MG2 Struggler:

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WSmith
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:53 pm
Location: Kansas City

MG2 Struggler:

Post by WSmith »

Please tell me about the reliability issue(s) you and your associates have experieced with the MATCHGUNS MG2.
Mike Taylor
Posts: 212
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:03 pm
Location: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

MG2 reliability experience

Post by Mike Taylor »

Shortly after I received my MG2 (about 200 rounds later), it developed a feeding problem. The second round from the magazine would not chamber; instead, becoming jammed vertically between the barrel and the slide. The source of the problem was the Bullet Insert Lever. A crack had developed on one side of the lever, at its pivot point, causing a distortion of the lever. The distorted lever could not guide a bullet into the chamber properly.
Since the Bullet Insert Lever was replaced, I have not experienced any other part failure.
I have found that Eley Pistol Xtra (with the EPS bullet) will not feed in my MG2. Since the gun feeds all other brands of ammo I have tried, I believe this to be a consequence of the different shape of the EPS bullet and the shorter length of a Pistol Xtra round (as compared to Eley Standard, for example). Some others have not had such a problem with Pistol Xtra in their MG2.
I recently used my MG2 and CCI standard velocity ammunition in a Sport Pistol match and then in a Rapid Fire match without experiencing a single failure of either the pistol or the ammunition in the 140 rounds of the competition. Hardly a "reliability test", but at least a positive result :-)
The struggler

Post by The struggler »

I have fired 2000 rounds through my MG2 now. And I have experienced severe reliability problems with all brands of ammo. Mostly feeding problems, but also ejection problems. And I have tested about every type of cartridge available.

Typically, a round will not feed completely into the chamber. The cartridge (bullet) will be bent, and a bulge formed in the case, about 1/10 " behing the case mouth, caused by the lower part of the chamber entrance.
Chambering of the first cartridge is often very difficult. Even when the slide retracted fully, and then allowed to slam home by the recoil spring force.

I have participated in 4 competitions with the MG2. I have only been able to complete 2 ot those. And I had at least one malfunction in each competition. And in two of them 2 malfunctions, which means you were out.

The MG2 is by far the least reliable .22 pistol I have ever owned. And I have owned some!.

Cleaning is mandatory with the MG2, every 200 rounds or less. But even the best cleaning and lubing vill not solve the problems.

Some og the feeding problems seem to be attribute to the unusual firing pin. This is small, light, and there is no firingpin return spring. The firing pin is pushed rearward by the rim of the cartridge at feeding (chambering). For this reason the firing pin is slightly angled at the lower side. I have seen residue buildup around the firing pin recess in the bolt (slide) face, which seems to hamper the rearward movement of the firing pin. Cleaning this out with a wooden tooth-picker will bring the gun back in business (for a (short) while).

The MG2 is an intricate, complicated design. It was released to the market without enduring, thoruough field (torture) testing. The customers have been Guinea pigged again by this one, I am afrain.

I will keep and use mine for informal training until 10.000 rounds are reached. If its behaviour does ot improve comsiderably, I will sentense the gun to eternal departure from my gun cabinet!
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j-team
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Location: New Zealand

Post by j-team »

This doesn't surprise me. The original version of this design was a disaster for Morini.
Ted Bell
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 9:28 pm
Location: Alabaster, Alabama

Post by Ted Bell »

Struggler-

When did you get your MG-2? Is it one of the early ones? I've put 3-4000 rounds through mine and have had only one failure to feed and no failure to fires. Plus, I've only cleaned it twice. It's a shame you're having such a bad experience with it- it's been one of the most reliable pistols I've owned.

-Ted
Alex
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2004 7:43 pm
Location: NE PA

MG2 Struggler

Post by Alex »

I've put approx 4500 rds through my MG2 which I got from Don Nygord in Sept '04. The gun performed almost flawlessly for the first 4000 rds or so.
At first I experienced the problems most have had:
I learned to retract the slide fully and let it slam forward to insure positive first round feeding. To be honest, years ago I had a Hi Standard that had this same peculiarity.
Some brands of ammo didn't work, period. Wolf SV wouldn't feed. Eley with the EPS bullet hung up on the dimple - go figure.
T22 and military "White Box" were quickly set aside also.
I settled on Aguila SV and the new Federal "Classic" SV. Both shot well at 25 Yds and provided no malfunctions. Then the malfunctions started(about a week ago). I mean two or three a box. I cleaned the gun with no change. Rounds would fail to feed completely, getting stuck with the bullet in the chamber and the case totally outside the barrel. Upon investigation I was surprised to see the the slide at the edge of the machined slot made to encircle the cartridge rim was "peened" over so that it took some effort to insert a case. I cleaned this up with a stone and an emery board. I also took the edges off the firing pin face. As someone noticed it floats and there is that cut to keep it from hanging up on the rim during operation.
I've put also 500 rds through it since I worked on the slide with no problems what so ever.
Admitedly this is a design or fitting flaw that shouldn't be, but there's what I did to cure it.
If you feel uncomfortable about working on you guns to this extent please don't. Take it to a qualified pistolsmith or contact the dealer you purchased it from.

Hold center,

Alex
The Struggler

bad MG2 specimen?

Post by The Struggler »

Ted: I received my MG2 early 2005. The serial number is 14xx. so it is from the later production runs.

I am happy to hear that other MG2 owners are satisfyed with their guns. I am not.
Tycho

Post by Tycho »

My one is #34 overall, got updated to the standard of 10xx (upper lever, mag, extractor) and works perfectly well, no malfunctions whatsoever, every ammo, every weather. And btw, for j-team: your "original" design was the CM102E, which has nothing to do with the MG2, except the designer and some basic ideas. Don't stick your head out on subjects you don't have a clue about.
Mike Taylor
Posts: 212
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:03 pm
Location: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

More on MG2 malfunctioning

Post by Mike Taylor »

I was reviewing my notes and came across another problem I had forgotten I had with my MG2 (that is, another problem besides the broken Bullet Insert Lever).
After the BIL was replaced, the slide was still hanging up. I examined and functioned the action carefully in an effort to determine where the slide was catching. I especially looked at the slide/hammer clearance, since my dealer had concerns about this area. However, I finally concluded that the problem lay with the pivot pin 2042 that acts as the fulcrum for the carrier 2055. This pin was protruding slightly, about one millimetre, above the right-hand side of the frame. The protrusion was not apparent until I removed the grip, as a portion of the grip masks the pin from view. I saw that the head of the protruding pin was rubbing heavily on the inside face of the slide, just below the firing-pin housing. I tapped (whacked) the pin with a drift and hammer (with the frame supported on a piece of hardwood) until the head was flush with the frame. Voila! Problem solved! The slide no longer hangs up during its return to battery. It moves freely back and forth.
Those of you having a feeding problem and who have determined that neither the chamber nor the Bullet Insert Lever is the culprit may want to look at this pin to be certain it is not restricting movement of the slide.

Perhaps it is also worth mentioning that when my BIL was broken, it was still possible to get all five rounds in the magazine to cycle through the gun by actuating the slide manually. It was only when the slide cycled from recoil that the broken BIL made its presence known (by the next round's jamming between the slide and the barrel). The break in the lever was barely discernable. The lever did not fall apart. It remained in position and even functioned at the slow rate associated with hand cycling. What I'm suggesting is to take a good close look with a magnifier at the Bullet Insert Lever to be sure it isn't cracked.
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j-team
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Location: New Zealand

Post by j-team »

Gee Tycho, pull your lower lip in. Anyone with half a brain can see where the MG2 design comes from.
Mark Briggs
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Location: The Frigid North - Ottawa, Canada

Post by Mark Briggs »

I'll throw a comment in here too. My MG-2 is in the s/n range 11xx, so I guess it's in the middle of the pack in terms of production date. It came to me last fall. Here's a bit on its history.

1) Problem:
pistol would "double" quite regularly, that is it would fire two shots (or more) when the shooter had only depressed the trigger once.
Analysis:
This was caused by trigger setup. The original owner had set the trigger up with about 520 grams on the first stage and only 50 grams on the 2nd stage. Most shooters don't have sufficient trigger control to be able to cope with a 50gram trigger on a semi-auto pistol. While they thought they had only depressed the trigger once, when the gun recoiled they had unknowingly depressed the trigger again.
Fix:
Adjusted trigger to have 350grams on 1st stage, 200 grams on second stage. Haven't had a "double" since, either in my hands or in the hands of the many shooters who've tried this pistol. (But it was kinda cool the first time it happened to me - I loosed off 3 shots in what felt like "full auto" mode. The first was a 10, the second and 8 and the third a 7 on a 20-yard Standard Pistol target. I was impressed!)

2) Problem:
Grip won't attach to the pistol after any angular adjustments are made.
Analysis:
Grip attachment screw is 45mm long. By adjusting any of the angular adjustments it simply wasn't long enough to engage the threaded portion of the receiver.
Fix:
Dealer supplied a 50mm grip attachment screw. Grip can now be adjusted to max travel in any direction with no trouble.

3) Problem:
Pin which acts as the pivot point for the magazine catch drifts out of pistol frame.
Anaylsis:
Frame holes slightly oversize.
Fix:
A little drop of "service-removeable" strength Loctite on each end of the pin.

A comment on cleaning... A previous post indicates that one owner must clean his MG-2 every couple of hundred rounds. I've been running a test with mine and haven't cleaned it now for almost 1000 rounds. No malfunctions, including during a rapidfire match two weekends ago. The competitor in the bay beside me certainly used his alibi round when his trusty GSP stovepiped in the first 4sec series though!

One other important point to note... It is absolutely IMPERATIVE that the MG-2 not be babied when loading the first round in the chamber. The process I follow is (assuming the bolt is being held open to show the range officer the pistol is "safe")... 1) pull back bolt and let it close on an empty chamber... 2) insert loaded magazine into pistol... 3) pull bolt allllll the way back and let it SLAM closed on its own spring pressure... 4) pull bolt slightly to the rear and visually inspect to ensure the first round loaded (mine's never failed to do this, but it would be a disallowed malfunction so it never hurts to check!)


10's to All!
ColinC
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:28 pm
Location: Victoria, Australia

Post by ColinC »

I am a bit confused when you talk of trigger weights being so low. In Australia we shoot a 25m match called standard pistol and the minimum weight is 1000g.
It seems most .22 semi autos operate best around that trigger weight.
What matches do you shoot which allows trigger weights approaching air pistol weights?
Mark Briggs
Posts: 583
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 8:35 am
Location: The Frigid North - Ottawa, Canada

Post by Mark Briggs »

Ooops! I messed up my statement above regarding trigger weights - thanks for catching it, Colin. We use the same trigger weight as you do, 1000grams (for Standard, Sport and Rapid Fire). My MG-2 is adjusted with approximately 850 grams on the first stage and 200 on the second stage. I had erronously indicated the first stage carries only 350 grams, which would definitely not be ISSF-legal. This is what happens when I try to do too many things at once - sooner or later some data will slip between the cracks... ;-)

The critical information in the message still holds - a very light 2nd stage setting will cause the pistol to behave almost like it's fully automatic. Make sure you get a decent amount of weight on that second stage or you might get an unpleasant surprise!
guest

Troubleshooting the MG 2

Post by guest »

To Alex: Thanks for your informative post.

I own a notoriously malfunctioning MG2. It will not cycle trustworthy with any ammo! Bar none!

During inspection of the bolt, I noticed the left side rim of the cut-out for the cartridge base in the bolt face was ragged, showing some large burrs. I tried to stone these burrs lightly with a hard arkansas oil stone.

I inserted an empty case, and notised the extractor exerted considerable pressure sideways to the case, giving the impression of a (too?) snug fit for the boltface-recess.
May I ask you fellow owners of MG 2s out there I if the extractor of your MG 2 does press the cartridge relatively hard to the left hand side of the bolt?

Alex, do you think stoning away some of the "overlap" of the extractor would improve feeding? (less sideways pressure, and hence less resistance to the cartridge base at feeding).

Some brands/models of pistols are known to work ok (or even better) with the extractor removed. Have anybody out there tested this out for the MG 2?

I am still a "believer" of the MG 2, and if it was cured for its habit of jamming, it would be a very desirable gun.
Alex
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2004 7:43 pm
Location: NE PA

MG2 Struggler

Post by Alex »

To the guest who is trouble shooting his MG2:

Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner(I had eye laser surgery to stem the effects of diabetes and high BP last week and it's been hard to use a computer).

Seems you have the same problem that I had. Yes, I used a stone after using an emory board. I buy the emory boards women use on their nails; cheap and you can cut them to whatever shape you want. Cut the board so that you're only taking material off the side/spot you need to. I know what you mean about taking out the extractor (less is sometimes better - no last shot hold open feature on some guns). Since taking the burrs off the bolt face has done the job, I'll leave it in.

I've put another 1500 or so rounds through mine since without a single malfunction of any kind. I picked up Federal Champion SV ammo (stk #5035) and haven't experienced a blip with my MG2 or my S&W 41. I haven't shot it at 50 yds but at 25 it's more than OK and at $120 a case its a keeper.

Hold center,

Alex
Ernie Rodriguez
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:50 pm
Location: Tennessee

Matchgun MG-2

Post by Ernie Rodriguez »

Struggler-Did you ever get your gun to function reliabley? What were some of the fixes you found? Any good advice to pass on to a person who might be interested(aside fdrom throwing it into the river)?? Thanks Erod.
Guesst

MG2

Post by Guesst »

Stoning improved reliability some, but the feeding problems persist.
I do not know what to do. I am getting desperate.
I am very dissapointed by by my MG2 gun.
Ernie Rodriguez
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:50 pm
Location: Tennessee

MG-2 problems

Post by Ernie Rodriguez »

Struggler-If you bought the MG-2 new,earlier this year,shouldn't it be warranteed??Have you considered sending it back to be repaired??I am surprised that all the advice from our well meaning friends on TT forum,nothing worked on your MG-2.I would want to know what kind of a warrantee Matchguns offers to it's customers after you lay out that kind of cash.Your s/n of 14xx,should have most of the problems taken care of.Let me know if the feeding problems have been solved-by PM if you wish.Thank you for you help.Ernie Rodriguez.
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pilkguns
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Post by pilkguns »

You obviously are'nt aware of the past history of other Cesa're guns, or you would'nt be asking about warranty. It has happened what four times now??This is why I have'nt sold any of these guns new, and won't even take them in on trade, because there is no backup. The dealer is left as the middleman holding the bag, so to speak. A conscientious dealer will try to make the gun right, but often getting parts is a challenge even for the dealer. It has happened over and over. The guns are innovative and forward thinking, but there is no engineering to make them reliable on the street. and numerous production changes make maintaing parts for them a nightmare.

I was just talking to some folks in Italy a few days ago, and at the Italian championhips a couple of weeks ago, it seems very very few people were shooting MGs, but they were a number of them there.... carried around by their owners asking "where is Cesa're?", " Where is the MG stand?", "I need this fixed. " And Cesa're was nowhere to found, strange in your home country where attending the National Championships should be a thing of pride, and only costs a few hours driving time.... Makes you wonder....
Airkiller
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:45 am
Location: Como - I

MG2 problems

Post by Airkiller »

Yes it is true. I was at the italian Championships in Milano from 29.09 to 02.10 and everybody was there.
Morini Competition, Benelli, Pardini, Fas, Walther and also Anschütz was there. Match Gun factory was not there. A lot of italian shooters was waiting for checking and fixing their Sport and Air pistol and for having the grip adjusted by Cesare.
Some went to Morini Competition to fix at least the grip.
Personaly I shoot with a 10 years old CM 162E with fix bottle because I never found necessary to have interchangeable bottles because I only shoot in Italy, but I was allways able to find Morini Competition people at the biggest Italian matches.
Cesare makes innovative products ( I have one CM 102E) but when there is to fix and repair it disapperar.
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