mark 1 mag problem

[kennedy]

My brother in law just inherited a bull barrel Mark 1, shoots great, but when he went to buy an extra mag, the gun shop had several for sale in Ruger packages, but when compared to his, the button on the mag was on the wrong side. looking in the mag well there is a curved section to accommodate the button on his mag, but not on the other side, the new mag did not fit very well. It was marked 9 shot mark 1. did ruger changed something along the way?

 

[contender]

It's an easy fix.
Get a new magazine, compress the follower & spring, remove the follower button, put it back in on the other side. Relax the tension on the spring & follower. Load & go shooting!

 

[kennedy]

the other side is solid

 

[Bullseye57]

Ruger made several verions of the M-9 magazine. Some have single slots and some have dual slots. Sounds as if your B-I-L has a A-100 (1972 and later) frame Mark I version which uses a magazine follower on the left side, just like a Mark II. However he got a replacement magazine with the follower and single slot on the right side, which is for the A-54 frame (Pre-1972) Mark I. You can use a M-10 magazine (Mark II version) in the A-100 frame without any difficulty. If he is handy with tools he can cut a new slot in the opposite side of the replacement magazine, a high speed cut off wheel works well for this task. Or, sell it and get a dual slot M-9 or M-10 magazine.

R,
Bullseye

 

[kennedy]

button is on right side of original mag that fits gun

 

[kennedy]

ser no says it was made in 1965

 

[Bullseye57]

There were some initial M-9 magazines for the A-100 that had single follower slots on the left side of the mag body too. They later made M-9 mags with slots on both sides. You can just get a M-10 version with dual slots and swap the follower button over to the right and it will operate fine in the earlier A-54 version frame.

R,
Bullseye

 

[m657]

I've been trying to solve my own "Standard" pre Mk I 1954 frame.
A buddy tried to convince me this swap would work. Something wasn't right, as the dual slot 10-shot mag with the button moved did not work for mine.

I'd love to be able to make it work with 10 shot mags. Appreciate any further tips on this matter.

Are the mags themselves marked with series #? Does the different mag bottom design indicate anything? Original was chrome plated metal, all the ones I've tried are plastic black or grey w/bird.

 

[Bullseye57]

In the earliest of models, the size (diameter) of the follower button can also be an issue because the larger diameter buttons can drag inside the frame channel. The external dimensions of the magazine bodies, regardless of bottom, are identical.

R,
Bullseye

 

[rugerguy]

as 'bullseye' noted the button is usually the culprit, as well as the bottom pieces, if there is ANY "gap, and the edge of the bottom release button is "sharp", they catch and hang up....make sure the "correct" screws are in for the grips, if too long, they can and will drag on the sides of the magazine, hanging it up........