# Jennings j22



## swedeman (Feb 7, 2018)

I just acquired a J22 pistol. It appears new in the box. I want to disassemble it but the instructions say the pistol must be unloaded and uncocked. The pistol is cocked and the trigger will not dry fire it with or without the magazine in or with the safety off. I tried to disassemble it as it is and it won't come apart.
I would really appreciate any advise on this.
Thanks a lot,
Wally


----------



## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

"Jennings" seems to stir memories of very bad reports on quality. I hope I am misremembering.


----------



## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

I owned several of these pistols at various times in my younger days. They worked reasonably well if kept clean and fed decent ammo, but you had to keep in mind they were a $50-$60 pistol when bought brand-new (I bought a few at $25-$30, used); these are _not_ S&W- or Colt-quality pistols.

Yes, it MUST be dry-fired to uncock the striker before disassembly, as the instructions said. Before doing so, you need to MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE the chamber is NOT LOADED. Open the slide and look in the chamber to make sure it is clear of any live rounds or brass casings. If you don't know how to do this, get help from a knowledgeable person that can assist you.

If it has been unused or in storage for a long time, it may just be very dry, and that may be preventing parts from moving properly to release the striker. The frame of this pistol is a zinc alloy casting, so parts won't move/slide very well if unlubricated, or if old lube has dried-out. You should know that the trigger pull weight on this pistol is quite high even when well-oiled, so be prepared for a 12 or more pound trigger-pull-weight if it is dry.

For a first step, I'd try making sure the safety is in the "off" position, and then pulling the trigger with at least 15-20 pounds of pressure (again, POINTING IN A KNOWN SAFE DIRECTION!), just to make sure it's not just the heavy trigger pull making you think there is a problem.

If that doesn't work, then I'd recommend holding the pistol upside-down, and spraying some spray-lubricant into the gap between the frame and the slide, near the top of the grips. This should get into the area where the moving action parts are, and may loosen-up the parts so they will move more easily. If you have the "Deluxe" model with wood grips, the lube may soak and discolor or even soften the grips; however, if you remove the grips to prevent this problem, parts may fall off (for instance, the thumb safety is retained by the grip, IIRC). If the grips are plastic, then they shouldn't be affected by spray lube, so spray away. Also spray some lubricant into the hole at the rear of the slide, even if the tip of the striker seems to be blocking most of the stream (some will get through, but beware of splashing -- wear eye protection). After letting the lube soak-in for a day or so, then point it in a safe direction and try the trigger pull again.

If neither of these suggestions get it dry-fired, post again here and I'll make some more suggestions.


----------



## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

hillman said:


> "Jennings" seems to stir memories of very bad reports on quality. I hope I am misremembering.


They were kind of crude, but generally functional. Good pocket-plinkers when hiking, fishing, or woodswalking, but I'd only carry it chamber-empty, due to the design.


----------



## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

I had one way back when. I remember Click! Click! Bang! Click! Bang! Bang! Click! Gunsmith recommended tying it to a fishing line and using it that way. I never did get through a full magazine with it. Very popular with gang bangers, I remember a store video that showed a gang member executing a rival gang member in a convenience store with one. He had to work the slide twice to get it to shoot.


----------



## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Pot metal! Pot metal! Gimme a break!
How many slide racks does one shot take?
Just take that Jennings and throw in the lake,
And go buy a Lorcin instead...


----------



## MoeJoe (12 mo ago)

DJ Niner said:


> I owned several of these pistols at various times in my younger days. They worked reasonably well if kept clean and fed decent ammo, but you had to keep in mind they were a $50-$60 pistol when bought brand-new (I bought a few at $25-$30, used); these are _not_ S&W- or Colt-quality pistols.
> 
> Yes, it MUST be dry-fired to uncock the striker before disassembly, as the instructions said. Before doing so, you need to MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE the chamber is NOT LOADED. Open the slide and look in the chamber to make sure it is clear of any live rounds or brass casings. If you don't know how to do this, get help from a knowledgeable person that can assist you.
> 
> ...


This didn't work for me. Any other suggestions? Thanks


----------



## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

MoeJoe said:


> This didn't work for me. Any other suggestions? Thanks


Let me ask you how you have determined the pistol is still cocked? Be as specific as possible in your description.


----------

