I pulled my old Bobcat 22LR out of the safe and it had has been 25 years or so since I shot it.  It doesn't feed rounds properly now and I am wondering if I messed something up?  I pulled the slide open and it came off the frame partially and got stuck pointing upward.  I got the slide off with very little force, but now that I put it back together it only feeds properly with about 4 rounds in the clip, anything more than that and the rounds don't lift up high enough to get into the mouth of the chamber.  I tried a different clip, different ammo and cleaned it, still no luck.   Is this a common problem with this gun?   Could I have put it back together wrong some how?   I tried taking it apart and putting it together using the instruction manual several times, but it still does the same thing.   I am no gunsmith though - not even close.

The M21A slide only comes off the frame rails IF you have released the barrel and tipped it up.  Pulling it back with the barrel down does not release the slide by accident.

Did by any chance you try to dis-assemble it with the magazine still in the pistol?  And then muscle it?

As a generality, if it feeds the first 3-4-5 rounds off the top and fails to fed the last 2-3-4 in the magazine, you have a mag spring problem.  Or damaged mag feed lips.

As a further generality, there is no way to put it together wrong.  The slide is either all the way down and in the two frame rail nubs or it isn't.  The barrel is either locked down to guide the front of the slide or it isn't.

Use some CCI MiniMag 40RN to test it.

As to using a different mag and a different ammo and it is still not working, puzzlement.  The guns are dirt simple and generally moron proof.  Take a look at the magazine lips.  Are they unbent, uncut up/knicked/chipped, and === parallel?

They are still made and Beretta still services them in Md.

(Or you may have installed both mag springs backwards.  The free-longest limb of the spring has to support the front of the follower under the bullet end, NOT the rim end.  That IS something that shows up in the last few rounds.)

Thank you for your reply.  Everything appears okay with regards to your comments.  I did find out that it functions fine with Stingers.   Maybe I will send it in for repair.

Sorry.  Not much else left to do other than keep them well lubed.  And the mag body and follower dry inside.

I think you just discovered it's ammo sensitive.  I've owned a number of small 22's over the years.  All them were picky about ammo.  There was no rhyme or reason to what a particular pistol liked.  If your's runs on Stingers, keep feeding it Stingers.  I doubt there is anything wrong with it.

There is one nasty little trick they have.  The dual spring system wacks against the plastic grip panels and cracks them.  Then the panels impinge on the spring levers when the slide runs.  Like short stroking.

Look at the two grip panels and make sure they are not cracked.  My 1990's gun is on its third set of grip panels.

Mine runs on CCI MiniMag 40RN.  And a 1964 case of Remington 40RN Golden Bullets.  No so good with any cheaper ammo.

The top right hand corner of the handle is cracked off, it is a small chunk and I think it is cosmetic.  I'll check to see if there are any cracks causing what you mention to occur - thanks.

Stingers are the ONLY round mine will function with since brand new. So that's what I feed it.

I inspected the handles and found no cracks causing any type of binding issue.  I am just going to run with Stingers since they work and have worked for others.  Thanks for your input everyone.

"Stingers are the ONLY round mine will function with since brand new. So that's what I feed it."


+1