Brand new MKIII magazine problem

[Short9]

Took my sister down to the local FFL last night to get a .22 pistol for her to shoot some target. She picked out a SS Target model. As they were writing it up I started putting it in the case. I installed the magazine, and...WTF? It was stopping about 1/4" shy of the latch. I got it, but it took some effort. When I tried to release it I had to pull pretty hard before it would come free. Tried the second mag, same thing. Opened a new mag from a package, same thing.

Handed it to their resident smith who took it in the back and messed with it for a while. The front end of the magazine opening wasn't properly machined, instead of having a nice half round shape it was almost an oval on one side and round on the other. He rehaped it as best he could, which improved things a little but didn't resolve it.

It was the only one they had in stock, so he gave her an option. Wait two days for another one, or she could have the SS 60th anniversary model at his cost, which worked out to $20 more. She took the anniversary model and went home happy.

 

[Dirt Nap]

Glad it worked out.

 

[Donaldjr1969]

Nothing wrong with that outcome!

My then new 22/45 had magazines that would not fully seat without a firm slap to the base. Yet they did release as they should. Yet when the pistol has been fired, the magazines latched with very little pressure. I suspect something is merely tight inside the magazine well and with the magazine latch. After a couple thousand rounds, that went away pretty much 100%.

 

[Fox Mike]

Took my sister down to the local FFL last night to get a .22 pistol for her to shoot some target. She picked out a SS Target model. .

Single Sixes are revolvers, that is probably why a magazine doesn't fit. .......just jerkin' your chain a bit. I had a similar problem with my 22/45 and as was said above...it went away after a few hundred rounds and insertions.

 

[blume357]

SS is stainless steel to me... but I work with stainless most days and so it is more normal than the 'single six'

original post.... sounds kind of funky to me... but I kind of agree that things could have just been a little tight... doesn't seem like all the mags would have been bad... in fact I've bought 10 over time and never had a bad one.

 

[Short9]

doesn't seem like all the mags would have been bad... in fact I've bought 10 over time and never had a bad one.

The mags weren't bad, read my OP again. It was the machining on the frame.

Their smith looked at it some more, can't quite figure it out so it's going back to Ruger.

 

[resident]

Which makes one wonder...How Ruger function/test-fired it. :shock:

 

[Short9]

It probably would've fired well enough, it was getting the mag in and out that was a pain. You really had to muscle it.

 

[V]

I recently had this problem with my gun. After having it apart for some trigger mods, when I put it back together, magazines would not seat fully. None of my mods should have interfered with the magazine. What I found with my gun, is that it is possible to completely assemble it, and not have the receiver seated fully to the rear on the frame. The area of the frame that the ejector is riveted to was sitting just far enough forward to hit the rear of the magazine and not allow it to lock in.

 

[rooger]

...have the receiver seated fully to the rear on the frame. The area of the frame that the ejector is riveted to was sitting just far enough forward to hit the rear of the magazine and not allow it to lock in.

You are correct. The MKIII manual details how the receiver should sit on the frame:
"Push the barrel rearward until it stops, with the rear end of the receiver slightly overhanging the rear end of the grip frame (see Figure 8B). If alignment cannot be achieved by hand pressure, place the pistol (muzzle down) on a padded bench and strike the rear of the grip frame immediately below the receiver with a plastic or wooden mallet."

 

[Short9]

Good info.

If it had been stripped and reassembled it wouldn't have been a big deal, but NITB makes it an issue. Plus, since it was my sister I didn't want her to get it home and find out that maybe it wouldn't cycle properly or something, so we figured it best to take a pass and move on.