Ejector problems in M81/.300 Savage

[DWalt]

I have made one previous posting in which I mentioned that I was having ejection problems, i.e., failure to completely eject. If you know what a stovepipe jam is, that's what I got.

My previous test used several different 150 grain loads more or less equivalent to factory loads in my M81, but using formed and trimmed GI 7.62 NATO brass. I was getting one or two jams per 5-shot string (starting with 4 in the magazine and one in the chamber).

I haven't been able to get to the range for about the past 5 weeks, but did this weekend. I had loaded up 30 rounds of .300 Savage, using re-formed and trimmed R-P .308 brass this time. I didn't do any testing for accuracy or velocity, but purely for functioning. I fired 8 rounds from the shoulder, with one jam occurring on the fourth shot. Prior to shooting, I put a drop of oil into the ejector plunger, thinking it might free it up a little, but it still happened. I think that ejection in general is a bit weak, as the empties don't fly very far. I stopped at 8 shots. I felt that if I could go 0 jams for 10 shots, the problem would have been resolved, but that was, alas, not the case.

The only thing I can think of as a possible reason that makes much sense is that the ejector plunger or a weak plunger spring may be the problem source, and that a new plunger and/or plunger spring might help. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Anyone have a good plunger and/or spring I could buy/try?

[texassako]

Numrich shows the ejector and spring in stock, quite a few parts actually. Their listing #'s looks to be misnumbered to their picture, but they do match the parts sheet found on the home page here. I have two in what I believe were .30 Rem bolts, but they don't seem any stiffer or less worn than my .35 that is suffering from the same issue with two different brands of brass. I shot 30 rounds and 3 groups with a stovepipe on the fourth round with 2 cleanly ejected groups mixed in. I was going to punch the ejector pin and clean out the ejector and spring area real good and lube with some Gunslick graphite lube when I get a chance.

[DWalt]

As I said, I put a drop of light gun oil down the plunger hole, but the plunger didn't seem to be binding or gritty either before or after the oil was applied, and the spring seems to be, subjectively, fairly strong. But I have no way to measure how strong.

I hate to go through the hassle of dis-assembly and re-assembly if that's not the problem. But I'm out of other ideas for a fix. However, at least I am happy to find out that I don't have the only M81 in .300 Savage with the same ejection problem.

If you're going to do something with your plunger, I'll wait to see what your results are before I do anything else. It's not an item at the top of my priority list to fix immediately. Please let me know what happens.

[Wildgoose]

I have had some issue with my M81 300 Savage but it was with feeding jams not ejection. Got that cleared up for the most part when I found the mag spring in backwards. I have been playing around with mine to see if I could see anything about the ejection cycle that you are missing. No luck there, the tension caused by the ejector plunger aginst the retention of the case by the extractor claw is the driving force in the cycle. As soon as the case either loaded or empty clears the chamber it flips up under the tension being applied at the rim and flies up out of the action. Provided that tension is sufficent it works. If it isnt it seems that the case will not move up and out of the way and is caught by the bolt coming forward and trapped in a stove pipe jam. The only thing I can think of if its not the ejector is that the case rims are binding in the bolt face cut out, a burr or some other issue, and causing the case to not release as it should. Possibly the claw is too tight on the rim contact, extractor sticking in its slot? Or like you are thinking the ejector is too weak or hanging up. Sorry to just ramble but sometimes it helps in sorting out things like this.

[Sarge756]

The magazine spring backwards has been covered.Hopefully the parts are not worn to the point of replacement. Similar problems with 742`s that I have worked on make me wonder if the fix I use could be applied to our 8/81`s. As most of you know the 742`s have a problem with chamber rusting .Soft brass under pressure with rusty chamber =stuck empty or incomplete extraction.The fix is to polish the chamber if the pitting isn`t too deep and then be sure to use a chamber brush after firing before storing the rifle .Of course with the 742`s getting to the chamber to polish it takes a bit of doing. With our 8/81`s it is easy with the takedown assembly we have. The polishing is done with correct size bronze brush chucked into a variable speed drill. Final polish by wrapping a one inch wide wet dry paper in 600 grit around the brush or coat the brush with JB bore paste.Be sure to clean with #9 or other powder solvent to get rid of any grit. Lubrication of automatics especially gas operated is a tricky deal.Too little isn`t good with too much even worse. They are dirtier than other action types and can build up with oil and powder residue quickly. How much oil and what oil to use? The smallest amount possible with an oil that is made for automatics. I recently discovered a product that I have found to deliver on the claims made by the manufacturer. It is Silver Bullet gun oil.Like the old Brylcream commercial "a little dab will do you" only a small amount is needed to do the job. If it is not available in your area you can find it on-line at www.silverbulletgunoil.net .It has been designed for automatic weapons. If you order it from them, you get some neat stickers to put wherever, that are warnings to the members of the populance with an aversion to pigs. It contains pig fat.
Joe

[DWalt]

My 81's chamber looks to be in pretty good condition, and I do use a brass brush with bore cleaner on it, followed by patches (I use paper toweling, not cloth). Maybe a little more elbow grease is in order. I wouldn't think chamber corrosion would be much of a problem when using non-corrosive ammunition. Over 40 years ago, I was the "Armorer" of a gun club, and we had 8 DCM M1s, all of which had nasty chambers (and bores) from use of all that WWII corrosive ammunition we fired back then. I never was able to make much headway on polishing them, but they nonetheless generally functioned OK.

I have both a Rem 740 and a Rem 7400, and removing the barrels of those for a thorough chamber scrub is a pain, and is not to be recommended for the faint of heart, although it can be done by someone with determination (I have done it). What I do instead is to use a flexible short cleaning rod, about the same length as a pistol cleaning rod, but made using a rod of some flexible plastic (looks like Nylon) with a screw tip. They are available. You can insert it into the chamber through the ejection port. The same implement works well on the M1 Garand also.

Sticking of the case wall in the chamber is not so much of a problem in the 8/81, as by the time the barrel pulls away from the fired casing, there is no pressure left in the chamber, unlike your typical gas-operated rifle which starts the extraction cycle under some amount of residual pressure. I have found out the hard way that those Greek GI .30-'06 brass cases (HXP headstamp) are very prone to sticking fast in my M1's chamber, and getting their rims pulled off. You have to remove them with a steel rod down the muzzle. I've not had that happen with any other cases, and I have no idea as to why it happens.

[45guy]

Haven't run into the same issue with an 8/81 yet, but I've had similar issues with junk commercial carbine knock offs usually due to peening of the ejector plunger. Usually end up with either stovepipes or interesting ejection vectors, e.g. the half moon scar on my forehead.

[imfuncity]

Interesting discussion even for a non-armorer type - had "interesting ejection vectors" from a 1911 yesterday, was wondering where to start looking. Did take a couple in the face but missed 45Guy’s stylish tattoo.

[DWalt]

I don't know your specific 1911 ejection problem, but I have found that the first thing to do if there are any ejection problems is to replace the extractor, cheap and a very simple 10 second job to change it. Does it do it with all ammunition used, or just one load? I've never had a problem with a 1911 ejector, not to say it can't happen. Also a simple replacement, but it takes a little more work, a 1/16" pin punch, and the part may be a bit more expensive.

[texassako]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=285&hilit=magazine+hole

I found these suggestions looking for something else.

[imfuncity]

Thanks guys, little research and I've found that this FTE is similar whether it's a short or long gun - was headed to the gun doc but I'll now take a closer look before spending my hard earned.

[DWalt]

Well, I started this thread, and here's more. I went to the range today and fired 14 rounds of my 150 grain reloads in formed 7,62mm Lake City cases. This time the failure-to-eject rate improved - one stovepipe on the 10th round. The bad thing was there was still one stovepipe. I can't explain the improvement, as I did nothing to the rifle since last week except to perform the normal barrel cleaning.

I fired two 5-shot groups at 50 yards, one about 2" and one about 2-1/2". I honestly believe that's about the best you can expect from a M81 in the way of grouping (i.e., 4" to 5" 5-shot groups at 100 yards), at least with open sights. The other four rounds fired were for sight adjustment, which I had not previously performed. It's now dead on with open sights at 50 yards, which is where it should be. It wasn't bad before, but the group center was about 2" to the left, so I had to drift the front sight a little.

Now I have to load up some more. I kept 5 loaded rounds for "Just in case."

[texassako]

Glad to hear it was better. I saved my last 10 factory Hornady's for use as a backup gun during deer season, and it is right around the corner . Now if only a beaver had not made a dam and turned my main hunting area into an extension of our pond, I would be set.