malfunction with Ruger P95 and reloaded ammo (only happened once)

[Guest kj4gxu]

I had a malfunction with my Ruger p95 yesterday and I'm kind of curious as to what might have caused it.

I was shooting reloads,I shot around 150 of them with only one problem.  The gun fired and the slide kicked back like normal but jammed before it got back into battery.  I locked it back and looked inside.  The previous round was still in the chamber and it had tried to feed a second round.  I dropped the mag and manually cycled the slide.  The round was still unmoved.  Several cycles of the slide did not remove the round.  It was like the extractor was not catching the rim at all.  The round appeared to be protruding the right distance from the chamber and the rim looked to be in tact.  The extractor does not have any visible damage or defect.  I disassembled the weapon and expected to have to pound the round out of the chamber with a dowel but instead I just slipped the end of a screw driver out of the rim and flipped the round out.

 

What can cause this kind of malfunction.  My first thought is that the case was too short and even though it looked right, it had fed just a little too far into the chamber for the extractor to grab it.  I checked the headstamp to be sure that it was a 9mm case and it was.  Unfortunately I misplaced the case as I continued shooting so no photos or measurements available.

 

Any input is appreciated.

 

Thanks
Eric

Edited May 6, 2013 by kj4gxu

[TnShooter83]

I guessing that maybe the case was ahead of the extractor when it we fead in to the chamber.

If this happens it could cause the extracor to rest on the rim when the slide is closed.

In normal operation the case rim slides up into the extractor. Usually the slidewill have enough force 

slam the extractor over the case rim.Maybe in yor case it didn't?

The reason it didn't extract once you try the slide was that maybe the the extractor was not "jumping" the rim to extract the case.

Alot of people think that the extractor slips over the case rim, but in most pistols it isn't so.

The rim slide up between the extractor and the slide face.

 

It could have also been a timing issue due to pressures. The case may have still been underpressure 

when the slide went to open. This would cause the extractor to be ripped off the case rim and failure to extract the case will happen. 

 

If it hasn't done it any more, I call that "One of those things that happen if you shoot enough"

As long as all is back to normal no need to worry.

 

I lerned a long time ago, if you never have any problems it's because you are not shooting enough or you're lying?

Shoot long enough and you'll have a problem once in awhile.

Edited May 6, 2013 by TnShooter83

[Guest kj4gxu]

I guessing that maybe the case was ahead of the extractor when it we fead in to the chamber.

If this happens it could cause the extracor to rest on the rim when the slide is closed.

In normal operation the case rim slides up into the extractor. Usually the slidewill have enough force 

slam the extractor over the case rim.Maybe in yor case it didn't?

The reason it didn't extract once you try the slide was that maybe the the extractor was not "jumping" the rim to extract the case.

Alot of people think that the extractor slips over the case rim, but in most pistols it isn't so.

The rim slide up between the extractor and the slide face.

 

It could have also been a timing issue due to pressures. The case may have still been underpressure 

when the slide went to open. This would cause the extractor to be ripped off the case rim and failure to extract the case will happen. 

 

If it hasn't done it any more, I call that "One of those things that happen if you shoot enough"

As long as all is back to normal no need to worry.

 

I lerned a long time ago, if you never have any problems it's because you are not shooting enough or you're lying?

Shoot long enough and you'll have a problem once in awhile

Thanks, I didn't figure it was going to be anything ongoing since it's done it once out of roughly 1000 rounds I've put through this pistol including about 50 rounds after that one, I was just curious if it was something related to my load or just a fluke.  incidentally I did just remember that when I was going through my spent brass last night I did find one spilt case.  I can't say for sure if it was the one that got stuck or not as I didn't take a close look at it at the time.

 

Thanks again