How does the bolt stop work on a 22/45?

[Anonymous]

Hello, I have a polymer framed 22/45 that I just started shooting again after about 10 years. Didn't shoot much .22 until the price ammo got so crazy!

When the bolt is locked back and you insert a loaded magazine (or no magazine at all, for that matter), shouldn't the bolt go forward on its own when pulling it back and releasing it? Same as the slide on every other semi-auto pistol I've seen? With mine, I have to manually release the bolt with the bolt stop (or release) to get it to go back into battery. Again, it has been about 10 years since I last shot it, so I can't remember if it was like this before or not.

Yes, I did actually read my instruction manual. It says it should operate as I thought it should. Load, insert magazine, pull bolt back and let it fly forward. Can someone who has a 22/45 please verify this? Thanks so much!

 

[rugerguy]

the 'button' on the side of the magazine, operates the lever to "hold open"...so if you put in or keep in an "empty" mag, the button will be alll the up and the bold will stay "locked back"....you must push down on the lever on the left side at the same, you pull back and release the bolt...if there is ammo in the mag ,it will now feed the top one into the chamber, if NO ammo in the mag, the bolt willl go forward, and the hammer will be 'cocked'.........hope this helps

 

[Anonymous]

the 'button' on the side of the magazine, operates the lever to "hold open"...so if you put in or keep in an "empty" mag, the button will be alll the up and the bold will stay "locked back"....you must push down on the lever on the left side at the same, you pull back and release the bolt...if there is ammo in the mag ,it will now feed the top one into the chamber, if NO ammo in the mag, the bolt willl go forward, and the hammer will be 'cocked'.........hope this helps

Thanks for the help, but I'm still a little danged cornfuzed.

So, if I read this right, you are saying the bolt will NOT go forward, either with NO magazine inserted or with a loaded magazine inserted, without having to push down on the bolt stop/release button? It won't go forward like the slide on a "normal" semi-auto pistol where you just pull it back and let it "fly" home into battery if there's a loaded magazine (or none at all) inserted?

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, got it figured out. I found a later version of my instruction manual on-line where they put a parenthetical in discussing the need to also depress the bolt stop when chambering a round from a loaded mag. It wasn't in my version of the 22/45 manual. Weird. I wonder why they made that model function different from the other Ruger .22s where the bolt does fly forward on its own after pulling it back and letting it go.

The bold part wasn't included in my early circa 1994 manual...

6. Don’t touch the trigger. Pull the bolt to the rear as far as it will go. (See Figure 3, above) Release the bolt so that it will fly forward. (On 22/45 models, the bolt stop must also be depressed to permit the bolt to fly forward). This will place a cartridge into the firing chamber. If the pistol is not to be fired immediately, the safety button should remain “on” — with the “S” showing. (See Figure 2. p. 10) Figure 3

 

[rugerguy]

there you go, sounds like you "got it......" as I said once you can "understand" ( or see) just how the lever holds the bolt 'open' (back) the mag ,in or out, loaded or unloaded, will determine just what YOU have to now do...once you do this few times, it will come "naturally" good luck and enjoy, and safe shooting to you.........

( practice, practice, practice..................) :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

it will come "naturally" good luck and enjoy, and safe shooting to you.........

Nothing "naturally" needs to come at all. Mag in/out/unloaded OR loaded... If the bolt is locked back you ALWAYS need to depress the bolt stop when pulling the bolt back to get it go go forward...no exceptions. Easy enough.

I did see a modification on another site where you could make the bolt "slingshot" with a loaded mag, but I'm not going to mess with it. Not like it's a self-defense gun or anything. Range toy only. :lol:

 

[rugerguy]

NO< modifications like that can and will be a "safety hazard"...I know these guys will say "oh not me, ...BUT the first time they ever let anyone else use or shoot their gun or later on, down the road a "new" owner ,can and will "let it fly" and it will "go bang".....seen this all too often.........

 

[Anonymous]

BUT the first time they ever let anyone else use or shoot their gun or later on, down the road a "new" owner ,can and will "let it fly" and it will "go bang".....seen this all too often.........

Then the shooter is an unsafe idiot, plain and simple. It ain't the gun's fault... Finger off the trigger until ready to fire and this will NOT happen...same as with ANY other firearm.

All the completely reversible modification does is remove the spring and ball that goes into the bolt stop detent and holds it up. With it removed, the bolt is pulled back, the stop falls down under its own weight and allows the bolt to fly forward when released. It has NOTHING to do with the trigger and it will NOT go "bang" unless, again, the idiot pulls the trigger. :roll:

 

[rugerguy]

ah yes, work the range as many times as we have over all these years and you'll be quick to "learn" just what really happens....you just pointed out what I said, YOU say you know what to do, but the next guy doesn't and Mr Murphy was an 'optimist' in our book.......don't like stuff that "slams closed" when not really expecting it........one "instictively" reacts and grabs with their "hand" ( ergo, ALL the fingers & thumb.......) again "human nature..."

 

[Anonymous]

don't like stuff that "slams closed" when not really expecting it........

And, how is that exactly? Nothing at all just up and "slams closed". That mod makes the bolt work like EVERY other semi-auto pistol slide out there. Locks back after last round... Then, with no magazine or a loaded magazine inserted, just pull back and release or ease it forward...NO bolt/slide stop lever actuation needed.

And, ya know what? ALL the other Ruger semi-auto .22lr pistols work EXACTLY that same way by design. ONLY the polymer 22/45 is different in needing to manually depress the bolt stop to release it in addition to pulling it back, so if anything, the design can instill bad habits during initial training by requiring something that is not needed 99.9% of the time.

Again, if they're "not expecting it" ------> 'tard who needs more training...or shouldn't be there in the first place. :roll:

 

[berettapistols]

Here's the Slingshot Mod as discussed above from Bullseye's Website..
If I had a 22/45 with that detent & spring it would be in a baggy in my parts stash..
http://guntalk-online.com/2245detailstripping.htm#ssmod

 

[Anonymous]

Here's the Slingshot Mod as discussed above from Bullseye's Website..
If I had a 22/45 with that detent & spring it would be in a baggy in my parts stash..
http://guntalk-online.com/2245detailstripping.htm#ssmod

Exactly. Although I'm going to leave my 22/45 stock now that I know it's just the way they are and it was simply that the blurb about using the slide lock to release the bolt never made it into my very early instruction manual. They started making these in 1992 and I bought mine in '94. The .pdf manual on the Ruger website has the addition and that's what I cut and pasted above.

But, be careful... According to some, you'll shoot yer eye out...or blow your twig and berries off! :shock:

Even though the mod makes it act like EVERY SINGLE other semi-auto pistol... :roll:

 

[rugerguy]

ah yes, looked at Bullseyes site and now "see" what you meant, the term "
slingshot" and what I had thought of goes back to the days of the mac 10s and the European (like the HSC mauser) autos that when a magazine is inserted, it 'flew forward" ( slingshot) bolt dropped , went forward ,what ever words one wants to use, and this is what I "pictured"... yes, you can teach an 'old dog' new tricks, and I now "understand" what you were trying to say..................gotta get around to some of these "other" sites and catch up, but NOT enough hours in the day , and besides, I still am NOT a "gimmick" guy................sorry , know tooo many lawyers :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

No problem, rugerguy! Thanks for explaining your misunderstanding. I just didn't get what the problem was you had with the modification. Just so we're on the same page, the bolt does NOT drop when a loaded magazine is inserted. It must be pulled back fully and then you can let go so it flies forward and chambers a round. Just like every other semi-auto pistol where you don't need to manually actuate the slide lock in addition to pulling the slide back. Hence, the term "slingshot". Just like a slingshot...pull it back and let 'er go!

But, you're right. If the bolt DID slam home just from the insertion of a magazine, I'd definitely NOT recommend that modification for one second. Same as you. Too easily to have a slamfire, especially with the .22lr rimfire cartridge.