Camp 45 will not Chamber

[BLACKVANDRIVER]

Have a customer a the bike shop that has a new Camp 45 rifle that I have not seen personally but he said he has owned it for years and has never shot it because out of the box he can not get the charging handle all the way back to chamber a round.

 

Anyone else every experience this with theres? My first guess is that there is some sort of shipping retainer on the bolt, Or that even though it will use 1911 mags that his for some reason do not work. But I do not understand why a mag would prevent that. I didn't think to ask if he tried to charge with with mag out. 

 

Just thought I would try to help him out. Any help to me would be appreciated. 

[StPatrick]

First thing to check is the recoil spring - it may have a kink.  Tell your buddy YouTube is his friend.  If it's not the spring, then he has likely got binding between bolt and receiver, which means it's time for a gunsmith since I doubt warranty repair is an option anymore.

[mike_f]

In the one I have the original buffer kind of disintegrated inside the receiver and gummed up the works. My rifle hasn't been shot very much, so I thinks just its age caused it to fall apart.  They quit making those rifles in 1999 IIRC, so the newest ones are 14 years old.  Mine was made in the early 90's.

 

I replaced it with a Blackjack buffer and haven't had any problems since.  That was several years ago and I don't know who sells replacement buffers now.

[Sidewinder]

Tell him it's trashed! And, that if he'll ship it to me, I'll dispose of it in an authorized manner! Actually, I'll probably have to have a hundred dollar disposal fee.... but, being he's a friend of yours, I'll happily waive that fee!

 

Seriously, I have a Camp 9, which is just like the Camp 45, except smaller. These things are nothing but Ruger 1022s on a larger scale. The most likely thing that has been mentioned is the recoil buffer. These things deteriorate just from sitting on a shelf, or in a warehouse...especially if it's a hot  environment. When these things disintegrate they break into small... and large chunks. Changing the recoil buffer is something a gun savy person can do themselves. Black Jack Buffers...right up the road in Portland Tennessee is the best, and they're very helpful...and reasonably priced. If your friend is in the Murfreesboro area, I'd be glad to help him change his recoil buffer. Mine was trash, changed it and no problems...it cycles like a Singer sewing machine. Good luck.

[BLACKVANDRIVER]

Thanks for all the ideas and help. I will pass along to him.