TargetTalk

My Standard Model Pistol has always been very reliable until recently.

For every 30 rounds fired, I get a stovepipe/smokestack. I have tried

using different standard velocity ammo besides the usual CCI I normally

use. This did not help. I number my magazines and the problem occurs

with all of them. Sometimes the empty, fired case is caught between

the slide and barrel so that it remains parallel to the bore; other times,

it is perpendicular to it. A thorough cleaning did not help at all. Any one

else ever have this issue? How did you correct it? Thanks!

Looks like you tried different ammo.

I had had lead buildup in the chamber slowly over time cause like problem. With a brush and wooden dowel I was able to get a small ring of lead out. Found a mag that I thought was scratching the edge of the bullet. Aver time lead bits built up in the deep end of the chamber. Some pistols are tough to get a gook look at this spot.

Good luck

Something like this has come on a recent thread that I can't find. One of the coaches on this forum has his people use a .25 cal bore brush that has been bent at right angles so that it can go into the chamber but not reach the bore. Over time, a ring of crud will form at the case mouth which will cause extraction problems and this brush (+ Hoppes 9, or you favorite bore juice) will get that out. I used it on my TOZ 35M recently because the ejector was getting sluggish and it made a big difference.

Roger

Is it possible that your extractor lets go of the case before the empty case hits the ejector? How many round through this pistol?

Two things stand out and are worth checking.
A week recoil spring,
Extractor may be worn, broken or bent.
Hope this helps,

big mouse:

I do not use my Buckmark for Bullseye shooting; it's just my "fun gun".
Around 10,000 rounds, mine starting have the very same problem.

Changing the recoil spring didn't help. Once out of the slide, the extractor
looked no different compared to the new spare one I had on hand. A very
thorough cleaning and lube did not solve anything. The smokestacks
occured with all of my Browning magazines. I would continue to get 1 smokestack for every 25 rounds fired. The smokestack did occur at a random and unpredictable pattern.

I took the UltraDot off, went to the range and loaded all of the mags with
only 5 rounds each. While shooting, I noticed something that happened with each mag.

For every five rounds fired, 3 cases would normally eject straight out to the right at 3 o'clock. One empty would exit high and right on a 1 o'clock path. And the other case would barely clear the pistol, just dribbling out of it, missing my right hand and falling straight down, doing a 6 o'clock exit.

The ejection pattern was not consistent for each empty, so I checked the
ejector. I took the recoil spring out of the slide and put the slide back onto the frame. With the spring out, it is was easier to move the slide.

The Buckmark slide has a horizontally oriented slot machined across the
bottom of it. This slot fits over and "rides" over the ejector as the slide cycles. The ejector is attached to the frame and it looks like a short, round piece of wire about a 1/32" in diameter. (No offense to Browning, but it does resemble a straightened-out paper clip).

Start with the slide fully closed. Slowly pull it back while watching the breechface, stopping when the tip of the ejector is just flush with it. At this
point, it becomes obvious that the slot is a lot wider than the ejector is. Note the position of the ejector's tip within the slot. Is it in the middle of the slot, way off to one side of it, or way off to the other side?

Mine was way off to the side, such that it was now located as far away from the extractor as possible, while still being within the slot. I removed the slide and, pinching the ejector between my thumb and index finger, I moved it horizontally in a direction TOWARDS the extractor. I tweaked it in a series of steps, just a tad each time. After each tweak, I placed the slide back onto the frame to check my progress. Eventually, the ejector was still located within the slot, but it's tip was as close as possible to the extractor.

Don't move the ejector over too far; if you do, the slot in the slide can not "ride" over it. Also, move it gradually in a few tries. If you muscle it in one hard attempt, it may be possible to bend it beyond repair or even break it.

Back at the range, I monitored the ejection pattern. No more 1 o'clock or 6 o'clock exits; no more trapped cases regardless of the round count. Each and every empty exited straight out to the right at 3 o'clock, just like when the pistol was new.

Here's what I suspect happens. The slot is wider than the ejector is. When assembled at the factory, all of the parts are properly positioned.
Empty .22 cases don't weigh much at all, but they do strike the ejector at a pretty good speed. Round after round, the ejector eventually takes a good beating, and it moves slightly out of it's correct position within the slot. This changes how the empties contact the tip of the ejector, thus affecting proper function.

How long will this kitchen table repair last? Will the ejector need to be repositioned again down the road? Will it eventually need to be replaced with a new part? Only time will tell!

If it has had lots a rounds, I'd start with a good rebuilt and good clean (also disassemble slide!).
Dont forget to clean mags and insert new mag springs.
A well serviced, clean,buckmark should function flawlessly without any fiddling or adjusting being necessary.