New MarkIII with mag problem

[Yleefox]

Just got a new MarkIII Hunter and as luck would have it, one of the magazines does not snap into place (either loaded or empty). I have a total of 3 mags (two of fine). I've been shooting Mark series pistols for the last 25 years or so and haven't experienced this problem, but then again, those pistols all had the old style mag release.

My question is this: Is this a fairly common problem with the MarkIII or do I just happen to have a bum mag?

I will call Ruger on Monday and I'm sure they will send me a new mag, but I'm just curious if this a rare issue or not.

Y

[Bullseye]

No this is not a common problem. When the 22/45 first came out they had a lot of problems with mags not latching but they solved it with better quality control on the plastic bottom block. You should check your's for any plastic flash that could be interfering with the magazine's insertion. You could change the bottom block with another mag to ensure that this is not causing the problem. If not then the mag body would be the next suspect.

R,
Bullseye

[Yleefox]

I tried switching them Bullseye. The same mag had the same problem. So, it appears its the body of the mag that is the problem. It would be interesting to determine the cause of this malfuction.

[Bullseye]

The locking bump is on the right side of the magazine and I would check it alongside a known good mag for correct shape and length. The bump may be slightly out of tolerance and a little application with a file could clean up the bottom edge to ensure proper seating.

R,
Bullseye

[Yleefox]

Bullseye

I compared them as you suggested and visually, they all look the same, however when I measured each mag from the locking bump to a point of reference at the base of the metal portion (excluding the plastic base), I found the measurement to be nearly .009 inch shorter, meaning the bottom of the bump is lower on the mag then the two others. I would think this even this small amount would be enough to cause the mag release mechanism to fail to catch under the bump and hold it in place.

I'm going to try to reach Ruger today and see if they will send me a replacement. I suspect they will replace it and most likely will want me to return the malfuctioning mag to them. In the event they do not want the mag back, then I will try your suggest and take a few judicious swipes with a small file and see what happens.

I'm curious to see if you think .009 would be enough to cause this problem.

Y

[Bullseye]

Yes, .009" would definitely create a mag that won't latch. This is especially true if your magazine's feed lips are touching the ejector pin on the chamber side, there's no room for the mag to insert any farther in the frame to properly latch. If you decide to file the bump, take a sharpie permanent marker and make a line at the .009" distance for a good reference point. This is an easy fix for this problem.

R,
Bullseye

[Yleefox]

Well I did as you suggested Bullseye. I wrapped a piece of tape around the mag to protect the body of the mag from the file and took perhaps three or four careful swipes with a small file, across the lower end of the protrusion. Removed the tape and inserted the mag in the gun, worked like a champ. No need to bother Ruger for a replacement now.

Thanks
Y

[bearandoldman]

Well I did as you suggested Bullseye. I wrapped a piece of tape around the mag to protect the body of the mag from the file and took perhaps three or four careful swipes with a small file, across the lower end of the protrusion. Removed the tape and inserted the mag in the gun, worked like a champ. No need to bother Ruger for a replacement now.

Thanks
Y

0
Thats the way to attack and solve a problem, your cousin Wiley Coyote would be proud of you. He would have attacked the problem with Acme products. Most minor gun problems can be solve without going to the manufacturer. It takes a little thought and effort is all..

[Yleefox]

0
Thats the way to attack and solve a problem, your cousin Wiley Coyote would be proud of you. He would have attacked the problem with Acme products. Most minor gun problems can be solve without going to the manufacturer. It takes a little thought and effort is all..

Actually, it was an ACME brand file that I used.

I'm a DYI sort of guy anyway, I just tend to cringe a bit when something is brand new and I start thinking about modifing the part. Now my old MK II, no problem (my wife calls it my ugly gun, just because the bluing is rather worn off from use). I think we are headed out for the range in a little bit, so I can try out that new Mark III today.

Take care
Yleefox

[Bullseye]

You should be proud of yourself, I didn't fix it, I just pointed you in a few directions to check. Once you isolated the problem and listened to another little suggestion, you immediately took the corrective action necessary to fix it.

Good job!

R,
Bullseye

[blue68f100]

After following this thread I had one magazine that would not eject without pushing up on the mag then press the release. So I did some comparison to my good one. I found the mag release catch was 0.003" higher than the one that worked. I took my pocket knife and did a couple of scrapes, now it falls free like the other one. It's hard to believe that little difference could matter. But it did.

[Yleefox]

I finally made it to the range today and tried out my new MKIII. The wife went along too, with her new MKIII 22/45. Her pistol performed flawlessly and her only complaint was that she should have bought one sooner. My MKIII however, had numerous stove pipes during the several hundred rounds I fired through the gun. Towards the end of the day, it occurred to me, that perhaps it was a magazine problem (although, I wouldn't have suspected that, I don't believe, if it were not for the mag issue I already had". I removed that magazine from use and what do you know....no more stove pipes. At least another hundred rounds and not a single malfuction. So, I have to ask the question.....why would that magazine cause an ejection problem? And why not, with each round instead of randomly? Some times it would be one round per mag load and other times it would have two or more per 10 round mag load. I'm puzzled. I could easily toss that mag in the trash and not worry with it anymore, but inquiring minds want to know what is going on here. Any thought?

Thanks
Yleefox

[bearandoldman]

I finally made it to the range today and tried out my new MKIII. The wife went along too, with her new MKIII 22/45. Her pistol performed flawlessly and her only complaint was that she should have bought one sooner. My MKIII however, had numerous stove pipes during the several hundred rounds I fired through the gun. Towards the end of the day, it occurred to me, that perhaps it was a magazine problem (although, I wouldn't have suspected that, I don't believe, if it were not for the mag issue I already had". I removed that magazine from use and what do you know....no more stove pipes. At least another hundred rounds and not a single malfunction. So, I have to ask the question.....why would that magazine cause an ejection problem? And why not, with each round instead of randomly? Some times it would be one round per mag load and other times it would have two or more per 10 round mag load. I'm puzzled. I could easily toss that mag in the trash and not worry with it anymore, but inquiring minds want to know what is going on here. Any thought?

Thanks
Yleefox

Switch base plates with one of you wife's mags and see if the problem moves from one gun to the other.

[blue68f100]

Compare the lips and check for burrs inside the mags lips. Any roughness there can increase the friction and slow the bolt down. It could also be running to high and interfering with the bolt.

[Bullseye]

I would also check the height of the rear feed lips on that magazine. If they're touching the ejector pin then they are knocking the spent cases off of the extractor. You might have to take a few thousandths more off the bottom of the locking bump. There should be a gap like this:



R,
Bullseye