Ocduff

On my brand new Mark III, I can't insert the magazine without depressing the magazine release button. It ejects fine. It literally will go in 6/8ths of the way. It will not go the last little bit, until I press the button.

I see there's a little tang on the magazine that seems to be getting some wear. Overall, the new gun feels really tight, as it should. But this issue hasn't gone away after 1000 rounds. Should I wait a while and hope it resolves itself, or contact Ruger?

It's not a huge deal but Id like it to work as intended. Or am I crazy and this is how it works?

Thanks for the replies.

staff3704

No it is not suppose to work that way. Have you tried different mags? If you have and all work that way contact Ruger. The only problem I had with my MK III (bought used) was stove pipe often. Replaced the extractor with a VQ extractor which helped but didn't fix. Filed a little on the mags (lips) and cleared the problem. Guess that is why the gun was for sale. Great gun now. Oh, I forgot to ask if this was a 22/45 or regular MK III. Mine is the regular MK III. Sometimes on the 22/45 you have to slam the mag with the palm of your hand to get the mag to catch.

Ocduff

Hi Staff, thanks for the reply. Mine is a Mark III Standard with the 3.75 tapered barrel. Both magazines do it. I haven't tried any other magazines in the gun. I guess I'll contact Ruger and hear what they have to say. I'd hate to have to send it in already, but perhaps it's the magazines and not the gun. One can hope.

Bullseye

That is not unusual for the Mark III or 22/45 version magazines to insert, due to the way these magazines latch into the frame using the thumb activated release. The button should be depressed momentarily to clear the magazine's locking bump then released to hear the button "click" and latch when the magazine is locked in place. Over time the spring in the button will loosen up some and you can use less force to seat a mag. I still have to do this on my 1911's and Model 41's when inserting a magazine, but because those magazines don't have locking bumps that protrude they seat easier than the Ruger mags.

R,
Bullseye

Ocduff

Thanks Bullseye. I guess I'll give it some time and see how it goes. It's not a big deal but I was curious if it was a safety issue at all too. But the gun feels really "tight" and new so I'm sure with time it will break in nicely.

staff3704

If you go to a range or gun club and see someone with a MK III, tell them your problem and ask if you might try one or two of their mags to check your problem. Most gun guys are nice and will help if not in a rush. You also could take a flash light and look up the mag well while pressing the release button to see what you can see. Then if you can do the same at a gun store on a new one or someone elses, see if you see any differences. Tight tolerances on a gun can make it function a little strange. I noticed that the mag lips were very close to the ejector. So I reasoned that maybe the shell was hiting the lip before it got to the ejector therefore I filed just a little off the 2 back lips and problem solved. I had to file all 3 mags to get each to work correctly on my stove pipe problem. If you talk to Ruger and get a gun guy, he might know if anyone has had that problem and what was done to correct it (or they may just act dumb and say send it in). It never hurts to ask.

41 Magnum

I had asked the same question some time ago. Mine doesn't do it every time, it sometimes catches about 3/4 of the way in, & then the next ten times, it'll go right in. I was told at the time, that I wasn't the only one having that problem. Still workin the same way.

Jim

ugotit33

You can get some marking blue (Dykem) machinist blue.
Put some on the mag by the grove on the left side.
When you insert the mag you will get a mark on the bluing.
This is where you can hone, buff the mag spot for a smother fit.

Ocduff

I am the original poster. I called Ruger and talked with a nice CS rep. She said she hadn't heard of this issue, but she conferred with another technician, who said to not be afraid to really slap the magazine in with my palm. That doing so several times would de burr whatever piece was in there hiding things up. So basically, the gun needs to break in.

I haven't done this yet. In fact, I don't think it would go in if I slapped it. Something would break. I'll give it a few thousand rounds.

Bullseye

Keep an eye on your magazines, if you see wear marks on the metal bodies, then you have a clue as to where the friction is being applied. I suspect later you will see some evidence of rubbing on the locking bump, which is not unusual because the magazine latch is spring loaded to seat directly underneath it. This means if you're not depressing the button when the bump contacts the magazine latch then you have to apply enough force to overcome the tension of the magazine latch return spring.

I have also found that some folks are having difficulty with the transition between the metal frame and the plastic spacer in the rear of the magwell. If a magazine is inserted at a slight angle the edge of the feed lips can catch in here and cause difficulty inserting the magazine. It doesn't take very much of an angle to cause this problem either.

R,
Bullseye