22LR chamber Reamer on an Erma Werke LA-22

Erma Werke LA-22 chambers are not a sporting spec chamber. Many 22LR bullets will hit the rifling before the bullet seats all the way to the rim. In the video I use a chamber reamer to fix the problem. It would shoot nearly every ammo brand I tested it with and did not have the same issues I had before which was the bolt would not slam shut all the way more than half the time unless I used High Velocity ammo.
Ammo I tested with prior to chamber reaming was same ammo I tested after. Only Thunderbolts would work before doing the reaming. Afterwards, it worked with:
Federal Automatch bulk
Winchester 555/333
Remington Thunderbolts
Remington Golden Bullets
CCI Standard
CCI Minimag 36g HP
CCI Minmag 40g

[@sergioherrera7345]

You my friend just made my day. My erma 22 was doing the same thing.

[@liedebunker1253]

I finally found this video again! Thank god! I watched this video a few months ago, but I couldn't do it because I was afraid that if I used the tool improperly, I'd damage the chamber. But I have had issues with my Taurus TX22 pistols. They keep having extracting problems when I shoot Federal AutoMatch with them. Then I changed to CCI Standard Velocity, and they shoot very well without one single problem. I found that the CCI Standard Velocity ammo is slightly thinner than Federal AutoMatch. But I've had similar issues with other 22lr guns too, pistols or rifles. So I think the chamber is the problem -- if it's a little too narrow, it would make the gun very picky about ammo. I'm going to do the same to all my 22lr guns. Thank you very much! But of course, I'd have to find the reamer first.

[@52fordf1]

Very helpful. Mine was doigg by same thing before I broke firing pin. Got pin ordered. May do this at same time I fix mine.

[@Dbeattie299]

This video is super helpful Thank you!

[@HippieDave351]

I purchased a piloted, threaded reamer from The Yardstore aircraft tool site. After measuring my other various 22 semiautos, I arrived at a final ream of .231..... And a.215 pilot. Purchase a six inch 1/4-28 adapter for your reamer and chuck it up to a 1/4" palm drill rather than try to hand tap... Use cutting fluid and mark your reamer so you dont over do it! Let the reamer do the job and DO NOT force the reamer..... Polish the final cut with flitz polish on a cotton bore brush... As for the extractor, purchase a small half moon and flat jewelers file of the same width as the extractor or whatever you can find to fit the extractor pocket. Clean and blue the extractor pocket then, let the extractor bottom out on the ramp in the pocket to mark the high spots.. Use the jewelers files to adjust the ramp while maintaining the radius and bring the lip down with the files while filing smoothly.... Dont press too hard,,, the files are brittle! The object is to allow the extractor to hook the casing out with a better bite on the rim of the spent round. I have tried to modify extractors and even use a stronger extractor spring to no avail. After you file the pocket ramp, reblue it and try a few rounds, the extractor will mark the high spot to file if needed. CCI MiniMags 36 grain 1260fps are the best bullets for your Erma...... I have a La22, KGP69 and ET22 carbine and, they all run like a clock! Be patient with the reaming and filing, If you are unsure, take it all to a gunsmith to do the job....

[@davidparker5068]

This video is an absolute gem! I have a bunch of the Erma toggle pistols in all models/variations. Their reputation has always been that of being mag and ammo sensitive, and my experience with them is generally another confirming data point. I've noticed the same little bit of resistance to fully chambering a round pretty much on all of them, and have been intending to get ahold of a reamer in order to do this operation. In my Erma "travels," I've heard that the European standards for cutting chambers are a tiny bit snug compared to SAAMI here in the U.S. This is also borne out by the behavior of the bunch of small frame Llama semi-autos also in my collection. If you own a KGP series Erma pistol, you might know of the other bad rep that they throw their extractors. Since chamber dimensions can also affect extraction, I'm wondering if extraction woes would also be helped by this remedy. I really think you're onto something here, and I'm really keen to see a video of subsequent test firing. If this easy fix works as proposed, it will be a boon to everyone who owns an Erma! I subscribed and turned on notifications so I won't miss it. (I also have many NOS Erma parts.)

[@tomwalker9971]

awesome video. youtube sucks now (or always has i suppose) for gunsmithing stuff. yours is like 1 of 3 diy videos on chamber reaming i have been able to find thats worth a damn.

[@jonathancarter2349]

Watching this hurt my soul for so many reasons.

[@AS-we9xi]

What are the odds that you stopped at exactly the right spot vs went a little too deep? To do this correctly you should have a mark on the reamer and a reference on the gun, ream a small amount, check with a round, measure how much more you need and advance the reference mark by that amount before you ream to the mark a 2nd time. Even better would be calipers, a micrometer depth gauge or a dial indicator. And to do it really realy correct you should have a set of go/no go gauges to check with. You said it was picky with ammo, which itself means that some ammo is bigger. Maybe you picked a really out of spec round, and now that drops right in with no assistance? It may work the way you did it but it is far from correct.

[@debi5292]

.22 lr headspaces on the rim. The reamer has a face on it to stop it from going too far. If this were a centerfire, you would be correct.

[@davidparker5068]

I just checked, and it's been a year since this video was posted. I've been waiting for follow-up to appear about how effective this tuning turned out to be. Have you tested the pistol but missed taking a video of it? If so, a report here in the comments would suffice for the meantime. Reamers for .22lr are available in many, many different designs, and I'm curious what the specs or designation were for the reamer you borrowed, particularly if it improved the pistol's function with Mini-Mags.

[@dditch66]

It now works with nearly every 22LR I have tried. I don’t recall which one it did not work with but think it was Winchester

[@fbweaver63]

it would be nice if you would answer people's questions about the results of your ream job.

[@mcclungandsons]

Perhaps he added it later as it's been a year, but he lists what worked after in the description.

[@alexarza7483]

Hi man, can you tell me the rifling button what ø is? Because my barrel Is 5.70, but i don't know what rifling button i have to buy.. thanks!!

[@jesusyeshuaelelyonelshadai6295]

So how did it shoot? I'm thinking of reaming mine from 22 lr to 22 magnum single shot bolt action

[@sergioherrera7345]

Where did you get the chaimber reamer?

[@davidashley2719]

I'm curious as well if this would work for reaming a 22 long to a 22 long rifle.

[@bungmanagforty7959]

Don't see why it wouldn't. You may run into issues with your gun's feed system though. I.E. rounds too long for mag.

[@garymcmullin2292]

From the look of the cuttings on the reamer you succeeded in altering a match grade chamber to a sloppy sport fit, when the real problem is the throat is too tight. In my book that is a sad state of affairs. Likely all you needed was a throat reamer. Cutting off the lead bullet would have allowed you to see how well the cartridge fits when no bullet is there, a way of diagnosing if chamber is actually tight or if it is just the short lead in the throat. Your chamber looked ok to me by virtue that the cartridge would seat ok with minimal pressure, the lands engaging the lead bullet too soon was the problem.

[@sirjhonson8218]

Is that a .22 long instead of a .22 lr . ?

[@gunrutten9929]

Just found this video, did it work to improve function?

[@dditch66]

Yes Much much better

[@royboone5991]

That's called 22 long chamber.