Ruger 22/45 MKIII feed ramp jams

[rutilate]

I have two Ruger 22/45 MKIII that are jamming. The bullet isn't pointed up far enough in the magazine. It is roughly horizontal and is pushed right into the bottom edge of the feed ramp, slicing the lead. It will happen as often as two or three rounds out of 10, in all four magazines, in two guns. Clearly the ammunition (hollow point) is the common factor.

Many people have suggested never to use hollow points, or to always tip the first bullet up, but these seem like ridiculous accommodations.

Here is a pic of the bolt face pushing the bullet straight forward into the bottom lip of the feed ramp:



As you can see in this photo, the bullets are laying flat rather than pointing upwards and out of the magazine.

The topmost bullet is pushed forward just a bit by the profile of the rear of the magazine and is only captured by the rim. I can push the tip up and down by at least ⅛" without resistance from the feed lips on the body of the bullet.


I'm wondering if the rear profile needs to be shaped differently so that the bullet isn't advanced and pinched by the rim. Or is there another alternative? I might be able to shave just a hair off the rear grip mating surface so the magazine seats just a bit higher, particularly in the rear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[92G]

How many mags you tried?
which ammo types?
must rule out mags/ammo before assuming issue is gun.
my 22/45 eats everything
does it misfeed while cycling or just chambering 1st round?

 

[Greg Derr]

Your rounds are not properly positioned in the mag from the start, after loading, pull the follower button down and let it snap back allowing the first round to have the proper angle to allow for easy entry. The Ruger is a very dependable pistol for function. If you are loading 10 rounds in the mag, this might bottom out the follower and change the angle slightly so try loading one less round.

 

[Steve Marshall]

I like the last paragraph. Ruger has sold at least 10 of these guns. So call them up and tell them their magazine sucks. ( you migh't get neg repped )

 

[Rugerfan]

Clean the mags, clean the gun. I have the same model that I use for bullseye and other competitions. It has never caused me a problem, nor alibi in a match.

I have found that the wax from most .22 ammo will eventually start to gum up the mags. They are easy to clean and afterwards, the first round stands up proud of the mag as it should.

 

[rutilate]

I like the 3rd paragraph. Ruger has sold at least 10 of these guns. So call them up and tell them their magazine sucks. ( you migh't get neg repped )

What? that has to be the lamest response to any post that I've ever seen.

Clean the mags, clean the gun. I have the same model that I use for bullseye and other competitions. It has never caused me a problem, nor alibi in a match.

I have found that the wax from most .22 ammo will eventually start to gum up the mags. They are easy to clean and afterwards, the first round stands up proud of the mag as it should.

I cleaned both very thoroughly yesterday. I agree--Blazer ammo tends to be very waxy-I hate trying to use my autoloader with Blazer!

How many mags you tried?
which ammo types?
must rule out mags/ammo before assuming issue is gun.
my 22/45 eats everything
does it misfeed while cycling or just chambering 1st round?

I've tried 4 mags, two pistols that are exactly alike, same results. I've never had a problem until I went to hollow points, and specifically Remington golden bullets (from their bulk bucket). While I recognize the problems inherent in bulk bullets, and recognize that the simplest answer is to never shoot hollow points, these pistols have a reputation for shooting anything and this behavior seems fairly common on the Internet but most threads devolve into fixing a stovepipe problem not the feed ramp problem.

Your rounds are not properly positioned in the mag from the start, after loading, pull the follower button down and let it snap back allowing the first round to have the proper angle to allow for easy entry. The Ruger is a very dependable pistol for function. If you are loading 10 rounds in the mag, this might bottom out the follower and change the angle slightly so try loading one less round.

Greg, I tried this and it would position the first round properly, but the second round consistently fails when I manually pull the bolt back to eject the unfired first round.

There is no consistency in which round fails to feed, whether it is #1 through #10. I've carefully lifted the first round and gently inserted the mag so the first round feeds, and then it fails on round two. I lock the slide back, remove the mag, strip the top round (with the sliced lead point), reinsert the mag and it'll cycle through three and then fail on the fourth.

The problem is that the bullet is only retained by the rim at the rear of the magazine, which acts as a pivot. The nose of the bullet is free to pivot upwards or downwards by 1/8" as the front lips don't touch the side of the case. If it is caught just right, the nose points into the feed ramp. If anything is less than perfect, the nose points down and impales upon the sharp lower edge of the feed ramp.

If the feedramp were lower or the magazine seated higher, then the pivot wouldn't be a problem as even in the lower position it wouldn't catch on the feed ramp. But beyond that, it appears to be a problem with feed lips that pinch too much at the rear or don't pinch enough at the front, or both.

What say ye?

 

[Happy feet]

If you are near the bottom of the bucket you may need clean up the bullets a bit. The closer to the bottom of the bucket the dirtier the bullets. The other problem is the hollow points, golden bullets aren't to bad compared to winchester white box which have a more open hollow point that can really catch on the feed ramp. I would suggest using the GB for practice and round nose for when it matters (matches, steel challenge)

 

[Chet0729]

I have had the same issue recently. there is a youtube video about cleaning the burs off the rear feed lips that is supposed to resolve it. i have not tried it yet. I think it is batch specific as i have shot thousands of Golden bullets in the past with no issues.

 

[coachjpg]

As long as I run a bore snake through it every 600 rounds or so, my 22/45 has always worked, for decades.

After loading a mag, I always lower the spring button a little to take the pressure off, and tap the mag against the palm of my hand to make sure the rim end of the rounds are all seated against the back of the mag. I do this any time I load any mag. If some of your rounds are further forward than others, that might explain the inconsistency you're seeing. Just a thought...

 

[Greg Derr]

OK, you should number the magazines in a way that allows you to narrow the issue down, next does it shoot well live fire, not cycling on the bench? Is it limited to the one specific ammo? How old are the magazines? With higher velocity ammo the slide can sometimes cycle too fast for the mag spring/follower/ammo to catch up for feeding the next round. Hollow points tend to run 1180+ fps which is 100 fps faster than standard. Try some standard velocity please.

 

[rutilate]

Greg et al, thanks for weighing in.
I cleaned both guns and four magazines thoroughly, and lubricated them.

I shot 10 rounds of Remington Golden Bullet hollow points in each of four magazines in both guns, and repeated the test four times, plus one more rep in one pistol for a total of 360 rounds, each shot fired in fast succession. Before loading each one I drew back the follower button and let it snap forward, such as it is with 10 rounds in each mag. I did notice that doing so tended to draw the topmost bullet back into the mag slightly. Each magazine was inserted sharply and firmly with the palm of my hand to seat.

The tests aren't perfectly conclusive. Pasting from Excel yields the following results. Each gun is in a column, and each magazine is lined up with the same magazine used in each gun. All FTFs are the same--the bullet is jammed into the bottom lip of the feed ramp, slicing the bullet.

High-level observations: Most of the FTFs are on the first round. Two of the magazines have a slide lock on empty problem.

Magazine 1 is the only magazine that had multiple FTFs in a 10 round load. There were five FTFs, including three on the first round.
Magazine 2 seems to have a slide lock on empty problem, occurring four times. There were two total FTFs, only one on the first round.
Magazine 3 had five total FTFs, four of which were on the first round.
Magazine 4 had three slide lock failures, three total FTFs, two of which were on the first round.


[TABLE="width: 780"]
[TR]
[TD]Pistol #1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Pistol #2 (red label)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Magazine 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Magazine 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 4"]Only one with multiple FTFs in same mag[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]3 FTF on #1, 5 FTF total[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1, 3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1, 7[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 5[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Magazine 2[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Magazine 2[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]FTE 9, no slide lock on empty[/TD]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Slide lock problem: 4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]1 FTF #1, 2 total[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 5[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Magazine 3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Magazine 3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]4 FTF on #1, 5FTF total[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 5[/TD]
[TD]FTF 7[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Magazine 4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Magazine 4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 1[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Slide lock problem: 3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 2[/TD]
[TD]no slide lock[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]2 FTF on #1, 3 total[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]FTF 3, no slide lock[/TD]
[TD]Round 3[/TD]
[TD]flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]Flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Round 4[/TD]
[TD]flawless[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Round 5[/TD]
[TD]FTF 1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Are there any other conclusions to be drawn from this?

I have some Federal American Eagle 40gr round-nose I can put through these pistols to test the effects of round nose ammunition. Sadly, I don't have anything else other than Eley Prime, which is going to be expensive for this test!

 

[92G]

What happens w CCI minimags 40gr?
for me these are the best ammo for a .22 handgun...if FTFs w multiple mags and CCI minimags then i agree the gun has an issue.

also are you sure it was reassembled correctly? The 22/45 is easy to incorrectly strip and reassemblt so the bolt will not move freely.

worst case just contact ruger and get RMA. Do not try ti fix the gun yourself thats a bad idea.

 

[jaymce]

I've tried 4 mags, two pistols that are exactly alike, same results. I've never had a problem until I went to hollow points, and specifically Remington golden bullets (from their bulk bucket).

Might start with the obvious. I personally have never had any luck with Remington Golden Bullets in any autoloader rifle or pistol. Other bulk package (all hollow point) ammo I have good results with in autoloaders.

 

[jtnf]

Might start with the obvious. I personally have never had any luck with Remington Golden Bullets in any autoloader rifle or pistol. Other bulk package (all hollow point) ammo I have good results with in autoloaders.

^This.

My MkIII Hunter hates Golden Bullets. I get precisely the same jamming as described by the OP.

 

[rutilate]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I tested 100 rounds of Federal champion and 100 rounds of American Eagle, cycling through the mags and both pistols as before. 99% flawless, with only 1 stovepipe FTE. Everything else fed perfectly. These tests were conclusive!

Clearly it is the ammo (which sucks because the only ammo I could get is the golden bullet).

What is it about the golden bullet that makes it fail so often? Is the rim diameter larger than normal? Or is it just hollow point ammo in general?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jtnf]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I tested 100 rounds of Federal champion and 100 rounds of American Eagle, cycling through the mags and both pistols as before. 99% flawless, with only 1 stovepipe FTE. Everything else fed perfectly. These tests were conclusive!

Clearly it is the ammo (which sucks because the only ammo I could get is the golden bullet).

What is it about the golden bullet that makes it fail so often? Is the rim diameter larger than normal? Or is it just hollow point ammo in general?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just my opinion, but the truncated ogive curve of the hollow point projectile creates a step or edge that the sharp edge of the feed ramp can catch... Full ogive, round nose projjies have more material (longer overall length too?) that steers the cartridge up the ramp and into the chamber.

 

[Steve Marshall]

So I guess you won't be changing the rear profile?