S&W 317-2 Airlite (.22lr) - Extraction Issues

[ReluctantDecoy]

Seems like all my guns are breaking out of nowhere. Have this 317-2 that I bought like a year ago. Don't fire it often. Probably only 3 range trips. Out of nowhere on the third time out, the rounds no longer want to extract/eject. Hit the plunger by hand. Rock solid stuck. Hit it against the shooting table. Won't budge--and I'm not sentimental about guns. I beat it and still nothing. Bring it back home and hit it with a 3lb hammer. That works, but takes a surprising amount of strikes (light-ish strikes considering I'm holding the pistol by the cylinder with my other hand).

Figure it was dirty and/or the cheap Aguila ammo is cheap. Do a deep clean and inspection. It is sparkling clean. Go back with more expensive Eley rounds. Still stuck. Try CCI. Stuck again. About to give up. Not sure what is happening, but the cases, once out, will not slide back in. It's like they're expanding to larger than the cylinder size when shot, but how is that even possible?

My only guess is that all of my current .22lr stock is hi velocity. Would that do this? Is this not rated for higher velocity rounds?

 

[paul73]

It is sparkling clean.

try to run a brass brush in the chamber where round sits - it may appear clean while it is not, and a residue on the walls makes the case stuck.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

try to run a brass brush in the chamber where round sits - it may appear clean while it is not, and a residue on the walls makes the case stuck.

I was wondering about that, actually. I believe the cylinder is aluminum. Would a wire brush be too much for it? Or are the actual holes of the cylinder made out of steel? I snaked it using a soft snake, but I was tempted to wire brush it.

 

[paul73]

I was wondering about that, actually. I believe the cylinder is aluminum. Would a wire brush be too much for it? Or are the actual holes of the cylinder made out of steel? I snaked it using a soft snake, but I was tempted to wire brush it.

brass brush is not too much. you can even mount it into the electric screwdriver. soak chamber in hoppes 9 cleaner, run a brush, then run a patch over brush or whatever, then brush again.
brass will not damage aluminum. again, issue is not in the barrel - it is the chamber walls with residue.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

brass brush is not too much. you can even mount it into the electric screwdriver. soak chamber in hoppes 9 cleaner, run a brush, then run a patch over brush or whatever, then brush again.
brass will not damage aluminum. again, issue is not in the barrel - it is the chamber walls with residue.

Thanks. Will definitely give it a shot. But the question does remain: is it weird the casings won't slide back into the chamber, or normal? My first wheel .22lr. Just didn't feel right I had to literally hammer them out. And equally weird that they pushed out with the ejector rod with little effort my first trip. I suppose that promotes the residue issue.