[Android17ak47]

Another problem I came across right away after buying my P.A. HP22A used and testing it out, is that it is having problems allowing the shells to exit the barrel and eject. The spent casings would stay stuck in the barrel as if they expanded enough that they could not push themselves backwards during a shot and exit and eject. I would have to use a cleaning rod to push them out from the front of the barrel.

I have had different results using 2 different ammunition brands. The very first ammo I bought and tested was .22 Aguila Super Extra regular Copper Plated FMJ High Velocity(1,255fps) ammo, and with this, every single shot I tried firing had this problem.Not one round successfully ejected, all spent casings stuck in the barrel and required being forced out by a rod. The Second ammo I tried was CCI Velocitor copper plated hollow points small game ammo(1,435fps), and out of the first 50rd box I tested, I was getting one of these stuck shell problems like 1 out of every 5+ shots, but I did get through 2 10rd magazines with no problem.

I could be mistaken, but it almost looks as if there is some sort of distortion or damage to the metal around the entrance of the barrel, and wonder if what I am seeing is normal or not and if it is causing this to happen.

Here's a couple pics I took just now. Is there suppose to be a lip around the entrance of the barrel that looks like this, because it looks pretty rough in that area. I have used my cleaning kit on this and put the wire brush through this to make sure it isn't just remnants of lead or shell fragments.

 

[tuckerd1]

The chamber could be very dirty due to poor or no cleaning. I would try to heavy clean and polish the chamber.

 

[Android17ak47]

The chamber could be very dirty due to poor or no cleaning. I would try to heavy clean and polish the chamber.

I've definitely done that already. I detailed cleaned this and oil'd it after I bought it before using it. It actually was pretty clean already, but I did it anyways. After I had this problem the first time, I did take a close look in the areas where the back of the shell is seated including the extractor area on the back of the slide, under the extractor, and of course in and around the back of the barrel itself where the round enters the barrel.

I did do a bit more research on this problem, and found someone who described having had this same problem, and their issue was the extractor itself not being a proper fit, and wasn't sitting over the rim of the shell enough and had good luck with certain ammo brands, but had horrible issues with a type of remington ammo because the extractor wasnt getting enough grab on the rim and the slide would cycle back w/o taking the shell with it and the shell would be left in the barrel and stuck from it expanding, exactly what has been happening to me.

I did experiment with an emptied shell casing from both one of those Aguila rounds and a CCI, and after letting the slide slam forward a few times on the shells, I did see where the extractor was leaving it's marks on the rims, and did notice that on the Aguilas, the marks were barely over the rim and not even close to the shell so I'm wondering if my extractor is the problem, and needs modifying, which is what that other HP22A owner had to do to fix his problem once and for all.

 

[Diamondback]

Having worked on 3 Phoenix Arms .22s, my advice is to throw away the gun and buy a High Point. PA's are cheap for a reason. After every law suit they move their manufacturing base.

 

[north tex]

Soft metal getting hammered by the slide. It's hard to tell in the photos but are there any chamber entrance deformations in the area where the firing pin strikes the cartridge? i.e. dry fired .
Diamondback is correct. It's a very cheaply made gun and not designed to be a range gun. (fired a lot)

 

[Android17ak47]

Having worked on 3 Phoenix Arms .22s, my advice is to throw away the gun and buy a High Point. PA's are cheap for a reason. After every law suit they move their manufacturing base.

If I could afford to buy a handgun that has a reputation for it's reliability right now I would do that, and will do some time in the near future but will spend the good $500+ on something that doesnt look like those hideous Hi Points lolz, but to be honest this was the first firearm I bought since I moved from N.Y. to Georgia a year ago, and I only just a few months ago got a job and have had too many things to take care of and havent been able to justify parting with the necessary amount of money for a good home defense weapon just yet, and only bought this P.A. HP22A because it was offered to me for $100, and I figured for $100, at least I could have something for now instead of nothing in the mean time. So ya, I cant part with it just yet. On the bright side, I will be applying for my carry permit in 4 weeks and will have enough to find something nice for up to or around $500.

Soft metal getting hammered by the slide. It's hard to tell in the photos but are there any chamber entrance deformations in the area where the firing pin strikes the cartridge? i.e. dry fired .
Diamondback is correct. It's a very cheaply made gun and not designed to be a range gun. (fired a lot)

Ill take a close look again a little later to see if there is. I never thought about that so maybe I could have overlooked an irregularity in that area. I'm actually using this as a temp for home defense until I have a good $500 or so for a affordable reputable handgun, and should have it within this next month, but for now, I have to rely on this hp22a as it's the only firearm I own at the moment. It was offered to me for $100, and I figured for $100 at least I'de have something instead of nothing and that didnt break the bank lol.

 

[Empty_Holster]

WOW, I had no idea any of those things were still around. Luck.

 

[gdmoody]

Do you think that there is a possibility that the high powered ammo is wrecking the thing. If I remember right, in another thread you started about this gun, you were warned that high powered ammo would beat the thing to death!

 

[Android17ak47]

Do you think that there is a possibility that the high powered ammo is wrecking the thing. If I remember right, in another thread you started about this gun, you were warned that high powered ammo would beat the thing to death!

I have read a few people say this, especially concerning running this CCI Velocitor ammo through the HP22, but after doing a bit of research I found 1 person who had 1st hand experience with this problem, and he said that he had put scores of boxes of high velocity ammo through his HP22A, including the Velocitor ammo for target shooting, but the difference between those folks who ended up with cracked frames ect... and I, is that I have no plans to use this for target shooting, and only even used a box of it already when I was adjusting my new extended magazine to feed properly, and it took over half the box before I finally had the top of the mag tuned right, and the last 20 rds/2 mags cycled through it without a hickup. I have no plans on doing any more testing using the velocitor ammo, because any further tests will be with standard velocity ammo, because thats what I will need to use when I get a new barrel, and have the extractor set properly if it isnt already, and if it can pass the test in the end with the standard ammo, then I have no need for the CCI ammo, but it will be loaded with the CCI for home defense till I either take care of this HP22A issue and can put the Aguila back in it, or in a month from now when I have $500+- for something much better.

WOW, I had no idea any of those things were still around. Luck.

Phoenix Arms still has a working website that sells everything you need for all the HP's they made, both the 22lr and 25 a.c.p model. I just got that extended magazine from them recently. I have no clue tho if those are still being manufactured and/or sold new anywhere, I bought mine used.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Your picture shows quite obvious chamber peening from the gun being dry-fired. This is very likely the cause of your problem.
This can probably be corrected by having a gunsmith "iron" the displaced metal back in place. DO NOT try to file or Dremel the displaced metal away-if you do the gun will have misfires. If you get the gun fixed, make sure you count your shots when shooting it, to avoid dropping the firing pin on an empty chamber.

 

[Android17ak47]

Your picture shows quite obvious chamber peening from the gun being dry-fired. This is very likely the cause of your problem.
This can probably be corrected by having a gunsmith "iron" the displaced metal back in place. DO NOT try to file or Dremel the displaced metal away-if you do the gun will have misfires. If you get the gun fixed, make sure you count your shots when shooting it, to avoid dropping the firing pin on an empty chamber.

For sure. The chamber was in this condition when I got it, and I learned probably a couple decades ago that dry firing a rim fire firearm is far more likely to damage itself than with centerfire, and never to do it. BTW I was already planning on getting the 5 inch barrel from P.A., and mainly because of the apparent damage in that area. Ill snag that barrel up in a couple weeks and get a new extractor and make sure it is finely adjusted to get a full grab on the rims of the shells, and will have a gun smith do it for me so it's done properly. Even tho I will get a good home defense weapon here son anyways, I kinda like this 22. It's just a cool looking 22, so Ill keep it for grins and giggles lol.