Problems with a sterling arms model 300 .22 auto pistol?

Question

I had come into possession of one of these nice little guys through family. But after taking it out to the range to try it out, I seem to have a problem with the shells not being ejected properly and getting caught when the slide tries to close. This of course leads to the next round not being able to enter the chamber and just an all around not fun range experience. Any suggestions with one of these pistols?

Answer 1

Not a simple answer, as it could be many things:

1. Could just be the ammo. Some .22 guns do not preform well with some brands or types ammo. You must try a few types of .22 ammo to see if one will work. What ammo did you use?

2. The gun is not properly cleaned. Just a small bit of dirt or grime can cause malfunctions in some guns. Disassemble and clean thoroughly, especially the slide, extractor, chamber, etc.

3. The extractor or ejector is worn, broken or somehow not working properly. DO NOT monkey around if you don't know, take it to a gun smith.

4. The magazine is not seated properly, or is bent or damaged or otherwise not aligned properly. Again, gunsmith.

5. The blowback recoil spring is weak and needs replacing.

6. You are not holding the gun firmly. "Limp Wristing" a semi-auto pistol lets it move back on recoil. The slide does not completely cycle all the way back, so the spend cartridge case is not ejected properly and jams on the new cartridge. This is not real common in .22s, but giving that it's a small little pistol, maybe you are limp-wristing it without knowing.

Advise you clean it, get at least 4 different ammos and try again using a firm grip (1,2 and 6). If it still jams, take it in for an inspection.

Answer 2

They are fairly well known to be a POS. Your best bet is to trade it for a more dependable handgun.