New Mark III

NGIB · Post by **NGIB** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:27 am

Couldn't resist on Sunday so I picked up a new Mark III stainless, bull barrel, adjustable sight model. Took it to the range yesterday (I had broke it down and cleaned first of course) and I have 2 issues.

The trigger doesn't seem to reset all the time, kind of like there's a bind somewhere.

After about 100 rounds (using CCI mini-mags) I started to get quite a few stovepipe jams.

For the second issue I'm going to assume it's a new gun and is not broken in yet and just got a bit dirty. For the first, I have no clue and I'd appreciate any input...

Post by **Bullseye** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:36 am

Congrats on your new gun. My first question is how far did you break it down to clean it?

This sounds like there may be some of the preservative in behind the disconnector bar and after some rounds got gunked up with powder residue. This condition would cause the disconnetor to stick and not reset the trigger. The other place that could cause the same condition is the plunger on top of the trigger. If that gets plugged up, it will cause the same problem as it has the tension to raise up the disconnector bar. Also, the top of the trigger is exposed to the residue and tends to collect it.

The second problem could be that the extractor plunger and hook could be dirty too. That preservative is everywhere and needs to be cleaned out well, otherwise these types of failures will occur.

R,
Bullseye

NGIB · Post by **NGIB** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:01 am

As you probably guessed, I just gave it a field strip cleanup before the range trip. While I didn't see any excess gunk visible in the trigger group sure doesn't mean it wasn't there.

I've seen the threads about making a mag disconnect removal "kit" using washers and such. Now a potential stupid question: couldn't you just grind the "tooth" that catches the sear off the disconnect lever?

This weekend I'll give it a full breakdown and thorough cleaning - and then go shooting again!

Post by **Bullseye** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:39 am

Sure if you wanted to permanently alter the mag safety hook then you could grind off the hook end.

Usually I recommend not to permanently alter these parts so you can save and reinstall them in the event of a return back to the factory for repairs.

Do a detail strip and clean out all that oily preservative and your pistol should function just fine. http://guntalk-online.com/detailstrip.htm

R,
Bullseye

NGIB · Post by **NGIB** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:34 pm

Thanks, you've been a wealth of good information - as always...

NGIB · Post by **NGIB** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:09 am

Well I stripped her down completely and gave every nook & cranny a thorough cleaning. Went back to the range and still did not get the results I'd hoped for. In a 100 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags, I had 4 jams.

Didn't have my camera but I'll describe them as best I can as they were all the same. The empty didn't eject and the base of the empty was wedged against the partially chambered round - locking it up good. This didn't happen on a specific round in the mag such as first or last, it was pretty random.

My new Sig P220 was much more reliable out of the box so I'm not real impressed with this one so far...

blueridgeranger · Post by **blueridgeranger** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:55 pm

Hello NGIB and all

I'm sorry to hear about the ejection problem.
There is a modification that can be done to the magazines that entails rounding off the back side of the "V" notch but I don't have the link. This mod works very nicely for me.
Bullseye, do you have the link? If so, please post it.
I did it to my magazines, and in about 1000 plus rounds have had only three failure to ejects. Now, I use the Federal 325 count auto-match ammunition, and my guns; a MKII, and 2 each MKIII's really like it.
Keeping the gun clean is also very important, however I don't field strip mine after every session, but I do Q-Tip off the bolt face, and also get as much as I can out from the receiver area.
Just my thoughts, and congrats on the USAF Retirement...so am I.
all the best
blueridgeranger

NGIB · Post by **NGIB** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:02 pm

I've done the research here and saw the mag mods as well as the mag catch mod as well as the VQ extractor mod.

Frustrating that Ruger can't make it right from the factory and we have to do the home gunsmithing rather than shooting. I wish I'd have seen the Sig P220 in .22 before I'd seen this one as I would have saved myself a headache.

Ruger, I'm not impressed.

I retired in 92 but I still miss it sometimes. I'm a civil servant working for the Army now so I still serve...

rammed · Post by **rammed** » Sat May 02, 2009 3:31 pm

I agree with you. I'm not impressed by Ruger's "quality". I bought a new Mark III Competition in stainless. Had the same problems. I bit the bullet and went the VQ route. The Mark III performs OK now. Seems a little funny that after spending over 400 dollars on the Ruger you have to upgrade it with after market parts to get it up to the reliability of a Buckmark.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat May 02, 2009 4:00 pm

I'd be unhappy if I dropped for the price of a stainless Hunter or GC and it failed to work properly. Sometimes they don't handle some ammo well. If I had the problems across a variety of ammo, then I'd start blaming the pistol. I tried some RGB's a while back and none of my .22's would shoot it well.

The problems seem to go in cycles. A while back the discussion topics were failures to fire, now they are ejection-extraction problems. My Rugers have been very reliable as long as I don't over lube them and clean them at regular intervals. I have more ejection/extraction problems with my Buck Mark standard but I believe that is totally related to the ammo I've been shooting getting the chamber dirty and sticky.

SKnight · Post by **SKnight** » Mon May 04, 2009 1:01 am

My Hunter had a serious FTE problem. The VQ extractor fixed it, but I agree the least it could do is spit the brass reliably. Few thousand rounds later since I've not had a FTE since.

Not had any FTF problems that weren't ammo related. Damn Remington rimfire is over 10% failure rate with the 1000 rounds I tried.

smokey · Post by **smokey** » Mon May 04, 2009 6:03 am

I think that Ruger could do a better job of QC with their pistols. However, for the money they are hard to beat and the problems are usually relatively simple to fix. I enjoy turning an average gun into an exceptional one. I would not trade my Mark lll for a brand new one now. I expect that is true with most people in this forum.

Smokey

Jack D · Post by **Jack D** » Tue May 12, 2009 5:28 pm

My new 22/45 jammed several times, as you describe, the first 100 rounds. I ordered the VQ extractor, but prior to installing, I ran another 120 rounds through it without problems. Since it apparently also fits the 10/22, and I have one of those, I decided to shelve the new extractor until one of them fails.

All I did to the 22/45 was remove the bolt, wipe it and lightly oil it and the hook. So far, so good.

smokey · Post by **smokey** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:43 am

I was also having more FTE than I wanted. I recently installed a VQ extractor and did the mag mod. I went out yesterday and went through a box of 550 Federals. I tryed everything imaginable to get a FTE. I'm happy to report not a single jam. I'm looking for a Mark ll slab side now. If I have any FTE issues I will just go ahead and do the same thing. It is money and a little time well spent.