA and with a Ruger PC Carbine in Steel Challenge. My 115 grain loads for Steel Challenge are at 825 FPS and run flawlessly. Those same loads run fine in my competition USPAS PCC. PCC’s are usually direct blowback and not locked breach like pistols which facilitates easier cycling. Those same light loads won’t even budge the slide on my Glock 19.

This hasn't been my experience with my Ruger PCC. I run 124 gr RMR MPRs with 5.1 gr CFE Pistol. I have jams all the time. I don't seem to have the issue when I switch to a max load of HS-6.

 

[Bartojc]

I've slightly bumped the charge of Sport Pistol in my load 4.0 to 4.1 with RMR RNFMJ 124 so we'll see. I loaded about 60 rounds so when I get it back out I shuold be able see if that helps. I still have room to go up a bit I think if needed. I also took everything apart and cleaned/inspected again. Nothing found wrong and everything seemed in order. I'll also pay attention to which mags I am using when. I have noticed the new mag that came with the rifle has less spring tension than my other two I have for my SR9. I've primarily used two 17 rounders (one new and one older) but cannot say if the failures occur with one specific mag or not. That might be a clue.

-Jeff