ISSC is aware of the problems with their early production runs and has corrected some of the issues such as paint flaking off and loose bolts #108 which are loc-tightend at the factory now. Owners should still and allways check bolt #108 every time you clean the gun as this is the only weak point in their design. If the gun is fired extensively with this bolt being loose, damage to the frame will result [elongated clearnce holes] and all the problems of jams, light strikes, etc will result. Hopefully ISSC will strengthen this area which would be really easy for them to do. I have over 2500 rounds through mine now and still runs great. Its my go to gun for fun shooting, IDPA, whatever and I own a 10/22 and a 597VTR aswell, which are both very fine guns. Hope to hear some more posative reviews on the newer production runs. Cheers!
ISSC Owner's Question
- Thread starter Glock4ever
- Start date
I don't know if you heard but some people were saying that the factory bolts were really short and they were replacing them with ones that were a few millimeters longer. Do you think this is still necessary?
The factory issued bolts are 4X12. 4X15 should fit, but I havnt tried them. Its the vertical bolt that threads into the aluminium spring guide rod block that can loosen and maybe a 4X15 may help. If they just made that block out of steel, you could crank that bolt tight and it would be stronger. Allso, be sure that the allan bolt that holds the stock in place is not loose. Good luck with your gun.
be very careful not to over tighten or you will strip the threads in that soft aluminium, as I did [ $$#$%##@]. But North Sylva was very helpful and I was able to pick up a replacement part the same day out of a gun that someone had returned. They do try to be as helpful as possible, but if your waiting for parts, please be patient. They are coming from Germany and they seem to take their time in sending them out, but North Sylva has ordered a pile of them and should be in soon.
The Federal Champion bulk ammo runs almost flawlessly in my gun. Blazers work well too, but not as smooth. Havn't tried anything else, but CCI mini mags seem to get good reviews.
Good luck on your gun if you get one. I'm interested in hearing reports on new guns to see if anything has really been done at ISSC. I'll stay hopeful...
Good luck on your gun if you get one. I'm interested in hearing reports on new guns to see if anything has really been done at ISSC. I'll stay hopeful...
Mine just came in the mail today from DSG in Vernon (thanks again Brandon!).
First impression right out of the box = a solid piece of machinery! It's heft surprised me.
I checked for loose rail bolts - none
I checked for any loose bolts - none
Was expecting the stock to be flimsy but again was surprised at how hefty it was. Attached easily and firmly. A little bit of creaking but too be expected from a composite adjustable stock. Let's just say it was better than I was expecting (or have read about).
So far the weapon is impressive and I am very happy with my purchase. I have yet to get out to the range to test fire, but I've purchased 250rds of CCI 36gr Stinger and CCI 36gr Blazer to try out and see which runs better (if any).
Will report back. Will get some better pics up shortly, but until then:
First impression right out of the box = a solid piece of machinery! It's heft surprised me.
I checked for loose rail bolts - none
I checked for any loose bolts - none
Was expecting the stock to be flimsy but again was surprised at how hefty it was. Attached easily and firmly. A little bit of creaking but too be expected from a composite adjustable stock. Let's just say it was better than I was expecting (or have read about).
So far the weapon is impressive and I am very happy with my purchase. I have yet to get out to the range to test fire, but I've purchased 250rds of CCI 36gr Stinger and CCI 36gr Blazer to try out and see which runs better (if any).
Will report back. Will get some better pics up shortly, but until then:
That's great boneman. Mine had a solid stock aswell. Buy a small brass brush (looks like a toothbrush) to keep the bolt face and firing pin channel clean. You can replace bolt #108 (vertical one) with M4x16 when ever you dissasamble to clean the action. It gives a full thread engagment in the aluminium block #39 and should be less likely to strip. Enjoy!
Thanks for the tip! Will do.
So, a bit of an update. I FINALLY have my MK22 operating pretty reliably, but it required some kitchen-table gunsmithing and a bit of trial and error.
Tightening up all the bolts on the rifle didn't really help my light primer strike problem. I followed the guide here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_41/244302_.html to file down the firing pin so that it strikes the rim harder. I only cut 3 links off of the firing pin return spring, though I'm actually thinking of doing another 2 or so (and maybe doing a bit more filing) since I'm still getting occasional light strikes. (edit: Yes, I know that guide is for the GSG-5, but the firing pin block in the MK22 is the exact same design.)
One caveat to note that bit me in the ass when reassembling the bolt assembly -- be careful with the orientation of the 2 breech block return springs. They're tapered (wider end should be at the rear), and if you put them in backwards (at least the one on ejection port side), you'll get malfunctions caused by the spring binding against the rest of the assembly (in my case, the breech jammed 3/4 open after running 3 mags through and I could neither close nor open it with the charging handle.
Applying lube to all the moving parts rear of the firing pin seems to make things run smoother too; I used a "solid" lube (FrogLube paste).
I had my "fixed" gun out at the range today -- first 2 mags of CCI Stinger ran FLAWLESSLY... not a single FTF, FTE or light strike. Next mag had 1 light strike. Then I ran a bunch of mags of cheap Winchester 555 bulk stuff -- I ran about 15 mags worth of that stuff and it ran much better than expected (about 8 light strikes per 6 mags). I think with a bit more finessing of the firing pin and spring I might be able to get it to work perfectly even with cheap ammo.
I highly recommend stuffing the rear stock with batting as well. It REALLY helps reduce the "ringing" you get through the stock on every round.
It's been a hell of an adventure getting this thing to work reliably. Would I recommend this gun to other owners? Maybe. If you're willing to do a lot of (warranty-voiding) work yourself and deal with a lot of frustration... sure. It's a hell of a fun plinker, and it's uncommon enough that you get a lot of attention at the range -- it's definitely not a 10/22.
But if you're looking for something reliable out of the box -- definitely not.
Tightening up all the bolts on the rifle didn't really help my light primer strike problem. I followed the guide here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_41/244302_.html to file down the firing pin so that it strikes the rim harder. I only cut 3 links off of the firing pin return spring, though I'm actually thinking of doing another 2 or so (and maybe doing a bit more filing) since I'm still getting occasional light strikes. (edit: Yes, I know that guide is for the GSG-5, but the firing pin block in the MK22 is the exact same design.)
One caveat to note that bit me in the ass when reassembling the bolt assembly -- be careful with the orientation of the 2 breech block return springs. They're tapered (wider end should be at the rear), and if you put them in backwards (at least the one on ejection port side), you'll get malfunctions caused by the spring binding against the rest of the assembly (in my case, the breech jammed 3/4 open after running 3 mags through and I could neither close nor open it with the charging handle.
Applying lube to all the moving parts rear of the firing pin seems to make things run smoother too; I used a "solid" lube (FrogLube paste).
I had my "fixed" gun out at the range today -- first 2 mags of CCI Stinger ran FLAWLESSLY... not a single FTF, FTE or light strike. Next mag had 1 light strike. Then I ran a bunch of mags of cheap Winchester 555 bulk stuff -- I ran about 15 mags worth of that stuff and it ran much better than expected (about 8 light strikes per 6 mags). I think with a bit more finessing of the firing pin and spring I might be able to get it to work perfectly even with cheap ammo.
I highly recommend stuffing the rear stock with batting as well. It REALLY helps reduce the "ringing" you get through the stock on every round.
It's been a hell of an adventure getting this thing to work reliably. Would I recommend this gun to other owners? Maybe. If you're willing to do a lot of (warranty-voiding) work yourself and deal with a lot of frustration... sure. It's a hell of a fun plinker, and it's uncommon enough that you get a lot of attention at the range -- it's definitely not a 10/22.
But if you're looking for something reliable out of the box -- definitely not.
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hey alter3d, interesting update. I read the same forums as you on fixing light strikes on the GSG. I have not had any issues with light strikes in my gun, but I heard from the distributor that ISSC has admitted that they had a bad run, something to do with the firing pin return spring. They did not say what serial #'s were affected. You may be eligable for a replacement bolt from North Sylva if you've been experiencing problems right from the start. I have the same sentiments about this gun as you. Its just way too much fun to give up on, and the design and fit of the parts is quite good when they are new, but due to way to soft metels, I cant see this gun lasting a long time. I am fixing mine right now as an experiment, I am going to drill a clearance hole through the frame to extend a longer bolt #108 right out through the top of the frame and into an extended Steel picattinny rail in an attempt to stop the action from creeping rearward. This happens because the frame material is too thin and soft where the 2 aluminium blocks bolt together to keep the action securly in place. This is evidenced by elongated clearance holes due to the constant pounding of the bolt during cycling. Mine has crept back by .009" which means that the bolt face has moved away from the breech face by that amount resulting in lighter strikes than when it was new. I just shimmed it forward by that amout by placing spacer shims between the tapered aluminium block and the rear of the breech bolt carrier assembly. If this works, and I run several thousand more rounds through it and nothing moves, I will post in more detail what I did.
Interesting... not sure I'm going to bother if I already have the gun running pretty smooth though. I definitely thing the firing pin return spring is a big part of the issue -- as I mentioned, I think I'm going to cut another couple of links off and see what happens.
Yeah, I saw a similar fix in one of the forums I was looking at -- basically, the guy moved the lock washer into that gap you mentioned instead of putting it at the head of the bolt. I don't have that separation problem (yet), but we'll see what happens when I get more rounds down the pipe...
well im back with the .22scar,, and............constant jams and light primer strikes, i am a llittle disapointed but jeff chow from northsylva has emailed me back and is going to send me a new hammer spring and firing pin, got my fingers crossed and hope it fixes the problem, i love this rifle and it is acurate out to 150yards with the target just under the front peep sight i love it and it will stay in my collection for a while
Another 170 or so rounds through mine today. A mix of Wildcat, Stingers and some old Federal I've had lying around in the cabinet. Two FTEs. One came during the rapid fire of the last mag. The other was due to an overloaded mag misfeeding, mis-shaping the lead and making it snug on the extract. Aside from that, it shot nicely. Everything is still tight, though I'm still planning on swapping that bolt for a longer one.
Great gun.
Great gun.
Another update: did some more work on the firing pin & firing pin return spring last night. I did some more filing on the pin to make everything a little more smooth and to make sure the firing pin moved ALL the way forward once the retaining pin was inserted. I also cut off a few more links of the firing pin return spring, bringing the total number of links removed to 6.
Took it out to the range today with a friend that I haven't seen in a long time. The first few mags ran 100% fine. Then we started having the odd light primer strike again. Then after a while, we started having "strings" of light strikes followed by "strings" of successful firings -- we'd load a new mag and get 6-8 light strikes in a ROW, then it would start working and we'd dump the rest of the mag without problems.
At one point, my friend (who's military) turned to me and said "you know, it feels like this gun needs a forward assist", which got me thinking....
We ended up doing a field strip on the gun and moved a washer (part # 127) in front of the retaining block (part # 57), so that the washer basically pushes the breech housing forward... which is basically what hitting a forward assist would do.
We ran a LOT more ammo through the gun after that and it performed nearly perfectly. In all, we ran about 1200 rounds through it today, about 700 of which were after we moved the washer. I'm going to clean everything out tonight, then run a bunch more ammo through it at some point (either tomorrow or Monday), but based on what I saw this afternoon, I'm VERY confident that I've finally fixed the problems I've been having. I'll report back after I've had a chance to run another 1000 rounds or so through it.
Based on my experience, my original thoughts on this gun stand -- it's a hell of a fun and unique gun if you're willing to do some kitchen-table gunsmithing, but if you're looking for something reliable out of the box, look at the other options out there.
Took it out to the range today with a friend that I haven't seen in a long time. The first few mags ran 100% fine. Then we started having the odd light primer strike again. Then after a while, we started having "strings" of light strikes followed by "strings" of successful firings -- we'd load a new mag and get 6-8 light strikes in a ROW, then it would start working and we'd dump the rest of the mag without problems.
At one point, my friend (who's military) turned to me and said "you know, it feels like this gun needs a forward assist", which got me thinking....
We ended up doing a field strip on the gun and moved a washer (part # 127) in front of the retaining block (part # 57), so that the washer basically pushes the breech housing forward... which is basically what hitting a forward assist would do.
We ran a LOT more ammo through the gun after that and it performed nearly perfectly. In all, we ran about 1200 rounds through it today, about 700 of which were after we moved the washer. I'm going to clean everything out tonight, then run a bunch more ammo through it at some point (either tomorrow or Monday), but based on what I saw this afternoon, I'm VERY confident that I've finally fixed the problems I've been having. I'll report back after I've had a chance to run another 1000 rounds or so through it.
Based on my experience, my original thoughts on this gun stand -- it's a hell of a fun and unique gun if you're willing to do some kitchen-table gunsmithing, but if you're looking for something reliable out of the box, look at the other options out there.
