Black Oxide on Eclipse Ultra II Frame's Ramp
A few months back, I bought an Eclipse Ultra. It consistently left the bullets jammed against the frame's ramp. This model has stainless steel frame/slide, not ramped barrel as with aluminum.
In all seriousness, the pistol would "jam" in excess of 90% of the time for the first 100 rounds. I cleaned the pistol and the same problem continued, but diminished to an approximate 50% failure (jamming into the frame ramp). By all means, the pistols was "broken-in" by now. Even after 550 rounds, the failure rate was 28%. While it was improving, it remained problematic enough that I could not use it for concealed carry. This time, I broke out the brightest light I owned, grabbed a magnifying lens and looked into my pistol...black oxide!
The frame's ramp was never polished! It was as-black-as the outside of the pistol. I have never seen an Eclipse with a Black Oxide-finished ramp...never. They were all polished shiny and bright. So, being the owner of a nice Dremel tool, I broke out the Dremel and the buffing compound. I did not want to remove any steel, just the black oxide. I also noted that the center of the ramp was being buffed up a nice silvery color by the bullets over time. But, that some expensive buffing. So, setting my Dremel on 1, the lowest setting, I polished, wiped, polished and wiped.
So, for my test, I set my thesis as "The black oxide's course texture caused the bullets to hang up on the frame's ramped surface. Furthermore, if polished, the problem would be eliminated. Now I had to test my thesis. I developed a three-phased test: Phase I slow manual; Phase 2 rapid manual; and Phase 3 live-fire.
For phase I, I did a manual pre-firing test, I designed a test at home. I would manually load a total of 100 rounds into various magazines. Using both FMJs and HPs, I manually manipulated the slide as-slow-as possible, round by round out of the magazine, the bullet bumping up against the ramp...paused, then resumed feeding up the ramp and into the chamber as slowly as I possibly could to test the slickness of the ramp. After settling into battery, would manually eject the rounds as quickly as I could to test the ejector. The rate of proper feeds was now 100%! Not one single round failed, and I mean I fed them SLOWLY!
For Phase 2, I reloaded these same 100 rounds, and cycled them through the pistol manually as quickly as I could, and this series allowing the recoil spring to do the work. Again, I had 100% proper feeding, and zero failures.
For Phase 3, I took these same 100 rounds of ammunition to the range. The same ammunition that I had used previously. All 100 rounds fed, fired and ejected flawlessly! Finally, I can use my Eclipse Ultra for what it was intended...my primary concealed carry.
My point of this posting is that I am noting dozens of people having fail to feed problems. I strongly suggest you check your ramp under bright, bright light and literally use a magnifying lens...not the eye.
I only wish that I had taken some before and after photos of the frame's ramp. All the same, the numbers speak clearly in support of checking the finish of the ramp if you are having difficulties.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Gene