• Win a RIX Storm S3 Thermal Imaging Scope!

    To enter, all you need to do is add an image of yourself at the range below!

    Join the contest

Sidearms & Scatterguns Ruger MK3 22/45 failure to feed

GetReal

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 15, 2020
422
286
This gun has pretty regular failure to feed the 2nd round in the magazine. When I hit the Bolt release the 1st round in the magazine will always feed. In semi auto the 1st round fired will always eject a spent shell. The gun will at least half the time failed to feed in the 2nd round of the magazine. It doesn't jam. It just fails to strip the round off the magazine. The bolt will close on an empty chamber.

This happens if I load 10 rounds and 9 rounds and even sometimes 8 rounds into the magazine.

Any ideas ?
 
Last edited:
I would also take the magazine apart and clean it. If you've been using a can, then there's a lot more carbon coming back into the action than the designers ever intended. That doesn't mean it won't or shouldn't' work though, so don't get too frustrated yet. Give everything a good cleaning and see if the problem doesn't go away.

For what it's worth I have a Mk3 lite and it works like a champ even after a full brick. Then I usually tear it down while I'm waiting on the baffles for the can to do their thing in the ultra sonic.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Moose
Also call Ruger and talk to one of their repair guys.I purchased a TD 10/22 that I had to send back to them 3 times and the only reason they fixed it is because I figured out what the problem was by changing parts with another 10/22.The bolt was messed up and the magazine would not drop unless i pried it out with a screwdriver.They might send you a new magazine.
 
You didn't mention which ammo you are using. If it doesn't have enough energy to cycle the bolt back far enough you will end up with the malfunction you are describing. Not enough lube could also prevent the bolt from going back far enough.
 
Ammo could be another issue if it's the low power stuff.

In my Mk3, I use the cheapest stuff I have. Normally, some kind of 550rd box from Walmart or wherever. It's usually super sonic in a rifle length barrel, but in the pistol, due to the short barrel length, it's subsonic and sounds awesome.
 
Try different ammo as well as a different mag.
What were you feeding it when this issue occurred?

CCI SV... It recoils real soft for rim fire challenge type shooting.

Maybe it is underpowered but I don't understand why it only ever happens on the 2nd round fired for each new magazine.... And always cycles well for the entire rest of the mag.

I've also tried other mags and they do the same thing though maybe less frequently.
20180925_093545.jpg
 
You didn't mention which ammo you are using. If it doesn't have enough energy to cycle the bolt back far enough you will end up with the malfunction you are describing. Not enough lube could also prevent the bolt from going back far enough.

I'll try lubin' it up
 
As pointed out, disassemble the mags and clean them real well, including the inside of the feed lips and the follower and spring.

Also clean up the recoil spring/guide.
 
Another thing you can try to help tune your pistol for lighter loads is to polish some of the internals in your pistol. Specifically the underside of the breech/bolt that rides over the magazine, feed ramps, portion of the hammer that makes contact with the bolt (without changing the geometry of the hammer). Reducing some friction in these areas will make the pistol cycle with less effort. If you don’t feel comfortable or have experience doing this, a competent gunsmith can perform this action job for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Davo308
I went and shot my 22/45 lite last week since it hadn't seen any attention in a while and it feeds everything from CCI mini mags, R-50 and SK standard plus without a hiccup in 350 rounds.
If you have changed anything with the operating system or recoil springs I wouldn't bother with contacting Ruger as i doubt they will be much help other stating put it back to stock configuration and try it again.
 
I went and shot my 22/45 lite last week since it hadn't seen any attention in a while and it feeds everything from CCI mini mags, R-50 and SK standard plus without a hiccup in 350 rounds.
If you have changed anything with the operating system or recoil springs I wouldn't bother with contacting Ruger as i doubt they will be much help other stating put it back to stock configuration and try it again.

Yup. As pic above shows, this gun is not a Ruger anymore, at all. TacSol Upper, Volquartsen frame / internals / bolt, etc. Really, only the magazine body is Ruger, with aftermarket followers, baseplates etc.

:)
 
Yup. As pic above shows, this gun is not a Ruger anymore, at all. TacSol Upper, Volquartsen frame / internals / bolt, etc. Really, only the magazine body is Ruger, with aftermarket followers, baseplates etc.

:)

So more than likely the recoil spring is a little stiffer, add to that the added restistence of the magazine spring of a loaded mag until you get past the first two rounds and it eases up a bit and starts functioning properly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GetReal
It happens on the 2nd round due to pressure on the round from the magazine spring. Pressure lessens as the mag has less rounds in it.


The second round doesn't chamber at all. The bolt goes right over it. The second round stays in the mag. Its like either the bolt doesn't go far enuf back to strip off the second round... could be partly the recoil spring being too heavy, and the tension of the mag spring causing enuf drag.

It happens frequerntly with 10 rounds (full mag) but also with 9 rounds loaded, and 8 rounds loaded. It fires the first round, but doen't pick up the second round.

I hand cycle the round into the chamber, then it runsfine from there.

Kinda definitely NOT a good thing for a Rimfire Challenge gun .
 
Last edited: