unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

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Hamster
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:18 pm
Location: Vancouver BC

unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by Hamster »

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with a Unique DES jamming. After trying someone else's at the range, I bought one from an auction site, to try my hand in the local ISSF rules league. Like the grip a lot. Looks good but it jammed right away -- ignites first round but won't extract. Bad worn out extractor. Gunsmith made a new extractor but it still jams. Maybe a mag issue, he says. He's a good gunsmith but seems stumped. Not an ammo issue as we've tried several including Eley. Would be glad to hear any thoughts about what might be the matter with it. (Needless to say, the auction site is sticking to their guns -- as is, no guarantees. Annoying because whoever dumped that pistol into their auction must've known it wasn't functional.)
slofyr
Posts: 273
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by slofyr »

If the shell is not backing out, examine the chamber with magnification. Carbon or erosion are possible causes. Carbon can be removed with Hoppes 9 or TriFlow and a .223 bronze brush. If you find neither faults, it's the extractor.
fc60
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:46 am
Location: Western Washington State, USA 98385

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by fc60 »

Greetings,

Sad news. I have had three DES/69's and they were the most reliable pistol.

The magazine also acts as the ejector. Try borrowing a known working one from your range pals.

Do cartridges drop in and fall out of the barrel when it is clean? The chambers on mine were on the 'generous' side.

The barrels are soft steel. Take a close look at the edge of the chamber for nicks/dings.

Crud in the chamber is a possibility. Cleaning is easily done.

Locate someone with a bore scope. Then have a good look at the inside of the barrel.

Watch out for the barrel weight, if it has one, slipping rear-wards and touching the recoil spring guide rod. When it touches, the shots go wild.

Hunt down a new recoil spring. Odds are the existing one is worn out. You can get them from Sportec in Sweden.

All the best with your new purchase. Once sorted out, they are great pistols.

Cheers,

Dave
samg
Posts: 89
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 8:15 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by samg »

Strange since Des 69s are about as bomb proof as you can get. I don't remember ever having any feed/extraction problems with mine.
If you take a dummy round and cycle it through, does it feed/extract and eject ok? if the extractor does not pull out the round, that would point to either a chamber or extractor issue. As mentioned above the magazine is the ejector. So when it jams is the spent cartridge still in the chamber with the new round pushed into it, or is it stove piping?
The first instance would point to either a chamber or extractor issue. The second would point to ejector issue. Does the magazine fit tight in the frame. Because it is also the ejector it fits in there very snug.
With the slide removed, does a round drop freely in and out of the chamber? As also mentioned earlier, I would clean the heck out of the chamber. If there is a lead ring, or just a bunch of built up wax in there it can cause issues.
Best of luck. Once you get it shooting right a I am sure you will be happy with it.
David Levene
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Location: Ruislip, UK

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by David Levene »

samg wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2019 8:49 am If you take a dummy round and cycle it through, does it feed/extract and eject ok? if the extractor does not pull out the round, that would point to either a chamber or extractor issue.
Remember that the extractor does a different job depending on what you are doing.

If you are trying to unload a case/cartridge then the name "extractor" is correct. It pulls the case out of the chamber.

If you are are live firing however then the extractor has nothing to do with pulling the case out of the chamber. It is actually being pushed backwards by the fired case. It simply acts as a pivot to throw the case clear of the gun. I've shot complete matches (FAS 602 & 603) without an extractor.
Gwhite
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by Gwhite »

This is only true if nothing interferes with the rearward travel of the case. If the chamber is dirty, the pressure in the barrel can drop before the case clears the chamber. The sideways force of the extractor on the case will cause it to drag on the far side of the chamber, and that can cause malfunctions.

Also, the reason some Pardinis have 4th round jams is because the nose of the 5th round pops up high enough to hit the 4th round case, again, causing malfunctions.

Centerfire tends to work better if the extractor is absent because the cases actually have a bit of mass & momentum. Not so much with a .22...
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m1963
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:13 am
Location: Ohio

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by m1963 »

Perhaps this thread may be of help-

viewtopic.php?t=23825
hurt
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:10 pm

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by hurt »

Gwhite, you mention 4th round Pardini jam...which is what i have!! CCI works near perfect..ALL others get this 4th jam. What is the solution?? Other than shooting CCI 😁
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m1963
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:13 am
Location: Ohio

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by m1963 »

Hamster- how did the fixes from Rune and Sportec AB work out? Were you able to get the pistol working reliably?
Hamster
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:18 pm
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by Hamster »

Many thanks to all for your thoughts and advice. Rune from Sportec replied promptly with detailed advice, and let me know that he has several parts available. My gunsmith has just let me know that he's got the pistol working (after making a new extractor and finding a better magazine) and I will be able to pick it up shortly (after he gives it a further function test at the range). If all continues to go well, I'll take Rune up on his kind offer to put a spare parts package together for me and send it over from Sweden.
Hamster
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:18 pm
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: unique des 69 jam-o-matic fix?

Post by Hamster »

Just closing the loop on the saga of my new-to-me DES, now received back from the gunsmith. In a word, terrific. I haven't had a pistol with an anatomical grip before, and (having tried a few others others) I particularly like how this one fits. Now I can enter the local ISSF pistol league without embarrassing myself entirely (I hope).
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