MG2 Troubles.. need some brainstorming

[Brian James]

I am posting this message in the hope that some of the forum members may have an idea how to solve the problem I have listed below


My problem is the hammer does not always lock in place, which means the gun can not shoot the next round. It is worth noting the next round is fed into the chamber.


Whats occurring -
If I shoot the gun two handed, or grip the gun excessively hard the problem ceases. The hammer locks into place every single time.

It seems as if you prevent the gun from moving while the shot is being fired there is enough energy to move the slide back and lock the hammer into place. While a more relaxed grip, steals to much energy away from the gun, thus preventing the slide from having enough force to lock the hammer into place.

This problem is happening with all sorts of target grade ammo and std. 22Lr ammo. I have tried everything from Eley 10x, RWS Pistol Match, Lapua Pistol King, etc....

Worth noting

I had to replace the barrel and slide because there was a problem with the barrel's extractor being cut into the barrel.
The grip does not impede the slide
The top of the frame and slide do not rub - there is been wearing behind the ejector port. The blue has worn off.
The gun has seen about 1000rds

I have wondered if a lighter recoil springs may allow less resistance for the slide, thus permitting the slide to use more of its energy to lock the hammer into place.

Does anyone know if the new MG2s with the rubber absorber are using a set of ligher springs, than the older models.? The rubber absorber is to save the frame from the slide smacking into it because of the lighter springs

I would appreciate any ideas, experiences that may help me resolve my problem etc....

Thanks

Brian

[Tycho]

Try fooling around with the 2mm hex screw between the two long screws. Solved exactly that problem on my MG2E. On the other hand, I had to replace the long sear lever on my MG2(M) right at the beginning, because of that issue. And, depending on which version it is, a loose triggerstop can prevent the hammer from catching/staying up, too. Even had double fires because of that.

I'm not sure about the effect of the new springs. I've never updated my MG2(M) because recoil recovery seems better to me with the old ones. But the newer ones are much longer, so if somebody wants to use the new barrel shroud with the slide brakes, they are a must. I don't really think that exchanging the springs - which is quite an operation, the guidance holes have to be drilled deeper, and there ain't all that much material left anyway - will make the slide go further backwards. I'd concentrate on trigger adjustments, cleaning/lubing the whole (trigger) thing, and rechecking to grip - that is far and away the most frequently found source of trouble with MG2's that have been running at one time or another.

[New to the MG2]

Try fooling around with the 2mm hex screw between the two long screws...

Sorry, I am not able to follow you here, Tycho. Which screw(s)? Are you thinking of any of the screws fixing the "slide cover"? No?...

The MG2 recoilsprings are, I think, designed to prevent the pistol from damage if some soul fires more powerful ammo than target grade in the gun. Hence, it will often not operate reliably with softer ammo.

Has anyone tried to cut off 1/2 turn or more of the recoilsprings?

[Brian James]

Tycho,

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try your solutions and let the forum know how they turn out.

Brian

[Tycho]

There's a 2mm screw between the pair of slide cover screws at the back. That will regulate spring pressure on the hammer sear. It's quite difficult to describe, and I'm not even sure that every MG2 will react in the same way to variations of this.

In my experience, the MG2 will function with about everything one can get into the mag, although people shooting faster than standard match grade ammo should be sent to IPSC. The thing you describe with the recoil springs would be new to me, usually it's a problem of the grip if the slide fails to get 100% to the back. No Italian designer ever worked under the assumption of people putting +P .22 into their pistols.

[Ernie Rodriguez]

There is an adjustment at the rear of frame which controls the sear surface area upon engagement.If you turn it ccw slightly,it will increase the engagement of the sear-you might look into that area.

[ausdiver99]

I had exactly the same issue with my MG 2 (Serial #1232). Problem turned out to be sear engagement was insufficient (release force travel adjustment in Morini speak?). Some adjustment sorted the problem which has not recurred since (1 year ago). Looking at the manual P 15 it is screw 2 and the grip needs to eb removed

Cheers

Pete

[Brian James]

Just to let you everyone know, the MG2 seems to be working much better, last night out of 55 shots, 54 went off without the hammer problem. I did have several jams, but I can deal with that next.

I solved my problem by adjusting the sear screw (CCW ¼ turn), the tiny screw in between the to large screws on the top was turned 1.5 turns CCW and I made the rake angle more extreme.

I would like to thank everyone for their support!!

Brian

[ausdiver99]

Mine's a fair cow with ammo and always has been. It's very fussy and will jam loading the 2nd shot with Geco green every time. It doesn't think much of Fiocchi neither. We found SK Standard Plus and Pistol Match were most consistently reliable from batch to batch in the MG2. A friend has an MG2 RF version which will not shoot SK and is happy on Geco so testing a couple of boxes across a broad range seems to be the only solution!

Our local gunsmith spent some time tidying up all the rough edges and polishing most bearing surfaces which has helped too.

[Brian James]

.
I have been had great success with improving the reliability of the gun. What I am noticing now is some wearing along the barrel at 9 O'clock(only at 9 O’clock). It is visible about an inch after the barrel becomes visible from the muzzle weight.

Obviously if the slide is riding along the barrel, this added resistance will not help my problems as outlined before. Has anyone noticed this type of wear. I had really hope MG would have gone to the Munich WC, but they weren’t planning on it

[ausdiver99]

G'day Brian.

I just looked at mine, approx 5000 rounds old, serial #12NN. No signs of any scuff marks on the barrel as you mentioned. The slide runs along the two guide rods. There is a little side to side play in mine but not enough for the slide to touch the barrel. Have you checked that your rods are straight, say by rolling them along a flat surface? Mine are also a reasonably tight fit in the frame and weight.

Cheers

Pete

[MG2-owner]

Refering to anothernew thread covering the MG": " - had rubber buffer installed into older MG2".
I had the same modificaction performed on my gun. Some machining of the frame. No improvement in feeding/ejection reliability was experienced, though. Case ruptures quite often. BTW, gun is # 14xx

Several weeks ago my barrel and slide assembly were returned to the Matchguns factory in Italy. A couple of days ago a new and different slide w/narrower extractor was received. But that same old barrel!
Well, I admit, a couuple of mm had been milled off the rear end of the old barrel. Barrel had then been rechambered to proper depth, and a narrower extractor slot cut into the barrel end. (Remnants of older wider extractor goove still visible at the bottom of the new extractor groove).

Removal of metal from end of barrel caused some problems: Hammer blow is now too light to set off catridges properly (hammer has to move further forward to hit carridge rim).. And feeding problems are enhanced.

Som of you guys in the US have got replacement slides and barrels. What are your experiences? Have you got new barrels, or just rechaped/recut /rechambered barrels?

Slowly, I think desperation is overtaking me......
The MG2 is the most lovely gun whenever it performs well. Which mine, so far, never has.....

[Tom Amlie]

I've been sitting on the fence for some time about a new standard pistol, and have been considering an MG2. Does anyone out there have any stories like "fed it thousands of rounds without a problem?"

It's quite a chunk of change, and if it fails it's not simply a matter of running down to the corner gun shop for an exchange!

Tom

[R.M.]

I've had mine now for about a year. It's a 1500 series. The barrel and slide were replaced because of the wide extracter slot, but other than that, it's been a dream. It does like to be clean, and that is hard for me to get used to. I used to shoot a GSP that you cleaned once a year whether it needed it or not.
Yes they are a good chunk of change, but what target pistol isn't.

Hope this helps.
R.M.

[Ted Bell]

I've been sitting on the fence for some time about a new standard pistol, and have been considering an MG2. Does anyone out there have any stories like "fed it thousands of rounds without a problem?"

It's quite a chunk of change, and if it fails it's not simply a matter of running down to the corner gun shop for an exchange!

Tom

I do. I have a 1200 series with no updates or modifications that has had thousands and thousands and thousands of rounds through without a hiccup. It eats anything (even the cheapo WalMart stuff when I'm letting the in-laws try it so they don't shoot up my more expensive ammo), I clean it once a month, and I literally can count on one hand the number of firing problems (failure to fire, failure to feed, failure to extract, etc...)I've had. I changed over to using a Pardini last year as my primary gun just because I wanted the electronic trigger to be able to use my Noptel for rapid fire, but my MG-2 is one of the most reliable guns I have owned. (Of course, my Pardini has been flawless also.)

Thanks,
Ted

[Ernie Rodriguez]

I have a MG2 and it was pretty reliable with 3-4 brands of ammo. I installed a new bbl and slide and practically every brand works without problems.I still use the brand which gives me excellent accuracy as well as good reliability. I can't remember when it failed last.Ernie

[MG2-owner]

The two of you have got replacement barrels. Brand new or modified barrels? Are there any visible indication of the former wider extractor groove at the bottom of the extractor groove?

Strange, how some MG2-s reportedly work very well, and some reportedly definitely do not....

[ausdiver99]

OK, Brian, this post is for you.

You will see the recoil buffer block and the shiny area on the frame where it has been machined in the photo. I've emailed MG twice for the new model drawing which has dimensions without response. I've got a photocopy of one but the machine didn't copy 1:1 so the scale is not correct.

Now it's in bits I may as well clean it!

Cheers

Pete

[MG2-owner]

No, didn´t not work out well with the new slides and factory-reworked barrels. Two non-reliable MG2s have just been returned to the Matchguns factory in Italy. Hope the guns will reappear in fully working and reliable condition. At lest so we hope.

[Brian James]

Having replaced the by old barrel and slide after polishing them seem to have a gun that works about 80% of the time.

What I have noticed and am still noticing is that if I maintain a firm grip the guns works consistently in terms of the hammer locking into place. If I have a loose grip, the hammer will consistently not lock into place. I am not a weak wristed shooter, but I do not squeeze the heck out of the gun either. I have tried several ammos and the pattern is consistent.


Points of interest and worth considering:

An interesting thing to note is if the slide raked to the rear, I am able to let go of it and without the safety being on the slide will stay back. In essence there in enough friction to prevent the gun from sliding forward. - I have tried polishing things, but which has helped but not perfectly.

Furthermore, for some odd reason, the gun seems to poorly eject the last case, but only the last shot. Its weak ejection is weak enough for the slide to cycle back and forth and then catch (or pin) the brass case to the breach face. Any ideas why? At times, the the brass tries to eject via the wrong side (ie where the hole is not cut out).

If anyone has ideas or solution about how I may fix these problems please let me know. The support so far has been great!

Thanks

Brian

I have attached some photos. [/img]