Thread: ERMA-WERKE Model E M1-22

A mate owns a German ERMA-WERKE Model E M1-22 and has been having trouble with rounds not feeding smoothly and jamming.

I rather foolishly offered to dismantle it and clean it for him ("Fools rush in where angels fear to tread!") based on the fact that is was filthy dirty and had possibly NEVER been dismantled and cleaned. Also with my experience with dismantling and cleaning my Brno 581 and Ruger 10-22 it should be a breeze? Right? WRONG!!! What a fricken complicated firearm!!! Makes me real appreciate the simplicity of the engineering of the 581 and 10-22! I've got the main parts dismantled and clean, but am hesitating to dismantle the actual trigger assembly following warnings of YouTube about (at least two) springs which are under tension and if they go "PING" you will never be able to buy a replacement! So I've just soaked the trigger assembly in white spirits, brushed and air blasted it as best I can.

Google saved the day and I have found a very detailed PDF of dismantling and assembling the ERMA. Up until that point I had a "spare" piece sitting on my work bench, after the rifle was fully assembled! WTF!!!!???

The question is, "What Brand, weight, velocity of ammunition, do other ERMA-WERKE owners find cycles best in the M1-22?" This rifle is not threaded for a suppressor, but the owner has been firing sub-sonic ammunition. Does the ERMA work better with super-sonic? What is your experience please?

The Gunsmith has told me, "You can frick around for hours with one of those ERMA's and never get them to cycle well! They are basically a turd in a bird bath and you might at as well chuck it away and buy a decent firearm!" What's your thoughts?