I want my Uzi (AGAIN!!!)

[sigfla]

Took the M11 out today. I have had it running great the last time I took it out. I had to replace the fire control parts, etc.. but it worked fine.

I have run about 7 or 8 mags through it in total since I got it up and running. Shot 2 or 3 through it today and 1 round got stuck in the chamber along with some metal shaving from some mystery location. It was a significant amount of metal in between the round and the barrel. The round stuck and I had a light primer hit. I was using metal lipped mags from Cobray and my RPB sidecocker upper. I re-cocked and tried to fire the round out as it would not come out trying to pry it with a knife blade. That hit the primer even harder and put a significant dent in it but the round was still lodged and unfired. I debated prying it again and even pushing it out from the barrel end but I decided against something so unsafe. I complained and moaned about how crappy my M11 has been and then decided to disassemble it. Once I had the top end off I could see how much metal was between the round and the barrel and how big a primer hit it had taken (it was dented in pretty damn good). I debated my options with my shooting buddy and then threw the whole top end into a deep pond. (A brand new RPB sidecocker). I figured my life, hands, eyesight were worth the 125.00 I could easily afford.

Anyway, I am pissed now more than ever and I want my Vector. This M11 has been a real pain in the butt. I will purchase a new top end (still have the stock) and maybe have a look at my mags which all suck BTW (I have metal and new zytel), get this thing running and then lock it up never to be seen or shot again.

 

[stymie]

ammo problem...

sigfla...

What ammunition are you using?

If you tried the new zytels... do you have the special steel/mag catch on now... not the OEM one?

Do you still have the original SWD upper for it to experiment with?

I've had the best luck w/ zytels & modified Madsens w/ the original mag catch.

The Masterpiece Arms/RPB uppers have worked fine for me... so far!

Whatever you do... don't shoot aluminum Blasers or steel-cased Russian ammo.

Hope you get your UZI... SOON!!!!

 

[sigfla]

It was a mix. I still have a ton of the Hirt ammo left and that is what we were burning off today. I admit I shouldn't be using it in the M11 but +p velocity aside the round shouldn't have done that. The upper isn't at fault it is a nicely machined piece. The factory zytels have been sticking rounds in the mag bottom on me. I have standard zytel and the metal lipped insert ones from Cobray (they all suck). I also have metal madsens from tapco. They all fit best with the stock catch. However I also have a tacinov catch and as I am writing this the UPS guy just delivered the RPB paddle catch.

I know the ammo is too hot for the M11 but I don't think my failure was ammo related. I just have no idea where that metal came from that got caught up in the barrel. My hypothesis is that it came from the metal lipped insert mag as that is what was in the gun and the lipps look a bit beat up. It is the amount of metal that stuck in the barrel that gets me. It was a significant amount. I still have 2 stock SWD uppers for the gun. I am gonna try them out next time with only winchester bulk pack from Wal Mart. I like the Madsens but they are too loose in my gun. I have the insert kit from RPB but haven't installed it yet. Maybe that will fix my troubles. The gun is fun to shoot but I am a bit wary of it. It has given me trouble and seeing as I shoot lefty an open bolt gun just makes me nervous anyhow.

 

[compuvette]

Man, that's weird. My M10/9mm runs like a top. Using Zytels without the inserts and no problems here. I put around 500 rounds through it two weekends ago. Only hitch was when I tried Speer Gold Dot 147gr subsonic. It caught on the barrel (miss-feed) twice out of about 100 rounds. The ammo is pretty sweet, though! Comes out pretty quiet through my Coastal can. I figure it will work fine on the UZI's. They all have semi feed ramps. The rest of the ammo I was shooting was all 115gr Wolf. Dirty, but runs just fine for me out of the MAC. I probably have around 1500rnds through the gun total. Got it NIB from my SOT. The only issue I ever had with FMJ was the first time I fired it it didn't want to strip a shell from the mag. After the first mag through the gun it ran great after that.

 

[tommygun2000]

Re: Threw it in a pond?

I debated my options with my shooting buddy and then threw the whole top end into a deep pond. (A brand new RPB sidecocker). I figured my life, hands, eyesight were worth the 125.00 I could easily afford.

Why did you not disassemble the upper, remove the bolt, and knock the round out of the chamber ? Pushing the round out from the muzzle will not fire the cartridge. Hell I would have bought that upper from you. I'm looking for a side cocker for my M11/9. Even a green tree branch will usually do the trick in a pistol or short barrel like the Mac.

I always have a rod with me at the range for this type of situation. I've had several people come up to me and ask to use a rod to dislodge a stuck cartridge or shell casing.

Also, your making a big mistake using Hirtenberger+P+ in your Mac. If you were worried about a kaboom knocking a round out of the barrel, you'll be really surprized when your gun is coming apart in your hands from that ammunition. The Macs are not made to withstand that type of ammo and the beating it gives the gun. I've fired two mags and knew instantly that it was beating the piss out of the gun. I only fire standard velocity 9mm from my Mac and the Hot stuff is strictly for the Uzi and Ruger pistols.

Oh well, live and learn.

 

[sigfla]

Anyone know of a decent replacement for the mag springs in my M11? Seems as though the high majority of problems with the gun stem from the mags being lousy. I know mine could probably be helped by a decent (thicker gauge/stiffer) recoil spring.

I called Wolff but they don't manufacture one. If they did I would sure as heck buy it. A metal follower would probably help alot also. I think one of the great problems with these things is they were cheap guns from birth. Now that they are NFA it would be nice to get mine to run right.

The design is sound and sturdy but back in the days of plentiful and cheap mags the M11 Zytels just didn't need to be all that great. I mean who cares you could just ditch it and get a nice new one.

All of the cool aftermarket stuff for these things seem to center around the NFA community so I don't believe too many main stream aftermarket manufacturors would see the need to produce a decent mag, spring, 2 piece recoil rod, etc. for the primarily SA market. It would be akin to producing aftermarket quality parts for a Raven or some other flimsy (cheap) weapon.

 

[compuvette]

Why don't you just get it converted to STEN mags? Tactical Innovations does it for around $250. The mags are way cheep ($3ish) and work much better than the Zytel crap. There is also at least one place that will convert it to UZI mags too. As soon as one of my UZI's clears the ATF my MAC is getting STEN converted. I haven't had any problems with the Zytels, but I already have a SOCOM mag block for my Oly 9mm upper on the M16 so it can use STENs and I figure that it makes alot more sense to go ahead and convert before I have problems. It also cuts down on the number of different kinds of mags I have to own.

 

[JIMBO]

I thought he wanted his Uzi again ?

 

[sigfla]

I always want my Uzi but until it and my M16 get outta transfer hell the M11 is all I got for NFA toys. I can tell until I get my hands on the other 2 the M11 is gonna be my white whale. My unrunning Moby Dick.

 

[sigfla]

Decided to order the metal mags from Recon Ord. Seems like the die hard mac guys say those are the ones to get. Without the insert my Madsens are just too loose in the grip and the bolt hits them all the time. I will keep experimenting with my "white whale" until I get it to run and hopefully by then I will have my Uzi and M16 in hand. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and words of condolence.